Aug 27, 2011, 7:25 PM
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For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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So today I drove 2 hrs to the dz only to find out that the only jumpers coming were tandems. Not real sure why no fun jumpers wanted to skydive on a nice Sat. So I asked the TI if it was cool if I jumped with his tandems and he (after seeing my flying a few weeks ago) said sure. The first tandem was a 150-ish lb girl who's skydive went great. The next one was a 200 lb guy who went completely fetal on exit, and the drouge had to be thrown while the pair was on its side to gain stability.
When we got to the ground after that jump the TI told me something like "Now you see how challenging tandems can be". I responded with "And thats why Ill never be a tandem instructor". But it got me to thinking... Why do you TI's do it? Is it the money? The extra airtime? For fun? Im just curious.
Aug 27, 2011, 7:31 PM
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Re: [millertime24] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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I have a real job, the money is nice, but not a need. The air time doesn't matter, since it is so very different than any other area in skydiving. The challenge is nice, but overall it is for the people that are jumping with me. That energy and fun is near-intoxicating.
As for the challenge, the canopy flight takes a high level of skill. Every jump has a different wing loading. Sometimes you are alternating between canopies. Before my last DZ shut down we had jumped Sigma 370s, EZ-384s, Icarus 365, A2 and on occasion, the RWS reserve. At other DZs I've jumped Firebolts and the Precision main.
All of that variance with the constant change in wingloadings means you have to be on your A-game to fly the canopy (yet another reason why I can't understand TI's who do a full on toggle hook-turn).
Aug 27, 2011, 7:44 PM
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Re: [AggieDave] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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So it's the challenge then? The challenge of flying different w/l-ings on different canopies, the challenge of "dealing with" hard customers? I guess I can buy into that. Always having to be on point for every jump. Thanks Dave.
Aug 27, 2011, 7:47 PM
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Re: [millertime24] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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So it's the challenge then? The challenge of flying different w/l-ings on different canopies, the challenge of "dealing with" hard customers? I guess I can buy into that. Always having to be on point for every jump. Thanks Dave.
It seems like every time I've "gone into autopilot" something strange has popped up. The student limps out or locks up on exit, the student locks up with their hands in the toggles on final or some other goofy thing. It is different every single time. Then again, most of my tandems are out of a 182 with many of them being "dueling tandems" out of a narrow body 182. I think those Otter DZ TI's have it a little easier.
Aug 27, 2011, 8:18 PM
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Re: [AggieDave] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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It seems like every time I've "gone into autopilot" something strange has popped up.
I now know what you're talking about. I was on "autopilot" on these jumps, but once the TI takes a super long delay on pulling the drouge to get stability out of someone who cant follow simple instructions, it put ME on my A-game. Took some doing to keep the speed of the pair without the drouge, then I had to match the pair once it was deployed.
Really tested my flying, but it isn't something I think Ill ever get into.
Aug 28, 2011, 2:55 AM
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Re: [Rover] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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There is an element of doing it for the love of the sport but dont be fooled. In the words of the infamous Randy Moss: "Straight cash homie".
I know a lot of guys that use it as paid jumps to get up the old DZ totem pole to be AFFIs and potentially CCIs and to just be more marketable. The more qualifications you have the easier you can get hired on at a DZ for the season.
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Aug 28, 2011, 5:19 AM
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Re: [millertime24] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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Sep 6, 2011, 9:00 PM
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Re: [johnny1488] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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I've been jumping nearly 14 years. The first 13 were about 30 jumps/ year cuz I found it both exciting and boring..... Every jump-- even if a successful big way-- was fun, but had no "mission accomplishment" feeling.
I got my tandem rating 4 months ago and am kicking myself for not getting it YEARS ago. I've done over 100 tandems and now am addicted to the sport. Can't wait to take the next "stranger" (who becomes another new friend if you're at a small DZ).
Yep: it looks boring and it looks like work. But once you've done it you realize the difference. It can't be described!
Sep 7, 2011, 11:32 AM
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Re: [SpectreDriver] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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I like Steveo's answer.
I'm new to it, got my rating a year ago to the date almost, and have done around 100 tandems in that time. During my student jumps I remember thinking about how someday I wanted to be a tandem instructor because I knew how I looked up to my tandem instructors. They were the coolest, calmest, nicest guys and got to do something this awesome all the time. Talk about a role model.
Now I try to remember that with every jump. Doing alot of them in a day can get a little boring, and that boredom starts to show. Then all of a sudden they are in a ball and you're on your back. Just like dave said, it takes an amazing amount of focus all the time, because as soon as you sit back, something weird happens. So the challenge to be a high quality person as well as instructor each and every jump is really addictive.
