Index

Symbols

3-cord cotton thread–waxed .........................................6-10

6-inch adjustable wrench .............................................6-10

6-inch stainless steel rule ...............................................6-4

14 CFR part 1—definitions ............................................1-8

14 CFR part 21 subpart O—Technical Standard

Orders (TSO) .................................................................1-8

14 CFR part 91—General Operating and Flight Rules..1-9 14 CFR part 105 subpart C—Parachute Equipment and Packing ....................................................................1-9

A

Accessory components.................................................7-65

Acid contamination ......................................................7-10

Action .......................................................................7-10

Airing and drying .........................................................5-13

Alterations ....................................................................7-73

Approved data ..............................................................7-11

Articulated harness main lift web (MLW) resizing .....7-73

Articulated upper leg hardware replacement ...............7-56

Assemble and pack (A&P).............................................1-7

• Assembling the reserve system ....................................5-28
• Step 1. Layout and setting up packing clamps .........5-29
• Step 2. Stacking and pleating the reserve canopy ....5-29

Step 3. Setting the brakes .........................................5-31

Step 4. Folding the canopy .......................................5-32

Step 5. Placing the canopy into the deployment bag and stowing the lines .........................................5-33

Step 6. Placing the bag into the container and closing the container.................................................5-35

Assembly of components and compatibility ................4-13

Assembly of the main canopy to the harness and container.......................................................................4-11

3-ring release handle ................................................4-13

Harness 3-ring attachment ........................................4-12

Main riser rings ........................................................4-13

Release housings ......................................................4-13

Automatic activation devices .......................................2-18

• Automatic activation device (AAD) installation .........7-77
• Adhesive channel installation...................................7-78
• Built-in channel modification configuration.............7-78
• Cutter channel and elastic installation ......................7-79
• B

Beeswax .......................................................................6-12

Bias construction............................................................2-6

Binding tool .................................................................6-13

Block construction .........................................................2-6

Bottom of container (BOC) pocket ..............................7-85

Bottom of container (BOC) pocket replacement .........7-48

Bridle............................................................................2-15

Pre-sewn bridle .........................................................2-15

Square reserve bridles ..............................................2-15

Tubular nylon bridle .................................................2-15

Bridle and deployment devices ....................................2-11

Bridle length.................................................................4-10

Butane cigarette lighter ..................................................6-4

C

Cable cutters.................................................................6-11

Canopy and lines ..........................................................7-13

Canopy assembly and line continuity ..........................5-14

Canopy design................................................................2-5

Canopy ripstop tape repair ...........................................7-16

Center cell top skin ........................................................7-7

Certification specifications .............................................1-9

Chest strap replacement ...............................................7-51

Cleaning and washing procedures ...............................7-89

Cleaning the parachute .................................................7-11

Hand washing (if absolutely necessary) ...................7-11

Closing plate ..................................................................6-6

• Collapsible pilot chute/bridle system ...........................2-16
• Bungee collapsible configuration .............................2-16
• Kill-line collapsible configuration ............................2-16

Colorfastness ................................................................7-89

Component compatibility...............................................5-4

Component parts ............................................................2-2

Compound feed machine .............................................6-20

Configuration .................................................................2-7

Connector link separator tool .........................................6-7

Consew 206RB ............................................................6-16

Construction concepts and techniques ...........................2-5

Container ............................................2-6, 5-12, 5-17, 7-38

Container fabric panel repair .......................................7-38

Binding tape repair or splice ....................................7-39

Hidden patches .........................................................7-40

Overlay patches ........................................................7-40

Single-side fabric patches.........................................7-41

• Container grommet replacement ..................................7-42
• Container plastic stiffener replacement .......................7-44
• Container Velcro® replacement....................................7-43

Contamination conditions ..............................................7-8

Continuous line method ...............................................7-34

Cords, lines, and threads ................................................3-8

Currency requirements ...................................................1-6

Cutting pad ...................................................................6-13

D

Damage ..........................................................................2-6

Damage identification ....................................................5-8

Deployment and inflation characteristics .......................4-8

Deployment type ................................................ 2-12, 4-16

• Type 1: Canopy first deployment .............................2-12
• Type 2: Two-stow diaper or half diaper ...................2-12
• Type 3: Ascuitto or piglet-style flat diaper...............2-13
• Type 4: Handbury or preserve full diaper ................2-13

Type 5: Free bag .......................................................2-13

Type 6: Sleeves ........................................................2-13

Designated Parachute Rigger Examiner (DPRE) ..........1-3

Detailed information on square canopy repairs ...........7-14

Documentation .............................................................5-39

Drop feed machine .......................................................6-19

Drying a parachute .......................................................7-11

• E
• Earning a Parachute Rigger Certificate ..........................1-2
• Alternate means of qualifying for a Parachute

Rigger Certificate .......................................................1-3

Retesting .....................................................................1-3

Testing ........................................................................1-3

• Emergency parachute canopy ........................................2-2
• F
• Fabric marking pencils and felt tip markers ..................6-4

Fabrics .................................................................... 3-2, 7-6

