DoZ3r 0 #1 May 19, 2007 Hi everybody... Just the Q.. Does it take anything special to be a packer in USA? Thinking like rigging license (any special american) or anything? Blue skyIf everything seems under control.. You're just not going fast enough..! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark 102 #2 May 19, 2007 QuoteDoes it take anything special to be a packer in USA? Like a green card? Mark Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #3 May 19, 2007 You don't have to be a rigger, but if your aren't you need to be under the direct supervision of a ticket holding rigger."The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #4 May 20, 2007 Quote You don't have to be a rigger, but if your aren't you need to be under the direct supervision of a ticket holding rigger. Most freelance packers are not under supervision - right or wrong... But then again, I hire a packer for trust, and every coach I have hired post A licence I did not care if they had a USPA licence... The point being - once you know what to expect, the ratings are not as important. Closer the packer/instructor/coach is to the student's first jump, the more the ratings matter, except for rigger for reserves, where almost everyone I know expects the rigger to have the rating. (Yes, I once taught a guy to pack on a Saturday night. Sunday between his AFF jumps I asked him to pack for me. I paid full packing rates, and he did a damn fine job and I trusted him since I taught him. ) The only time I have seen people really care is when the packer works for a DZ on student equipment, because the students don't yet know what is right and wrong - and thus have a higher level of trust in their packer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #5 May 20, 2007 I agree, and I would bet that many dz's completely disregard this rule, but that is the way the FAA wants it! "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blink 0 #6 May 20, 2007 So as I understand this, in the United States, to pack your MAIN, you must either be a rigger, or have one watching you? Or is this supposed to be world wide because it's the FAA? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #7 May 20, 2007 The FAA is a US governmental agency, with that in mind I think you can decide if their rules apply to you or not. The rule concerns packing a main that will be jumped by some one other than yourself. You can pack your own main regardless of supervision or ratings, but I think the 120 day repack cycle still applies. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yossarian 0 #8 May 20, 2007 i take it a BPA Packing certificate counts for nothing over there then? by packing chit i mean the one for mains where you get individual canopy and container types and closing procedures (S/L, Spring PC, pull out, throw-away etc) signed off by a rigger Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve_Lewis 0 #9 May 20, 2007 BPA has a 6 month repack cycle. I can't work out what is safer: low repack rates or high repack rates. The higher the rate of repacking I guess the more wear you get on the canopy. I guess it doesn't really matter as long as you trust your rigger (not to wrap the PC up with the cypres cutter as I read about here! ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoZ3r 0 #10 May 20, 2007 Well... Don't know anything about the other conutrys in the whole world.. But I asked the q, because I was concidering taking a job in the states, if I can find a place, which will.. The danish rules (under DFU) requires your reserve to be packed once every 180 days.. The main is also needed to be repacked at least every 180 days, but then, who the hell leaves a parachute packed for 6 months... In Denmark we have a packing-certificate, which requires the packer to have made 25 packings, approved by a certified packer and then 5 exams by a senior packerIf everything seems under control.. You're just not going fast enough..! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve_Lewis 0 #11 May 20, 2007 Blimey - 25 observed and then five examined? BPA it's 10 observed and then one test (including pack rotations and step throughs which looked really scary to me then). Then each time you want to pack kit of a different sort (e.g. different container) you have to be signed off on that on your certificate. A BPA packing cert allows you to pack kit for other people to jump (e.g. for money), but you can do what you like with your own kit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #12 May 21, 2007 Correct, the BPA ratings do not transfer to anything in the US. The FAA sets the requirements and at this point are not accepting other countries ratings as valid,Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkeenan 13 #13 May 21, 2007 There are many capable, professional packers and packing operations in the U.S. But, there are also many who operate on the fringes - legally, financially, and ethically. From what I can tell, it's an all all-cash, no-taxes, off-the-books economy in which anyone, regardless of qualifications can make a living in the U.S. A pocket full of rubber bands, a pull-up cord and a few words of English, and you're in business. There are Federal Regulations requiring supervision, but at many DZs, these are unknown or winked at. The cover-all explanation for any bad result of a packjob is "It was your body position". People have died as a result of a string of events started by a bad commercial packjob, and the packer involved was never even spoken to. All cash - no responsibility. What's not to love about a job like that. Once again, there are a great many packers whose ability and credentials are above reproach. I respect these folks and their hard work tremendously. But we all know that there are others... Kevin Keenan_____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
