Words of Wisdom for New Tandem Masters?

[NelKel 0]

I have been a tandem Instructor sence January 05, Sigma rated. I worked at a very busy DZ. I was making 70 to 100 tandems a month, so I have a few hundred in my first year, There are alot of very experienced tandem I here giving realy great and useful advice. I want to add, and believe me I learned the HARD WAY, get some health insurance if you don't have it. My ankle cost me 17 grand, and I havent jumped in six months. The top of my foot is still numb but the good thing is the swelling is down, it only double the size now.
I would also like to "ditto" Tom B. about handle touches every time. Twisting your risers the same way as the linetwists will transfer the twist to the risers and make it SO easy to get out of them.

Good Luck

_________________________________________

Someone dies, someone says how stupid, someone says it was avoidable, someone says how to avoid it, someone calls them an idiot, someone proposes rule chan

[altichick 0]

Excellent thread
I'm still doing my probationary 25 jumps where I jump with students my size or smaller. I'm 5ft 6 and 130 so my main problem has been finding small enough passengers!

I'm really enjoying it though physically I do find it much harder work than AFF, mainly due to the canopy flying.... time to hit the gym!

Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things!

[riggerrob 558]

As for the probationary period ... I always remind manifest to give new TIs students about their same size, for two reasons.
First of all. my scariest jumps have been with tiny women. All their lives, "daddy" has solved all their problems for them, so they naturally assume that a big, strong, male tandem instructor can solve any problem they create in freefall.
To date (3,300 tandem jumps) I have been able to solve all the problems they throw at me, but I don't like to push my luck and don't feel that it is fair to throw those problem students at junior TIs before they have found their groove.
On the other hand, large male students know instinctively that they can kill both os us so they tend to listen much better and cooperate.

The second reason I discourage new TIs from jumping with small women is that fulfills their dirty-old-man fantasies too early. Let's face it, many TIs are grumpy, old grey beards and tandem is the only way we can get near hot teenage girls.
If they want that privilege, new TIs have work for it.

P.S. Boxingrrl, please don't ake this personally, or as a chauvanistic slag.
Judging by your profile, you are stronger, brighter and more courageous than most women your age.
My digs at scary little women are aimed more at the 1/3 of tandem students who are not bright, strong, flexible, etc. enough to jump alone.

[rhys 0]

I only read the first page so this may already have been said.

i am reasonably new to tandems but reasonably current 250 tandems in 3.5 months.

but i have filmed 1800 of them.

the most important thing, IMHO, is getting to a level with the customer and gaining thier trust. once in the plane, silly jokes about dying are not a good idea.

next get to know the customer harness. a big mistake i have seen too many times, is tightening the main lift webs on the front of the students harness when connecting! make the harness nice and tight while standing outside the plane then only tighten the back when connecting and the front a little if they have fat thighs! the harness looks too loose when they are sitting in the plane but so does yours and everybody elses. If the front is too tight they CANNOT arch! thier knees will be droped and they will look silly on video and your job will be harder. too many T/M's blame the student for this position. it is mostly the T/M's fault, to understand what i am saying it is a good idea to put on a student harness and get connected to your (T/M I/E) partner sitting on the floor. tighten the front lift webs. when tightened disconnect the harness from the tandem rig stand up and then try to arch. you will not be able to.

and the next most important thing (IMHO) is the deep breaths. I tell the customer to take a deep breath through thier nose to the bottom of the lungs when the door opens another when at the door and again when i tap them on the arms to bring thier arms out. i also tell them if they cannot breath close thier mouth and breath through there nose. i explain that it will help them remember the experience and make my job easier. most people will hold thier breath when at the door this only makes them tense, makes you job harder and thier memory less.

less is more, dont feed them too much stuff in the briefing give it to them during conversation instead.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[Silverchic 0]

I'm definitely not qualified here! But the deep breaths idea is fantastic! I have done a tandem (on the front though!) and I had trouble with my breathing so that instruction to take deep breaths would have been a good idea! *thumbs up*

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

[Schoenauer 0]

There is a lot of really good post on this thread, so keep an open mind you might find something that hit home.

Never stop learning

Check your tandem rig before you put it on

Brief your cameral flyer on you exit count then don’t worry about them after that.

Check the student’s harness before boarding the aircraft

Don't take any more time then absolutely necessary at the door to insure safe separation.

There is no need to rush the drogue toss I have seen drogues hit the fuselage, tail, and even come back into the airplane.

Don't throw the drogue to get stable unless it’s the final option short of pulling the reserve

Check you handles once the drogue is set, and also the drogue

Fly relaxed but not lazy, you'll have better control of the skydive

Do not trust any student at anytime regardless of their size or intelligence

Protect your handles, your student should understand that they must not at anytime reach behind their shoulders or hips

Pull high if your spot is long to avoid landing off your supposed to be an expert

Make fun jumps, all work and no play will burn you out

Memento Mori

[Ron 7]

Don't know if I have said this before...But I think its good advice.

Wear what you are used to wearing. I have 3,000 jumps with a bootie suit. I LIKE my suit. I was doing tandems with a double zipper since I found it easier to use for tandems...But I never felt as in control as I would have liked. One of the Tamdem examiners I really trust walked up to me and asked me why I was wearing the non bootie suit.

He told me to put the bootie suit on since it was what I was used to...And after one jump he was right. Everything felt rock sold and more importantly FAMILIAR to me.

People have given me grief about me wearing my bootie suit for tandems....Well screw em. I can do the jump without them, but I am more comfertable and more in control with them. I will do what is best for me and my student. Not my ego, or someone elses idea of what is "best".

The dumbest thing I see is new TI's rushing to wear shorts since they think its cool....I'd rather have control surfaces to fly with than look cool.

