EN 12491:2015+A1:2021
(Main)Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety requirements and test methods
Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety requirements and test methods
This European Standard is applicable to emergency parachutes deployed by the action of the pilot without any other assistance (mechanical or pyrotechnic), intended for use with single seater or two seater paragliders.
Ausrüstung für das Gleitschirmfliegen - Rettungsfallschirme - Sicherheitstechnische Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren
Dieses Dokument gilt für Rettungsfallschirme, die durch den Piloten ohne jede andere Unterstützung (mechanisch oder pyrotechnisch) ausgelöst werden und die zur Verwendung in einsitzigen oder zweisitzigen Gleitschirmen vorgesehen sind.
Équipement pour le parapente - Parachute de secours - Exigences de sécurité et méthodes dessai
Le présent document est applicable aux parachutes de secours déployés sous l’action du pilote sans aucune autre assistance (mécanique ou pyrotechnique), et qui sont prévus pour être utilisés avec des parapentes monoplaces ou biplaces.
Oprema za jadralno padalstvo - Varnostna padala - Varnostne zahteve in preskusne metode (vključuje dopolnilo A1)
Ta evropski standard se uporablja za varnostna padala, ki jih sproži pilot brez kakršne koli druge pomoči (mehanske ali pirotehnične) in so namenjena za uporabo z enosedežnimi oziroma dvosedežnimi jadralnimi padali.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2022
Oprema za jadralno padalstvo - Varnostna padala - Varnostne zahteve in
preskusne metode (vključuje dopolnilo A1)
Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety requirements and test methods
Ausrüstung für das Gleitschirmfliegen - Rettungsfallschirme - Sicherheitstechnische
Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren
Équipement pour le parapente - Parachute de secours - Exigences de sécurité et
méthodes dessai
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 12491:2015+A1:2021
ICS:
97.220.40 Oprema za športe na Outdoor and water sports
prostem in vodne športe equipment
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
EN 12491:2015+A1
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
December 2021
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 97.220.40 Supersedes EN 12491:2015
English Version
Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety
requirements and test methods
Équipement pour le parapente - Parachute de secours - Ausrüstung für das Gleitschirmfliegen -
Exigences de sécurité et méthodes d¿essai Rettungsfallschirme - Sicherheitstechnische
Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 26 September 2015 and includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 10
August 2020.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 12491:2015+A1:2021 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Safety requirements . 8
4.1 Deployment system . 8
4.2 Speed of opening . 8
4.3 Descent rate and stability . 8
4.3.1 Unsteerable parachute !and steerable parachute with locked controls" . 8
4.3.2 Steerable parachute !and steerable parachute with unlocked controls" . 8
4.4 Strength . 9
4.5 Additional requirements for steerable parachutes . 9
5 Test methods . 9
5.1 Test apparatus. 9
5.2 Test conditions . 9
5.3 Procedure. 9
5.3.1 General . 9
5.3.2 Deployment system strength test . 10
5.3.3 Speed of opening test . 10
5.3.4 Descent rate and stability test . 10
5.3.5 Strength test . 10
5.3.6 Additional tests for steerable parachutes . 11
6 Test files . 11
6.1 Test file information . 11
6.2 Items accompanying the test files . 12
7 Manufacturing record . 12
8 User's manual . 12
9 Marking . 14
Annex A (informative) Example of marking label . 15
Annex B (normative) Formula to be used for correcting the test mass for differences from
ICAO standard atmosphere . 16
Annex C (informative) Example drop test device . 17
European foreword
This document (EN 12491:2015+A1:2021) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 136
“Sports, playground and other recreational facilities and equipment”, the secretariat of which is held by
DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by June 2022, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by June 2022.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document includes Amendment 1 approved by CEN on 2020-08-10.
This document supersedes !EN 12491:2015".
The start and finish of text introduced or altered by amendment is indicated in the text by tags !".
This standard is one of a package of standards on equipment for paragliding as follows:
— EN 926-1, Paragliding equipment — Paragliders — Part 1: Requirements and test methods for
structural strength;
— EN 926-2, Paragliding equipment — Paragliders — Part 2: Requirements and test methods for
classifying flight safety characteristics;
— EN 1651, Paragliding equipment — Harnesses — Safety requirements and strength tests;
— EN 12491, Paragliding equipment — Emergency parachutes — Safety requirements and test
methods.
In comparison with the previous edition EN 12491:2001, the following significant changes have been
made:
a) editorial revision;
b) introduction of characteristics and requirements for steerable parachutes;
c) update of test files information and items accompanying the test file;
d) update of user manual content.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national committee. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CENELEC website.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United
Kingdom.
Introduction
The aim of this document is to enhance paraglider pilots' safety by testing to confirm that emergency
parachutes are likely to be able to perform their intended function.
The tests do not include any compatibility tests with alternative inner containers.
Emergency parachutes shall be supplied by the manufacturer for testing complete with attachments
suitable for connection to an EN 1651 paragliding harness, and parachutes will be tested as if they were
so connected. These connections are made in such a way, and/or using resistant material, so that they
are not subject to friction or heat failure due to the tightening or slipping possible under shock loads.
Any metal link is installed in such a way as to minimize any risk of injury to the pilot in an emergency
deployment, and to ensure that it will be loaded in the direction of its maximum strength.
1 Scope
This document is applicable to emergency parachutes deployed by the action of the pilot without any
other assistance (mechanical or pyrotechnic), intended for use with single-seater or two-seater
paragliders.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 926-1, Paragliding equipment — Paragliders — Part 1: Requirements and test methods for structural
strength
EN 1651, Paragliding equipment — Harnesses — Safety requirements and strength tests
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
• IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
• ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
paraglider
ultra light glider with no primary rigid structure, for which take-off and landing are on foot, with the
pilot (and potentially one passenger) carried in a harness (or harnesses) connected to the wing
3.2
emergency parachute
emergency device intended to slow the descent of a paraglider pilot in the event of an incident in flight,
which is deployed by the pilot by an intentional manual action
Note 1 to entry: This may be unsteered or steerable.
3.3
riser
lowest part of the parachute system, which is connected to the harness
Note 1 to entry: Examples of risers are presented in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
3.4
suspension lines
multiple cords connecting the emergency parachute canopy to the riser(s)
Key
1 suspension lines
2 riser
3 paragliding harness emergency parachute bridle
Figure 1 — Example of unsteerable emergency parachute components
Key
1 suspension lines
2 risers
Figure 2 — Example of steerable emergency parachute components
3.5
outer container
external container, either supplied as part of the harness, or by the parachute manufacturer for
attachment to a harness
3.6
inner container or deployment bag
container of the folded emergency parachute
3.7
deployment system
inner container and either the handle attachment point(s) or handle assembly
3.8
emergency parachute system
emergency parachute combined with its deployment system
3.9
shock absorbing device
any special component fitted within the parachute system to reduce the opening shock forces on the
pilot and parachute in high speed deployments
Note 1 to entry: If fitted they should be clearly identified, by label and colour, and maintenance (and
replacement) instru
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