The most common repair needed to a main deployment is the repair of the closing flap in the area of the grommets. The grommets work loose and pull out, damaging the material.

The tongue will need reinforcing and new grommets.

In the “old days” when military surplus equipment was common, there were a number of alterations available to make the surplus equipment suitable for sport use. Since then, however, the sport has progressed and purpose-built sport equipment is now the rule, so most equipment does not need any specialized alterations for use. Most alterations now deal primarily with harness size adjustments for individuals, or they are designed to enhance the performance of the parachute.

In the past, alterations were often done by well-intentioned individuals who knew how to do them but in most cases did not have the authority to perform them. The common attitude was, “I’m a master rigger; I can do anything.” As long as the work was done reasonably well and no one got hurt, this was an accepted practice. While there may be a few individuals who still adhere to that philosophy, as a whole, the rigging profession is much more aware of limitations in regard to alterations. Under 14 CFR part 65, section 65.129(d), “No certificated parachute rigger may – (d) Alter a parachute in a manner that is not specifically authorized by the Administrator or the manufacturer.” In today’s world, manufacturers are much more concerned with the alterations being performed on their products. With the advent of the Internet and other means of high-speed communications, riggers have much more access to the manufacturer and are more likely to communicate with them as to what can be done. Also, due to liability issues, many riggers are reluctant to undertake alterations without the manufacturer’s approval.