FAA Parachute Rigger (RIG) knowledge test for senior and master parachute rigger certificates — also preparing for the Parachute Rigger Military Competence (RMC) test
The written test for an FAA parachute rigger certificate — Part 65 and Part 105 rules, repack intervals, materials, construction, packing and repairs, with the military competence test covered too.
About the exam
A parachute rigger certificate lets you pack, maintain and — at the master level — alter personnel-carrying parachutes intended for emergency use, within the type ratings on your certificate: seat, back, chest and lap. The Parachute Rigger (RIG) knowledge test is the written test for a senior parachute rigger certificate; a master rigger applicant who does not already hold a senior certificate takes the same test, while a senior rigger upgrading to master takes no new knowledge test (65.119). Military and recently discharged riggers can instead take the shorter Parachute Rigger Military Competence (RMC) test, which covers the Part 65 rigger regulations (65.117). Both tests are listed on the FAA testing matrix revised September 25, 2026.
RIG has 50 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours; RMC has 25 questions in 1 hour. Every question has three answer choices, and you need 70% to pass. You test on computer at a PSI test center with a photo ID, an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) from IACRA and the original FAA Form 8610-2 signed by your Flight Standards District Office, which reviews your packing experience first — 20 parachutes of each type you want rated, packed under supervision (65.115). The matrix lists no minimum testing age for RIG and 17 for RMC; the certificate itself needs age 18 (65.113). Figures come from the FAA-CT-8080-4G testing supplement. A passing result is valid for 24 calendar months.
Our practice covers every area with original questions mapped to the rigger knowledge areas, with worked solutions for every calculation — repack due dates, canopy area and wing loading, and seam strength. Add flashcards for regulations, materials and hardware, worked case walkthroughs of inspections and packing decisions, illustrated guides to harness and container systems, round and ram-air reserves and AADs, and timed practice tests at the RIG length — 50 questions in 2 hours — with a score.
How we track your progress
Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:
- Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
- Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
- DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
- ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
- Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.
The exam blueprint
No ACS — 14 CFR 65.115 knowledge areas and the FAA parachute rigger learning statement codes; FAA-H-8083-17A Parachute Rigger Handbook (Change 1); FAA-S-8081-25C Parachute Rigger Practical Test Standards (November 2023) — Rigger certification rules, parachute operations and repack intervals, materials and hardware, parachute construction, inspection and packing, repairs and alterations, and sewing — one bank for RIG and the RMC military competence test. Domain weights are QuizMe estimates — the FAA does not publish them. Tap a domain to see its topics.
1 Rigger Certification and Part 65 Rules about 20% (est.) of the exam
30 practice questions in this domain so far
2 Parachute Operations, Approvals and Repack Rules about 14% (est.) of the exam
21 practice questions in this domain so far
3 Materials, Fabrics and Hardware about 16% (est.) of the exam
24 practice questions in this domain so far
4 Parachute Types and Construction about 16% (est.) of the exam
24 practice questions in this domain so far
5 Inspection and Packing about 16% (est.) of the exam
24 practice questions in this domain so far
6 Maintenance, Repairs and Alterations about 12% (est.) of the exam
18 practice questions in this domain so far
7 Sewing, Stitching and Loft Practices about 6% (est.) of the exam
10 practice questions in this domain so far
What you get when you access this exam
Free with your QuizMe account.
Questions built on the rigger knowledge areas
Every question is original and tagged to a parachute rigger knowledge area — three choices like the real test, with packing data cards, material specifications and system diagrams described in text.
Hints and worked solutions
Reveal the rule, reference or handbook section behind the question when you're stuck. Every answer has the full rationale, and every calculation — repack dates, canopy area and wing loading — is solved step by step.
Adaptive practice
Questions steer toward your weakest areas, weighted like the real test, and get harder as you get stronger.
Timed practice tests
Full-length tests at the real pace — 50 questions in 2 hours, the RIG length — with a pacing indicator, full review and a percent score against the 70% pass mark.
Flashcards, walkthroughs and guides
Flashcards for Part 65 and Part 105 rules, materials and hardware, worked case walkthroughs that reason through inspections, repairs and repack decisions step by step, and interactive illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.
Progress in every area
Each area moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.