Just my opinion, I am sure others will disagree.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[matthewcline 0]

Ron,

I agree on the "comfort zone" point.

The RWS Examiner Course Director uses a Boottie suit for all his jumps. He is comfortable with it.

I use a bottie suit on 90% of my tandems, occasionally I will add a Freefly Jacket if the passenger seams a bit of a challenge in the memory department and I will use the added drag on the arms as a tool (as jump suits are inteneed to be) to help me put them where I want them (them being the student).

I only have 700 tandems but this has worked for me.
I started back in my boorie suit after I finished Probabtion and began working at the DZ, initially since I didn't have time to change from jump to jump, but I stayed with it as I was comfortable in the Booties.

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[LawnDart21 0]

Quote

The dumbest thing I see is new TI's rushing to wear shorts since they think its cool....I'd rather have control surfaces to fly with than look cool.

Thats a good point Ron. Although thats not to say that jumping in shorts cant be done safely. Personally I prefer to jump in one of two combos: Freefly pants a short sleeve t-shirt, or shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. I like having fabric on one end of the other.

Edit to add: According to my wife, I dont look cool in anything........lol

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[Ron 7]

Quote

Thats a good point Ron. Although thats not to say that jumping in shorts cant be done safely

Oh I agree, I think its stupid to rush into it to look cool. I know several experienced TI's that can pull it off...More power to them. But for a new guy to rush into it, thats what I think is stupid.

I WANT the tools for the job even if I don't need them.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[riggerrob 558]

At most DZs I wear a baggy, full-length jumpsuit while doing tandems.
I don't wear booties because they wear out too quickly and I am too lazy to patch my own booties.

The only DZ that I routinely wore shorts and a short sleeve T-shirt was Hemet, California during the summer. We were forced to chose between dying of heat prostration or loss of control. Dehydration was a serious hazard - despite sucking down gallons of ice tea. I also suffer from that white man's dilemma of "lizard brain" during the heat of early afternoon. When it gets too hot, my brain slows down.
Mexicans are not lazy, they are smart. They start working at 05:00 am and take a siesta during the "stupid" heat of mid-day.
Only mad dogs and englishmen go out in the mid-day sun.

[packerkevin 0]

"Dehydration was a serious hazard - despite sucking down gallons of ice tea." As a T-I here in sunny, HOT arizona, I can tell you without a doubt that this is worse than drinking nothing. Drink LOTS of water!

Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional

[CrazyL 0]

Other than 'be the TM first, then..' and 'dressing for success' you as a vidiot knows about lighting. And as a vidiot you already understand the slot. In air communication such as pointing a direction to get good light from CM and the yo were way out and pulling high finger from the TM is good extras. As a vidiot i feel part of my duty is to assist the TM.Whether it is viual checks, harness adjustments questions(it makes a student as well as me nervous when the shoulder harness keeps falling off on the way to and in the a/c), making a clear path to the door i.e. seat belts,comforting a nervous student so they don't puke on the a/c, yelling at the students over the wind noise in the door to cross their arms while they try grabbing things while getting in the door and the TM has already told them and is not seeing the grabbing etc. Knowing the size/weight helps me (the vidiot)to dress for success. Because of your experience as a vidiot shooting tandems i'd bet that you'll be a great TM. You'll naturally assist the CM even when solely focused on TM stuff. Enjoy!

[feuergnom 22]

Quote

Well, with your size, you'll probably end up jumping in a jumpsuit that isn't too baggy...

i know this thread is old, but i just re-read it and this quote puzzles me a bit. could someone explain to me why a smaller TI shouldn't jump with a big/baggy jumpsuit?

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[Adrenalinejunky 0]

could someone explain to me why a smaller TI shouldn't jump with a big/baggy jumpsuit?
***
From being in the position of vidiot, and now a TI myself, the biggest problem we have at the DZ with smaller TI's wearing baggy suits is freefall speed. It isn't so bad when the smaller TI's jump with bigger students, but if you put a small student with a small TI, and that TI is wearing a baggy suit, trying to video their freefall is a nightmare. I can fall pretty slow when I need to, but falling slow, and being able to get the money shot isn't always easy. Unless, of course, you are a smaller vidiot yourself, which I am not.

[Shark 0]

I try to wear "less" or an r-dub suit when flying with little chicks. My vidiot and I are a team. Those that often go without wings on tandem videos wear wings while I try to arch more to keep the fall rate up. I have not found it a problem.... yet.

[matthewcline 0]

IMO as an S&TA, RWS I/E and USPA T-I. Who is 5'8" and 180lbs, with 800+ Tandems.

First is the T-I's ability to control the jump.
Second is the ability to help the Vid Dude/Dudette.

Small T-I and Small Passneger that the experience of the T-I is such they don't need lots of drag on the limbs for control then, yeah sure, less is ok. You can mix and match the T-I and Passneger, but the experience is still the deciding factor.

But until the experirence is there, the Vid Person needs to adapt.

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[DanglesOZQld 0]

Probably already mentioned in above posts but these are my points :

1) Stay strong as much as you can (weight training, gymwork etc)

2) ALWAYS be prepared to learn new things - I have learnt a lot from some people who others would class as novices ;)

3) Have insurance or a health plan. Australia is SLOWLY but surely coming under workcover regardless of what some dz owners think the people who work for them are classed as.

4) Love the sport or move on. Don't become someone who just does it for the money. I have a crap car, lost my lifetime partner(divorced because of jumping mainly), broken myself enough for six months off ANY type of work and will never own my own home. I have accepted all of the above as being a tradeoff with doing something that I do love a hell of a lot.

BSBD!! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"