My sport landings have gotten better too. It's easy, after a few hundred jumps on the same wing, to get complacent when landing. I don't think I've had 2 identical tandem landings yet, so all the attention has to be there. I love that.
The energy from most first timers is simply amazing. It reminds me of my first time, and I get just as excited as they are. You just helped them do something they will never forget, and they will never forget you.
Most of the time I land with the same adrenaline rush as after nailing a good swoop. Sure I wasn't going fast or playing chicken with the ground, really the opposite, but it has it's own ways of making the juices flow.
The money isn't necessary but it's nice too
This sunday at couch freaks I took my girlfriend on a tandem for my 700th jump on a sunset skyvan. Easily one of the most memorable jumps I'll ever have!
So in my opinion, the pros:
The challenge of getting a total stranger's trust The challenge of flying someone else The challenge of flying someone else and handcam The challenge of landing different canopies/wingloadings The energy and excitement of almost all of them The memories and friends made with each jump The extra cash
Cons:
My first TI jump during the course was the scariest jump Ive ever had. You're so used to being in total control. Your space, your handles, your body, your parachute. All of a sudden there's a body in front of you hindering movement, around your handles, affecting your exit and flying, and then jabbering away after deployment while you try to figure out what the hell just happened. That all changes with experience though.
Any of the challenges listed above, but they are more pros than cons.
Sometimes I have to miss out on fun freeflys or great swoop weather. But that's the name of the game and it's worth it.
It's a personal decision for everyone, but it's one I definitely wouldn't take back. Looking forward to the many more I have ahead!
Sep 12, 2011, 6:58 AM
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Re: [steveorino] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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For the opportunity to share the sport I love with others. Statistically this will be most only jump, and I made it happen. Feels good to share!
I agree wholeheartedly. I did one yesterday with a girl who's fun was manifested with laughter. I couldn't help but laugh along with her, and haven't had that much fun in recent memory.
A couple of years ago I broke my arm (roller skating). Since I run the DZ, I still needed to be there. I figured out that I enjoy skydiving a whole lot less without the skydiving. And over 95% of my skydiving is tandem.
Sep 13, 2011, 1:56 PM
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Re: [millertime24] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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1-2% of the time, it’s to help a struggling solo student push past a wall of some sort. 10-20% of the time, it’s to help someone who’s not particularly capable of making a solo jump. 20-30% of the time, it’s for the infectious good mood my student shares with me, plus a paycheck. 20-30% of the time, it’s for the “challenge” my student poses for me, plus a paycheck. 10-20% of the time, it’s just for a paycheck. 1-2% of the time, it’s just because I’m freaking out that nothing in my body hurts.
Sep 13, 2011, 3:36 PM
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Re: [Rover] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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Doing alot of them in a day can get a little boring, and that boredom starts to show.
After 100 odd tandems?
Is there a certain amount of tandems required before I'm allowed to not scream and yell after the 8th one of the day? Maybe I came across sounding like its a common thing for me. I didn't mean that, but I am aware of the feeling yes.
Sep 14, 2011, 6:53 AM
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Re: [livendive] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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Good breakdown. I'd set some of the figures a little different but can agree with all of the reasons you listed and I especially like this one:
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1-2% of the time, it’s just because I’m freaking out that nothing in my body hurts.
Good to read someone else admits it's quite often (at least after 7+ tandems a day) a physically demanding task the body doesn't bear without sore muscles Or maybe it's just people like me (in the second half of their life, so to say) who feel this way?
I agree with all TIs who stated they mostly do it coz it's just fun and we like to share the experience of our guests. We're parasites^T symbionts feeding on their joy
(This post was edited by Abedy on Sep 14, 2011, 6:56 AM)
Sep 14, 2011, 8:03 PM
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Re: [Abedy] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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i enjoy the rapport with passengers, apart from the occasional douchebag or diabetes ridden death-trap, it's awesome. When I'm doing tandems i pretty much laugh all day long, you can use hand-puppets to conduct briefings, joke about what part of them we'll eat if they happen to die, make their non-jumping friends and family members stand on one foot throughout the briefing for luck etc.
AFF is much more exciting and ultimately, i feel, more rewarding, but it's also great to see someone you took for a tandem come back to do aff.
Sep 21, 2011, 11:41 AM
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Re: [millertime24] For the TI's, Why do you do it?
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For me, it's three things really:
1) The joy I get teaching people to skydive, even if it's just a tandem. I live for the reaction I get right after the canopy fully opens and they are hooting and hollering (or perhaps hurling..)
2) The challenges you sometimes have to overcome to safely deliver these students/passengers back to the ground in one piece. Those challenges change every single jump depending on your student/passenger and the type of gear you are jumping.
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Or maybe it's just people like me (in the second half of their life, so to say) who feel this way? 
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