New Skydiving manufacturer

[e_nevett 0]

Hello,
My name is Enrique Nevett, i am working in a new proyect, and I would like to know if anyone can guide me a little bit into the certification process of a new canopy manufacturer.
What certifications do I need to any new canopy?
What certifications should the rigger have?
What certifications do materials need?
What certifications do the factory need?

Is not on the US, but in south America. Of course I would like to comply with US rules.

Thanks,
Enrique

[RiggerLee 61]

You're lucky to be in south America. Look up a thread called My Little Project to see the trials and tribulations of trying to work in England.

If it's a main, I'm assuming that you would like to build a main, I don't think their are any actual requirements. It's kind of a gray area. Oddly their seems to be a distinction as to whether you are manufacturing some thing or repairing it. You'll get different answers depending on who you ask but in theory you might have to be a rigger or a repair facility to repair some thing that you built. But you might not need any of that to build it? You get into these weird arguments at PIA or if you get too many riggers in a room. The truth is that with the notable exception of that guy in England, any one capable of doing this is probable already a rigger. In fact he's probable a master rigger. I can do it and yet I never got around to getting my masters ticket. It might be nice to have one of those around just on principle But I think you could argue that you do not have to be one to be a manufacturer. For a main I don't think you need any certs on materials. That's not to say hat that's a good idea. You need those for materials tracking for your QC program. Legally you might not have to have that but you should. Their have been many problems in that past where we had to track things through the system for recalls and advisory directives. I don't think you need any inspections or certifications for your factory if you are building mains.

If you want to build reserves with a US TSO, things change. Now you do need all of these things. Including inspections from the FAA, I think it's the MIDO office? Things like that can be done out side the US but it gets more difficult. Their seem to be some changes coming with acceptance of foren TSO's I honestly don't understand how that will work or what it will mean but it presupposes an existing system in that country which is not always the case in some south American countries.

Just go and do it. They could use a manufacturer down there.

Lee

Lee
[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com

[mathrick 2]

Obtaining a TSO requires the country of manufacture to have a permanent FAA representative, in addition to actually passing the TSO testing. I'm not sure what the situation is in Venezuela, but it's the reason the Ukrainian manufacturer SWS doesn't have an FAA TSO (even though their gear does come with an ETSO, the European equivalent). If Venezuela doesn't have an FAA office, then that's the end of it, it's impossible for any company operating there to obtain a TSO.

There is a contact listed on FAA's page:
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/apl/contact_us/country_contacts/#letterV


I'm unsure of their exact status, but I imagine they would be able to answer the question of "does Venezuela have a rep able to process TSO applications?" at least.

"Skydivers are highly emotional people. They get all excited about their magical black box full of mysterious life saving forces."

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi mathrick,

Quote

the country of manufacture to have a permanent FAA representative

Quote

Venezuela doesn't have an FAA office,

Note: I am not the final word on what the FAA does or requires.

I have done some checking into this very thing, however.

From what I can 'understand,' the FAA hands off the MIDO inspections, etc to the local FAA equivalent in each country. And, not all countries; i.e., SWS not having Ukraine as a member of EASA. Therefore, no TSO authorizations until such time as Ukraine becomes a member of EASA.

For the actual TSO-authorization, that comes from an FAA Aircraft Certification Office. I have 'heard' that for all foreign locations, the FAA has them use the New York ACO; however, after asking numerous times to my regional offices, I still cannot get a definitive answer.

For a main canopy, start cutting and sewing; not one iota of req'ments by the US. The local gov't may have some req'ments, but that would be a local issue.

Jerry Baumchen

[hackish 8]

I hope it's easier than in Canada. The process is not only convoluted, it's mysterious and few people dispensing the red tape even know or understand what's needed for it. If I could give you advice it's to start with the FAA with respect to a TSO (if it applies to your situation) then use the info you get from them to work with your local agency. I did it backwards unfortunately.

