Parachute license requirements

Skydiving is all about continuing to learn and improve, so here in the USA and many other countries around the globe , we use a tiered system of skydiving licenses, each progressively more advanced and proving the skydiver has a wider range and depth of skill and experience.

There are four types of skydiving licenses. These are categorized as A, B, C and D licenses. The A license is the first license obtained by a new skydiver and each license is progressively more challenging to achieve, requiring the skydiver to prove certain skills and reach certain experience levels.

The D license is the highest level of skydiving license and skydivers need a minimum of and to have completed all requirements of the previous licenses as well as two night jumps.

The skydiving A license is the first license a new skydiver achieves. It is proof that the skydiver has completed their training and is now cleared to jump without supervision.

Achieving an A license is really exciting! We have a package specifically designed to help you breeze through your B-Rels. Check it out! Want to jump with up to 9 of your beastly besties? Luckily Skydive Ramblers has an accommodation-inclusive package to help you reach that goal so you can celebrate as thoroughly as the accomplishment deserves!

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Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: October 20, Method 1. Ensure you have met the requirements for the rating. Before you can make an application, you must pack 20 parachutes for the rating type you are seeking while supervised by a certified parachute rigger. Take a parachute rigging class. This step is not a requirement, but may help to make you more confident in meeting the other requirements.

Make an experience-evaluation appointment at an approved site. An inspector from the FAA will review your evidence of packing experience and additional qualifications to determine your eligibility for the 3 tests that are required for senior parachute rigger certification.

Apply for your certification by completing the appropriate paperwork. At the end of this process, you will receive an Airman's Authorization for Written Test.

This parachute operation can involve, but is not limited to, the following persons: parachutist, parachutist in command and passenger in tandem parachute operations, drop zone or owner or operator, jump master, certificated parachute rigger, or pilot.

Parachutist means a person who intends to exit an aircraft while in flight using a single-harness, dual parachute system to descend to the surface. Parachutist in command means the person responsible for the operation and safety of a tandem parachute operation. Passenger parachutist means a person who boards an aircraft, acting as other than the parachutist in command of a tandem parachute operation, with the intent of exiting [sic] the aircraft while in-flight using the forward harness of a dual harness tandem parachute system to descend to the surface.

Ram-air parachute means a parachute with a canopy consisting of an upper and lower surface that is inflated by ram air entering through specially designed openings in the front of the canopy to form a gliding airfoil. Reserve parachute means an approved parachute worn for emergency use to be activated only upon failure of the main parachute or in any other emergency where use of the main parachute is impractical or use of the main parachute would increase risk. Single-harness, dual parachute system means the combination of a main parachute, approved reserve parachute, and approved single-person harness and dual-parachute container.

This parachute system may have an operational automatic activation device installed. Tandem parachute operation means a parachute operation in which more than one person simultaneously uses the same tandem parachute system while descending to the surface from an aircraft in flight.

Tandem parachute system means the combination of a main parachute, approved reserve parachute, and approved harness and dual parachute container, and a separate approved forward harness for a passenger parachutist. This parachute system must have an operational automatic activation device installed.

No person may conduct a parachute operation, and no pilot in command of an aircraft may allow a parachute operation to be conducted from an aircraft, if that operation creates a hazard to air traffic or to persons or property on the surface.

No person may conduct a parachute operation, and no pilot in command of an aircraft may allow a person to conduct a parachute operation from that aircraft, if that person is or appears to be under the influence of—. The Administrator may inspect any parachute operation to which this part applies including inspections at the site where the parachute operation is being conducted to determine compliance with the regulations of this part.