Jumping with tandems.

[wildernessmedic 0]

Is it ever possible to jump with a tandem? Example, you have a friend/family that wants to do a tandem and you to jump with them. Not as the tandem instructor but just with them.

If it's possible what license do you need to hold? I imagine if so it would be a D or instructor license of some type?

[theonlyski 3]

Depends on the DZ and the instructor. I've seen places that let 100 jump people lurk tandems, but others that require a D license and instructional ratings (usually they'll settle for T-I or AFF-I).

That's not to say you can have your AFF-I or T-I rating with a D license and walk into any random DZ and chase a tandem. While I was throwing drogues, if I didn't know you and nobody I trusted would vouch for your abilities, you're not going with me. I've seen enough people with D licenses that scared the crap out of me in the air to know that I don't want them near me while I can't maneuver out of their way.

I'd be a little more lenient on an AFF-I because there is some pretty good flying that comes with that training/rating, but in my experience T-I's that only throw drogues and don't fun jump often get sloppy in their flying.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

I think a lot of DZs would worry about the liability issues. You might have more of a chance at it if you hired on with the DZ as a video person. Getting to the point where you could actually do that would be a lot of work and a lot of money for video equipment, though. All the professional video people I know have D licenses and are very strong flyers both in freefall and under canopy. At least a couple of them are also AFFIs.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[JohnMitchell 14]

I allow it but I go by Bill Booth's requirement of 500 jumps or an AFF rating, and being current. It can be done safely by experienced skydivers.

My wife did video and I docked on a tandem pair one time with an instructor that had never done that before. He was amazed at how much fun it was for him.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

JohnMitchell

I allow it but I go by Bill Booth's requirement of 500 jumps or an AFF rating, and being current. It can be done safely by experienced skydivers.

My wife did video and I docked on a tandem pair one time with an instructor that had never done that before. He was amazed at how much fun it was for him.

Cool. I've had friends and family go on tandems and ask me if I could come along, but I'm not even going to ask at this point in my skydiving career. I just tell them they'll be busy enough without me tagging along. It's not like it's really any less of an experience if I'm not there, after all.

I have kept several of them company on the plane, which is kind of fun. My niece's TI asked her who her emergency contact was and she said "My mom!" and pointed to my sister a few seats ahead of her. My sister said "My brother!" and pointed to me. And I said "Well, I'd rather die in a fiery plane crash than have to explain to mom how I lost her daughter and grand daughter when I took them both skydiving!" They both had a blast on their jumps, and I made sure they got video.

Funnily I'd been posting about my skydives and wind tunnel time for about a year at that point, on Google+. Had a couple videos from AFF up, and a bunch of video from the tunnel. Thought the parents were following me. My sister posts her tandem video on facebook and 10 minutes later I get a call from mom, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" That's pretty much why I maintain no presence on Facebook, right there.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[D22369 0]

When I worked At Richland skysports it was a judgement call that both the TI and the vidiot (me) both had to agree on the jumpers skill and heads up-ness or they did not jump with us.

Bit me in the ass one day - Instructions were given and this jumper had displayed good skill before on regular dives, but got excited as it was his mother doing the tandem and held his dive too long.

My only indication I was about to get hit was the oh shit look on Todaks face right before impact that luckily my container took the brunt of.

We jumped I lived but I was very very angry at the jumper and myself for agreeing he could join us and it was quite a while before anyone got to sting a tandem again - and when they did I knew damned sure they had the skills to do so safely

Its not just another skydive, the tandem has limited mobility and extra crap you can get tangled with, the vidiot cannot be watching out for the approaching diver.

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[Suslique 0]

FlyingRhenquest

***I allow it but I go by Bill Booth's requirement of 500 jumps or an AFF rating, and being current. It can be done safely by experienced skydivers.

My wife did video and I docked on a tandem pair one time with an instructor that had never done that before. He was amazed at how much fun it was for him.

Cool. I've had friends and family go on tandems and ask me if I could come along, but I'm not even going to ask at this point in my skydiving career. I just tell them they'll be busy enough without me tagging along. It's not like it's really any less of an experience if I'm not there, after all.

I have kept several of them company on the plane, which is kind of fun. My niece's TI asked her who her emergency contact was and she said "My mom!" and pointed to my sister a few seats ahead of her. My sister said "My brother!" and pointed to me. And I said "Well, I'd rather die in a fiery plane crash than have to explain to mom how I lost her daughter and grand daughter when I took them both skydiving!" They both had a blast on their jumps, and I made sure they got video.

Funnily I'd been posting about my skydives and wind tunnel time for about a year at that point, on Google+. Had a couple videos from AFF up, and a bunch of video from the tunnel. Thought the parents were following me. My sister posts her tandem video on facebook and 10 minutes later I get a call from mom, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" That's pretty much why I maintain no presence on Facebook, right there.

I'm sorry but this is too funny! You made me laugh out loud :) my mom went crazy after I did my first tandem (that was my husband's gift to me) and I had to delete my fb and she will never know about my hobby. I really hope I won't die doing this. Talk about stress level :D

'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?'
'That is the only time a man can be brave.'
George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

[akarunway 1]

wildernessmedic

Is it ever possible to jump with a tandem? Example, you have a friend/family that wants to do a tandem and you to jump with them. Not as the tandem instructor but just with them.

If it's possible what license do you need to hold? I imagine if so it would be a D or instructor license of some type?

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=768126;search_string=tandem%20chases;#768126

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[skyjumpenfool 2]

While shooting a tandem video, I was informed at the plane that the student's mother, an experienced but not so current jumper, would be joining us. The TI, who has many thousands of Tandem Jumps, ok'd it. so, I was fine with it. I did, however, keep an eye out for her.

To make a long story short, she was all over the place. At least twice nearly flying thru the drogue. She never got near the student and is not seen in the video. At break off, she barely tracked away and I went lower than I like just to get any kind of separation.

Flying with Tandems has it's dangers. Make sure you know what your doing.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[JohnMitchell 14]

Here's someone who knows what she's doing.

BTW, I took that pic of my nephew's tandem with my hand held Canon Powershot pocket camera. Not bad, eh?

[stayhigh 2]

don't hug the beach ball right underneath if you go below.

if you can't back fly, then go way further out to the side and look sideways and attempt to climb back up.

don't just disappear by floating up on pull time either. if the ti doesn't really know your skill set, they rather see you level with them at pull time.

it is really amazing that people can't fly with a pair with a drogue attached to. we are not moving, we are stuck, I can't dodge you.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016