Extending thelife of yourcanopy

A little care makes a big difference

Performance Textiles, Inc.

New productdevelopmentsand advances

in production efficiencysets new standards forthe parachute industry

Performance Textiles, Inc. leads the industry in fabrictesting. In the toughest tests of porosity, weight, per-manence of finish, tear resistance and resistance toheat and light (UV), Soar-Coaf and Exacta-Chutewclearly surpass all other standard fabrics. As sportparachuting continues to grow, the future and de-mand for our fabrics looks brighter than ever before.

Find out how much brighter your future in this sportcan be. Call your manufacturer to make sure yourcanopy has been made with Soar-Coaf or Exacta-Chute. These are the parachute fabrics of the futureavailable now. Why would you want anything less?

What are Soar-Coa(B)and Exacta-Chute? resistance. This fabric meets and exceed all the re-

quirements of the military ram-air canopy high perfor-mance specifications Mil C 44378 Type 1. We startwith a 30 denier continuous filament yarn. This means9000 meters of one thread weigh 30 grams. Eachthread is made up of 10 filaments - finer than humanhair. There are 132 threads per inch in the lengthwisedirection, the warp. We have over 132 threads perinch in the crosswise direction, the fill. These areinserted one at a time, at over 500 per minute, 24hours a day, seven days a week. At this rate, weweave around 1200 yards per week, per loom. At 65inches wide, the fabric has over 8400 lengthwisethreads across the width and over 4700 threadsacross the fabric in one yard. If one yard of fabricwas totally unraveled, and all the yarns laid end toend, they would measure 9.7 miles.

Soar-Coaf and Exacta-Chutew are the trade namesPerformance Textiles, Inc. uses for our zero porosityand 0-3 cfm parachute fabric.

Soar-Coaf was developed in the very early 90's toprovide an extended service life with consiste~t/predictable porosity over the life of the canopy. Whiledifferent manufacturers call the product Zero P orZP3 or other internal names, Soar-Coaf is the onlyzero porosity product made in the USA. The materialstarts life the same as Exacta-Chutae, which is thebest 0-3 cfm product in parachutes today. After dye-ing and hot calendaring, some fabric is rou~ed tocoating to become Soar-Coaf. Soar-Coaf IS thestrongest and the most durable zero porosityparachute fabric manufactured in the world today. Itprovides a smooth, fast ride for the experiencedjumper as well as providing compact and excellentpack volume.

Exacta-Chutew is made from a Type 6,6 DuPontBright Nylon, High tenacity, with heat and lightinhibitors. It is promoted under the DuPont tradename "SOLAR MAX"TMfor its superior heat and light

After we weave the fabric, it is dyed with the bestavailable dyes, then given other special properties.The fabric is "calendared," between heated rollers atvery high pressure. This makes the fabric thinner(lower pack volume) and reduces the porosity to theusual 1 to 2 cfm. Fabric testing is extensive, in con-trolled laboratory conditions, to insure the Exacta-Chutew products meet our published standards.While most fabric manufacturers consider their

In the late 1980's, the "0-3 cfm" fabric trade nameF-111 by the George Harris Co. was mostly 2.5 to3.4 cfm. Skydivers were getting 300 to 450 jumpsfrom a canopy. A canopy is considered unsuitablefor jumping by most manufacturers when the porosityexceeds 12 to 13 cfm. Improvements in processingand designs have been made and Exacta-Chute'"now averages 1.5 cfm initially. We don't want zerocfm in this fabric, but old habits and names (0-3) dieslowly. Would you believe Harris Co. who devisedthe F-111 tradename that has been out of business7 years? Exacta-Chutew has been the only low poros-ity fabric made for skydiving in the U.S. for severalyears. Other fabrics are made in England (Blue TM) orSouth Africa.

Soar-Coaf is dyed, hot calendared and preparedfor coating. It has a solvent based silicone rubberapplied. The equipment to process solvent basedcoatings today starts at a million dollars. The systemcaptures the solvents driven off in the ovens duringthe cure cycle, incinerates them at extremely hightemperatures, and the heat is recycled for efficiencyand for maximum environmental protection. We dohave some processing secrets we protect, but wehave said for many years the aqueous based coat-ings of the past (and present) have not met thedemands of our testing - or your skydiving! Again,the fabric goes through extensive, extended, rigoroustesting before shipment to the best canopy manufac-turers in the world.

specifications secret, we have distributed over 1000copies of Exacta-Chutew and Soar-Coaf specifica-tions (see the following pages). We want people toknow what they are getting, and what should be ex-pected of ALL fabric manufacturers. Our standardsare a starting point - we have been evolving ourproducts for a more competitive world market sinceour first order. Improvements never end (nor doesthe demand on our fabrics in today's high perfor-mance canopies). This is another good reason forcontinuing to upgrade your skydiving equipment.