Test at home or at a center
RIG and RMC are scheduled and taken through PSI, the FAA's knowledge-testing provider. Take your packing records to your FSDO for the original FAA Form 8610-2, get your FAA Tracking Number (FTN) in IACRA, then choose a PSI test center and time. Remote testing is not offered for FAA airman knowledge tests.
At a PSI test center
- Book through PSI's FAA scheduling site; the fee is paid to PSI, not the FAA — about $175 at PSI (confirm when you book).
- Bring a current government-issued photo ID that meets FAA identification rules, your FAA Tracking Number (FTN) and the original FAA Form 8610-2 — the center scans it and hands the original back.
- The center gives you the FAA-CT-8080-4G testing supplement with the figures some questions refer to.
- You may use a calculator under the test center's rules.
Before you book
- Pick the right test: RIG for a senior rigger certificate (or a master certificate if you don't hold senior), RMC if you qualify under 65.117 as a military rigger or one honorably discharged within the past 12 months.
- Your FSDO issues Form 8610-2 after reviewing your experience — at least 20 parachutes of each type you want rated, packed under supervision (65.115); master applicants need 3 years as a rigger and 100 packs of each of two types (65.119).
- Adding a type rating later needs 20 packs of that type and a practical test, but no new knowledge test (65.123).
- If you fail, you wait 30 days to retest unless a rigger holding the certificate and rating you seek signs a statement that they gave you additional instruction in each failed subject.
Exam-day game plan
How to walk in ready — and how to pace 50 questions in 2 hours.
Pacing checkpoints
Our timed test uses the real length and time — 50 questions in 2 hours, the RIG length — as one block of single-answer, three-choice questions; RMC is 25 questions in 1 hour and centers on the rigger regulations. Figures that the real test takes from the FAA-CT-8080-4G testing supplement are reproduced as described text, tables or simple diagrams — not the official FAA figures.
The week before
- Take one full-length timed practice test 4–7 days out, then shorter sets and rest.
- Drill the regulation numbers that come up again and again: certificate and ratings, senior and master privileges, facilities, records, seals and the 105.43 repack intervals.
- Review materials and hardware — fabric types, webbing and thread uses, and what damage makes a parachute unsafe for emergency use.
- Confirm your PSI appointment, your original Form 8610-2, your FTN and your ID.
During the test
- Pace yourself at about 2 minutes 24 seconds a question — most rigger questions are recall, so bank time for any figure questions.
- Separate who may do what: senior riggers pack and maintain except major repairs, master riggers may also alter.
- Count repack dates in calendar days and check whether the canopy has any natural fiber.
- Watch for EXCEPT and NOT — they flip what you're looking for.
- Mark hard questions, answer every one and come back if time allows — there's no penalty for guessing.
Keep your head
- A few nerves sharpen focus. If you freeze, take three slow breaths and reread the question.
- With three choices, ruling out one wrong answer leaves you a coin flip at worst.
- You need 35 of 50 — a few unfamiliar questions won't sink you.
After you test
- You get your Airman Knowledge Test Report at the test center; it shows your score and the learning statement codes of any knowledge areas you missed, and your examiner reviews them before the practical test.
- A passing result is valid for 24 calendar months — complete the oral and practical test within that window or retake the knowledge test.
- Next comes the oral and practical test under FAA-S-8081-25C, the Parachute Rigger Practical Test Standards — packing and maintaining each type you seek, with a seal symbol assigned when your certificate is issued.
Official sources and further reading
- Parachute Rigger Handbook (FAA-H-8083-17A, Change 1) ↗The FAA's rigger text: materials, construction, packing, repairs and regulations.
- FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix ↗Official question count, time, minimum age and the authorization each test requires.
- 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart F — Parachute Riggers ↗Certificates, ratings, privileges, facilities, records and seals (65.111–65.135).
- 14 CFR Part 105 — Parachute Operations ↗Approved parachutes, repack intervals, tandem and static-line equipment.
- AC 105-2E, Sport Parachuting ↗FAA guidance on parachute equipment, maintenance and operations.
Ready to start?
151 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.
QuizMe is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA or PSI. All questions are original. Details are summarized from FAA sources (testing matrix, 14 CFR Parts 65, 91 and 105, FAA handbooks); rules and policies change — always confirm at faa.gov. Estimated scores are rough guides.