Facilities and tools .........................................................1-5

Fasteners ......................................................................3-21

Finger-trapping needle ...................................................6-4

Finger-trapping wire ......................................................6-5

Flat packing....................................................................4-2

G

Grommet protectors .......................................................7-5

H

Hand deploy pilot chutes .............................................2-17

Pull-out pilot chute (POP) configuration ..................2-18

Throw-out pilot chute (TOP) configuration .............2-17

Hand tacking needles .....................................................6-9

Hand tacking techniques ..............................................7-86

Hand tools ......................................................................6-2

Hardware ......................................................................3-12

Harness............................................................... 5-11, 5-17

Harness and risers ........................................................7-51

Harness/container ...........................................................2-2

Deployment devices for the main and reserve parachutes ...................................................................2-3

Main parachute release mechanism and associated handles or static lines ................................2-3

Other harness/container assembly components..........2-4

Pilot chutes and bridles for the main and reserve parachutes ...................................................................2-2

Ripcords or equivalent devices for the main and reserve parachutes ......................................................2-3

Risers and associated steering toggles........................2-3

Harness design ...............................................................2-9

Harness strength ...........................................................4-14

Hemostats or clamp........................................................6-2

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) .............................3-20

Hole punches................................................................6-13

Hot glue gun.................................................................6-12

Hot knife element with cutting tip, basting tip, and stand ......................................................................6-12

Housings ......................................................................3-22

Push-pull system ......................................................3-24

I

Identification ..................................................................5-2

Identification and nomenclature...................................6-16

Inor repair.......................................................................7-8

Inspect and repack (I&R) ...............................................1-7

Inspection ............................................................. 5-2, 5-16

Inspection process ..........................................................7-2

Installing the needle and threading the machine ..........6-21

L

Lead seals and seal thread ..............................................6-8

Lexan® ..........................................................................3-20

Line attachments ............................................................7-6

Line dump ......................................................................4-8

Lines...............................................................................7-5

Line separator (suspension line holder) .........................6-7

Line strip ........................................................................4-8

Links ..............................................................................7-5

Locking pull-up cord......................................................6-5

Lower leg strap shortening...........................................7-54

M

Machine maintenance ..................................................6-23

Magnum® pilot chute ...................................................2-17

Main and reserve closing loop manufacture ................7-80

Main container side flap replacement ..........................7-46

Main deployment bag ..................................................7-82

Main deployment bag repair—closing flap grommet pullout ...........................................................7-72

Main parachute canopy ..................................................2-2

Main pilot chute .............................................................4-9

Main riser 3-ring locking loop replacement.................7-62

Main riser steering toggle Velcro® replacement ..........7-64

Major repair ...................................................................7-8

Manufacturing .................................................... 7-80, 7-86

Master Parachute Rigger ................................................1-2

Material repair and grommet replacement ...................7-43

Materials .............................................................. 2-6, 7-14

Materials storage area ..................................................6-28

Miscellaneous ..............................................................3-26

Modern design concepts ................................................2-8

Hesitator loop configuration .......................................2-8

Nonrestrictive corners ................................................2-8

Molar strap .....................................................................6-5

N

Navy end tab ..................................................................6-9

Needle feed machine ....................................................6-20

Needle-nose pliers ........................................................6-11

Needles.........................................................................6-20

Nomenclature .................................................................2-5

Non-continuous line method ........................................7-34

Note pad .........................................................................6-8

Nylon..............................................................................3-2

O

Office area ....................................................................6-27

Operation............................................................ 2-19, 6-21

Operational theory .........................................................2-6

P

Packing.........................................................................5-19

Packing data card ...........................................................6-8

Packing fid .....................................................................6-5

Packing paddle ...............................................................6-5

Parachute loft ...............................................................6-24

Cutting table .............................................................6-27

Harness table and machines .....................................6-27

Metal working area...................................................6-27

Packing and inspection area .....................................6-25

Work area including layout tables and sewing machines ...................................................................6-26

Parachute rigger .............................................................1-1

Parachute Rigger Certificates .........................................1-2

Parachute service life .....................................................1-9

Performance standards ...................................................1-5

Pilot chute and bridle .....................................................5-8

Pilot chute and free bag/bridle .....................................5-13

Pilot chute attachment ....................................................7-6

Pilot chute locking rod ...................................................6-6

Pilot chutes ...................................................................2-17

Hand deploy design ..................................................2-17

Spring-loaded design ................................................2-17

Pilot chute threading tool ...............................................6-6

Pilot versus parachute size .............................................1-9

Plastics and synthetics..................................................3-20

Pony clamps .................................................................6-10

Proper ram-air orientation (PRO) packing .....................4-2

Pull-up cords ..................................................................6-5

R

Ram-air reserve canopy ...............................................5-13

• Ram-air reserve into a sport piggyback system ...........5-28
• Ram-air reserve into a two-pin piggyback ...................5-38
• Ram-air reserves and sport piggyback systems ...........5-13

