A licence sample test. Your answers/opinions please.

[obelixtim 100]

OK, I came across this sample test for an AFF candidate sitting a test for A licence. I'm interested to see the responses to this test if you have a little time to complete it, I'm interested to see any variation in answers, because some of the questions seem a bit ambiguous. Some seem a bit silly even.

Appreciate answers from anyone/everyone, not just A licence holders.

Also I'd like opinions on whether you think the questions are appropriate/adequate for an A licence test. Thanks in advance.

Quote

Parachutist Certificate Exam

1. Describes your emergency procedures in the event of a malfunction?

2. Describe your canopy checks?

3. It is important to check your parachute equipment at what times?

4. You should check your deployment handles in what order?

5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another
canopy, the fastest way to turn your
parachute out of the possible collision is?

6. Your main canopy opens with line twists, your immediate response is?

7. Under canopy you find yourself at 3000ft down wind of the 2000ft or holding point. Your response should be?

8. What is your minimum decision altitude that you should carry out your emergency procedures if you are unable to control your main parachute?

9. Your left hand flight path is going to take you over the centre of the PLA below500ft, your best response will be?

10. Correctly list the landing priority order?

11. Which correctly lists the deployment priority rules?

12. You have ended up having to land off the PLA, your new intended landing point is in a clear paddock but the surface is on the side of a hill. The wind direction is blowing directly up the hill. What should be your landing direction?

13. You are coming in to dock on a formation. You should never?

14. Is it possible to land your canopy on half brakes?

15. On your final turn for landing you find you are traveling very fast. You look up and find you are landing down wind. Your reaction should be?

16. The PLA is surrounded by obstacles of trees and buildings, careful flight and concentration is required to land in the PLA. The obstacles that you can’t see on first glance may well include?

17. Your equipment is fitted with an AAD that is fitted to?


18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º
angle from the door. This indicates to you that?

19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?

20. You are flying a sport canopy in a load of 20 other
canopies. Who has the right of way over you?

21. When is your skydive deemed to be over?

22. The life and performance of your skydiving equipment can be greatly reduced by ................................?

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[RichM 0]

obelixtim

Quote

Parachutist Certificate Exam

1. Describes your emergency procedures in the event of a malfunction?
>look, locate, peel, pull, punch (i'm old and assuming this is A license stuff you're not supposed to think about it:) further on its more complicated than that but it would take a book to describe and I'm not experienced enough to write it :))
2. Describe your canopy checks?
Big, rectangular, no malfunction per the pictures I have been shown. Is it controllable enough to be confident that landing it wont damage me.
3. It is important to check your parachute equipment at what times?
Vague. In the UK we have a mandatory 3rd person check on flight line. Most people will check on the walk out and on the way to altitude, plus a cypress reserve pin check at least once a day at the start of jumping.
4. You should check your deployment handles in what order?
Is order important? Having a regular check process is important and logically it would be hackey, cutaway, reserve which also reinforces the memory muscle and so the automatic response. But I don't always check in that order.
5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another canopy, the fastest way to turn your parachute out of the possible collision is?
Rear right riser if head on, appropriate riser if not (no point in right risering straight into the oncoming canopy)
6. Your main canopy opens with line twists, your immediate response is?
Check altitude
7. Under canopy you find yourself at 3000ft down wind of the 2000ft or holding point. Your response should be?
Fly to the holding area, if you cant then another book is needed to answer the question
8. What is your minimum decision altitude that you should carry out your emergency procedures if you are unable to control your main parachute?
At you hard deck, which depends on lots of things
9. Your left hand flight path is going to take you over the centre of the PLA below500ft, your best response will be?
Way to many answers, eg its a left hand pattern and you've come in too early so skip the base leg and S off in final
10. Correctly list the landing priority order?
Wings level, Flare, Avoid Hazards, Into wind
11. Which correctly lists the deployment priority rules?
Is it big and rectangular? Is the airspace clear? Does it fly properly (flare). Where is and how do I get back to the PLA
12. You have ended up having to land off the PLA, your new intended landing point is in a clear paddock but the surface is on the side of a hill. The wind direction is blowing directly up the hill. What should be your landing direction?
Into wind
13. You are coming in to dock on a formation. You should never?
Possible answers include shoot people, shit yourself, dump someone out, pull a reserve handle, clamp on someone and stay there till you both go in, etc. Stupid question but maybe directly related to some training material I don't have access to ;)
14. Is it possible to land your canopy on half brakes?
Yes
15. On your final turn for landing you find you are traveling very fast. You look up and find you are landing down wind. Your reaction should be?
Flare at the normal height and PLF
16. The PLA is surrounded by obstacles of trees and buildings, careful flight and concentration is required to land in the PLA. The obstacles that you can’t see on first glance may well include?
Telegraph/electricity poles and lines, lions tigers snakes and crocodiles, small but very deep holes leading to hell
17. Your equipment is fitted with an AAD that is fitted to?
your equipment... this test is getting hard to take seriously. Your reserve closing loop if its a modern aad.