-Michael

[BKR 0]

EASA is not in charge of sport parachute since 2006. Its Under the regulation of each EEC country to set their own rules. So except France which have an agreement with the FAA, none, or almost none, of the EEC countries can get a TSO.

Jérôme Bunker
Basik Air Concept
www.basik.fr
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Luc-France/BASIK-AIR-CONCEPT/172133350468

[masterrigger1 2]

Quote

For a main canopy, start cutting and sewing; not one iota of req'ments by the US.

Not actually true Jerry.
The FAA has clarified that a few years ago in the Pre-Amble to Part 65.
You have to hold a certificate to do work on parachutes and also the appropriate rating to the work at hand.

From 65.111

(c) No person may maintain or alter
any main parachute of a dual-parachute
system to be used for intentional
parachute jumping in connection with
civil aircraft of the United States unless
that person—
(1) Has an appropriate current
certificate issued under this subpart; or
(2) Is under the supervision of a
current certificated parachute rigger;

Another regulation is that mains have to be packed within 180 days just like a reserve. This is a question in my oral test that is missed probably at least 75% of the time by riggers that are trained by someone else.

The point is, mains do have regulations and policies.


MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[mark 102]

masterrigger1

Quote

For a main canopy, start cutting and sewing; not one iota of req'ments by the US.

Not actually true Jerry.

Not actually true, MEL.

Jerry is writing about manufacturing. Your Part 65 reference is to maintaining.

Mark

[skytribe 16]

So didnt Thomas Sport have a TSO via bilateral airworthiness agreements with Australia who must have had some agreement with the FAA ?

[riggerrob 558]

Hackish,
Beware of awakening the dragon.
Transport Canada knows less about parachutes than the FAA.
Transport Canada knows little about parachutes and cares less.
As long as parachutes stay out of the path of airliners (Class A, B, C and D airspace), TC would prefer to ignore them.
Sometimes ignorance is a good thing.

[masterrigger1 2]

Quote

masterrigger1 wrote:
Quote:
For a main canopy, start cutting and sewing; not one iota of req'ments by the US.

Not actually true Jerry.

Not actually true, MEL.

Jerry is writing about manufacturing. Your Part 65 reference is to maintaining.

Actually true, Mark.

I totally understood the context of what Jerry was stating. He was stating that there was not any requirements regarding mains period. He has stated the same in years past, which is not true.

I also understand that there are no standards for a main other than airworthy.

You will come back with the liberal approach and say that their are no published standards of airworthiness. I will then come back and state that a condition of airworthy itself is self explanatory and is enough for my point. And lastly, every main manufacturer in the USA that I know of has set standard of airworthiness that they use and they have a supervising rigger on staff to help accomplish this.

The point that I was making was that all work, including inspections, must be performed by a certified rigger or someone under his/her supervision regardless of if it is a main or reserve.

At some point in the manufacturing process the material being sewn becomes a "parachute". Where that point is is debatable, but I think everyone would agree that at final inspection, it is then truly a "parachute".
At that point, someone would have to inspect and agree it is a airworthy product before going out the door and determining airworthiness is a rigger's responsibility.

MEL

Skyworks Parachute Service, LLC
www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com

[JerryBaumchen 1,047]

Hi Mark,

Quote

I totally understood the context of what Jerry was stating.

I doubt this.

Quote

He was stating that there was not any requirements regarding mains period.

I was not. I was referring to the mfr of a main canopy.

Quote

He has stated the same in years past, which is not true.

Got a cite for this?

Quote

I also understand that there are no standards for a main other than airworthy.

I disagree. There are no standards for main canopies, period.

Dan Poynter once said that your grandmother could sew up a hankerchief to jump; but a Master Rigger was req'd to repair it.

Quote

that all work, including inspections

There are no inspection req'ments set by the FAA for the mfr of a main canopy.

Quote

someone would have to inspect and agree it is a airworthy product before going out the door

Show us where the FAA says this.

Jerry Baumchen