CHARLY SECOND CHANCE 86 User manual
SECOND CHANCE 86 / 94 / 118
CHARLY HG
Version | Fassung 5.2022
OPERATING & PACKING INSTRUCTIONS
FOR CHARLY ROUND CANOPY RESERVES
BETRIEBS- & PACKANLEITUNG
FÜR CHARLY RUNDKAPPENSCHIRME
1. Reserve models
Paragliding reserve parachutes Second Chance 86 / 94 / 118 and hang gliding reserve
parachute Charly HG
2. Intended use
Manually deployed reserve parachutes for paraglider and hang glider pilots who nd
themselves in an emergency situation in the air.
Weight range information and approval numbers can be taken from the attached approval
labels.
3. Service life
The permissible service life is 10 years with recommended retests every 2 years, then a
further 3 years with mandatory retests every year.
1. Parachute canopy
The canopy of the listed models consists of: SC 86 14 panels, SC 94 / 118 and Charly HG
16 panels.
The material is air-permeable, tear-resistant parachute silk made in Germany. The
suspension lines run from the canopy base to the main riser. The center line runs from the
apex lines to the main riser and provides for a faster opening of the canopy.
2. Main riser
For paragliders, the main riser is connected to the attachment points at the shoulder
straps of the harness or to the main carabiners by means of a V-line.
For hang gliders, it is connected to the main suspension of the harness with a suitable
connecting link (breaking load min. 2,5 t).
3. Reserve inner container
Depending on the intended use, the reserve inner container is available in two different
versions:
As a standard at container (pocket container) for harnesses with integrated container
compartment and as an inner container for external containers and front containers.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Equipment description
Construction
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves03
TABLE OF CONTENTS | INHALTSVERZEICHNIS
03
11
19
Operating instructions
Betriebsanleitung
Packing instructions | Packanleitung
The CHARLY standard at container was developed at the G-Force Trainer and is the result
of years of experience with reserve deployments under centrifugal force. Specically, it is
characterized by the following features:
• Deployment with signicantly less effort thanks to the at design
• Best possible prevention against getting stuck in the harness due to conical shape with
round corners
• Pocket container design with separate closure for the canopy to reduce the risk of
entanglements with the main glider
• Fabric covered rubber closure loops
• Centered triangular pull tab to reduce the required release force
The CHARLY front inner container, which can be used as an alternative, has the conventional
round shape that is ideally suited for front outer containers.
1. Required documents
Packing and inspection records, operating instructions, approval label
2. Mode of operation of the rescue system
In an air emergency situation, the release handle is pulled rmly. This breaks the break
tie, allowing the release pins to be pulled out of the release pin loops. The break tie
prevents the release pins from slipping out unwantedly. The inner container holding the
reserve, which is attached to the release handle, is thrown powerfully into clear air. As the
suspension lines stretch, the inner container opens and the canopy is inated by the air
current. The reserve unfolds and the inner container is lost.
The throwing action must be performed as quickly and as powerfully as possible, and
should be practiced on the ground before each repack of the reserve. It is important to
also mentally practice the procedure several times.
After each landing, it has to be checked that the canopy fabric has not been damaged.
1. General remarks
Reserve parachutes require particularly careful maintenance and care, as the pilot’s life
may depend on their safe and airworthy condition.
2. Repack and retest intervals
The reserve parachute must be opened, aired and repacked 12 months after the last
packing or if it has become damp (e.g. due to snow or a wet meadow). The packer has to
check the parachute for possible damages.
Instructions for use
Service and maintenance instructions
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves 04
CAUTION: The reserve may only be serviced by authorized specialists.
Only a comprehensive knowledge of the respective rescue system and
regular routine of the specialist packer can guarantee the fast and reliable
functioning of the equipment!
A retest is required:
• After every emergency deployment or deployment during a safety training
• After any event of increased stress (e.g. a tree landing)
• After a repair or modication
• 2 years after the last retest (recommended)
Retests must be performed by authorized specialists.
3. Checking and preparation of the reserve prior to repacking
Before repacking, hang the canopy freely above the ground for at least 6 hours in a well-
ventilated room without UV exposure. If the parachute canopy has become damp, always
make sure that the lines, which become considerably heavier when wet, are unloaded and
cannot stretch. Do not use heating radiators for drying!
4. Procedure in case of detected damages
If damage is detected during the parachute check, the reserve must be sent to the
distributor or the manufacturer for repair. This also applies to damage whose effects on
airworthiness cannot be clearly determined. Repairs are to be carried out exclusively by
an authorized specialist.
5. Storage
Store the reserve in a dry, well ventilated room, away from oils, greases, acids and paints.
For longer periods of storage, the reserve should be opened and stored the with the
canopy loosely rolled up.
6. Cleaning
Dirty parachute canopies and containers can be washed with clean tap water. Acid or
mildew stains can affect the strength of the parachute. Parachutes soiled in this way must
be returned to the manufacturer for inspection and, if necessary, repair. Canopies which
have been in contact with salt water must be rinsed thoroughly with clear fresh water as
soon as possible! Never wring or brush wet canopies!
7. Packing tools
Two packing cords about 40 cm long, new special packing rubbers and a suitable weight
to weigh down the parachute are needed.
The packing procedure must be carried out on a smooth and dust-free surface.
8. Packing instructions
The packing of the reserve is described in detail from page 19 onwards. Make sure
that you use the latest packing instructions. These are available on the CHARLY website
(www.nsterwalder-charly.de).
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves05
CAUTION: CHARLY and its authorized dealers are not liable for damages
related to paragliding or hang gliding. Also, accidents, loss, improper
handling, lack of care and maintenance, direct and indirect damage caused
by the use of a rescue system are the responsibility of the user.
