What a Rigger Inspection Actually Checks (Inside the Loft)

In the skydiving world, riggers carry the safety load that most jumpers never think about. They spend hours in well-lit lofts, hunched over large wooden tables, measuring lines, checking stitching, and packing reserves. While jumpers get to enjoy the thrill of freefall, riggers carry the heavy responsibility of signing their name to the paperwork that certifies your backup life-support system is airworthy.

Whether you are buying a used rig, sending your gear in for a mandatory repack, or having your lines checked, a professional rigger inspection is the ultimate safety net. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates parachute riggers under strict certification rules. If a rigger signs off on a rig, it means they are legally staking their license—and your life—on the safety of that equipment.

But what actually happens when you drop your gear off at the loft? What are riggers looking for when they lay your rig flat on the table? Understanding the depth of a professional inspection will help you appreciate the value of rigger verification and teach you how to perform better daily gear checks yourself.

If you are currently shopping for gear, check out our used gear red flags guide to understand what common issues sellers might try to hide, and read our used gear physical evaluation guide to learn how to spot immediate problems before you ever send the rig to a loft.

Here is the step-by-step breakdown of what a rigger checks inside the loft.

1. The Paperwork Audit and History Check

An inspection does not begin with the nylon; it begins with the paperwork. Every skydiving rig must have a Reserve Packing Data Card (the "repack card"). This card is the legal diary of the reserve parachute and container.

The rigger checks:

• Serial Number Match: The rigger physically locates the serial number labels stamped on the container fabric, the reserve canopy trailing edge, and the AAD housing. They verify that these serial numbers match the repack card exactly. A mismatch is a major red flag that grounds the rig.
• Repack History: Under FAA rules, a reserve must be inspected and repacked by a certified rigger every 180 days. The rigger calculates the dates to ensure the rig has not been jumped out-of-date. If you want a deep dive into how these repacks work, read our guide on understanding reserve repack cycles.
• Service Bulletins and Recalls: Riggers maintain a database of manufacturer service bulletins. They cross-reference the container and canopy serial numbers with active safety alerts (such as recalls on closing loops, grommets, or reserve handle cables) to confirm that all required factory modifications have been completed.

2. Tier 1: The Harness and Container Inspection

The harness is the structural webbing that connects you to the parachute, and the container is the backpack fabric that protects your trays. A structural failure in the harness is catastrophic.

The Structural Webbing and Stitching

The rigger runs their hands along the heavy nylon webbing (such as the Main Lift Web, leg straps, and lateral straps). They look for:

• Fibrillation and Wear: Fraying of the nylon weave from Velcro contact is common, but any deep cut or severe abrasion that compromises more than 10 percent of the webbing's thickness requires a structural repair.
• Hand-Sewing: Skydiving harnesses are sewn using specialized commercial sewing machines and heavy-duty nylon thread (typically Size E or F). Any hand-sewing or amateur stitching is an immediate fail.

Hardware, Grommets, and the 3-Ring Release

• Corrosion: Metal D-rings, leg strap buckles, and chest strap buckles are inspected for rust or pitting. Salt-water exposure (common from coastal dropzones) accelerates corrosion.
• Grommets: The brass or stainless steel grommets on the container flaps must be perfectly round and tight against the fabric. Distorted or cracked grommets can catch lines during deployment, causing a fatal malfunction.
• 3-Ring Release System: The rigger inspects the three rings for roundness and confirms they sit completely flat. They clean and flex the Teflon-coated yellow release cables to ensure they slide smoothly through their housings. A sticky cable can prevent a clean cutaway during a malfunction.

3. Tier 2: The Reserve Canopy Inspection

A reserve canopy is packed to sit compressed in the upper container tray for up to 180 days, ready to open instantly in an emergency. It must be absolutely perfect.

Fabric Tensile Strength and Porosity

• Fabric Quality: The rigger examines every panel of the F-111 nylon fabric. They look for structural stretching, seam separation, or fabric degradation.
• Acid Mesh Testing: In the late 1990s and early 2000s, some reserves were manufactured with a mesh fabric that emitted acid over time, degrading the adjacent nylon. If a reserve falls into the affected serial number range, the rigger performs a specialized Tensile Strength Test using a calibrated fabric puller to verify the nylon can withstand 30 to 40 pounds of pulling force without ripping.
• Crossport Inspection: The internal ribs inside the canopy cells have crossports (holes that allow air to distribute evenly). The rigger inspects these crossports for ruptures, which commonly occur during hard openings.

Suspension Lines and Steering Lines

• The rigger checks all suspension lines from the canopy bottom skin down to the risers. They look for broken strands, slider burns (friction melting), or fraying at the cascade junctions.
• They verify that the lines are in trim. Unlike the main canopy, reserve canopies are rarely out of trim because they are rarely jumped, but the rigger must confirm that the line junctions are secure.

4. Tier 3: The Main Canopy and Risers

While the reserve is the rigger's primary legal concern, they also perform a comprehensive check of the main canopy when inspecting a used rig.

• Fabric Condition: The rigger inflates or spreads the main canopy on the table to check for pinholes (common from packing on grass or dirt), burn marks from slider friction, and seam wear.
• Risers and Toggle Connections: The rigger inspects the main risers, the guide rings, and the toggle attachment points. They confirm that the steering lines are tied off securely and are at the correct length.
• Line Trim Measurement: The rigger measures the suspension lines to check for shrinking, which is common in Spectra (Microline) lines due to heat from the slider. If the lines are out of trim, they will recommend a full reline.

5. Tier 4: The Automatic Activation Device (AAD) Verification

The AAD is a computerized system that acts as your final safety net, cutting the reserve closing loop if you reach freefall speeds at low altitudes.

The rigger checks:

• Born-On Date (Date of Manufacture): The rigger calculates the exact remaining lifespan of the unit. A Cypres has a strict 12.5 to 15.5-year clock, while a Vigil has a 20-year lifespan.
• Battery and Firmware: The rigger powers on the AAD to check the battery status, firmware version, and confirm that there are no active error codes.
• Cutter Position: The rigger inspects the physical AAD cutter and the routing of the reserve closing loop through the cutter block. They verify that the closing loop is in perfect condition (no fraying) and is lubricated with silicone if required by the manufacturer.

Key Takeaways

• Legally Binding: A rigger's signature on the repack card is a legal certification of airworthiness under FAA regulations. It represents an exhaustive, systematic safety audit.
• Webbing and Stitching First: Any hand-sewing or severe wear on the structural harness webbing is an immediate grounds for rejection.
• Acid Mesh & Tensile Checks: Riggers use calibrated pull-testers to check older reserve fabrics for chemical degradation.
• Recalls & Bulletins: A major part of the inspection is an audit of active manufacturer safety bulletins to ensure all safety upgrades are complete.

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Sources:

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart F — Certification and Operating Rules for Parachute Riggers.
• FAA Parachute Rigger Handbook (FAA-H-8083-17): Chapters 4, 7, and 8 — Inspection Protocols, Maintenance Procedures, and Fabric Testing.
• Performance Designs: Reserve Inspection and Packing Manual — Tensile testing and acid mesh inspection guidelines.
• United Parachute Technologies: Vector 3 Owner's Manual — Harness Inspection and Maintenance Specifications.