The choice of colors available today were started bya skydiver working for a parachute company inFlorida. "Neons" were new in 1989. Margie calledone day to ask if we could make a neon lime greenfabric. All we needed was a starting place, so shesupplied a sample of Neon lime green - a men'sSpeedo swimming suit. We matched it and panelswere included in parachutes. At a Riggers Conven-tion in Muskogee, Oklahoma over the 4th of July, thenew canopies were introduced - an exciting relieffrom the old basic colors ... including the "earth tones"of the 70s. As they say "the rest is history," and we

now produce 32 regular, jewel tone, and high intensitycolors for both Exacta-Chutes and Soar-Coaf.

Our philosophy at Performance Textiles, Inc. hasalways been to produce the best parachute fabricsin the world. We are deeply involved at every stepand process from the raw materials to the finishedproduct. The effort is a commitment we make to you,our many end customers. We want to see parachutesreplaced because of better design and technologyand higher performance, not because the fabric isworn out. We have never seen a use so demandingfor textile products. As a result of our continuingefforts, our fabric and technology has become partof the NASA space shuttle rescue system, futureprivate booster rocket recovery systems, the best hotair balloon systems in the world - manufactured byAerostar International Inc., para-sails, poweredparachutes ... and who knows about tomorrow. Onething is sure - the demands will be greater, our effortswill match them - and Performance Textiles, Inc. willbe there.

Be there with US!!

Spot Cleaning of NylonParachute Fabric

CONTACT THE ORIGINAL PARACHUTE MANUFACTURERFOR ANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARACHUTE.

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Most stains can be avoided by immediately Willing the stained area with an absorbent cloth or papertowel. Always handle the fabric carefully and treat the srj allest area possible. The following cleaning procedureshave been used successfully to remove stains from cos ted and non-coated parachute fabrics:,

,

SPOT CLEANING OF NYLbN PARACHUTE FABRIC

STAIN TYPE PROCEDURE

Food, soda, catsup,mud, dirt, sweat

Mustard, red clay, blood

Use clean water and a sponge gently. Rinse area thoroughly with cleanwater. Never use full strength detergent.

Use a mild deterqent, Let it sit on the stain 3-5 minutes then sponge gentlyand then firmer if n~eded. DON'T use bleach as it can affect the fabricstrength, finish and'color.

Allow to siton stained area for 1minute and work into stain with a sponge.Then gently and carefully clean and rinse as above. Be aware that stainingchemicals and cleaning agents can affect fabric strength, finish, and color.

Motor oil, hydraulic fluid,grease, exhaust and demosmoke

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Do not use flammable solvents such as gasoline, acetone, 'mineral spirits, paint thinner, etc., as they may damage thefabric or fabric coating and other components.

IF FABRIC SHOWS ANY SIGN OF WEAR, FRAYING, OR A Cl;JT, SCRATCH, OR TEAR, DO NOT USE THE PARACHUTE!

NEVER USE BLEACH OR PRODUCTS CONTAINING BLEACH. jlCONTACT THE ORIGINAL PARACHUTE MANUFACTURERFOR ANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARACHUTE.

CLEANING MA Y BE MORE HARMFUL THAN THE SPOT.

This information is intended as helpful suggestions.Performance Textiles makes no guarantees of resultsand assumes no obligation or liability whatsoever inconnection with this information.

Care of your Canopy

1. Do not pack your canopy when it is wet or damp.Exacta-Chutew & Soar-Coaf do not support mil-dew but dust and grass stains can cause mildewto grow.

2. Do not expose your canopy to excessive heat andlight unnecessarily.

3. If your canopy is excessively faded, have thestrength tested.

4. If you are experiencing slow openings and fast(hard) landings, have the manufacturer test thecanopy fabric porosity. If it exceeds 13 cfm it isunsafe.

5. Soar-Coaf takes practice packing the first 5-15times if it is new. It becomes easier to pack witheach use.

6. Follow cleaning procedures carefully as outlinedin the previous pages.

7. Never dry clean canopies or containers. The sol-vents can damage the coatings and remove thefinishes applied to the fabric.

8. Avoid packing your parachute with loose sand,gravel or grit. Repacking on a smooth surface orsoft grass can help extend the life of your canopy.

9. Always inspect your canopy and its componentswhen you repack to look for abrasion, snags ortears. If the fabric is chafed or torn, have yourrigger, loft, dealer or manufacturer make repairsimmediately.

10. Never clean your canopy with any amount ofabrasive or bleach. Do not use stiff brushes thatcould abrade the yarn, increase the porosity ordamage coatings.

..

Storage

1. Thoroughly air and dry all gear before storing.Inspect for wear and damage BEFORE puttingyour gear away.

2. Keep away from lightlUV. Storage should be in acool dry place - like a closet or other inside loca-tion without sunlight through a window.

3. Avoid places where vermin or insects could gnawor contaminate your gear.

Remember - treat your parachute equipment withspecial care. Your enjoyment and safety depend on it.

Solar Max ' brand nylon was introduced in 1996to promote superior ultraviolet resistance andappearance benefits of a family of nylon yarns foruse in outdoor fabric applications.

