At Torrey Pines Gliderport we believe service to our clients, friends, and fellow pilots, is of the utmost importance. The canopy that you have stretched above your head holds the most valuable object around... you're life! Torrey promises you to uphold the highest standards when inspecting your canopy, harness, reserve parachute, helmet, etc. We also guarantee that you will receive an honest assessment of the repairs or services that your equipment may require. All service is done by U.S.H.G.A. certified instructors with over 20 years flying and fixing experience. Paratech - Unsurpassed Swiss Quality and Workmanship since 1986.

The annual inspection is among the most important service step that a pilot may take to protect his investment and his life. The annual inspection should take into account a number of different factors in canopy preventive maintenance. It consists of a number of different tests, that check:

1. Canopy porosity
2. Seam stress and stitching
3. Seam strength
4. Cell stress and ballooning
5. Cell and rib stitching
6. Color fade in specific areas
7. Line attachment points and seams
8. Scrim
9. Leading edge and trailing edge
10. Line tears, rips, and frays
11. Line lengths - true length and length vs. opposite side
12. Riser connection points, mallions, and karabiners
13. Risers, webbing, pulleys, and line
14. In-flight tests and maneuvers

These tests are conducted in our full function service center and during flight with a certified instructor. At the end of the inspection you will receive your canopy and a report card on your canopies performance and scoring. This report card should give you a rough idea about actual canopy wear and anticipated remaining lifetime.

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Reserve parachutes are perhaps the most important piece of life saving gear that a pilot can have. The reserve parachute is not your second chance but rather your last chance. As a result it must be looked after perhaps more than any other single piece of equipment except for the canopy itself. A reserve parachute must be constantly maintained. Maintenance includes unpacking, repacking, stretching, and drying. A reserve parachute must be packed at least once a year, preferably twice.

To be completely sure of the most efficient possible deployment Torrey Pines recommends repacking your reserve at least every six months. Unfortunately each reserve is different, requiring different methods of packing. Having extensive experience with many different reserves from dozens of manufacturers; allows the instructor and service staff at Torrey Pines to repack your reserve in the method it was designed to be packed in.

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Line replacements occur when lines become broken, ripped, or frayed. Many times the nylon sheath on the lines will fray exposing the inner core. Although the canopy is still flyable at this point, the exposed core, is more likely to break because the tensile strength has been greatly compromised by UV and element exposure. Line replacements are important, because not only must they meet specifications set by the manufacturer, but they also must match the opposite line so that the canopy stays symmetric.

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Small holes and rips can occur frequently in canopies depending on what conditions the pilot flies in. These holes can usually be easily repaired with various patch kits that are available on the the market. But sometimes a rip can occur that is beyond the normal scope of these minor repair kits. Sometimes a tear can occur along the seam, or a rip can go through multiple cells. When this occurs it is time to send the canopy in for repair. The repair team here at Torrey has all of the materials needed to make your canopy look and fly like new.

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The Torrey Pines Gliderport can accommodate almost every repair conceivable. We work hard to keep you in the air, by providing the highest quality workmanship with the shortest downtime possible. Most work can be completed within the week that the article was received. All of our work is covered by our one year warranty, which covers defects in workmanship or materials. We also do work on harnesses - replacing buckles with quick release systems, cross bracing, integrated accelerators, etc. Contact the Torrey Service Center, by voice or e-mail for your free consultation.