18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45ºangle from the door. This indicates to you that?
Wait until they are at 45º as the wind is honking at altitude. There are a number posts from yonks ago that suggest weakness in the 45º approach. Whats the current thinking?
19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?
Simply, FF big to small, flat big to small, tandem, aff, ws. Read the Bryan Burke article for a better understandng
20. You are flying a sport canopy in a load of 20 other canopies. Who has the right of way over you?
Low person has right of way, be careful around student and novices, you may have right of way but a 300ft canopy collision is not something to use to prove you right, assuming you like living.
21. When is your skydive deemed to be over?
When the beer light goes on :) When the canopy is on the ground? When the debrief is done? When you quit skydiving for whatever reason?
22. The life and performance of your skydiving equipment can be greatly reduced by ................................?

Immersing it in hydroflouric acid. Very stupid question

I'm a little drunk so please take everything with a pinch of salt ;)

Rich M

[obelixtim 100]

Thanks for your response Rich...yes I thought there were a number of answers which could be answered stupidly but technically correctly e.g. Q18....."gravity is working".

I don't know who came up with this test, but it is actually in use, the composer doesn't seem like a very bright spark at all. Some of the questions would be more appropriate at 1st jump level.....I would like to see a question or two about how to determine the exit point, detail an equipment check, setting AAD's, jumping at different elevations etc etc...much more appropriate for someone who at A licence is about to be turned loose.

However, it would be good to see a lot more responses to see what others think.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[hillson 0]

I'll bite because I'm bored...and the World Series is going as expected. Up front...this is rather poorly worded "quiz" with respect to some questions.

Questions 7, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18 are poorly worded / confusing / whatever.

At any rate, pretending I'm a pre-licensed student:

Parachutist Certificate Exam

1. Describes your emergency procedures in the event of a malfunction?
look, locate, peel, punch, pull
2. Describe your canopy checks?
is it there, square, and stable. flare, left, right, flare.
3. It is important to check your parachute equipment at what times?
before you put it on, in the loading area, before you exit
4. You should check your deployment handles in what order?
in the order that you use them
5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another
canopy, the fastest way to turn your
parachute out of the possible collision is?
rears. right, typically, though that isn't true for 100% of situations; depends where you're heading
6. Your main canopy opens with line twists, your immediate response is?
check altitude.
7. Under canopy you find yourself at 3000ft down wind of the 2000ft or holding point. Your response should be?
Fly to holding area. If you're not going to make the holding area and regular pattern decide on an alternate by 2000 ft.
8. What is your minimum decision altitude that you should carry out your emergency procedures if you are unable to control your main parachute?
Whatever your hard deck is…
9. Your left hand flight path is going to take you over the centre of the PLA below500ft, your best response will be?
Too many variables. At which point am I at in the pattern?
10. Correctly list the landing priority order?
Wing level, land in an open area, flare to at least half brakes, prepare to PLF
11. Which correctly lists the deployment priority rules?
Pull, Pull at the correct altitude, Pull while stable
12. You have ended up having to land off the PLA, your new intended landing point is in a clear paddock but the surface is on the side of a hill. The wind direction is blowing directly up the hill. What should be your landing direction?
What altitude am I at? Too many variables to answer.
13. You are coming in to dock on a formation. You should never?
Use the formation to stop
14. Is it possible to land your canopy on half brakes?
Yes
15. On your final turn for landing you find you are traveling very fast. You look up and find you are landing down wind. Your reaction should be?
Land like normal and prepare to PLF
16. The PLA is surrounded by obstacles of trees and buildings, careful flight and concentration is required to land in the PLA. The obstacles that you can’t see on first glance may well include?
Turbulence?
17. Your equipment is fitted with an AAD that is fitted to?
I would assume the reserve closing loop…
18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º
angle from the door. This indicates to you that?
Didn't' learn how to properly calculate free fall separation...?
19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?
RW large to small, FF large to small, higher deployment at X altitude, students, tandems, high clear and pull, wing suit
20. You are flying a sport canopy in a load of 20 other
canopies. Who has the right of way over you?
Canopies below you
21. When is your skydive deemed to be over?
When you and your canopy are both on the ground
22. The life and performance of your skydiving equipment can be greatly reduced by ................................?
Exposure to sunlight

[Divalent 89]

obelixtim

18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º angle from the door. This indicates to you that?

a) you are jumping from a hot air balloon or

b) there is a huge windshear just below jump run altitude: the head wind the plane is flying into sits just above a tail wind immediately below it. The speed of that tail wind exactly matches the ground speed of the plane.

