Muitos atletas que estão com viagens marcadas para os Estados Unidos estão sendo surpreendidos com mensagens sobre equipamentos aprovados para uso naquele país e também com as dobragens dos reservas realizadas por dobradores de reservas, conhecidos como RIGGERS, com certificação americana da FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), tanto Senior, como Master Riggers.

Quem está indo para o P3, em Perris Valley, na California está recebendo a seguinte mensagem:

• GEAR CHECK – If you have not been jumping recently at Perris, you will need to get a gear check in the Manifest office.
• TSO’d GEAR – Concerning mostly our non-US participants, Skydive Perris has recently changed it’s policy regarding the packing of reserve parachutes for TSO’d equipment (equipment manufactured in the USA) to strictly follow FAR rules. The Federal Aviation Regulations in the USA state that anyone jumping TSO’d equipment in the United States must have their reserve packed by a Federal Aviation Administration Certified Rigger under FAA rules. If you are unable to find a FAA Certified Rigger in your home country, you can have it packed at the rigging loft at Skydive Perris prior to the event.

No entanto, trata-se de uma norma antiga, mas que está sendo aplicada atualmente por todas as áreas de saltos americanas. Até pouco tempo atrás, o paraquedista estrangeiro assinava uma “waver”, que era um tipo de termo de isenção de responsabilidade, onde assumia os riscos ao saltar com seu próprio equipamento, que também não precisava ter o TSO e a dobragem do reserva poderia ter sido feita por qualquer dobrador de reserva do seu país. Mas de um tempo para cá, as áreas americanas mudaram muito este aspecto. Outra grande mudança é que a dobragem do velame principal deve ser feita pela pessoa que irá utilizar o equipamento ou pode ser feita, também por um Rigger. Ou seja, o “dobrador” de velame principal nos Estados Unidos está desaparecendo. A partir de agora, mesmo os dobradores de principal deverão ter a licença de Rigger para dobrar nas áreas de saltos.

Texto extraído do “PARACHUTE RIGGER HANDBOOK 2005”:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) Flight Standards Service 14 CFR PART 105 SUBPART C PARACHUTE EQUIPMENT AND PACKING

This part deals with the use of parachutes in the United States. The following areas are of interest to parachute riggers:

• Main parachutes used for intentional jumping must be packed by the person jumping or by a U.S. certificated parachute rigger.

• The auxiliary parachute must be packed by a certificated and appropriately rated parachute rigger.
• If the parachute is made from synthetic materials, it must be packed within 120 days of its use. If it is made from materials subject to mold or mildew, then it must be packed within 60 days of use.
• If a main static line is used, it must meet certain requirements as to its use and configuration.
• An approved parachute is defined as a parachute manufactured under a type certificate or a Technical Standard Order (C-

23 series), or a personnel-carrying U.S. military parachute (other than a high altitude, high speed, or ejection type) identified by a Navy Air Facility, an Army Air Field, and Air Force-Navy drawing number, an Army Air Field order number, or any military designation or specification number.

(Páginas 1-8 e 1-9)

No Brasil, a SkyTec Parachute Sales e Service conta com um Master FAA Rigger, Antonio de Laurentiz Junior. Portanto seu equipamento não terá nenhum problema para saltar em qualquer área de saltos dos Estados Unidos.

Já na FAA Federal Aviation Administration, no Capítulo 1 (1.0 Regulations), no item 1.22 Part 65 – Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers, na Subpart F – Parachute Riggers, item 65.111 Certificate required diz no item (b): No person may pack… by him for intentional jumping.

Texto original:

• 65.111 Certificate required.
• (b) No person may pack any main parachute of a dual-parachute system to be used for intentional parachute jumping in connection with civil aircraft of the United States unless that person -
• (1) Has an appropriate current certificate issued under this subpart;
• (2) Is under the supervision of a current certificated parachute rigger;
• (3) Is the person making the next parachute jump with that parachute in accordance with § 105.43(a) of this chapter; or
• (4) Is the parachutist in command making the next parachute jump with that parachute in a tandem parachute operation conducted under § 105.45(b) (1) of this chapter.