Physical prerequisites for an instructor?

[Coldfire 0]

I'm curious what the physical requirements are to become a skydiving instructor. I'm referring to everything and anything thats required. I want some detailed information. Any help is appreciated.

[AggieDave 6]

The only real "requirement" besides being able to do all the duties and have the skill to fly in the air for it, is a Class III medical certificate. Then again, if you're breathing you can get one...well, I've even seen the breathing thing ignored for some old pilots before.

With that said, the one type of instructing that's actually pretty hard on your body is being a TM. You've got a 50lbs rig to heft and use, a 200lbs student (sometimes more, sometimes less)...it actually takes a bit of feness (sp?) and a bit of strength to do it and keep from getting hurt.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Clownburner 0]

AggieDave is correct, but IMHO, anyone considering becoming an instructor has a responsibility to their students to at least be in reasonable health -- following the 'spirit' of the Class-3 medical, even if the reality is they're easy to get.

{Disclaimer: I am NOT an instructor}

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[riggerrob 563]

Size may be important for tandem instructors, but it can be a disadvantage for freefall instructors.

For example, at 6 feet tall and 190 pounds, I am close to the ideal size for a tandem instructor. Any larger and I would overload the equipment or have difficulty exiting a Cessna. Any smaller and I would lose my psychological advantage over students. And yes, I do lots of push-ups, chin-ups, etc. to stay strong enough for tandems.

On the other hand, my size is a disadvantage when dropping S/L or IAD students. Unless I am wearing my smallest rig and being very careful, pilots grumble about me bumping the engine control knobs.

My size can also be a disadvantage when teaching freefall (PFF) students. Sure they usually send me up with the larger students, but I always try to avoid jumping with smaller FF students, because I struggle to "float" with them. I much prefer send slender FF students with "Bird Boy" or petite Annie.

Ideally a DZ is big enough to have a wide variety of sizes and shapes of freefall instructors.

I always encourage slender and short skydivers to become instructors.

[markbaur 0]

Quote

The only real "requirement" besides being able to do all the duties and have the skill to fly in the air for it, is a Class III medical certificate.

That's true for tandem instructors. For other instructors, there are no FAA or USPA medical requirements beyond those required for skydivers in general.

I used to carry my reading glasses in a jumpsuit pocket when doing tandems, because my medical said I had to have them in my possession while exercising the privileges of my certificate.

Mark