AFFI 0 #1 February 22, 2009 I am such a dork... How do I spend a Saturday evening? Often times reviewing student training jump footage but tonight I decided to shake things up and used the search function on YouTube for "A License Check" and found a lot of newcomers to the sport posting their "right of passage" (so to speak). Why refer to it as a "right of passage"? Personally, I am not a "freefall skills" instructor - but rather the philosophy I subscribe to places the focus of attention on safety in regard to reacting properly to malfunctions and canopy control/piloting. Honestly, I really do not care what happens in freefall as long as the student I am working with deploys at or above their assigned deployment altitude and lands safely without injury to anyone. This means a students familiarization with the gear and how to use it correctly becomes paramount and oddly enough an interesting byproduct of this approach seems to be a relaxed and confident solo freefall student that, through this mental state of mind is able to perform considerably well despite the fact that 90%(+) of their training did not place any emphasis on freefall targeted learning objectives. When working with students in freefall I have a tendency to keep a short leash on them, even after they have been making solo unassisted deployments subsequent to tracking, I still like to be as close as possible. For to me the "right of passage" refers to the fact that the A License Check Dive (usually solo jump #14 or #15 where I work) is the first time I allow students to track away completely on their own without me giving pursuit. It was very cool to watch skydivers all over that have gone through a variety of training philosophies to cross that threshold - the "A License Check Dive right of passage"... So, I am wondering - Other Instructors out there, what is your training philosophy? (conducted a Search for " training philosophy", sorry if this is a born-again topic).Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat… Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peek 20 #2 February 22, 2009 QuoteI am such a dork... How do I spend a Saturday evening? Well, then I must be too, for spending a Sat. night reading posts about skydiving instruction, and liking what I'm reading. (Granted, it's winter and I won't be doing it this summer though.) QuoteWhy refer to it ("A" license check dive) as a "right of passage"? Because a lot of people see it as that, but I'm not sure why. I don't like it myself. The FAA has Part 141 flight schools with progressive examination, why can't skydiving? QuotePersonally, I am not a "freefall skills" instructor - but rather the philosophy I subscribe to places the focus of attention on safety in regard to reacting properly to malfunctions and canopy control/piloting. Honestly, I really do not care what happens in freefall as long as the student I am working with deploys at or above their assigned deployment altitude and lands safely without injury to anyone. This means a students familiarization with the gear and how to use it correctly becomes paramount and oddly enough an interesting byproduct of this approach seems to be a relaxed and confident solo freefall student that, through this mental state of mind is able to perform considerably well despite the fact that 90%(+) of their training did not place any emphasis on freefall targeted learning objectives. Likewise! (and described so well I thought I would quote the whole thing). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
inextremis 0 #3 February 22, 2009 Educate, train, and inspire--the first and second make them safer and the third makes them want to stay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #4 February 24, 2009 For me, the A-license check dive is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate they've pulled it all together. I typically do it at the end of their coach jumps and ground instruction with the hope that upon debrief, I'll be stamping their A-card. My approach takes into account that on their next jump, the student will be able to go to an unfamiliar dropzone, hook up with an unknown A-license holder, and make a jump with them. I basically go into a roleplaying mode, in which I act like a novice "trained somewhere else", and I expect my graduate to plan and execute an entire skydive from spot planning to gear-up to post-dive. He/she will be manifesting us, spotting our 2-way without assistance (I don't even look until we're in freefall, and we usually start with a less then stellar spot based on my directions to the pilot), dirt diving, finding a problem with my chest strap, folded under cutaway, tucked BOC handle, etc, explaining the pattern to me, giving the count, making the jump. If we land a little off, so be it (if we're over somewhere dangerous, the student knows my early wave-off and track means "open high"). If the freefall is less than perfect, I don't care (provided safety parameters are maintained). Basically, the jumper demonstrates to me that he/she is proficient enough to plan and safely execute a typical A-license holder's diveflow. "Rite of passage"? I suppose. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
