Poll: Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
What certificate?
1 /
1%
Nothing
4 /
3%
Student's Name
22 /
16%
Date
23 /
17%
Instructor's signature/Name
32 /
24%
Instructor's License/Certificate number
24 /
18%
Altitude/Freefall/Speed data
12 /
9%
Plane information
3 /
2%
Personal comment
13 /
10%
Other (please give details - and don't say phone number!)
1 /
1%
135 total votes
cpoxon (D 11665)
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Sep 1, 2004, 8:32 AM
Post #1 of 15
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Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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At my home dropzone it is common practice for the tandem instructor to at least write their name on their student's certificate and their certificate number (we don't have Licenses in the UK). The student's name and the date is usually already printed on the certificate, if not I'll write it in the space provided myself. I also like to put Protrack information down there; exit altitude, time in freefall, average speed. If they haven't had video I'll add a bit of plane-spotter information such as the make, model and designation of the aircraft we just jumped out of. I always write a personal comment such as well done, or excellent, or something pertinant such as "Happy Birthday".
I love to do this as I feel it really personalises it, but I wonder if some people thinks it is messy and ruins a nicely printed certificate?! Some of the instructors at my dropzone put the minimum signature down usually because they are rushing to pack for the next load or I guess it gets a bit much after x thousand certificates! Even though it can be a rush, I'll always take the time to write it, explain what I've written and also what else is included in the pack (the BPA's excellent Starter Mag - explaining what skydiving is as a sport and how to get into it, as well as discount vouchers and souvenir information), even if I'm in a rush, but then I've only done just over 150 tandems in my first year. I never pre-sign a certificate before the jump as some of the instructors do; I'm not normally superstitious, but in this case I am!
At another dropzone I've occasionally worked at, the students collect their certificates from manifest and not the instructor, and it's not common practice for it to be signed by the instructor. I'll get the student to come and find me so I can sign it. You never know, they may come back and it will count towards their log.
Sep 1, 2004, 8:40 AM
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Re: [cpoxon] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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We use a professional 8 1/2 x 11" certificate that we have printed up. We then apply a custom label with their name on it which we affix in the space provided. The school manager/owner signs in the bottom left spot and the tandem instructor signs in the bottom right spot. We generally put our D-license numbers on there beside our name.
Sep 1, 2004, 10:56 AM
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Re: [SkymonkeyONE] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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We use a professional 8 1/2 x 11" certificate that we have printed up. We then apply a custom label with their name on it which we affix in the space provided. The school manager/owner signs in the bottom left spot and the tandem instructor signs in the bottom right spot. We generally put our D-license numbers on there beside our name.
SD Aggieland does something very similar, except we print out the certificate on "certificate paper" and then the TI signs it. Under the signature is the TI's name and D number.
Sep 1, 2004, 7:29 PM
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Re: [cpoxon] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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I love to do this as I feel it really personalises it, but I wonder if some people thinks it is messy and ruins a nicely printed certificate?!
I also comment and sign under the comment on the back of the certificate. That way they can frame it without a messy front, but can always pop out the certificate to look or show if they like.
Sep 2, 2004, 6:15 AM
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Re: [cpoxon] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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I did a tandem video no so long ago where we decided to use the C182 instead of the Caravan for the jump. This meant that the exit altitude would be 10k instead of 14k.
Due to confusion and a pilot that sinks link hell on climb out, the exit altitude was in the end 8k.
I always film the certificate at the end of the jump for the video and guess what altitude was on the certificate? Yep 14k.
It took some nifty video editing to get everything matched up in the end
Sep 2, 2004, 7:22 AM
Post #10 of 15
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Re: [SkymonkeyONE] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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So the emphasis is on the quality of the paper rather than the TI's input? ;-P
On the certificate? Absolutely. Ours are totally suitable for framing.
What he said.
Ours our pre-printed certificates, we use the laser printer to put the name on there in script, and we just sign them. We give them to the student with a bumper sticker with our phone number for their car, and a brochure about tandem skydiving and the AFF program. Then we ask them to sign our logbooks while we harness up the next one.
Sep 2, 2004, 7:27 AM
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Re: [Deuce] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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We give them to the student with a bumper sticker with our phone number for their car, and a brochure about tandem skydiving and the AFF program
Yup. Same here. Its a hell of a lot of fun to see random cars around the area with a SD Aggieland sticker on them. I'm starting to see more and more of them.
Sep 2, 2004, 8:33 PM
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Re: [AggieDave] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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In addition to the certificate I give each of my students a 5 minute VCD containing a fast paced movie featuring tandems and other forms of jumping. They're dirt cheap to make and quick too. My biggest expense is the LABEL.
Sep 2, 2004, 9:06 PM
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Re: [cpoxon] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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We have a professionally printed certificate which is then printed overtop with the details like student's name and jump height , date and Tandem Masters name etc. We always hand these to the jumper personally and sign them also if asked. Also a popular thing with us is bought T shirts are signed by both the Tandem Master and the Video dude/ette if they were on the jump. -Mark.
Sep 9, 2004, 10:55 AM
Post #14 of 15
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Re: [Deuce] Tandem Instructors: What do you write on student's certificates?
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Ours our pre-printed certificates, we use the laser printer to put the name on there in script, and we just sign them. We give them to the student with a bumper sticker with our phone number for their car, and a brochure about tandem skydiving and the AFF program. Then we ask them to sign our logbooks while we harness up the next one.
Our's aren't pre-printed, we just print them with an inkjet. Instructor and video sign and put D numbers, and I occasionally write pro-track data on the back. We give them their certificate along with a bumper sticker and a coupon for a local sports bar & grill that will get them cheap food/drinks and let them play their video on the big screen. I then have them write something about the jump in my logbook and send them on their way.
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