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Evelyn

Jumping with a tandem

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Just did my first jump with a tandem and loved it. Last time I had friends doing tandems I just exited before them and did a solo. So much more fun to actually be on the jump. Dove out right behind them and flew down to them. Very cool!


Life is either a daring adventure or nothing ~ Helen Keller

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It also depends on who you're jumping with. Some TMs really don't like anyone following out, and most of them will want to personally vet you. Because, frankly, it's not just another jump, and 500 jumps doesn't necessarily qualify one to jump with a tandem.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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500 jumps man thats alot, in australia i am pretty sure its alot less. i did my first jump with a tandem at a little over 100 jumps. like you say it depends on which tm u ask.



Ask the Swedish skydiver (not 100 % sure about the nationality) who killed his own mother when he dived into the tandempair years and years ago.

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UPT (Relative Workshop/Sigma) does not care about the location of their rigs, they are pretty clear in their requirements that you need to have at least 500 jumps to do RW with a tandem or else they can revoke the tandem rating of the instructor. They have pulled ratings world wide already for safety issues in the past.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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>500 jumps man thats alot. . . .

Not at all. People die doing this stuff, and you need to be very, very good at what you do.

But if the 500 jump thing seems onerous, then I'd be OK with you having an AFF rating with fewer jumps. That means you've proven you can fly relative and get out of the way of a deploying parachute.

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500 jumps man thats alot, in australia i am pretty sure its alot less. i did my first jump with a tandem at a little over 100 jumps. like you say it depends on which tm u ask.




I am sure that all of the major manufacturers of tandem equipment say 500 jumps, and by using their equipment a TI agrees to abide by all of their rules.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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Both regulations must be followed, ovbiously the stricter takes precidence...



Not true. In the USA, Canada and possibly other countries, UPT and Strong ratings have meaning because the various organisations who regulate skydiving and/or the issuance of ratings (ie. FAA, Transport Canada, USPA, CSPA) delegate that responsibility to the tandem manufacturer. This is not necessarily true in other countries. Based on a conversation I had with one tandem master last time I was in Australia, the APF conducts it's own training and issues ratings for tandem parachute operations. While I'm sure that this draws on the knowledge and experience from the manufacturers' courses, it's independent of those systems. Since they have no UPT/Strong rating, they are not bound by any requirements set by such a rating.

I'm not saying this is a good or a bad thing. I'm just saying that's how it is - at least as far as I know. If you're an Australian tandem master, feel free to correct me.

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If any Strong Examiner sees a TI doing something stupid (e.g. allowing junior jumpers to chase tandems) all he has to do is write one nasty letter to the factory and the TI loses his rating.

Manufacturers' standards are written in blood!

Ignore them at your peril!

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>all he has to do is write one nasty letter to the factory and the TI loses his rating.

Right. And the point of the above poster is - so what? He doesn't care if he loses his tandem rating. He'll just go right on doing tandems.

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