SIST EN 12491:2016/kFprA1:2020

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

No scope available.

Équipement pour le parapente - Parachute de secours - Exigences de sécurité et méthodes d’essai

No scope available.

Oprema za jadralno padalstvo - Varnostna padala - Varnostne zahteve in preskusne metode - Dopolnilo A1

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 14-Jun-2019
• ICS: 97.220.40 - Outdoor and water sports equipment
• Technical Committee: SPO - Sports
• Current Stage: 98 - Abandoned project (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 28-Dec-2021
• Due Date: 02-Jan-2022
• Completion Date: 28-Dec-2021
• Ref Project: EN 12491:2015/FprA1 - Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety requirements and test methods

Relations

• Consolidated By: SIST EN 12491:2016+A1:2022 - Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety requirements and test methods
• Effective Date: 01-Feb-2022
• Amends: SIST EN 12491:2016 - Paragliding equipment - Emergency parachutes - Safety requirements and test methods
• Effective Date: 16-Jan-2019

Overview

SIST EN 12491:2016/kFprA1:2020 is a European Standard developed by CEN that specifies safety requirements and test methods for emergency parachutes used in paragliding. It applies specifically to parachutes designed for manual deployment by the pilot, without mechanical or pyrotechnic assistance. This standard covers both single-seater and two-seater paragliders, ensuring that emergency parachutes meet stringent safety criteria and perform reliably in critical situations.

The amendment A1 (2019) updates the original 2015 version by refining test procedures and requirements for different parachute types. The standard is essential for manufacturers, safety inspectors, and users in the paragliding community to guarantee the effectiveness and reliability of rescue parachutes.

Key Topics

• Scope of Application
  SIST EN 12491:2016/kFprA1:2020 targets emergency parachutes deployed manually by pilots, emphasizing safe operation in real-world paragliding environments, and covers equipment for both solo and tandem flights.

• Types of Emergency Parachutes

  • Unsteerable parachutes and steerable parachutes with locked controls
  • Steerable parachutes with unlocked controls, including “Rogallo,” “Ram-air,” or similar designs

• Performance Requirements

  • Average descent rate limits for steerable parachutes must be less than 4 m/s (corrected to ICAO standard atmosphere)
  • Horizontal airspeed requirements for other steerable parachutes capped at 5.5 m/s

• Test Methods
  The standard outlines detailed testing procedures, including:

  • Descent rate and stability tests with precise height specifications (30 m ± 1%)
  • Modifications to testing protocols for different parachute designs ensuring accurate assessment of safety performance

• Safety Criteria
  EN 12491 emphasizes deployment reliability, descent control, stability, and overall parachute performance under standard atmospheric conditions.

Applications

• Paragliding Equipment Manufacturing
  Manufacturers use this standard to design, test, and certify emergency parachutes that comply with European safety regulations, enhancing pilot safety during emergency deployments.

• Quality Assurance and Compliance
  Regulators and certifying bodies rely on SIST EN 12491:2016/kFprA1:2020 to verify that paragliding emergency parachutes meet minimum safety thresholds before being marketed or put into use.

• Pilot Safety Training and Guidelines
  Paragliding schools and organizations incorporate insights from the standard to educate pilots about the performance characteristics and limitations of emergency parachutes.

• Research and Development
  Innovators in outdoor and aerial sports equipment leverage these requirements to develop advanced parachute systems that optimize descent rates and improve steering control.

Related Standards

• EN 926 - Paragliding Equipment Standards
  Covers general requirements for paragliding canopies and harnesses, complementing the emergency parachute safety framework.

• ICAO Atmospheric Standards
  EN 12491 references ICAO standard atmosphere for corrected descent rate and airspeed calculations, ensuring consistency with international aviation conditions.

• CEN/TC 136 Series
  Other CEN standards on sports and recreational equipment provide a broader safety landscape for paragliding and associated gear.

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Keywords: SIST EN 12491:2016/kFprA1:2020, emergency parachutes, paragliding safety, descent rate test, steerable parachute, unsteerable parachute, paragliding equipment standards, CEN paragliding standard, emergency parachute test methods, pilot-deployed parachutes.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
SIST EN 12491:2016/oprA1:2019
01-julij-2019
Oprema za jadralno padalstvo - Varnostna padala - Varnostne zahteve in
preskusne metode - 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 d’essai
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 12491:2015/prA1:2019
ICS:
97.220.40 Oprema za športe na Outdoor and water sports
prostem in vodne športe equipment
SIST EN 12491:2016/oprA1:2019 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

SIST EN 12491:2016/oprA1:2019
SIST EN 12491:2016/oprA1:2019
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 12491:2015
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
prA1
April 2019
ICS 97.220.40
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 draft amendment is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee CEN/TC 136.

This draft amendment A1, if approved, will modify the European Standard EN 12491:2015. If this draft becomes an amendment,
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for inclusion of
this amendment into the relevant national standard without any alteration.

This draft amendment was established by CEN 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, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

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