Is your rigger full time?

[councilman24 36]

This poll is to gather some unscientific data on how many of us use full time riggers vs part time riggers. I'm getting ready for the Part time rigger forum at the PIA International Parachute Symposium that I'm moderating. Please answer about your primary rigger. My guess is that most reserves are serviced by part time riggers. Thanks and hope to see you in Jacksonville.

Terry Urban

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

[PhreeZone 15]

My rigger is a full time jumper, TM, Aff, and master rigger. He really does'nt rig much.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[weid14 0]

My rigger has a whole staff and a gazillion sewing machines but he does all the reserve packs himself, I showed up there a month ago and he had at least 50 rigs sitting there. he had 4 saves in one weekend. plus me the weekend before.... busy guy.

[Samurai136 0]

My rigger is Master rigger certificated w/ back, seat, chest typs, an AFF, S/L, Tandem inst and has a regular (non-skydiving) full time job. I think his earnings from his ratings offset his cost of jumping.

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[rushmc 18]

My rigger is the DZO. Busy guy.

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

[robzay 0]

Rigger is a master rigger full time.

[winsor 186]

Quote

This poll is to gather some unscientific data on how many of us use full time riggers vs part time riggers. I'm getting ready for the Part time rigger forum at the PIA International Parachute Symposium that I'm moderating. Please answer about your primary rigger. My guess is that most reserves are serviced by part time riggers. Thanks and hope to see you in Jacksonville.

Terry Urban

I'm my own rigger. I make my living as an Engineer (I gave up flying for the airlines a few months back). I have no instructional or other professional parachute ratings, and have no intention of making a living in the sport.

I stay busy keeping my gear in shape and up to date (I have maybe 20 sport and emergency rigs around - I haven't inventoried recently), keep the emergency rigs in date for a glider club, and pack the odd rig for other skydivers.

I have three primary sewing machines (301 stitch, 304 zig-zag and compound-feed walking-foot), and a number that I don't use as much. I jump canopies that I have completely rebuilt, as well as a few that I have relined.

About half of my saves have been me, and the others have been during someone else's misadventure.

I prefer that my customers fire the reserve while wearing it, to get an idea of what to expect, and stick around for the repack. If they are going to stake their lives on the performance of their gear, I think it behooves them to understand it as fully as possible.

In any event, for me parachutes are a hobby. FWIW, there is no link between "professional" and "expert."


Blue skies,

Winsor

[councilman24 36]

[reply}
In any event, for me parachutes are a hobby. FWIW, there is no link between "professional" and "expert."

Winsor

[riggerrob 558]

I am my own rigger.
I earned my first rigger rating in 1984 and currently hold FAA Master Rigger with back, seat and chest ratings.
I repack about 200 reserves a year and sew far more hours than I care to count.
I make all my income from the skydiving industry: rigging, tandems, PFF. IAD and am in the process of earning a commercial pilot license. About the only things I don't do at the DZ are manifest, video and mowing the lawn.
Previously work at Butler, Para-Phernalia and Rigging Innovations factories as well as various DZ lofts in Southern California.

[hookitt 0]

I am my own rigger. I no longer rig full time. I sew when I have to or sometimes for fun. I have 2 industrial sewing machines a zigzag and a double needle. I have fairly extensive harness building experience.

BASE is a big part of my life right now so I am always rigging in some way.

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

[pilotdave 0]

My rigger (or at least the guy I'm paying to pack my reserve) is a full time college student who does rigging in his on-campus apartment. I'm sure his roommates love that. Last time he packed my reserve he made a house call and did it at my apartment. Good service I guess.

Dave

[DaMan 0]

Mine works for Sunpath in various capacities, but I always wondered:

If you are your own rigger, doesn't that remove the "cross check" by another person from the equation? We all have those moments when...

Z-Flock 8
Discotec Rodriguez

Too bad weapons grade stupidity doesn't lead to sterility.

[flyangel2 2]

I spread the wealth around and use three different riggers. One is full time, his loft is a good three hour drive away. One is a lawyer , and owns the loft and works rigging when he's not doing the lawyer thing. The other one is a college student working for the lawyer that owns the loft.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[councilman24 36]

It is a concern. Of course, I have a number of customers who only have me do their rig. That's why I check things that cann't possibly have changed since the last inspection (line rotation) every time I do a rig, whether I did it last or not. Many (most?) of us take it seriously enough to double check our own work. And yes we can make mistakes. Hopefully they are minor. Part of our cross check is doing other rigs and seeing how other riggers are doing some things, as well as other riggers doing rigs we've done. Hopefully there is a lot of friendly communication going on.

Of course, if we don't trust ourselves, should you trust us? Here's trust for you. My old girlfriend, who dumped me and broke my heart, still had me pack her reserve.

BTW Winsor, I also encourage people to pull the reserve with it on, hanging preferably and encourage everyone to watch at least one inspection and pack job to learn about their gear. But, I tell them they will actually get a better pack job if they don't watch since I won't be distracted. My old girlfriend's immediate reply? "I'll watch you do someone elses."

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

[hookitt 0]

Quote

If you are your own rigger, doesn't that remove the "cross check" by another person from the equation? We all have those moments when...

Yes it does, But I trust my work Very much.
Plenty of other riggers can do all that, and more. I have my own checks an balances, they have theirs. It's a lot like being an automobile mechanic. If you were an auto mechanic would you have some one else replace your brakes?

Tim

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

[JohnnyD 0]

Yep. Took me on my first tandem, through AFF, and I bought my first and current (all but the main)gear from him. I sure miss that guy something awful right now.

[Plummet 0]

I would not want to pack my own reserve. I always want the knowledge that there is somebody more competent than myself packing my lifeline. (At least in theory)

-Jeff.
http://www.iplummet.com

Common sense and common courtesy are NOT common.

[councilman24 36]

Part of the reason I starting training in 1982 was one rigger almost killed me. There wasn't anybody in the area that I trusted. Even now, being a member of PIA and having gotten to know a lot people in the industry there are still only about 3 other people I'd let do my reserve. There are more out there, alot more, but I don't know them.

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

[riggerrob 558]

I earned my rigger rating because it took forever for the local rigger As to repack my reserve, Oh and I am curious about everything aeronautical.

[chutingstar 1]

Quote

My guess is that most reserves are serviced by part time riggers. Thanks and hope to see you in Jacksonville.

I make my living rigging as well as through instruction (tandem, AFF) and coaching. But the bulk of my income does come from rigging work. And while I'm a fulltime rigger, I do have two part-time riggers working for me in the loft.

As to whether more reserves or skydiving gear in general is serviced by part-time riggers, I think it would depend on the area you live in. Areas that aren't conducive to skydiving year-round or do not support many fulltime skydivers probably have several part-time riggers servicing rigs and reserves. But I think the tables are turned in areas such as California, Arizona, the Southeast and the like where there seems to be a higher number of full-time riggers and skydivers.

I hope to make it to Jacksonville for the PIA symposium...although my work (too many rigs, too little time) may keep me away...a good problem to have.
Mike

ChutingStar.com