New Tandem Instructor here

[skydiverton 0]

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What's the problem in flying a tandem to tandemterminal for some time. In the early days there were no droques only tandemterminal.

You guys don't have to do any tandem terminal jumps to qualify? I couldn't find any reference in the IRM Essentials (sorry Ton, I have no idea what the Dutch/Germans do).

In the UK, prospective Tandem Instructors are required to do four jumps (from a minimum of nine) where they do a combination of stable/unstable exits and turns, without and with an experienced skydiver on the front of them before deploying the drogue. See section 2c of Form 152 - Tandem Instructor Training Syllabus

Sure you have to do a droqueless jump for qualification. I had to do a backloop and both left and right turn befor throwing the droque.

Perhaps some TM think I'm old-fashioned, but:
- I always go for a perfect exit.
- The moment I throw the droque I know where the videoman is.
- I even do a handle check every jump and a secondary pull every weekend
- I do not jump old/worn out shit

I'm only a freelance weekend TM who has done about 500Tandems, but I want to do a lot more that is why I want to rule out some risk-factors that are avoidable

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Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit,
Especially when you are jumping a sport rig

[LukeOliver 0]

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I believe ALL tandem instructors ALWAYS use the drogue to gain stability. Try flying tandem terminal without one*.

I'm going to clarify this, just in case anyone missed my point:

Drogues. Three reasons to use one:
1) It will slow the freefall speed of a tandem pair to a speed much closer to that of a solo freefaller, with all the ensuing benefits.

2) It really, really helps to drag the main off your back and out of the bag.

3) It's much easier to maintain stability than it is without a drogue, and I have some personal experience which supports this claim.

It's (3) that I was alluding too.

L.

PS At a later stage, I'll discuss the benefits of shaping a passenger in the door rather than thinking "I'll go now and maybe I can sort out those legs in freefall".

[sneaky 0]

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Craig

TI's here is the US only are required to do their last eval jump as a terminal tandem.

Unfortunatly some TI's rely on the drouge for stablity after exit, and never learn any techniques to get the students stable before throwing the drouge.

Shit, I even know of a TI Examiner that gives ratings and never even takes the student on any of the jumps!

I did my RWS factory rating and Catalan federation TI rating in Ampuria 10 years ago and the requirement are exactly the same. The fifth jump droqueless !! very nice skydive, I was shitting it bigstlye before hand, but after once in the air.. it was beautiful ... very nice to really fly the body and concentrate on your procedure as well.

I renewed my rating with Bram Clement of skydiveratings.com after a 2 year layoff, he rode shotgun and tested me to the max, unstable exit and droquesless to 11k with turns, then SP until droque release. Very professional training. I felt after re certifying on sigma with Bram even though I had shit loads of tandems that I really was a 'Tandem master'.

To the origional poster, congratulations and enjoy yourself.

[livendive 8]

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What's the problem in flying a tandem to tandemterminal for some time. In the early days there were no droques only tandemterminal.
To my opinion the droque's primary function is to slow you down. Aditional advantage is it stabelises you in freefall and can be used for opening the main.

DRESS FOR SUCCES means buy yourself a suit with enough drag to your arms and legs. This gives you an aerodynamic advantage. With a suitable jumpsuit you make your job so much easier.

Does not mean you do not have to spend time to "shape" the passenger in the door. But once out of the door you need your body to fly.

Ditto - I've seen a fair number of unstable drogue deployments. The closest I've come was when a tall guy extended his legs straight out just as I released the drogue...we tipped a bit head down and I felt the bridle smack the back of my calf. That was enough to scare me right there. I don't throw till I *know* I'm stable. It's usually very quick but I have no qualms about taking my time. My cameras are freeflyers and leave in a sit and just time their transition to belly when they see me throwing.

I also wear a big floppy suit. I got surprized last weekend after a passenger puked all over me and my normal suit and I had to switch to my booty suit. It felt really wierd with someone strapped to the front of me.

It appears that I'm a newbie TM by most standards here, with only 300-400 tandems under my belt. It's not alot, but it's been enough for me to figure out what I'm comfortable with. Having the additional power of a big suit and stability during the drogue throw are two things I've gotten quite comfortable with, and like most people, I prefer comfort to discomfort.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[cpoxon 0]

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DRESS FOR SUCCES means buy yourself a suit with enough drag to your arms and legs. This gives you an aerodynamic advantage. With a suitable jumpsuit you make your job so much easier.

Talk about dressing for succes, check out the drogue toss in this
video. Although having a jumpsuit on would have missed the point of the charity jump! I'm not ragging on the instructor in the jump; he's a very experienced military and civilian jumper, but it's good example of shit happens and the disadvantages of not having a lot of drag on your body.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[Deuce 1]

Not working for me.

They occasionally try and kill you.

At that time you wonder if its worth the thrill and the tip.

It's nothing more than that.

[johnny555 0]

jesus man. nothing to be relaxed about! Think!

[JohnMitchell 14]

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Not working for me.

They occasionally try and kill you.

At that time you wonder if its worth the thrill and the tip.

It's nothing more than that.

Been there. Done that. Skipped the T-shirt.

[DanglesOZQld 0]

QUOTE - "At that time you wonder if its worth the thrill and the tip."

TIP!? YOU GUYS GET TIPS!?!?

Just had a recent return of a staff member from the states....geez some of you have it easy ha ha!

BSBD! -Mark.

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

[slotperfect 7]

Congratulations and welcome to the fray.

Baggy jump suits: I wear one on 99% of my tandems, despite my large stature and suitable surface area. On other occasions I wear pants and a baggy long sleeved t-shirt.

Tandem terminals: I have about 15, with one or two from the student position. Most of those were a part of military training. I won't do one with a first time student. They are a bit hard on the gear, so says Mr. Booth.

Arrive Safely

John