Becoming A Rigger

[Casch 0]

For my senior project I am thinking of building my own harness/container (with a rigger of course). I was wondering how you would go about getting a riggers certification.

[councilman24 37]

Start here ftp://av-info.faa.gov/data/knowledgetestguide/faa-g-8082-15.pdf

Follow the references to part 65 of the FAA regs.

In short, learn a lot of stuff, pack 20 parachutes under the supervision of a rigger, take a FAA Written test, then oral and pratical test. There are some courses which provide the knowledge and testing in about 10 days, with some prework.

You will not be able to make a harness/container that is legal to jump in the US. That requires TSO testing and certification of the design, quality control, etc. etc. Most riggers wouldn't try to make one for fun unless they had access to the patterns. Ten years ago a British rigger explained their process to me. To become a rigger (top level I think) you had to make a harness and container. There was apparently a set of patterns available for a rig made by an out of business company that everyone used. The examiners then would routinely cut up the rig, even if there wasn't anything really wrong with it.

I'd pick a new project.

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

[Casch 0]

well what I was thinking was that I could work with infinite and basically assist them. Almost like a job shadow. I wouldn't be the one actually *making* the container, just assisting etc.. Anyway, thanks for the info.

[PhreeZone 20]

If you are refering to Velocity Sports (Makes the Infinity), you might want to clear it with them. Not make factories want someone looking over their shoulder questioning everything they do unless the person is in training to work there.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[riggerrob 643]

Wow, sewing your own harness/container is way more than required for an FAA Senior Rigger rating.
To pass the FAA Senior Rigger test, you only have to sew a simple canopy patch and maybe do a little hand tacking/sewing.It takes most people another 2 or 3 years to acquire the sewing skilss and experience to build a complete rig. Trust me there are hundreds of subtle tricks to container construction that you will only master with hundreds of hours on the sewing machine.
The only way you can legally build a harness/container (in the USA) is if Kelly Farrington is willing to sign off the final inspection on your work. I doubt is he willing do that, simply because no beginner will be neat enough to match his high standards.
Maybe you should consider building something simpler for your senior project, like a pilotchute or deployment bag.
Building a complete rig is another 2 or 3 years in your futur.