Who offers rigging courses multiple times during the year?

[DougH 270]

I have been pretty interested in getting my riggers rating. I know that Dave De Wolf's (sp?) course is usually once a year in January.

Are there any examiners who offer courses other times during the year?

PA would be a good location for me, and I have heard really good things about the course from my friend who went there, but it would also be nice start now!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Gene03 0]

www.para-concepts.com

“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him.

Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966)

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

US Academy of Parachute Rigging:

http://www.usapr.com/

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[riggerrob 558]

I taught a CSPA Rigger A Course in February, in near Vancouver.
My next course starts Monday morning in Regina.

If enough students express an interest, I will teach another course in November. The location is determined by where the students live and how many apply, .....
I can write letters of recommendation to CSPA or the FAA.

[councilman24 36]

Remember, you can always train under any willing senior or master rigger. You don't have to attend a course. A course may be faster. Some courses may offer multiple instructors for varying view points, although many don't. And some may have access to equipment not available at your local rigger.

But individual instruction at your own pace can sometimes turn out a better rigger or a rigger more willing to continue learning.

I've helped three people get ready to go to riggers courses. Two more extensively than the third. All three were less impressed with the course than they expected. One, many years ago, said he learned much more from me than the course instructor. And when he asked for tools that were somewhat new and cutting edge the instructor, a DPRE at the time, didn't know what he was talking about. I wasn't trying to train him, only give him enough instruction to get him some pack jobs ahead of time.

Another course attendee was very glad he'd gotten some instruction ahead of time. He described the students as turned loose on their own with the manuals and instructors busy with other business during the day.

You talk about wanting to start now. Well, all of the book learning takes place before the course for the most part. You can get the regs and memorize them. You can buy Poynter's manuals and download for free the newer FAA Parachute Riggers Manual. The FAA manual is available for sale from third parties and to get a printed one you may want to buy one. It's big enough that it's a major color print job even for a laser printer. Study these manuals in detail. If you look on the FAA site you can also find the DPRE test guide and sample questions from the written test. We used to be able to get the entire test bank of rigger questions but no more.

And you can find a friendly rigger to help you get started with practical learning. You own rig is a good place to start. Expect to compensate him or her somehow. It's a lot of time.

So, there is a lot you can do now to get started. And to get ready for that very intensive week or two course. And you just might decide to get your ticket the old fashoned way. Or was that the good way?

Courses can be good, they can be bad and they can be in between. Just as individual riggers. But while the course usually results in a senior rigger ticket it really becomes a license to keep learning. Being aware of what you don't know and asking for help from other riggers locally, here, or at the PIA Riggers forum is always appropriate.

BTW I don't think courses even existed when I got my ticket. I'm not sure when Dave started his but I'm pretty sure all the rest came later. I actually was tested by an FAA employee rather than a DPRE.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[RiggerLee 61]

At Skydive Dallas we're talking about makeing all the packer get there rigging ticket. One option is of course to send them off to get the rubber stamp in the middle of their forhead at one of the crash courses. Another idea we are tossing around is running a rigging course here. We'll use them as a test bed but the idea is to have it as an ongoing project. Basicly a rotating series of lectures every week. We have quite a few riggers here already, some are really good, and it could easily be broken up so that each of us only has to devote one night a month to it. The idea being that it would be open to any one free of charge and that once some one has all of the blocks checked on his card and has 20 pack jobs he wold be ready to be signed off and go take the test. So for example, one month I would spend an evening teaching a sewing class the next month I'd spend an evening lecturing on TSO's. In the mean time Tom would teach a class on packing the Icon and Johny wold do one the Mirage. The basic idea being that over the course of three or four months some one could get a fairly good education and their ticket. It's an idea we were tossing around at safety day. There has been a fair bit of interest. Skydive Dallas is behind it. Their talking about buying several sets of tools and setting up some more sewing machines etc. It's a commitment their willing to make to safety and education. Basicly it's crowing rights for them because I don't think any one else in the country is doing any thing like this. As far as I go... basicly I've been bitching about peoples ignorance long so long that it's eather time for me to put up or shut up. How many of them will actually go on to finish their tickets? I don't know but eaven if they just attend a few evenings it wont hert for them to have a better understanding of their gear.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[councilman24 36]

With the 'direct supervision' requirement added in 2001 Dave DeWolf came up with the idea to get all the packers at his dz a chest rating. No reg says you have to be a back rigger to pack a main for another person, only a rigger. Dave figures with a chest rating they can't get into too much trouble and no longer need 'direct supervision'. In addition Dave's chest rating includes mainly 24' canopies in 28' containers with no pilot chutes. Not too hard to do.