[NWFlyer 2]

If it's a list of questions for an oral exam/discussion with the A license candidate, it's not horrible, as the instructor administering the exam can clarify or ask follow up questions. As a stand-alone written exam, it might be more problematic, as mentioned by other posters. Guess it would depend on how the exam is administered - in the U.S., it's a sit-down discussion between the instructor and candidate.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[obelixtim 100]

NWFlyer

If it's a list of questions for an oral exam/discussion with the A license candidate, it's not horrible, as the instructor administering the exam can clarify or ask follow up questions. As a stand-alone written exam, it might be more problematic, as mentioned by other posters. Guess it would depend on how the exam is administered - in the U.S., it's a sit-down discussion between the instructor and candidate.

Not sure how it is administered but I have an inkling it is able to be completed and submitted on line, and evaluated by an outside assessor.

It is poorly done IMO, as this kind of stuff should be taught to the student as they progress through their training, until at the end the Instructor can sign them off for their licence. Most of it is basic knowledge, and some of it is so ambiguous as to be useless.

I don't see the need for a formal written exam at this stage at all, yet it is a pre requisite before this organisation issues an A licence.

I'm thinking the people who set this up have no real idea of what they are doing, looking at it from my POV as a professional educator, as well as an Instructor/examiner, they seem to have made a pigs ear out of what should be a fairly straight forward exercise.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[Di0 1]

Fresh USPA A-Licensed here.

obelixtim

Quote

Parachutist Certificate Exam

1. Describes your emergency procedures in the event of a malfunction?
look red, grab red, look silver, pull red, clear cables, grab silver, pull silver, clear cable. Pray.

2. Describe your canopy checks?
Square, slider down, stearable, flearable... landable.

3. It is important to check your parachute equipment at what times?
before putting it on, in the boarding area, another time before getting on the plane, ideally asking for a gear check, on the plane do the "checks of 3" and before leaving the plane ask for a pin check and do a quick handle check while walking to the door.

4. You should check your deployment handles in what order?
the order you use them.

5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another
canopy, the fastest way to turn your
parachute out of the possible collision is?
rear slider turn.

6. Your main canopy opens with line twists, your immediate response is?
look around for other canopies, assess if flying straight and relatively slow, kick it out.

7. Under canopy you find yourself at 3000ft down wind of the 2000ft or holding point. Your response should be?
locate an alternative entry to the patter and fly from there, if I can't make to the original holding area.

8. What is your minimum decision altitude that you should carry out your emergency procedures if you are unable to control your main parachute?
2500ft

9. Your left hand flight path is going to take you over the centre of the PLA below500ft, your best response will be?

What is the PLA?

10. Correctly list the landing priority order?
Land with straight canopy, straight canopy and flare, straight canopy and flare into wind.

11. Which correctly lists the deployment priority rules?
pull, pull @ right altitude, pull @ right altitude and stable body position.

12. You have ended up having to land off the PLA, your new intended landing point is in a clear paddock but the surface is on the side of a hill. The wind direction is blowing directly up the hill. What should be your landing direction?
mmhhh.... I'll take a crosswind and land going parallel to the hill. Never landed off, so my main concern would really be to land in a clear area and with a straight canopy more than the wind direction itself, honestly.


13. You are coming in to dock on a formation. You should never?
Not sure what do you mean exactly here.

14. Is it possible to land your canopy on half brakes?
Yes.
15. On your final turn for landing you find you are traveling very fast. You look up and find you are landing down wind. Your reaction should be?
Suck it up, buttcacke. Too late to turn at that point, take the down wind like a man.

16. The PLA is surrounded by obstacles of trees and buildings, careful flight and concentration is required to land in the PLA. The obstacles that you can’t see on first glance may well include?
cables and lines between buildings. Turbulence from bigger obstacles is also part of the game.
17. Your equipment is fitted with an AAD that is fitted to?
Not sure what this means. What does the AAD do?

18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º
angle from the door. This indicates to you that?
The upper winds there are pretty strong.

19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?
Depends from dz to dz and a buch of other things, I noted.

20. You are flying a sport canopy in a load of 20 other
canopies. Who has the right of way over you?
The guys flying lower than me, generally?

