Being a Rigger?

[BHawks 0]

Hi, I am coming up on the end of a rather tedious six months of flight training and will be looking for a flying job...Hopefully at a DZ.

To supplement my potential earnings I was thinking about other work I can do to kind of fill in the void. I found a senior rigger's course for about 2 grand outside of Vegas... Can any one tell me how much a new rigger can earn?

Besides earning a few bucks on the side, I have wanted to do a rigger's course anyways because I am tired of the almost 100 dollar repacks and other odds and ends for my racer.

[hackish 8]

I project that my rigger's ticket will probably pay for itself around the year 2015. Ask in the rigging section but I think the only way to make a poor living rigging would be with your master rigger's ticket.

-Michael

[likestojump 3]

I dunno about your, but I do it for all the women it gets me. No other reason to be a rigger.

[erdnarob 1]

Do it for yourself first but unless you work for a big container manufacturer like Strong, UPT, Sunpath, Mirage...etc, a canopy maker or a big DZ, don't expect to get good wages from it. People will pay 40$/1/2 hour for guitar lessons but the same people will find too expensive a bill of 80$ for a 2 hour highly specialized job of packing a reserve. OTOH you will make many friends (or girlfriends) by being a rigger.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[skydivingchad 0]

Almost $100 for a repack on a racer?????

Holy crap. I'm not a rigger but I did sleep with one last night (my wife) That cost seems out of line.

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Pelt Head #3

[peregrinerose 0]

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Almost $100 for a repack on a racer?????

Holy crap. I'm not a rigger but I did sleep with one last night (my wife) That cost seems out of line.

You know, it's funny you say that. I slept with a guy that slept with a rigger (his wife) last night. And I also think nearly $100 for a Racer repack is insane. Racers are no harder than any other conatainer to repack.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[skydivingchad 0]

how is it I have more jumps than you in my profile?

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Pelt Head #3

[peregrinerose 0]

Because I have better things to do than update my profile every time I jump

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[riggerpaul 1]

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Almost $100 for a repack on a racer?????

Holy crap. I'm not a rigger but I did sleep with one last night (my wife) That cost seems out of line.

You know, it's funny you say that. I slept with a guy that slept with a rigger (his wife) last night. And I also think nearly $100 for a Racer repack is insane. Racers are no harder than any other conatainer to repack.

What do you mean?

I have to use all my pullup cords when I pack a racer!

[likestojump 3]

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Almost $100 for a repack on a racer?????

Holy crap. I'm not a rigger but I did sleep with one last night (my wife) That cost seems out of line.

You know, it's funny you say that. I slept with a guy that slept with a rigger (his wife) last night. And I also think nearly $100 for a Racer repack is insane. Racers are no harder than any other conatainer to repack.

I stand corrected, Some become riggers for the MEN. peregrinerose and hookitt come to mind.

[hookitt 0]

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. peregrinerose and hookitt come to mind.

Likesto ... The ass of your gender I do not seek. We've gone over this. Kick perhaps, but nothing more.

Rigging can subsidize your income sometimes and you CAN actually make a living at it but personally, I do not want to rig at a DZ. On the side is fine.

Learn for you since it's a good Idea anyway but be warned, the rigging course is only the very beginning.

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

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

I suspect that a good packer at a busy DZ probably makes more than the majority of riggers.

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

[hookitt 0]

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I suspect that a good packer at a busy DZ probably makes more than the majority of riggers.

Your suspicions prove correct.

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

[masterrigger1 2]

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And I also think nearly $100 for a Racer repack is insane. Racers are no harder than any other conatainer to repack.

I would agree...in fact it takes me about half the time on a Racer than on some of the newer containers FCOL.

They only have 4 flaps and a poptop....

I guess we need to do more Racers at the course this year!

MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[rushmc 18]

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. peregrinerose and hookitt come to mind.

Likesto ... The ass of your gender I do not seek. We've gone over this. Kick perhaps, but nothing more.

Rigging can subsidize your income sometimes and you CAN actually make a living at it but personally, I do not want to rig at a DZ. On the side is fine.

Learn for you since it's a good Idea anyway but be warned, the rigging course is only the very beginning.

+1

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[crazydiver 0]

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Hi, I am coming up on the end of a rather tedious six months of flight training and will be looking for a flying job...Hopefully at a DZ.

To supplement my potential earnings I was thinking about other work I can do to kind of fill in the void. I found a senior rigger's course for about 2 grand outside of Vegas... Can any one tell me how much a new rigger can earn?

Besides earning a few bucks on the side, I have wanted to do a rigger's course anyways because I am tired of the almost 100 dollar repacks and other odds and ends for my racer.

I'm not sure where you'll be working and what type of dropzone, but I know for me, my riggers ticket is well paid for by now. I took a course with Simon in Vegas (I'm thinking this is who you speak of) and it was great experience. I know Simon quite well and he will prepare you for the basics, then the rest is up to you to learn in the field...but heed advice from those who have lots of experience.

