Following some concerns about this part of our operation we have conducted a review of this service and appointed a new packer. His name is Tim Moran and details of his experience and qualifications are set out below;

“Since 1988 I have been engaged by many of the UK’s foremost gliding clubs and their members; including; The Gliding Centre (Husbands Bosworth); London Gliding Club (Dunstable); Essex and Suffolk Gliding Club (Wormingford); Black Mountains Gliding Club (Talgarth); Herefordshire Gliding Club (Shobdon); Bristol and Gloucester Gliding Club (Nymphsfield); Windrushers Gliding Club (Bicester) Cairngorm Gliding Club; Scottish Gliding Centre (Portmoak); the Scottish Gliding Union and the British Gliding Association.

I am fully qualified by the British Parachute Association and my expertise and experience in round emergency parachute systems spans 25 years. I am a parachute instructor, skydiving coach and have provide consultancy services to H.M. Armed Forces. I look forward to being of service to Booker Gliding Club.”

Frequency

We discussed with Tim the frequency for repacking. The BGA ‘Laws and Rules’ have previously stated every three months but Tim informs us that advice has been changed to ‘manufacturer’s recommendations’ which is in effect every six months. The club ‘chutes will be repacked on this cycle and we offer the service to members for theirs. Dates and method of booking and paying will be published by the Office.

Costs

The cost per repack will be £30.00. This represents a saving on the price charged by the previous service provider (whose prices were due to increase radically in January) and includes a small contribution for the use of the club facility. This contribution will go to a fund for the replacement and repair of the club chutes.

In the past several club ‘chutes have gone missing. The cost of replacing a ‘chute is now around £1600 so they are a valuable asset over which we all need to keep a close watch. If you have borrowed one and not returned it, you are asked to do so now. In an effort to keep a closer control of the club ‘chutes a detailed record will be kept by Tim of serial numbers and repack dates.

Geoff Tabbner