Light Mayday Rescue Parachute

One Day, Maybe, Mayday…

The Time-Proven Rescue System (since 1984)

Never fly without one!

Info

Saved Pilots

Apco Aviation started manufacturing the Mayday in 1984, and since then put over 30 000 pieces into service in the Paragliding and Hang Gliding markets. The Mayday has hundreds of life saving deployments to its name, from beginners to world champions.

The Mayday is available in three sizes, all available with a short or long bridle, for paragliding or hang gliding. Apco also manufactures a wide range of accessories for the Mayday range. This includes front and side mounted external containers for paragliding as well as external containers for hang gliding, split bridles, long bridle extensions, UV-sleeves and much more.

Light weight
Low packed volume
Dependable
Fast Opening
Low Sink Rate
High Strength

Mayday	MD 16 LT	MD 18 LT	MD 20 LT
Type	PDA - (Pulled Down Apex / Inverted Apex Round Parachute
Area [m2]	23	30.4	37.5
Gores	16	18	20
Weight [kg]	1.490	1.922	2.300
Packed Volume	3550	4800	5000
Packed Size [cm] Length x Width x Height	27.0x21.0x10.0	31.0x22.5x13.0	32.0x23.0x12.5
Max Load[kg]	100	120	140
Sink Rate m/sec*	6.15	5.1	4.48
Stability (1 - 5)	5	5	5
Gr. per kg. load	14.9	15.6	16.4
Canopy Material	PN1	PN1/similar	PN1
Lines	Nylon 120kg	Nylon 120kg	Nylon 120kg
Certification	EN Certification by Air Turquoise	LTF Certification by Air Turquoise	EN Certification by Air Turquoise
* As measured by Air Turquoise test laboratory Stability rating by Air Turquoise (1 bad - 5 excellent)
Since APCO's Mayday range is certified and no design parameters were changed, there was only the need for an additional load test to have the light versions confirmed. The light version of APCO's Mayday 16 was load tested for EN by Air Turquoise.
Packed Size vs. Volume: The volume is measured by water displacement, and represents the smallest recommended packed volume, or the volume of the smallest recommended container to be used for the reserve. The specified volume is therefore far lower than the calculated volume that would be derived from the specified measurements. The Packed Size measurement represents the measurements of the factory packed, but not compressed reserve, ie. the max dimension for each axis, and in its specified deployment bag, as shipped from apco.

It was a difficult project and we broke many chutes, testing again and again, polishing the deployment, but finally we got it right – see short video clip showing some drop tests and problems encountered on the way:

The Mayday SLT and LT chute design is exactly the same as the classic, DHV certified , Mayday – with pull down, flat circular canopy – same area, same performance same design.

Weight reduction for was achieved by using state of the art, latest materials. The SLT canopy cloth is from PN9 – the last word, most sophisticated development in parachute cloth. The LT is exactly the same as SLT, but uses the PN1 cloth which is slightly heavier.

Lines and tapes for both the SLT and the LT are made of high tenacity Nylon 6.6 with Teflon sheath interlocked to prevent friction and direct line connection to the harness – allowing for maximum reduction in weight.

Over the years the basic design and construction techniques have remained the same – there is not much to improve on a winning design and best seller as Mayday, even though it is continuously perfected and polished, insuring that it is updated on even the smallest details. All four of the of Mayday parachutes are “Flat Circular Pulled Down Apex” in design. In 1998 the Mayday Bi was released in a Pulled down Apex version, and soon after the Mayday 20 hit the market.

The Mayday boasts superior construction and materials. The canopy cloth is F111 “zero porosity” ripstop nylon. The skirt and apex skirt is reinforced with 1’mil spec nylon tape, neatly wrapped and stiched with a precision four-needle machine. The line attachments have V-Tab reinforcements, sewn in place with a computerized machine, ensuring consistantly high quality and strength.

The Bridle is made from 1700kg Dyneema Webbing. The attachment loop is covered with a Teflon sheath, to protect it from dangerous friction which may occur during deployment. Finally the bridle has a line sheath attached, to protect the lines where they link to it.

MSM – stands for Military Spec Monkey and confirms that our reserves are made from fabrics, designed and manufactured in accordance to the strictest Military Specifications. This adds another level of quality assurance.

APCO’s Mayday 16 SLT is the lightest chute on the market, in terms of canopy weight for the maximum load it can carry (12.2gr. of canopy per each kilo load).

There are lighter chutes on the market, but they are certified for very small loads – 80kg. and sometimes less.

When you compare the weight of the chute against the load it can handle, APCO Mayday 16 SLT emerges as the clear winner.