I can easily make as much in a day of rigging as I can doing tandems or video and that is with thorough inspections on each repack. I will say, sewing is where the money is. Repacks are nice for a little extra cash, but doing pay as well as repairs (generally).

I love having my rigger's certification. Do it. So nice to be able to work on my own gear!

Cheers,
Travis

[crazydiver 0]

I got my certification about five years ago, but I'd say it paid for itself in a year or two.

Cheers,
Travis

[peregrinerose 0]

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And I also think nearly $100 for a Racer repack is insane. Racers are no harder than any other conatainer to repack.

I would agree...in fact it takes me about half the time on a Racer than on some of the newer containers FCOL.

They only have 4 flaps and a poptop....

I guess we need to do more Racers at the course this year!

MEL

I'd be all for that

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[skydivingchad 0]

Peregrinerose has all the man she can handle right here in me.

Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Pelt Head #3

[peregrinerose 0]

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Peregrinerose has all the man she can handle right here in me.

Where the fuck is the 'eye rolling' emoticon when a girl really needs it?????????????????

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[councilman24 36]

All right you two. Go get a room. Or just go home.

To the OP, $100 for a racer does sound like a lot. I don't do racers anymore because there are almost none in my area. I used to do a lot of ROUNDS in Racers. And I do lots of pop tops, Strong PEPs. But right now someone with a Racer would be better served going to someone current on them. Hmmm, it's been almost 20 years since I did a ramair in a Racer.

You say something about odds and ends. Are you being nickel and dimed? Some riggers charge for each rubber band replaced, loops (in non Racer rigs, I'd charge for Racer loops), changing an AAD battery (above the charge for the batter) etc. etc. These may be legitimate charges if truly over and above. For instance I charge a few bucks when I get a PEP that needs ALL new rubber bands. As much for the annoyance factor as much as anything. Items that add cost or time should be compensated. But for the most part these kinds of things are included in my price. I'll do a lot before adding on charges.

A rigger certificate may pay for itself fairly quickly but remember the cost of tools added to the cost of training and testing. Someone else can chime in with what Dave's tool set costs. Then it's easy to go back into the red buying sewing machines, attending PIA symposiums, joining PIA (gotta get a plug in) etc.

I've never tried to make a living or evan a profit rigging. And my Class 7 machine and double needle machines will never pay for themselves, even with the used deals I got. You may very well make more money packing mains with your rigger ticket than packing reserves. But since I think every jumper (with a few exceptions) should pack their own rig don't count on me.

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

[koppel 3]

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because I am tired of the almost 100 dollar repacks and other odds and ends for my racer.

send it to me here in OZ, I charge Au$70 the first time a I handle a rig and then Au$60 every time after that if my seal is still on it intact, and that is for a Racer or any other rig for that matter (US$49 and US$42)

admittedly everyone over here is underpaid and living on noodles ;)

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[BHawks 0]

Thanks for all the remarks, suggestions and ideas.

In regards to the expensive repack...I always end up with the rigger who has "not seen one of those before."

Packing parachutes is a good idea, I do remember talking to a few packers down at Skydive AZ, granted that is the world's largest DZ and they have a constant flow of skydivers, those guys charged between 6 to 8 bucks a rig, at 3 or so rigs an hour...not going to get rich off of packing parachutes but it sure can't hurt!

I should be starting the course late next week after some R&R in Vegas after this fun pilot training experience I just went through.

[peregrinerose 0]

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Thanks for all the remarks, suggestions and ideas.

In regards to the expensive repack...I always end up with the rigger who has "not seen one of those before."

Packing parachutes is a good idea, I do remember talking to a few packers down at Skydive AZ, granted that is the world's largest DZ and they have a constant flow of skydivers, those guys charged between 6 to 8 bucks a rig, at 3 or so rigs an hour...not going to get rich off of packing parachutes but it sure can't hurt!

I should be starting the course late next week after some R&R in Vegas after this fun pilot training experience I just went through.

Would you go have surgery with a surgeon who 'hadn't seen one of those before'? Seriously... take some time and honestly interview a rigger. You are trusting them with your life, take it seriously. If they are charging you extra to pack a Racer, you may want to consider taking your business elsewhere...I would (and did, actually!)

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[hookitt 0]

What are the typical questions one would ask during a rigger interview?

--
I didn't know how to pack a racer until I packed one. Piece of cake but it took some thinking since no one was around to show me. It's just a rig and a manual is available. I'd like to charge more just because I'm not a fan but that's the only reason. It would get proper care regardless.

Tip. Compress the pilot chute with a molar strap before running the pull up cords through the rig. Have it cinched part way down before removing it.

BHawks, does your rig have a double side RSL?

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