Packing course
Just completed AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) course or the R.A.P.S Static Line progression system? Need to learn to pack your parachute? Where can you go to learn and who can teach you?
After weeks or months of skydiving at weekends it can become a little tedious stood about in the hanger waiting for an Instructor to come along and check stage your parachute, when all you really want to be doing is getting on another lift and doing another jump. The next step is to learn to pack the parachute for yourself and say farewell to waiting about and hello to jumping, jumping, jumping, (with the odd hour or so packing in between) Now all you need is the ever elusive packing certificate BPA form F111 aptly numbered after the ripstop nylon that most ram air canopies were made out of before the advent of ZP fabric (zero porosity). to be qualified to hold a packing certificate you will need to be proficient in the following areas:
- Reassembled a parachute assembly from being stripped down to its component parts I.E. Main canopy, Cutaway pad, Main deployment bag and Pilot Chute. Reassemble including correct configuration of the 3 ring release, R.S.Land deployment bag and pilot chute.
- Clear the Canopy of line twists and tangles (before reassembling is generally a good idea).
- Perform a line sequence check (6 line check, B and C lines on both stabilizers and control lines).
- Carry out packing checks at the appropriate stages.
- Packed the parachute ready for jumping
- Instructed on how to Inspect the assembly for damage and deterioration.
- Instructed on main/container compatibility
All of the above can be taught under the supervision of a BPA Rigger or BPA Instructor with the parachute and container you are learning to pack on their own packing certificate.
Once you have shown the competency to fold and bag the canopy, stow the suspension lines neatly and close the container then you are ready for the tangles phase, this gets easier with practice and you will be taught tricks and techniques to help you get your canopy ready to pack. Once you have then reassembled the 3-ring release under supervision a few times you are nearly ready to take the packing test. Their can be fewer things more daunting than jumping out of an airplane at the best of times, jumping with your first self packed parachute definitely adds an extra “what if?” to the process. With this thought in mind you have to make a very neat and precise job of your culmination pack job, untangling the lines and assembling the main to the container correctly before attempting the neatest folding and line stows ever… Once you have finished your Instructor or Rigger will pull the canopy as if it were a live descent whilst looking for any problems that may have occurred, if the packing comes up to standard then your nearly there.
Damage and wear are going to happen however you treat your parachute equipment so you must be able to spot problems early to stop them becoming major structural problems that could mean an injury or worse, remember, your taking this equipment into freefall at 120 mph+. So a brief look at wear points and general wear points is a must.
Compatibility of canopies and containers is the last brief on the list, It can be heart breaking to buy your first set of kit and find that they should not have been put together in the first place (serves you right if you buy unseen off of e-bay)! A Small main in a huge container, the incorrect risers or worse an incompatible reserve parachute could be more costly than money. Many people put equipment together from various sources and then sell them on, not always riggers and not always understanding the problems they may be causing, So this brief should help you when acquiring a 2nd hand piece of kit. (Of course nothing beats taking any rig to a rigger for a thorough inspection before purchasing)
Once you have attained you’re packing certificate then you are entitled to pack that canopy in that container only!! If you change to another piece of equipment then you need to be checked out on the packing of the canopy or the closing of the container as each have their own distinct requirements and on opening in free fall is not the ideal time to find out you didn’t realise what they were!
If you want to learn to pack your own parachute then get in touch with Infinite Skydiving Solutions as we run packing evenings at the oxfordshire DZ “Skydive Weston” at Weston on the green Our first evening is Friday 8th Feb at 18:00 until late.
Hope to see you there
Andy Ford
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