21. When is your skydive deemed to be over?
when I drop the rig in the packing area.

22. The life and performance of your skydiving equipment can be greatly reduced by ................................?
carelessly handling

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[yoink 321]

Parachutist Certificate Exam

1. Describes your emergency procedures in the event of a malfunction?

Look, Locate, Peel, Pull, Punch, Arch.


2. Describe your canopy checks?

Is it the right shape? Is anything broken? Can I control it? (Square, Sound, Stable)


3. It is important to check your parachute equipment at what times?

Kinda a wierdly phrased question. It depends on the checks. For me:
Before gearing up. Before emplaning. Handle checks on the plane. Before exit. After landing. during packing.


4. You should check your deployment handles in what order?

In my mind, I only have one deployment handle. So that one first.


5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another
canopy, the fastest way to turn your
parachute out of the possible collision is?

Right toggle all the way down.


6. Your main canopy opens with line twists, your immediate response is?

Is it the right shape? Is it broken? Is it spinning hard? If no - kick out. If yes, or if I can't kick out - chop.


7. Under canopy you find yourself at 3000ft down wind of the 2000ft or holding point. Your response should be?

??? Turn into the wind?


8. What is your minimum decision altitude that you should carry out your emergency procedures if you are unable to control your main parachute?

1200ft


9. Your left hand flight path is going to take you over the centre of the PLA below500ft, your best response will be?

??? Depends - how big is the PLA? If it's large enough, stick with it. If I'm heading for an obstacle, flat turn and take a cross wind / downwind as necessary.


10. Correctly list the landing priority order?

Wing level. Flare. Into wind.


11. Which correctly lists the deployment priority rules?

Pull. Pull Stable. Pull stable at the right altitude.


12. You have ended up having to land off the PLA, your new intended landing point is in a clear paddock but the surface is on the side of a hill. The wind direction is blowing directly up the hill. What should be your landing direction?

Across the hill.


13. You are coming in to dock on a formation. You should never?

Shit yourself.


14. Is it possible to land your canopy on half brakes?

Yes


15. On your final turn for landing you find you are traveling very fast. You look up and find you are landing down wind. Your reaction should be?

Flare as normal and prepare to PLF like a champion.


16. The PLA is surrounded by obstacles of trees and buildings, careful flight and concentration is required to land in the PLA. The obstacles that you can’t see on first glance may well include?

eh? Anything. Rocks. Spectators hiding in the grass. Landmines. Attack gophers.


17. Your equipment is fitted with an AAD that is fitted to?


The container. - Although I think they're looking for 'the reserve', which is incorrect.


18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º
angle from the door. This indicates to you that?

Fuck all.


19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?

Students. Flat. Freefly. Tracking. AFF. Tandem. Wingsuits.


20. You are flying a sport canopy in a load of 20 other
canopies. Who has the right of way over you?

Anyone lower and students.


21. When is your skydive deemed to be over?

Back in the hanger.


22. The life and performance of your skydiving equipment can be greatly reduced by ................................?

Just about everything. Using it. Sand. UV. Dog piss. Smoke. Fire. High Explosives.

[yoink 321]

Di0

Fresh USPA A-Licensed here.

5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another
canopy, the fastest way to turn your
parachute out of the possible collision is?
rear slider turn.

What's a slider turn?

Do you mean a riser turn? If so, that's not the quickest way to turn a canopy.
Most efficient? Yup - but don't go to your risers in an emergency. Toggles all the way!

[yoink 321]

Di0

Fresh USPA A-Licensed here.


18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º
angle from the door. This indicates to you that?
The upper winds there are pretty strong.

19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?
Depends from dz to dz and a buch of other things, I noted.

You're right that it tends to differ, but it really shouldn't - at least not much.

Do lots of reading on here about exit order, particularly about the 45 degree rule and why you need to stay away from anyone using it.

[obelixtim 100]

Thanks for the replies, I too would be tempted to add some stupid answers to some of the questions.

We are seeing some variations though, although, keep in mind that they need to be anwered from the POV of an A licence candidate...so hard decks, for example should be a little higher for them than the 1200 feet that an experienced jumper might have.

I'd like to see a few answers from recently qualified A licence jumpers, just to see any variations, as well as some answers from experienced jumpers, especially instructors, just to get some different opinions.

Really appreciate the time people are putting in to providing feedback. Thanks.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[Di0 1]

yoink

What's a slider turn?

Do you mean a riser turn? If so, that's not the quickest way to turn a canopy.
Most efficient? Yup - but don't go to your risers in an emergency. Toggles all the way!

