Send Clowns,
Each country has their own regulations. Every school must comply with the rules of the country in which they are based.
The FAA require any opened life jacket to be recertified. For that reason, in the U.S., life jackets are not worn unless there is an actual emergency. From the
Eastern Aero Marine Website: (SIL-25-104)
3. Maintenance Inspection - Manufacturer Recommended Frequency
NOTE: A unit is considered "in service" the first time it is installed or placed on board an aircraft. "In service" status shall remain in effect even if the unit is later removed from the aircraft.
Therefore, time towards the next scheduled maintenance inspection shall continue to accrue from the first "in service" date regardless of whether or not the unit is physically on board the
aircraft.
A. First Maintenance Inspection
(1) Perform first maintenance inspection when the time period specified in Table 1 has elapsed from the date a unit has been entered in service. However, first maintenance inspection must be performed no later than the period specified in the same table from the unit's date of manufacture (marked on unit and/or its accompanying new manufacture tag).
NOTE: Scheduling of first maintenance inspection with respect to the unit's date of placement in service is intended to account for time elapsed during storage, transportation, distributor warehousing, etc.
(2) If a unit is not yet entered in service, perform first maintenance inspection at the end of the period specified in Table 1 from the unit's date of manufacture (marked on unit
and/or its accompanying new manufacture tag).
(3) Units removed from their packaging, functionally tested, inflated or deployed for an actual emergency, demonstration or training purposes must undergo maintenance inspection before being returned to service regardless of their date of manufacture or "in service" status.
(4) After a unit has passed first maintenance inspection, return it either to service or to storage.
When flying over water, you want to fly as high a pratical. If you figure you are at 8,500 like Sensible was, you would have 17 minutes to setup best glide, declare an emergency, and then put on the life vest.
If a pilot would want to wear a life vest, then an option would be to buy a life vest while in the U.S. (Since bringing your own on an Airline is out of the question - considered hazmat.) and wear it, while keeping the sealed life vest to meet the FAA regulations.
Happy Flying,
Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.
Naples Air Center, Inc.