Ram air reserves-rigger requirements

[PROGRESSIVE 0]

I've had my rigger's ticket for back type harness since 1987, or so. The issue I have is that I've been packing round reserves, until the last year, when I upgraded my gear, and became current.

Legally, from what I have learned, the FAA has not updated their requirements regarding square reserve repacks. I know USPA has addressed this by saying get with a rigger who is current, and become familiar with the ram air reserve, the deployment bag, etc.

My question is this, rather than paying a lot of money for a rigger's course, would it be prudent to just pack my reserve under the supervision of a certified senior rigger, and pay him/her the $50 for their service?

I've saved my own life by becoming a rigger, and firing my prior one after he packed me a total mal.
(the cable was lodged under the pin of my two pin Rapid Transit System...old stuff). I rather be doing my own rigging because of this instance.

Opinions?

[NightJumper 0]

I sent you a PM. Also you could get with a local rigger or contact the Mfg. of the container you want to rig and see if you could come by for a half day or so and learn how they factory pack their products. Most companies are more than happy to do this.

[sid 1]

Quote

I sent you a PM. Also you could get with a local rigger or contact the Mfg. of the container you want to rig and see if you could come by for a half day or so and learn how they factory pack their products. Most companies are more than happy to do this.

getting with the manufacturer of a Rapid Transit Mirage might be a bit tricky Mike, sell him one of ours........ throw in a free rigging class as a "sweetener"
Happy New Year Dude..

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[riggerrob 558]

Mr. Progressive,
The FAA is hopelessly out of date on this issue.
Clearly you need some training to bring you up to speed on square reserves, etc.
My first line of inquiry would involve asking Utah-based riggers for a few days of their time.
A second option would be to spend a week at a busy loft in another state, say Weird Wayne in Eloy, Arizona or Adventure Sports Loft in Perris, California.
A third option would be to attend the Canadian Rigger A Course scheduled for 22 to 27 March, 2004 in Kamloops, BC. For only CAN$350 you get five days' worth of lectures on the latest equipment and plenty of time to practice packing square reserves under the supervision of licensed riggers. I suspect that practice for many candidates will spill over into the preceding and following weekends, so they will spend more like 9 days practicing at the Kamloops Parachute Club.

[PROGRESSIVE 0]

I just enrolled in a course this weekend. Cypress, freebag, pro packing are all new compared to the old stuff I got my back rating on.

Thanks for the advice. Education is a good thing!