Yes, sorry, rear RISERS turn. My bad.
And if you are facing a canopy collision, I stand my case, rear risers might be the quickest option, meaning you might not have time to unstow your brakes if it happens right after deployment. If you already unstowed your brakes and you're holding them when it happens, yes, I agree toggles.
But my grasp of the question was "what if it happens seconds after deployment", in that case I think the best response is turn right with rear risers, also because probably your hands are already holding on your rear risers, since that is the natural reaction to the "deployment yank".

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[Di0 1]

yoink

You're right that it tends to differ, but it really shouldn't - at least not much.

Do lots of reading on here about exit order, particularly about the 45 degree rule and why you need to stay away from anyone using it.

I have been to two different DZs and, that different reasonings, they have the exact opposite exit order between free-fliers and belly fliers (of course, wingsuits are always last).
Now, I have read the article posted on here, most recently two good ones by Brian Burke that were strongly recommended to me by one of my coaches.

http://www.dropzone.com/safety/General_Safety/Implications_of_Recent_Tracking_Tracing_and_Wingsuit_Incidents_938.html

http://www.dropzone.com/safety/General_Safety/The_Horizontal_Flight_Problem_935.html

All related to the exit order and separation problems.

Now, yes, I understand what you're trying to say. At the same time, I am a 35ish jumps skydiver so I will do whatever the rules in place in the DZ I am jumping at say.
Those article should be given to the ST&A, maybe, and he should be the one in charge of deciding if actions to change the exit orders are required. From my point of view, I don't know enough to take any strategical decision of that level and I do whatever the ST&A, Instructors, coaches, DZ&Os tell me. When I'll have thousands of jumps and saw my good share of shit happening (hopefully from far enough), then I'll speak my voice. Right now, I say it varies from DZ to DZ because the newly licensed jumper usually doesn't have much decision power.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[crotalus01 0]

1. Describes your emergency procedures in the event of a malfunction?
One hand on each handle, peel punch right while arching, punch left.

2. Describe your canopy checks?
There, square, steerable.

3. It is important to check your parachute equipment at what times?
Before and during gearup, before getting on the plane. Check of 3s before exit (3 rings 3 handles 3 attachment points).

4. You should check your deployment handles in what order?
Order of use. Personally I check mine in reverse on the plane.

5. Upon canopy deployment you are facing another
canopy, the fastest way to turn your
parachute out of the possible collision is?
Rear riser turn.

6. Your main canopy opens with line twists, your immediate response is?
Check for traffic, check altitude.

7. Under canopy you find yourself at 3000ft down wind of the 2000ft or holding point. Your response should be?
Not enough Information. ..

8. What is your minimum decision altitude that you should carry out your emergency procedures if you are unable to control your main parachute?
I believe the student recommendation is 2500' but for me its 1500'.

9. Your left hand flight path is going to take you over the centre of the PLA below500ft, your best response will be?
Not enough information...

10. Correctly list the landing priority order?
Wing level, into an open area, flare and prepare to PLF.

11. Which correctly lists the deployment priority rules?
Pull, pull at the correct altitude, pull stable.

12. You have ended up having to land off the PLA, your new intended landing point is in a clear paddock but the surface is on the side of a hill. The wind direction is blowing directly up the hill. What should be your landing direction?
Into the wind if possible.

13. You are coming in to dock on a formation. You should never?
Reach.

14. Is it possible to land your canopy on half brakes?
IN half brakes. Yes.

15. On your final turn for landing you find you are traveling very fast. You look up and find you are landing down wind. Your reaction should be?
Take the downwinder, or flat turn if you have the altitude.

16. The PLA is surrounded by obstacles of trees and buildings, careful flight and concentration is required to land in the PLA. The obstacles that you can’t see on first glance may well include?
Turbulence, rocks, fences, holes...

17. Your equipment is fitted with an AAD that is fitted to?
The container.

18. You are in the second group to leave the aircraft. You look out the door and see the first group falling directly below the aircraft as opposed to falling away on about a 45º
angle from the door. This indicates to you that?
That whoever came up with this test needs Kallend to explain why the 45 degree 'rule' is bullshit.

19. The correct exit order for different free fall disciplines is?
Belly freefly tandems AFF wingsuiters all largest to smallest.

20. You are flying a sport canopy in a load of 20 other
canopies. Who has the right of way over you?
Lower canopies and reserves.


21. When is your skydive deemed to be over?
When I am back in the hanger.

22. The life and performance of your skydiving equipment can be greatly reduced by ................................?
Lots of things.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...