masterrigger1 2 #1 February 19, 2010 We are hosting a meeting with members of the FAA regarding the Parachute Rigger Written Test. The meeting will be located at my facility on 02 March, 2010 starting at 0900 hrs. Anyone that is planning to attend needs to notify me by February 24, 2010. We will be having a Brunch and I need a head count for it. BS, MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NovaTTT 2 #2 February 19, 2010 Unable to attend but I believe you are familiar with my complaints regarding the new test. Good luck @ the meeting. Nova "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #3 February 20, 2010 I would love to attend, but cannot. Would you like to share the agenda and the viewpoints you will be sharing, and would you accept letters from others to support your view and/or give alternate viewpoints so everyone's voices can be heard equally??? Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chutingstar 1 #4 February 20, 2010 QuoteWe are hosting a meeting with members of the FAA regarding the Parachute Rigger Written Test. The meeting will be located at my facility on 02 March, 2010 starting at 0900 hrs. Anyone that is planning to attend needs to notify me by February 24, 2010. We will be having a Brunch and I need a head count for it. BS, MEL Would love to attend, but will have 4 senior rigger candidates taking the FAA Written test at that exact time here in Georgia...ironic, eh? Hopefully we'll be able to proceed to the oral/practicals that day, but...then again, the failure rate is part of the reason you're having this meeting so we shall see. MikeChutingStar.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrigger1 2 #5 February 24, 2010 Quote Would love to attend, but will have 4 senior rigger candidates taking the FAA Written test at that exact time here in Georgia...ironic, eh? Hopefully we'll be able to proceed to the oral/practicals that day, but...then again, the failure rate is part of the reason you're having this meeting so we shall see. So with the past statistics or averages, you should have one or two that will be eligible to take the O&P. MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrigger1 2 #6 February 24, 2010 Also, anyone that would like to forward comments regarding the FAA written test can submit them to me before Tuesday March 02, 2010. I will present them to the FAA during the meeting on your behalf in the letter's original form. Please write a brief history about yourself (rigging wise) and point out specific questions or areas of testing that you like or dislike. You can forward them to me at skyworksparasvc@aol.com Thanks, MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #7 February 25, 2010 Hi, I just finished teaching a flock (4) of new CSPA Rigger As. I have lots of opinions, which ones would you like to hear? Hah! Hah! Like: when is the FAA going to have separate written exams for round and square canopies? How about separate ratings for back-type pilot emergency parachutes versus back-mounted sport reserves? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenkincb00 0 #8 March 3, 2010 MEL, Any intial thoughts on how the meeting went? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrigger1 2 #9 March 3, 2010 Quote\ Any intial thoughts on how the meeting went? Chris, It went really well! We had two representatives from AFS-630 here to discuss the issues at hand and a well rounded gallery. First part of the meeting was to identify that they/we had a real problem. Second part was to identify how to fix the test in the least amount of time and effort. Third part was to prevent this from happening again. I think we have the first two in the bag and the third looks promising.I am submitting some info to them tomorrow for their review. Hopefully, we will move along swiftly on this thing. We had a good turnout even though we had snow coming down. (Yes, ...in South Carolina, someone please find that Gore guy and let him know to let up on that global warming thing... I am freezing down here!) I do want to thank every one that came for their support. I also want to thank everyone that wrote letters, called or did whatever to support this meeting. The rigging community really needed this meeting and without the support of everyone would have been meaningless. Cheers, MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrigger1 2 #10 March 3, 2010 Also, Terry Urban can fill some of the blanks if he would. I am busier than a one-armed monkey trying to climb a 200 foot tree! Cheers, MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harmless 0 #11 March 3, 2010 So I'm studying for the wrong test? "Damn you Gravity, you win again" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jenkincb00 0 #12 March 4, 2010 Actually, MEL and others are working so you are studying for the correct test. This is assuming that you are studying using the Poynter's manuals and the study guide that most distributors sell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harmless 0 #13 March 4, 2010 Yes, I'm studying Poynter's..."Damn you Gravity, you win again" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #14 March 4, 2010 The current FAA (AFS 640) Subject Matter Expert (SME) for rigging and his likely replacement attended. This is the individual with the responsibility to write all of the questions for the parachute rigger's written examination and, I assume, assemblying all of the individual 'tests'. From these gentlemen we learned the process by which a questions is created, reviewed, edited, evaluated during trial use and finalized. We also learned the process for submitting issues with questions and what time frame it might take to "correct" a question if the SME agrees there is an issue. We discussed several examples of questions that may not have the right answer as a choice, not have the most current answer as a choice (obsolete answers), may have an inappropriate premiss for the question to start with, and questions which are not relevent to parachute riggers even thought the information may be in a rigging reference. MEL has collected the input from several people ans will be forwarding information on problematic questions to the SME for review and possible correction. Or, if MEL would like me to take on that task I'm more than happy to. I probably have more free time at this point than he does. Anyone can submit a complaint about a question. I can provide the contact information to you. I'll probably put it on the PIA rigger forum. But what we learned is that all questions must have a written reference for the correct answer. If you thinak a question has the wrong answer as correct, or doesn't have the right answer as a choice, you should refer to a written reference in your comment. The only written references that we currently have for general, non rig specific information in the U.S. are Poynter’s manual vol. I and II, the FAA Parachute Rigger Handbook, the FAR’s and AC 105, and PIA technical bulletins and standards. We also learned that unless specifically stated otherwise questions refer to round canopies. We provided input that while this was understandable with the evolution of the test, it was inappropriate now as the certified parachute world has changed. Most candidates would probably assume a question referred to ram-air canopies unless otherwise stated. The SME understood this issue and will likely move to correct it. This may take some time to edit all of the questions that will need to be changed to eliminate this norm. Changes to questions happen on an approximately 90 day cycle. Out of the 400 plus questions in the question bank, 10 ‘tests’ are assembled. These 10 different sets of questions constitute the 10 possible ‘tests’ you may receive when taking the computerized test. The questions are NOT chosen at random when a test is initiated. Which of the 10 ‘tests’ you receive IS random. So study the references mentioned above and assume a question refers to a round canopy unless otherwise stated. For the future we discussed a process for the SME to obtain input from the DPRE’s or others outside of the FAA on proposed new questions. While the FAA can’t provide the specific question and answer to individuals outside of the FAA for comment at this time they can ask for input in a general way about a specific question topic. I believe in the future we will have a mechanism for providing proactive input to the SME on proposed questions. Thanks to MEL for arranging this meeting. And thanks to FAA AFS-630 for their keen interest in resolving issues we have now and improving the process. They WILL help, but it can’t happen overnight.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrigger1 2 #15 March 4, 2010 Quote The current FAA (AFS 640) Terry, Just to be technically correct. It is AFS-630.. The Designee division is AFS-640 to which the DPREs (we) come from. I am forwarding all my data to them tomorrow. I will include you as well. Thanks, MELSkyworks Parachute Service, LLC www.Skyworksparachuteservice.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #16 March 5, 2010 I had it right in the first version I lost because of spell checker.I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
