BA-18 BACK AUTOMATIC PARACHUTE10-136. The BA-18 U.S. Air Force emergency back automatic parachute is used by nonjumping jumpmasters and safety personnel onboard U.S. Air Force high performance aircraft only. This parachute has a repack cycle of 180 days and must pass a routine inspection at the home unit every 30 days. Once the parachute is activated, it must be destroyed.10-137. The BA-18 is equipped with either an FXC Model 7000 or FXC Model 11000 automatic release system (ARS). The owning U.S. Air Force unit’s life support department sets the time-delay release (from one to 13 seconds) and then attaches a small white tag on the back of the BA-18 to indicate what delay time has been set (three seconds, four seconds, five seconds, and so on). To employ the BA-18, the jumper either pulls the red arming cable knob to activate the time-delay feature, or overrides the ARS by pulling the T- shaped blast handle. Personnel scheduled to wear the BA-18 must inspect it before each use. If they note any discrepancies during the inspection, they must not use the parachute. FXC Models 7000 and 11000 cannot be set on a timer. The U.S. Air Force’s automatic release is a time-delay release.