FAA Parachute Rigger common mistakes
FAA Parachute Rigger · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Treating the 120-day repack cycle as applying to all parachutes, instead of separating emergency parachutes (120 days) from reserve parachutes used in sport/dual-pack systems (also 120 days) and from the 180-day cycle for some approved seat/back parachutes, and failing to compute the due date from the date of packing rather than the date of last use.
Candidates memorize a single number and never build the date arithmetic, and they confuse the packing date with the inspection date or the date the rig was last flown.
What to do instead
Build a small table of cycle lengths by parachute category from the current regulations and manufacturer instructions, then practice 10 date problems: given a packing date, compute the expiration and the last legal use day. Always state the basis date explicitly in your answer.
Recording a repack in the logbook without the required data: packer name and certificate number, date of packing, parachute serial number, and the type of packing performed, or signing off on work performed by someone else.
Candidates treat the logbook as a memory aid rather than a legal record, and they do not know which entries the regulations require versus which are merely good practice.
What to do instead
Write out a model logbook entry from memory once a day for a week, then check it against the regulation text. Include every required field plus the canopy and container serial numbers, and never sign for work you did not perform or supervise.
Judging canopy fabric condition by appearance alone, calling a stained or shiny area serviceable without a porosity or strength check, and ignoring the difference between zero-porosity coated fabric and standard MIL-spec nylon when deciding on repair.
Visual inspection is the easiest skill to practice, so candidates over-rely on it and skip the measurable criteria (porosity, tear strength, air permeability) that actually determine airworthiness.
What to do instead
Learn the acceptance criteria for each fabric type and memorize the test methods: porosity test pressure and limit, grab tensile strength minimums, and the rule that coated fabric cannot be patched with uncoated material. Practice describing the test, not just the look.
Mixing hardware of different ratings or materials, for example substituting a hardware-store quick link for an approved connector, or pairing stainless steel with galvanized fittings without considering galvanic corrosion.
Candidates focus on shape and thread match and forget that connectors carry rated loads and that dissimilar metals corrode in humid or salt environments.
What to do instead
Memorize the identification markings and rated strengths of the connectors, links, and riser hardware in common use, and adopt a rule: no substitution without manufacturer approval and documented rated strength. Study galvanic series pairs as a checklist item during assembly.
Sewing test samples with the wrong thread tension, stitch count, or seam type, and being unable to state the required stitches per inch and the correct seam allowance for a given joint.
Candidates practice on the machine but never measure their output, and they confuse seam types (flat fell, French, lap, safety stitch) that look similar when finished.
What to do instead
Sew a sample of each seam type used in rigging, then count stitches per inch with a ruler and compare to the specification. Keep a labeled sample card of your seams and inspect them for skipped stitches, puckering, and thread fraying before every practical session.
Bartacking or stitching through load-bearing webbing without respecting the specified pattern and placement, or placing a bar tack so it cuts into the edge of the webbing and creates a stress riser.
Candidates see bar tacks as generic reinforcement and do not know that placement, width, and stitch density are specified to preserve webbing strength.
What to do instead
Learn the standard bar tack dimensions and the rule for setback from the webbing edge for the materials you use, and practice marking before stitching. Inspect finished tacks for edge nicks and loose tension, and compare against the manufacturer's repair drawing.
Packing a canopy without a complete line check: skipping the step-by-step line continuity check, failing to verify line lengths against the chart, and not confirming the slider and deployment bag are correctly oriented.
Packing is rehearsed as a physical sequence, so candidates rush the verification steps that catch misrouted or stretched lines.
What to do instead
Adopt a fixed verbal checklist you say aloud during every pack job: line by line from riser to canopy, length check against the chart, slider orientation, bag orientation, and closing loop routing. Time yourself only after the checklist is automatic.
Installing or adjusting a harness without verifying the fit and the routing of the chest strap, leg straps, and reserve static line or ripcord housing, and failing to confirm the housing length and cable free play.
Candidates treat assembly as bolting parts together and skip the functional checks that determine whether the system will deploy cleanly.
What to do instead
Create a post-assembly functional checklist: housing end-to-end length, cable free play and absence of binding, ripcord pin engagement depth, harness adjustment range, and AAD compatibility. Perform a dummy pull or deployment check where the manufacturer permits it.
Performing a repair or alteration that changes the design, such as tapering lines, changing line attachment points, or adding a modification, without approved data, and then returning the item to service as if it were a minor repair.
Candidates blur the line between maintenance and alteration, and they assume that a neat-looking repair is automatically acceptable.
What to do instead
Learn to classify each task as inspection, repair, or alteration, and know that alterations require approved data and often manufacturer or certificating authority involvement. When in doubt, document the proposed change and seek approval rather than improvising.
Handling an emergency scenario on paper only: unable to state the correct actions for a reserve deployment after a total malfunction, a cutaway sequence, or a landing injury, and unclear on the responsibilities of the rigger at the scene.
Candidates study emergency procedures as trivia for the written test and never connect them to the rigger's role in inspection, incident reporting, and equipment quarantine.
What to do instead
Rehearse the sequence aloud: cutaway, reserve activation, canopy control, landing, then post-incident actions including securing the equipment, documenting the event, and not returning suspect components to service. Tie each step back to the rigger's inspection and recordkeeping duties.
Ignoring weight and balance when assembling a rig: adding hardware, AADs, or accessories without recalculating total suspended weight, and failing to check that the container size matches the canopy volume and the harness fits the user's weight range.
Candidates treat each component as independent and do not realize that container volume, canopy pack volume, and suspended weight interact to affect deployment and opening performance.
What to do instead
Practice a full weight and balance worksheet for a sample rig: canopy, container, harness, hardware, AAD, and clothing, compared against the manufacturer's limits. Learn the pack volume method and verify container compatibility before signing off.