CANOPY	Max. load	Canopy Weight	Gram per kilo load*
APCO MD 16 SLT	100kg.	1,220gr.	12.2
Nervures L	110kg.	1,378gr	12.5
Sup'Air M	95kg.	1,197gr.	12.6
Sky lite L	95kg.	1,210gr.	12.7
MCC L	110kg.	1,423gr.	12.9
* Gram per Kilo Load This is a unit that makes it easy to compare Reserves. The unit is calculated by dividing the weight of the reserve, by its max load rating. The lower the number, the lighter the reserve is for its carrying capacity.

Each MayDay reserve parachute is supplied in a kitbag. Which is a useful to keep other equipment in once your mayday is installed in your harness.

Options & Accessories

42025: Light Universal Bridle
62.00$

Light Universal Bridle :: Code 42025 :: Set of 2

Length: 1320mm (end to end)

Strength: < 1,700 [DaN]

Add to basket

44126: Light Deployment Bag

Mayday deployment bag for use inside PG harness with integral reserve container.

Compatible with MD18LT, MD20LT, MD20SLT, GMD-SLT,

Read more

81155SLT – External Container for Mayday LT and SLT
46.00$ – 108.00$

light weight simple and elegant solution for your reserve.

Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page

Mayday	Area [m2]	Gores	Weight* [kg]	Volume [cc]	Packed Size [cm] Length x Width x Height	Sink Rate [m/s] (@ max Load)	Max Load [kg]	gr / kg (Load)***	Certification
Mayday Square	25	16	1.010	3000	20.0x19.0x7.0	5.4 @100 Kg 5.72 @120 Kg	120	9.16	EN/LTF Certification - 100kg EN Load/Drop test - 120 kg
MD 16 SLT Super Light Round	23	16	1.220	3100	24.5x18.5x11.5	6.15	100	12.20	EN Load/Drop Test by Air Turquoise
MD 16 LT Light Round	23	16	1.490	3550	27.0x21.0x10.0	6.15	100	14.90	EN Load/Drop Test by Air Turquoise
MD 16 Regular Round	23	16	1.890	4000	28.5x23.0x14.0	6.3	106	17.83	DHV GS-02-0004-88
MD 18 SLT Super Light Round	30.4	18	1.597	3950	28.5x22.5x12.0	5.1**	115	13.89	EN Certification EP021.2009
MD 18 LT Light Round	30.4	18	1.922	4800	31.0x22.5x13.0	5.1	120	15.6	LTF RG 061.2012
MD 18 Regular Round	30.4	18	2.220	4950	32.0x22.5x15.0	5.4	120	18.50	SHV PS0992.003
MD 20 SLT Super Light Round	37.5	20	2.083	4750	31.0x22.0x12.5	4.48**	130	14.80	EN Certification E.P022.2009
MD 20 LT Light Round	37.5	20	2.300	5000	32.0x23.0x12.5	4.48**	140	16.43	EN Certification EP056.2012
MD 20 Regular Round	37.5	20	2.690	5400	32.0x23.0x13	5.4	160	16.85	AFNOR/CEN 200143AP
GMD SLT Superlight Rogallo	36	16	1.950	5000	30.5x22.0x13.5	4 m/s@(90kg) 4.9m/s@(130Kg)	60-130	15.00	EN Certification EP057.2012
GMD Steerable Rogallo	39	16	2.900	5950	33.0x24.0x15.5	2.8 m/s@(90kg) 3.2m/s@(130Kg)	60-130	22.31	EN Certification EP009.2007
MD Bi Round Tandem Reserve	47	18	3.250	6100	33.5x27.0x13.5	5.4	200	16.25	AFNOR PS98228AP
MD 28UL High Capacity Round Reserve for Trikes	64	28	4.000	12600	37.0x23.0x20.0	6.3	340	11.76	EN Load test 12491:2001
Packed Size vs. Volume:
		The volume is measured by water displacement, and represents the smallest recommended packed volume, or the volume of the smallest recommended container to be used for the reserve. The specified volume is therefore far lower than the calculated volume that would be derived from the specified measurements. The Packed Size measurement represents the measurements of the factory packed, but not compressed reserve, ie. the max dimension for each axis, and in its specified deployment bag, as shipped from apco.
* Weight Excludes weight of optional long bridle for Hang-glider version: Add 190gr for Hanggliding (HG) Extension Bridle (Code: 43006), or Add 550gr for MD Bi HG Bridle (Code: 43002L)
** Sink Rate as measured by Air Turquoise test laboratory Stability rating by Air Turquoise (1 bad - 5 excellent)
*** Gram per [Kg] Load This is a unit that makes it easy to compare Reserves. The unit is calculated by dividing the weight of the reserve, by its max load rating. The lower the number, the lighter the reserve is for its carrying capacity.

Light Mayday Rescue Parachute

Info

Saved Pilots

Options & Accessories

42025: Light Universal Bridle

44126: Light Deployment Bag

81155SLT – External Container for Mayday LT and SLT

Repack

Product Codes

42485: MayDay Presentation Bag