Sorry about the book-length post, volume two.
Riggers must have the specific rating on their certificate in order to pack each of the three types of harness/container systems. Those types are back, chest, and seat. Almost all riggers have the "back" rating because all af the sport rigs have their reserve canopy container in the upper portion of the back and the majority of emergency rigs are of the back type. A few riggers that have been around a while also have a chest rating because sport rigs with main canopy containers on the back and reserve canopy containers clipped to the front were common until about 25 years ago. Unless they've been packing parachutes sinse WW II, very few riggers have a seat rating. There are modern seat type emergency parachutes made, but they usually have to be sent back to the manufacturer for repack. One manufacturer that offers a seat type pack was smart enough to state in their rigger's manual that the parachute could be repacked by a rigger with a back rating. If the only parachute that fits in your cockpit is a seat pack, the choice of container types is made for you. Otherwise stick to a back type rig.
Now for the sporty part. You may actually have to use this thing to save your life some day.
If you have been flying aerobatics a while, you know that having to use your last option is not a completely unknown situation. You are clearly not going to consider using a parachute until the airplane has unequivocaly demonstrated to you that it is no longer flyable. By the time this is determined, you are likely riding in a broken piece of junk that is very rapidly headed toward earth. Time is of the essence. Now is not the time to start thinking about how you're going to get out of what's left of the insurance company's airplane and get some nylon over your head. In this situation, a little forethought is helpful.
When deciding its time to leave, it seems everybody remembers to release the primary restraint harness. Most remember to unbuckle the secondary belt. Not many remember to unplug the helmet or throw off the headset.
Its difficult to have a standard egress technique. There are too many variables involving aircraft configuration, door or canopy type and release, airspeed, aircraft attitude, spin state, etc. for that. It might be a worthwhile exercise to just sit in the cockpit for a while when the airplane is in the hangar and run through a bailout scenario a few times. A few of the more recent pilot operating hand books might give some guidance. For what its worth, WW-II military aircraft handbooks suggested bailing out toward the inside of a spin if you were in one.
Once and as soon as you are clear of the aircraft, watch both of your hands go into the D-ring and pull it to arms' length. The reason to watch your hands go into the D-ring is three fold. Even though the D-ring will likely still be retained in the elastic pocket on your chest, the whole harness and pocket may have moved several inches from where it has been located for all the previous time you have worn the rig. As an earlier poster noted, panicked folks have "gone in" yanking mightily on a length of harness located right next to a functionable but securely stowed D-ring. The reason for using both arms for the pull is in case of a "hard pull". In fact, the pull force is likely to be less than 15 pounds on a modern rig, but pull forces on a surplus rig with the old "pins and cones" closure system could be quite high if you bent a pin with improper handling or a during a rough exit. Lastly, using both hands moves your arms close together and toward the middle of your chest where they are less likely to be snagged by a deploying suspension line.
You will hear sport jumpers going on and on about the how critical it is for you to be in a stable, face to earth body position before deploying the canopy. Ignore them. While this is certainly the most desirable body position from which to deploy, it is unlikely that you will have the luxury of time to figure out how to attain it. There's a planet out there and its coming right at you. You have one job to do and one job only: get that D-ring yanked. The only body position you have to think about is "ripcord at arms' length". I assure you that you will be "stable" under the open canopy in about 3 seconds.
The next thing you have to think about will either be steering the canopy or landing, depending on how close to the ground you were when you opened.
Steering consists of changing the heading of the canopy. A modern "round" emergency parachute will have from 5 to 10 knots forward speed due to meshed vents allowing some air to escape from the back of the canopy. As a pilot, you will readily notice your drift over the ground and be able to modify that slightly be turning into the wind and using the canopy's speed to "hold" or facing the canopy downwind and adding canopy speed to wind speed to "run". Being aware of drift over the ground and understanding what the wind is doing to you is about the only advantage a pilot has over anyone else making their first jump. Steering comes in handy if you have a choice of landing in an open field or a woods, buildings, or powerlines. Your rigger will be able to show you where the steering devices are stowed and how to use them when he has the rig opened for inspection or re-pack. Your decent rate under canopy will be about about 1000 feet per minute, which brings as to landings.
If you have a choice, you should turn the canopy into the wind for landing. Your heading will not change your decent rate, but facing into the wind will lessen your forward ground speed or reduce your negative (backing up) ground speed. Your natural tendancy is to look straight down at the ground coming up at you and spread your feet so that you won't fall over when you land. Don't do either; looking straight down gives you poor depth perception and you actually want to fall over when you land a "round" canopy. DO NOT TRY TO "FLAIR" A ROUND CANOPY FOR LANDING! As you near the ground, keep your hands above you on the riser straps, put your feet and knees together, and bend the knees. Tuck in your chin a bit but keep your eyes on the horizon. Keeping your feet together on touchdown prevents putting all the force on one outstreached foot and leg and makes you unstable so that you are pre-disposed to fall over. The plan is to land on the balls of your feet and then spread out the impact by rolling progressively with the wind direction on the side of your calf, thigh, hip and shoulders. At least that's the plan. Ask a sport parachute instructor at the local drop zone to explain the best procedures for landing in wires, woods, and water if you have no other options. Do this at the end of his workday. It may cost you a beer but the information is worth it.
If the surface wind has a velocity of more than 5 knots, the fun's not over yet. You need to spring up on your feet immediately and run around to the backside of the still inflated canopy so it will deflate. Otherwise you will be dragged over hill and dale until encountering a barb-wire fence or other unpleasant object.
Parting comments:
Make sure you get the owner's manual and rigger's instructions with your rig. Take the time to read the manual because there is knowledge in there to prevent you from inadvertantly damaging the rig and instruction on how to use it if you ever need it.
Don't just drop your rig off with the rigger and leave. Arrange an appointment so you can have him or her show you what the rig looks like when the canopy is out of the container. Have them explain how the parachute works, how to steer it, and how to take care of it.
Remember, the strength of nylon deteriorates rapidly in sunlight. Keep the rig clean and free of sand and soil. When you're not wearing it, it is best kept in a dedicated storage bag, in a dry place, and out of the sun.