I have to admit I don't think much of the workability of the Skydive Dallas idea. Being a rigger is being willing to be responsible for someones last chance to live. Doing it on a casual, no charge, drop in basis seems to belittle the commitment it should require and ask a lot of the instructing riggers. Who would also be training their competition.

Have to give it some more thought.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[packertom 0]

actually.. a one week shake and bake course is a certain level of committment.. someone who is willing to come in consistantly once a week for several months and do all of the requisite studying in their own time is another level of committment altogether in my opinion.... I personally learned the old fashioned way.. I had a couple of riggers who supervised and taught me what I needed to know over a 6 month period of time... there are different ways to skin the cat.. the important thing to remember is that anytime someone wants to learn more about their gear or wants to actively pursue their rigging ticket in an effort to better themselves and the sport it is incumbant upon any rigger to actively suport this desire regardless of monetary gain... we all need to give back to the sport and more jumpers with rigging tickets is a way to improve safety for everyone.. just my 2 cents

[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com
What's YOUR Zombie Plan?

[crazydiver 0]

Simon Wade out of Las Vegas does courses and will travel if you get a group together. I did it a few years ago. Affordable and I learned alot. Plus Simon is a character.

His number is 702-277-5273

Cheers,
Travis

[DougH 270]

Going out to vegas sounds a lot better than having him come here!

Thanks for the responses every one!

I am going to see about getting all the materials for now, and having one of my friends who are riggers walk me through some pack jobs.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[riggerrob 558]

Nice concept and very generous of Skydive Dallas, HOWEVER, my experience has been that if apprentices do not invest a few of their own dollars, they don't take training seriously.
I would also compress the training into a shorter time frame, say two months.
If there is too long a gap between lectures, apprentices forget too much before the written exam.

For example, I am spending one week in Regina teaching four young riggers all the theory they need to pass the CSPA Rigger A test.

[JohnnyZ 0]

Kirk Smith of Para Concepts will be having a riggers course May 10th - May 17th. He really knows his stuff, not that other instructors don't as well.

Para Concepts is located at Skydive Chicago. Their phone number is (815) 434-6094 or you can e-mail them at [email protected].

[WGore 0]

Quote

Nice concept and very generous of Skydive Dallas, HOWEVER, my experience has been that if apprentices do not invest a few of their own dollars, they don't take training seriously.
I would also compress the training into a shorter time frame, say two months.
If there is too long a gap between lectures, apprentices forget too much before the written exam.

For example, I am spending one week in Regina teaching four young riggers all the theory they need to pass the CSPA Rigger A test.

I sgree with you on the investment by the rigger trainee. I've tried doing stuff for free and they don't show up when you have the time or do show up when you don't. The shake and bake courses get things done in a timely manner and you have their undivided attenion. Will you learn more over a longer period of time, absolutely, but you can also lose interest or forget things. The senior riggers ticket is a license to learn and the condensed course gets you there quick.
When I started it was necessary to know about your equipment for survival and basicly I was self taught by trial and error and reading what was available. Back then that meant the military manuals which were relavent since most of the equipment was Mil Surp. I am amazed at how many young jumpers have no idea why or how their equipment works and don't care. Canopy tangled call a rigger, 3 ring pulled call a rigger. I don't mind checking stuff if someone asks but they should learn for themselves. After all it is their ass.

GUNFIRE, The sound of Freedom!

[JonnyGuru 0]

I agree... Simon Wade... He's the man to see. Great knowledge base. Real world applications. A great teacher, real world and fantasy! You can't go wrong with him. It's like he says. Courses designed to meet your needs. He's IS AWSOME!!! GO TO HIM! The highest recomendations... He'll give you the tools you need to accomplish your desires and dreams:)

Make the most of what ya got!