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questions. Using the inspection checklist ensures that after an interruption, the rigger is able to continue at the proper spot without missing anything. This checklist is divided into seven sections that make it usable for all types of parachute assemblies. It includes an area for counting the tools at the beginning and end of the inspection and packing procedure. This ensures that no tools are overlooked or left in the parachute. While this may sound implausible to some, it has happened over the years, sometimes with fatal consequences. 

## Round Canopies and Pilot Emergency Systems 

The first thing the rigger should check is the continuity of the canopy to make sure it is straight. Do so by laying the system on the table as if the wearer were laying face down, head toward the canopy. (On some models, such as military seat parachutes, it may be face down with the feet towards the canopy.) Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Ensure that the canopy is right side out (i.e., the data panel faces out) and the gore numbers are readable on the outside. Attach the required tension devices and apply light tension. Standing at the canopy, split the riser line groups and grasp the two gores that separate them. The top panel should have line number 1 and the last line of the sequence depending on the number of lines on the canopy. Starting with number 1, the lines will run in sequence counterclockwise around the canopy. [Figure 5-6]  The four lines attached to these two gores comprise the standard “four-line check” for a 

round canopy. By running these four lines from the canopy to the connector links, the rigger can make a quick check of straightness. If the rigger was the last person to pack the parachute, he or she may feel this is sufficient to ensure continuity. However, most riggers do a full check of all the lines, even on their own pack jobs. 

## Straightening the Canopy 

If a rigger finds lines out of sequence or the canopy is inside out, it becomes necessary to remove any twists, tangles, or turns. There are two things to remember when encountering this situation. First, if the parachute was originally straight and the entanglement occurred from handling, it is possible to untangle the parachute without disconnecting anything. Second, if the parachute was assembled incorrectly in the first place, it is virtually impossible to straighten it without disassembling it. These two scenarios become particularly acute when the rigger is brought a parachute for repacking and it was assembled incorrectly. At first, the rigger assumes it to be correct, but when a correct continuity cannot be done, it becomes very frustrating, and the rigger may spend an excessive amount of time trying to straighten the canopy. 

The rigger should always start at the top or apex end of the canopy. Make sure that the top gore with the data panel is facing up. Follow the gore to the apex so that the upper lateral band is on the outside. Attach the apex to the upper tension 

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