DuPont nylon yarns have enjoyed excellent perfor-mance for many years in applications such as hot-air balloons, military parachutes and sportsparachutes. Inherent strength and built-in ultra-violet resistance, using a base Type 6,6 nylon. Thisresults in superior performance over Type 6 nylonsand polyesters of similar fabric constructions.

For bright color or sparkling luster applications, theuse of the bright and high-tenacity yarns makesattractive fabrics, while maintaining an even dyeappearance.

(DSolarMax'"

Only by DuPont

"WE PROVIDE CERTIFIEDTEST REPORTSWITH

EVERY YARD OF FABRICWE SELL"

Still setting the standards with

Soar-Coa~ and Exacta-Chute@

Without fail, we show up and keep

the others hopping while we're up

flying. We're as selective and partic-

ular with our customers as you are

withyour canopy We supply first

quality fabric and only first

quality fabric to the best

parachute manufacturers

in the world.

Ask your canopy manufacturer for details

concerning our fabric. Call or email us at:

PERFTEXGSO@AOL.COM.

TEST NAMEMATERIAL

TWISTMElTING POINTWEAVE PATIERNWEIGHT (max.)THICKNESS (max.)STRENGTH (min.)

l"slripELONGATON (min.)TEAR STRENGTH (min.)AIR PERMEABILITY (max.)

after 20 laundenngsCONSTRUCTION (min.)pHCOLOR FASTNESS

WIDTH (min.)HEAT/LIGHT RESISTANCE

BIAS/BOW (max.)

TEST NAMEMATERIAL

TWISTMELTING POINTWEAVE PATIERNWEIGHT (max.)THICKNESS (max.)STRENGTH (min.)

l"slripELONGATON (min.)TEAR STRENGTH (min.)AIR PERMEABILITYCONSTRUCTION (min.)pHCOLOR FASTNESS

WIDTH (min.)HEAT/LIGHT RESISTANCE

BIAS/BOW (max.)

SPECIFICATIONS

soer-coet

30 Denier, High Tenacity. Bright Nylon,Heat and Light Inhibitors

Producers Warp and Fill 469'F + or - 10'F RipStop 7.5 Minimum Repeats Per Inch 1.350SY .0030 Inches 47x47Pounds

25% 15x15Pounds0 CFM

o CFM 130x 130 5.5-9.0 Good (Regular colors)

64 Inches Max. 25% Change

2Vz Inches on 64"

SPECIFICATIONS

Exacta-Chute

30 Denier, High Tenacity, Bright Nylon,Heat and light Inhibitors

Producers Warp and Fill 469'F + or - 10'F Rip Stop 7.5 Minimum Repeats Per Inch 1.170SY .0030 Inches 47x47 Pounds

25% 5x5Pounds .5-3.5 CFM 130x t32 5.5-9.0 Good (Regutarcotors)

46 tnches or 64 tnches Max. 25% Change

21nches on 48~:21h Inches on 64"

COMMERCtAL MTCC 20

TEST METHODSFEOERALSTANDARO 191Method 1530

ASTM-D-1423 Method 4050 MTCC-20 Method 1534 Visual (Visual) ASTM-2376 Opt. C Method 5041 ASTM-D-1777 Method 5030 ASTM-D-50351R Method 5104

ASTM-O-50351R Method 5104 ASTM Melhod 0 2261 or 2262 (1963) ASTM-0737 Method 5450

ASTM-O-3775 MTCC-61 MTCC-61MTCC-l07MTCC-16 AMTCC-B

ASTM-D-3774N/A

ASTM-D-3662

COMMERCIAL MTCC 20

Method 5050Method 2611Method 5614 -LaunderingMethod 5630 - Cold WaterMethod 5660 -light (20 hrs.)Method 5651 - Crocking (3.4 or better)Method 5020MIL C 44376

Para. 4.5.3.1 lightPara. 4.5.3.2. Heat

Method 5060

TEST METHODSFEDERAL STANDARD 191Method 1530

ASTM-D-1423 Method 4050 MTCC-20 Method 1534 Visual (Visual) ASTM-2376 Opt. C Method 5041 ASTM-O-1777 Method 5030 ASTM-O-50351 R Method 5104

ASTM-D-50351 R ASTM ASTM-D737 ASTM-D-3775 MTCC-61 MTCC-61MTCC-l07MTCC-16 AMTCC-6

ASTM-D-3774N/A

ASTM-O-3662

Method 5104Method 0 2261 or 2262 (1963)Method 5450Method 5050Method 26t tMethod 5614 -LaunderingMethod 5630 - Cold WaterMethod 5660-light (20hrs.)Method 5651 - Crocking (3.4 or better)Method 5020MIL C 44376

Para. 4.5.3.1 lightPara. 4.5.3.2. Heat

Method 5060 .

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Greensboro, NCCopyright 1998

Visit our Web Site: www.perftex.com

Performance Textiles, Inc.