Rawhide mallet ............................................................6-13

Record keeping ..............................................................1-7

Removal of bloodstains................................................7-10

Removal of fresh water ................................................7-10

Removal of mildew ......................................................7-10

Removal of perspiration...............................................7-10

Removal of petroleum products ...................................7-10

Removal of soil ............................................................7-10

Repair techniques .........................................................7-12

Reserve bag extraction force ........................................4-14

Reserve canopy ..............................................................5-9

Reserve container ...........................................................2-8

Reserve parachute canopy..............................................2-2

Reserve pilot chute repair—mesh, tackings, and bad grommet ................................................................7-65

Reserve static line (RSL) systems................................2-21

Responsibilities of a Certificated Parachute Rigger.......1-5

Rigger’s logbook............................................................6-8

Rigging and repairs ......................................................5-19

Rigging ethics ................................................................1-9

Ring release housing replacement ...............................7-49

Ripcord............................................................... 5-12, 5-18

Ripcord pocket Velcro® replacement ...........................7-55

Ripcord pull force ........................................................5-27

Ripcords, cables, and swages .......................................3-24

Intermediate pin........................................................3-25

Terminal pin .............................................................3-25

Ripstop roller ...............................................................6-11

Round and square canopy—basic patch repair ............7-17

Round canopies and pilot emergency systems...............5-7

Round canopy into a pilot emergency parachute system ..........................................................................5-20

Accordion folding the canopy ..................................5-25

Closing the container ................................................5-25

Closing the diaper and stowing the lines ..................5-23

Fold the skirt.............................................................5-22

Layout.......................................................................5-20

Pleating the canopy ..................................................5-21

Skirt or diaper placement .........................................5-24

Round canopy—non-continuous line replacement ......7-30

Round canopy—panel replacement .............................7-21

RSL designs .................................................................2-21

Dual side RSL ..........................................................2-21

Joint Efficiency .........................................................2-24

Fabric ...................................................................2-24

Reinforcing ...........................................................2-25

Stitches per inch ....................................................2-25

Stitch type..............................................................2-25

Thread tension ......................................................2-25

Thread type ...........................................................2-25

LOR system ..............................................................2-21

Main riser attachment ...............................................2-22

Ripcord cable routing ...............................................2-23

RSL lanyard and container mount ............................2-23

Single-side RSL........................................................2-21

The collins lanyard/Skyhook™ system .....................2-22

Rubber bands ....................................................... 4-10, 6-8

S

Safety Stow® ................................................................2-14

Salt water contamination..............................................7-10

Action .......................................................................7-10

Scalpel or Exacto® knife ................................................6-2

Scissors ..........................................................................6-4

Screwdriver–multi-tip ..................................................6-11

Sealing the parachute ........................................... 1-8, 5-27

Seal press .......................................................................6-7

Seam restitching ...........................................................7-15

Seam ripper ....................................................................6-2

Seam starts .....................................................................7-6

Seam work .....................................................................7-6

Securing the deployment device ..................................2-14

Senior Parachute Rigger ................................................1-2

Sewing machine attachments .......................................6-24

Sewing machines .........................................................6-14

Sewing theory ..............................................................6-18

Oscillating hook .......................................................6-18

Rotary hook ..............................................................6-18

Shot bags ........................................................................6-7

Shoulder strap hook .....................................................6-10

Size “O” rolled rim spur grommet handset ..................6-12

Slider ..............................................................................7-5

Specifications .................................................................3-2

Sport parachute main packing techniques......................4-2

Spring-loaded pilot chutes ...........................................2-17

Spring scale and fabric testing clamps .........................6-12

Square canopy

Control line replacement ..........................................7-33

Crossport repair ........................................................7-36

Main line replacement ..............................................7-31

Partial panel replacement .........................................7-22

Pilot chute attachment point repair...........................7-28

Rib repair ..................................................................7-25

Trim check and re-trim .............................................7-37

Stabilizers.......................................................................7-5

Standard harness main lift web replacement ...............7-57

Background ..............................................................7-58

Inspection .................................................................7-62

Procedure ..................................................................7-59

Stealth pilot chute ........................................................2-17

Stimpson Co., Inc.........................................................6-13

Straightening the canopy................................................5-7

Suspension lines and connector links ..........................5-10

T

Tape measure ...............................................................6-10

T-bar positive leverage device .......................................6-6

• Technical Standard Order (TSO) ...................................1-8
• Temporary locking pins (temp pins) ..............................6-6
• Tension board assembly with apex tiedown ................6-12

T-handle bodkin .............................................................6-6

The parachute loft .......................................................6-24

The Safety Stow® ........................................................2-14

The stealth pilot chute .................................................2-17

Thread snips ...................................................................6-3

TSO certification and placard limitations ....................4-14

TSO standards ................................................................2-4

Types of approved data ................................................7-12

V

Velcro® .........................................................................3-22

Velcro® line protectors ...................................................6-6

Volume.........................................................................4-16

W

Waxed nylon “supertack” ..............................................6-9

Webbing and tapes .........................................................3-3

Webbing selection..........................................................3-4

Needle weave .............................................................3-4

Shuttle weave .............................................................3-4