1. Checking the compatibility of the reserve volume
Make sure that the volume of the reserve parachute is compatible with the volume of
the harness reserve compartment or the front container. For this purpose, compare the
corresponding information in the operating instructions of the rescue system and the
harness or front container.
2. Use of compatible release handles
Outer containers, front containers and harnesses with integrated container compartment
are equipped with a release handle, which must be connected to the inner container of
the reserve. It is mandatory to use the original release handle. If there is an attachment
possibility for the handle, it is recommended to use the original CHARLY inner container.
If there is a xed connection between the release handle and the inner container, the
CHARLY reserve can be repacked into the third-party inner container, provided that
CHARLY has given its approval in this regard. For the common cloverleaf inner containers,
the permission is generally granted.
3. Length check of the connection of inner container and release handle
The shorter the connection from the release handle to the inner container, the easier it is
to pull out and throw the reserve. However, the connection must be at least long enough
to ensure that that the locking pins are released when the handle is pulled. To prevent an
entanglement of the release handle in the suspension lines while they are stretching, the
maximum length of the connection from the release handle to the inner container must
not exceed 37 cm.
There are three loop-in options on the CHARLY standard at container:
• The attachment to the triangular pull tab is preferable, as it is the best prevention
against the container getting stuck during the extraction from the harness.
• The attachment point on the side is intended for harnesses with a rear container
compartment.
• The bottom attachment point is used when the 37 cm would be exceeded when using
the triangular pull tab. How to measure the length of the connection is shown in the
pictures.
Please contact the harness manufacturer if the release handle connection is too long. If it
is necessary to shorten the connection between the handle and the inner container, this
must be done by the handle manufacturer or another qualied specialist. It is required to
use a high-strength sewing thread (Art.No. HNae40) for this purpose.
4. Compatibility check
There have been several issues reported associated with the recombination of reserves
with harnesses with an integrated container compartment. Also special characteristics
of the pilot, e.g. his strength or arm length, or a changed packing volume after the rst
repacking of the reserve can cause problems related to the deployment of the rescue
system. A compatibility check by a qualied specialist is therefore mandatory.
Qualied specialists are active ight instructors and authorized employees of ight
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves 06
Installation in the harness container compartment or the front container
schools who have received comprehensive instruction in the task of compatibility testing.
The harness-reserve-pilot combination must be tested in a realistic arrangement. That is,
the pilot is in normal ight position while the harness is hooked to its main carabiners.
It has to be checked:
• That the release handle is easy to reach and grasp.
• That the inner container can be pulled out of the outer container easily and effortlessly.
The pulling power on the release handle should be between 4 and 8 daN. During the
release test, the inner container must be fully extracted.
• That the conguration of the release handle, the inner container and their connection
allows for a forceful throwing away of the inner container in one pull with the extraction.
• Which pilot position results with the selected harness settings when the harness is
hooked to the attachment points of the reserve.
After the compatibility check has been completed and passed, the rescue parachute
inside its inner container is reinstalled in the harness container compartment or external
outer container in accordance with the operating instructions. Particular attention must be
paid to the following:
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves07
• That the packing volume indicated on the CHARLY reserve’s approval label is
consistent with the allowed volume indicated in the operating instructions of the
harness/container.
• That the volume of the packed reserve can vary signicantly depending on the quality
of packing, and often differs greatly from the volume of a factory-packed reserve
compressed by the harness.
• That the rescue system has not been installed in the wrong direction/arrangement
inside the reserve compartment. The instructions for the harness/container must be
strictly followed in this regard.
Modern harnesses with integrated reserve compartment are increasingly designed with
the release handle and the inner container forming a single unit which is specically tested
during the certication of the harness or front container. The CHARLY pocket container
cannot be used in combination with these harnesses. Instead, it is necessary that the
reserve is repacked into the inner container of the harness manufacturer. CHARLY grants
the approval for this, provided that it is a usual cloverleaf inner container and its volume
is not less than that of the CHARLY rescue system (see technical data). If the design of the
third-party inner container differs signicantly from the common cloverleaf containers, the
release handle-inner container combination must be sent to CHARLY for approval.
1. Unpacking from the CHARLY standard at container
The following pictures show as an example the container exchange for a CHARLY
DIAMONDcross ST.
Reserve packed inside the CHARLY
standard at container
Tie both line bundles together with
packing cords
Please note: The following steps for repacking the reserve into a third-party
cloverleaf inner container are to be understood as an example only. Detailed
instructions must be obtained from the respective manufacturer of the third-
party container.
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves 08
Repacking into third-party cloverleaf inner containers
Tie the central line bundle together with a
packing cord
Gently pull the line bundles from the
closure loops
Gently pull the central line bundle from its
closure loop
Open the line compartment
Open the inner container aps Carefully remove the cap from the inner
container
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves09
2. Packing into the cloverleaf inner container
The following pictures show as an example the packing process into a GIN Genie Lite
3 inner container. It is not a problem that third-party containers usually have only one
closure for the two line bundles.
Operating instructions | CHARLY round canopy reserves 10
Reserve packed inside the cloverleaf inner
container from GIN
When lifting the reserve up by its lines,
the closure must open under the its own
weight
Inser the looped line bundles Close the container and make sure that all
packing cords have been removed
Carefully insert the cap into the cloverleaf
container and remove the 3 packing cords
Guide the closure loop through the central
eyelet, and secure it with the line bundle
This manual suits for next models
2
Table of contents
Languages:
Other CHARLY Aircraft manuals
