Main Parachute Packing

Main Parachute Packing

Introduction

Packing your main parachute is a skill that should be learned as soon as possible. Familiarity with the equipment comes both in the air and with hands on experience on the ground. Watch others pack and learn under the supervision of a Coach 1. Packing is not a difficult task to learn, but it has to be done correctly for obvious reasons.

This endorsement is required for the "A" CoP.

Qualifications

Novice skydiver has been cleared to do safety checks. See PIM 2A, Equipment.

 

Training and Content

Before attempting this endorsement, the novice should have been instructed and have become proficient in the following skill areas:

Packing Techniques

  • Packing - See PIM 2B, Equipment, Section 6.8
  • Deployment control techniques and variations to packing techniques - PIM 2B, Equipment, Section 6.8

Inspection of Equipment and Care Practises

  • Equipment Inspection - See PIM 2A, Equipment
  • Packing with an equipment inspection, routine maintenance and storage practises - See PIM 2B, Equipment

Naming Components

  • Component Identification - See PIM 2B, Equipment

Tangles

  • Clearing minor entanglements - PIM 2A, Equipment

 

Teaching Strategy

The above is best taught in 2 phases:

Phase 1 - Normal

  1. Teach the normal pack. Pack, Inspect, Name
  2. Practical experience of the normal pack, usually 6-10 times.
  3. Practical testing
    • Demonstrating packing techniques
    • Basic inspection
    • Verbally listing the names of the major components

Phase 2 - Tangles

  1. Teach the seven common entanglements and how to recognize them.
    • back or front flip through risers, below slider
    • back or front flip through risers, above slider
    • step through one riser, below slider
    • step through one riser, above slider
    • step through a line, below slider
    • step through a line, above slider
    • step through a cascade
  2. Practical experience of clearing entanglements, receiving feedback, while you supervise.
  3. Practical testing demonstrating the ability to recognize and clear minor entanglements.

Teaching Suggestions

  1. Make sure that you pack well before teaching someone else.
  2. Make sure that you are using approved techniques and know the correct reasons for their use.
  3. Cross check with a Rigger to make sure that what you do is correct.
  4. Make sure the person being checked out also knows how to do proper safety checks as well. It is actually on the Skills Grid before packing.
  5. Teach and practise endorsement parts Packing, Inspection and Naming together.
  6. Evaluate Packing separately, first, verbally.
  7. Evaluate Inspection and Naming together, practically.
  8. Teach Tangles as a separate phase after they have learned the complete normal pack first. This will make entanglements easy to learn and understand.
  9. If unsure about Tangles, team-teach first with someone rated who truly knows it.
  10. Make sure you teach Tangles and practise it, before you evaluate it.
  11. Evaluate Tangles separately, practically, after Packing, Inspection, and Naming.
  12. When evaluating Tangles, the person being checked out should demonstrate the ability to clear several types of entanglements. Clearing one type of entanglement by trial and error is not adequate.
  13. Always use PAF when teaching packing, break into lots of small steps.
  14. When all parts are passed, sign off the endorsement card. Be ready to stand by your decision.
  15. This endorsement is required for the "A" CoP.
  16. All endorsements, are to be treated as a positive educational experience. They are not to be an opportunity to degrade.

Evaluation

The administration of this endorsement can be done by either a Jump Master, SSI, Coach 2, or Rigger A.

The following abilities must be demonstrated:

  1. Pack using proper sequence, techniques and neatness.
  2. Inspect while packing
  3. Name major components as listed.
  4. Tangles - clearing minor entanglements (single tangles, not multiples)