skydiver30960 0 #1 March 23, 2004 Ugh. I hate stuff like this. I'd much rather be making useless "talk back" postings because they stir up so much less crap. BUT: Since getting my rating about two years ago, I've been postively anal about keeping myself within the guidelines set forth by Strong regarding currency. One tandem in the past 30 days, three in the past 90; if you don't got 'em you get 'em by jumping with skydivers with at least 100 jumps before taking any students. 30 days sounds like a long time to go without a tandem, but especially in the winter all it takes is a weekend or two of bad weather and a weekend spent with the girlie and it's on you before you know it. I've met a lot of TM's who aren't so concerned about these requirements. I'm scared to death of them simply from a liability standpoint. Being out of currency strikes me as the kind of thing that would make an ambulance-chaser salivate like one of Pavlov's dogs. Just wondering what you guys thought... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
atsaubrey 0 #2 March 23, 2004 awe hell take me on a tandem to get current, trust me i'll make ya work for it."GOT LEAD?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
douwanto 22 #3 March 23, 2004 There is no reason to not stay current or follow the manufactures guidelines to get recurrent. Broke my femur missed 9 weeks and did 4 jumps with up jumpers just to know I could be safe. Chris Uncle/GrandPapa Whit Unico Rodriguez # 245 Muff Brother # 2421 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boxingrrl 0 #4 March 23, 2004 I'm just a baby tandem master-- and had just started taking students before it was winter in Ohio. I recently did my recurrency solo on the rig, and will definitely take an up-jumper before any real students, just for my own piece of mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #5 March 23, 2004 I tend to think that the lowest jump numbers to keep "currency" was BS. Are you really "current" if you're only doing 1 tandem every 30 days? I find that if I haven' done a tandem in the previous 7 days, the first one I do seems a bit shakey, not that it shows up on video, the passenger notices or anything like that, it just *feels* shakey. I guess I've been lucky, since I've only been a TM for 9 months, but I've done a lot of tandems in that time (just a bit under 300) for the size of the DZ that I'm at (not small but not large either). So the absolute longest I've gone between tandems has been something like 14 days.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #6 March 23, 2004 Do you realize that when Orville Wright made the first flight in 1903, he wasn't current? In fact, I have it on good authority that he even had a pilot's license. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #7 March 23, 2004 QuoteIn fact, I have it on good authority that he even had a pilot's license. Bill, who signed him off on that check ride? This is the first winter I've had since I got my TI rating last year. Its been hard to just get a weekend a month with weather that lets us jump let alone takeing tandems up. I'll regain currency in a few weeks once the DZ opens up again, but there was no way to remain current this winter for me.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #8 March 23, 2004 Quotesimply from a liability standpoint Bingo. Tandems are a huge responsiblity, not just because you are responsible for two lives, but because of the potential liability. Be trained, be current, let them READ and sign the waiver where they won't be distracted, watch the video, and brief them as the FAA says to. Protect your sport, your DZ, your rig manufacturer, and yourself. I stay current, normally by doing tandems within the currency period prescribed by the manufacturer, but on the rare occasion my currency lapses, I take up an experienced jumper.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mfrese 0 #9 March 23, 2004 You guys should move to California...I'd almost like to have a chance to get uncurrent. Longest I've gone without making a tandem jump since I finished my probationary jumps in September 2002 is two weeks. Right now, I haven't gone more than 6 days without one in almost 4 months... I need a vacation... but to answer the question, yes, I would take those currency requirements seriously. In fact, I'm current on the Vector, but not the Eclipse, and even though they are almost identical systems, I'd still do recurrency on the Eclipse if I started jumping it again.Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #10 March 24, 2004 QuoteIn fact, I'm current on the Vector, but not the Eclipse, and even though they are almost identical systems, I'd still do recurrency on the Eclipse if I started jumping it again. I'm not Eclipse rated. What exactly are the currency/recurrency requirements for that rig. Are they not identical in handle location and function to the Tandem Vector??Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heftee 0 #11 March 24, 2004 Not from a TM perspective, but from a jumper who brings out many friends/family/others to do tandems - I personally am very glad that our TMs do stick to the rules on this. As a matter of fact, this past weekend, my jump #298 was my first tandem - a recurrency for an instructor who had been out of town for the World Record and vacation. He has over 14,000 jumps and still does the recurrency with an up jumper. Me, bringing out 20 tandems next weekend, feels really good to know this. ------------------------- "If you've never jumped out of a plane, the best way I can describe it is it feels as if you've just jumped out of a freakin' plane." David Whitley (Orlando Sentinel) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LawnDart21 0 #12 March 24, 2004 I seem to have a nice system worked out. Our season in Boston ends in November, then it's srtaight to "uncurrent" for me in the winter months. Every year we go to Florida in the end of January, so while there, I take my up jumper fiance on a recurrency tandem (next January will be wife....lol) and then I make two more recurrency jumps in the end of March as it warms up, and then I'm ready to go back to work for April 1st. My personal view is that I consider myself the luckiest person on (and above) the earth to be able to do what I do as a TM. And I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize my ability to do so. As such, I personally would never even consider jumping a tandem uncurrent. We've (TMs) all had students tell us we have the best job in the world, and it's a job I fully intend to keep! Peace! Peace! -- My other ride is a RESERVE. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #13 March 24, 2004 We tend to take the 'three in three months' rule more seriously than the 'one in the last thirty days' rule up here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pullhigh 0 #14 March 25, 2004 Yo Elvisio, If you're scared, say you're scared! Just kidding. I tend to lean more towards the 3 in 3 months rule than the 1 in every 30 days rule personally, but you bring up an excellent issue. Let's say that this is the one tandem that goes bad, no tandems in your log book in the last 30 days... Lawyers love that stuff. Ganja Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murps2000 86 #15 March 25, 2004 Just wondering what you guys thought... *** Yes, definitely. I'll be getting recurrent this weekend, hopefully. I don't mind. It's a chance for me and my girl to get some great handi-cam video. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mfrese 0 #16 March 25, 2004 The requirements are the same as Vector, and the only difference is the secondary/student drogue release is located on the right leg strap, same as the Sigma. Of course, the main reason to renew currency on the Eclipse is to get used to the riser covers slapping the crap out of your ears in freefall...Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
