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archingcat

becoming a tandem master

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ok, so i have relatively low jump numbers (30ish) but have been considering a career in skydiving. the first thing that came to mind was a tandem master but I have a lot of unanswered questions.

you need 500 jumps and 1 reserve ride, true?

is there a set amount of time that you have to be skydiving as well? by that i mean a rule that says you must have been skydiving for 3 years or something.

could I, in theory, go to a drop zone thats open 7 days a week, and do 500 skydives in 3 mouths and then become a tandem master?

once i have my 500 jumps or however many are required, where do I go from there? do a take a course or test? how much will this cost me? where do i take it?

are there any other requirements that I will need before becoming a tandem master?

how much can I expect to earn once I have finished the entire process? I've heard that they make $50 a jump, and also that they make $80 a jump. true?

at a busy dropzone, how many tandem jumps can I expect to take in a day as a TM?

are tandem masters in demand? will it be difficult to find a full time job doing this?


thanks for any help you can offer

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Slow down...

Learn to skydive, then worry about a career in the sport. Tandem Masters can be worked to the point of hating the sport in some situations.

Take the time to enjoy some fun jumps, maybe a comp or two, how 'bout a boogie along the way. Talk to the full-time people you meet and see if it fits what you want your life-style to be. Then start thinking about the full-time side of it.

Skydiving can be soooo much fum, but it can get lost in soooo much work...

Best of luck and be safe!:)

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i know I'm getting a head of myself, but I currently do a job that sucks and I really hate. I really enjoy skydiving and could really see it being a job that i would actually enjoy. I'm not looking to necessarily go do it right away, but I'm just doing a little research to see if some time down the road its a possibility for me.

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This document should be your friend:

USPA Skydiver's Information Manual

It can be found here:
http://www.uspa.org/SIM.aspx

It will not answer all of your questions on this topic, but it will address a lot of them. It is an important and useful reference for LOTS and LOTS of skydiving questions. Read it! Keep it handy!
The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

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here are the Jump Shack Tandem Requirements
http://www.jumpshack.com/default.asp?CategoryID=TANDEMCERT&PageID=TC_02&SortBy=INDEX - the rate of pay will vary from dz to dz. One that I work at pays between $37 - $45 depending on the weight of the student, another pays $25 - if you pack the rig you can earn between $10 - $13 extra.
Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

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Dudet (?) hope thats right. Sorry bout last time.

Thought the video was awsome. Its strange the things that seam like they should be common sense (parachutist riding a bird-man,) yet I had never even considered it. Finally found a reason to be interested in wing-suits.

Yes I contiously avoided making any sexual innuendos.
I keep telling my friends skydiving will fix all your problems, Im a fibber you just let go a minute at a time. Choose what to do with it.

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There was a thread in the instructor forum a while back talking about the USPA replacing all the manufacturer specific tandem ratings with a general TI rating. I went looking for the thread and then got distracted by some random conversation about free flying in a track (aka, atmonauti). B|

edit: Found! http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3140496;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

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To answer your question, YES you need three years experience skydiving and of course the 500 jumps to get your Tandem rating....

Consider this. At 100 jumps you can become a Coach! That means you can jump with students working towards their A-license. Normally that student will pay for your jump slot. FREE JUMPS!!

Also, Once you get your C-license I believe you can become an AFF Instructor. Don't think you can make as much money as Tandem Masters do but you get to fly your own canopy and supposedly people get burnt out doing tandems....

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Once you get your C-license I believe you can become an AFF Instructor.



Actually I would be really interested in that, but uhh from what I've been told nobody can actually pass that test for some time after their 6hrs of freefall.

I may be wrong anyone have any information on the test. I know look at the SIMS, but Im a lazy shite.
I keep telling my friends skydiving will fix all your problems, Im a fibber you just let go a minute at a time. Choose what to do with it.

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Once you get your C-license I believe you can become an AFF Instructor.



Actually I would be really interested in that, but uhh from what I've been told nobody can actually pass that test for some time after their 6hrs of freefall.

I may be wrong anyone have any information on the test. I know look at the SIMS, but Im a lazy shite.




Depends on what you do with that 6 hours of freefall time. I had around 7 hours when I took the course and had no problems at all - don't think I would have had any problems at 5 or 6 (which as you mentioned is the minimum) hours either. I did have a bit of tunnel time, which helped, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary.

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