TI, riggers. What is your opinion?

[Lokhmaty 0]

Hello!
This question is mostly for Tandem Instructors. Riggers and others are welcome too.
Which way do you prefer? To pack your tandem rigs by yourself or let this job to experienced packer you know very well and trust? Would you jump a rig packed by somebody just trained to pack them and never packed anything at all before? From what amount of sport rig packings would you consider that a packer experienced enough and is Ok to start working with tandem rigs?

[diablopilot 2]

Most tandem packers I know, started on tandem rigs.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Lokhmaty 0]

Yeah, I understand that tandem pack job is not very much different from regular one, except few steps.
But it looks totally different to me from point of responsibility. Of course packer must be responsible on any type of pack job, but tandem is twice more, isn't it? And I know some people are very picky on this one.

[kenneth21441 0]

Of course I see no problems in letting somone pack a tandem rig or any other rig for that matter. As long as a Rigger is on site to answer and observe the packing process.
Along with additional measures of actual rigger checks are used if needed. Of course in such matters the manual should be available for review.

Just my two cents on this matter.

As I have caught mistakes by regular jumpers. Like one who was repacking his main and was stowing the lines in reverse order meaning starting the last stow where the locking stows go. Would it work? most likly, Could it cause a problem? maybe. But I was not going to let him have an issue.

Kenneth Potter
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger
Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA)
FFL Gunsmith

[Unstable 8]

Our TM only packs for himself, but then again we are a smaller Kansas Dropzone, not like we are pushing tandems through every weekend.

This all seems llke a gray area to me. By the Book, a Tandem rig need to be packed by the Jumper in command or an FAA certified rigger. Most places will suffice for a rigger present who is overseeing the packing process and will take responsibility for those packing.

=========Shaun ==========

[piisfish 135]

TI's here pack for themselves. Some prefer to pack themselves, I'd prefer to have a packer.

In that case, everybody's happy, I'm happy because I'm not tired and have more time for my passengers, the packer is happy because (s)he has work and earns good money.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[riggerrob 558]

I am too old and too lazy and too grumpy to pack my own tandem mains.
Maybe that has something to do with already packing more than a dozen tandem reserves this year ....

At Pitt Meadows, junior packers have to pack 50 student rigs (Manta 290, Skymaster 290, Solo 270, Skymaster 230, etc.) before we start teaching them how to pack tandem rigs.
Then they have the option of packing in accordance with the manual published by Strong Enterprises or not getting paid.

[BIGUN 1,053]

Pack my own.
I'm just too anal and work at a small DZ with enough time in-between and enough TI's on rotation.
EDIT: I'll let packers pack my own personal rig, but that's just me in the saddle.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[rhys 0]

I could pack a tandem before i could pack a sport rig!!!
I am from new zealand though

I am currently teaching our Maasai guard to pack our tandems. he doesn't speak english (much) and had never seen or heard of a parachute 6 months ago.

He is doing very well and packs tidier than many professional packers i have seen at work. He will get to do a tandem once we have a reasonably priced plane in place.

to answer your question, I think it is the instructors responsibility to make sure the person packing thier main is competant.

In most cases I have seen is is not economicly viable for each instructor to pack their own.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[beezyshaw 0]

Quote

... By the Book, a Tandem rig need to be packed by the Jumper in command or an FAA certified rigger. Most places will suffice for a rigger present who is overseeing the packing process and will take responsibility for those packing.

You are incorrect. That was before FAR Part 105 was revised a few years ago. Here is the wording of the current FAR 105.45 (tandem reg's):
"(b) No person may make a parachute jump with a tandem parachute system unless-

(1) The main parachute has been packed by a certificated parachute rigger, the parachutist in command making the next jump with that parachute, or a person under the direct supervision of a certificated parachute rigger."

[Lokhmaty 0]

Thank yuou for responses, guys. This is exactly what I thought about this thing.

Now, imagine a DZ, where no one cares who and how pack a parachutes... Would you consider this DZ as safe place?

[JackR 0]

I'd be careful making too many generalizations. I've been to a number of DZs where to an outsider or even some of the newer experienced jumpers it appears that the attitude towards packing is lacking. In fact they are very safety conscious.

I say that people won't believe the "Don't judge a book by its cover" advice until they experience it. My experience was with a packer. I met him on a DZ and didn't think much about it. He didn't look like other packers or riggers that I knew. About a year later I was working on a packing mat at Quincy (World Freefall Convention). he was also working that mat. Turned out he knew more about rigging than most of the riggers I knew at the time. I learned a lot from that experience.

Packin' Jack
42nd Lost Prairie: The Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Skydiving
25 Jul - 3 Aug 2009
2007 photos: http://www.skydive.com/prairie/pages/prairie.htm

[NelKel 0]

the only person according to the FAA that may pack a tandem main is? .......anyone want to take a guess?

_________________________________________

Someone dies, someone says how stupid, someone says it was avoidable, someone says how to avoid it, someone calls them an idiot, someone proposes rule chan

[Lokhmaty 0]

I do not do any generalizations. I know in person those people and I know exactly what I am talking about. And I can compare.

[hookitt 0]

Quote

the only person according to the FAA that may pack a tandem main is? .......anyone want to take a guess?

We could take a wild guess or look up 3 to beezyshaw's post. Which do you suggest?

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto