Tunnel Coach requirements

[melushell 0]

I was courious what are the requirements to become a tunnel coach?
(if any )

[diablopilot 2]

Tunnel coach? Unfortunatly none. Just hang out you shingle and goad some people into paying you to "coach" them.

Tunnel instructor? Get hired by a wind tunnel. Go through their training program. At SkyVenture tunnels it's intensive. It focuses on saftey and keeping flyers safe as well as reading body positions and helping people how to learn better, thus making the most of the tools avaliable.

If you're looking for a coach, find someone who's got both experience traching, and in the tunnel. Some of the best coaches are the instructors that work in the tunnel(s)

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Shark 0]

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Some of the best coaches are the instructors that work in the tunnel(s)

Does that include Tandem instructors?

[melushell 0]

Thanks JP
are u a tunnel rat ?

if yes, can you please give us your story of becoming one?

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A guy calls me
"dude I keep having an error on my PC, it says "Press any key to continue", and i look 10 times on the keyboard and the PC manual but I cannot find the damn "any key" button !

P.S. (for the skydive addicts)
in this case, PC= Personal Computer NOT Pilot Chute

[Ron 7]

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Tunnel coach? Unfortunatly none. Just hang out you shingle and goad some people into paying you to "coach" them.

Hey! I resemble that....No wait, not the right word....Resent that, yah, I *resent* that

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

[Avion 0]

The most difficult part of becoming a tunnel coach is getting a training slot. There are so many people that want the job.

As for becoming a tunnel bunny, when I realized that one could learn a lot of stuff faster and cheaper in the tunnel, I was hooked

[apixel 0]

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Hey! I resemble that....No wait, not the right word....Resent that, yah, I *resent* that

Aha! That's it Ron. I want my money back!

... See you next week!

[flyangel2 2]

To me a tunnel coach is kind of like going to the doctor or dentist. Are you going to just go to anyone you find in the phone book? Or are you going to go with suggestions that friends or family have given you?

You'll fine a thread here that mentions some good coaches that are out there.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[arlo 0]

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I was curious what are the requirements to become a tunnel coach?
(if any )

god knows it sure would be NICE if there were some minimum requirements, but unfortunately (as others have mentioned), anybody, and i mean ANYBODY can claim to be a tunnel coach and someone will believe them.

one example: while i was working there last year, some dude with about 500-600 jumps from up north came down and conducted a "tunnel camp" for folks at his dz. i started asking him questions about his experience and stuff.

after watching him fly in a not-so-stable fashion and damn near taking out some of his "students" i was appalled. i asked him flat out "do you think you're a good tunnel coach?" his reply: "absolutely!"

uh huh.

he was horrible and he didn't even know it and people were PAYING him for his coaching ability?! there are alot of people like this out there so do your homework.

but on the flip side: there are some damn good tunnel coaches out there and not all of them are expericenced skydivers...most are, but not all.

[Avion 0]

I was lucky enough to watch alot of perspective coaches in action before I decided who I thought was good and who I'd like to have coach me.

As it turns out, since I have limited funds, I have just relied on the tunnel instuctors. They have been great. The only thing I think that exceeds their capabilities is heavy duty four way work, like Airspeed and XL level stuff.

[arlo 0]

that's interesting because both michael and rusty are really good 4-way players. of course some of the instructors are more versed at freeflying than bellyflying and even one of the better instructors has yet to make a skydive.

blues,
arlo

[VanillaSkyGirl 6]

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that's interesting because both michael and rusty are really good 4-way players.

Agreed. When Rusty, along his Orlando crew, was out here last year training tunnel instructors in SoCal, he also was one of the coaches in a 4-way training weekend. I was one of the people who was to be coached, but we got winded out instead...no jumping at all. We decided to do some tunnel time, but we had limited slots. I had 10 minutes with him, and it was one of the best tunnel sessions that I have EVER had. He had seen me in the tunnel before, and he knew exactly how to push and challenge me. I learned so much in those 10 minutes, and I would GLADLY pay Rusty to coach me again, anytime!

[flyangel2 2]

Yup, I've seen some one with more then 500-600 jumps claim he was a coach. I stood watching him working with his students just shaking my head

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[skykittykat 0]

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Yup, I've seen some one with more then 500-600 jumps claim he was a coach. I stood watching him working with his students just shaking my head

Out of interest.....

Would someone who had over 1000 jumps and 30 hours of tunnel time in the last year (all coached by Airspeed) qualify for a tunnel coach (not a tunnel bunny/catcher)?

Liz

[Avion 0]

I have yet to see Rusty belly fly in a booty suit. I've seen him do some outstanding free flying though, and have yet to see Michael do any other than instucting first timers. As a matter of fact I have yet to see any tunnel instructor in the chamber with three other people doing 4 way stuff, only hired guns seem to do that.

Say, where have you been lately? I missed ever getting to see you fly. I heard you've moved on to greener pastures...

[flyangel2 2]

Being a good coach isn't about then number of hours you have or the number of skydives you have. It's how you relate and teach. That to me is what makes a good coach.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[skykittykat 0]

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I have yet to see Rusty belly fly in a booty suit.

He is AWESOME belly flying in a bootie suit.

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It's how you relate and teach.

Exactly, but there is no tunnel rating out there, so hence my original question.

Liz

[Avion 0]

I know Olaf is a really good belly flyer too. There might be tunnel policy against having more than one customer in the chamber with a tunnel employed instructor at a time.

Recently, they just baned instructors flying higher than 4-5 feet with customers, so over/unders with a tunnel instructor are out now.

Also, the tunnel instuctors and maybe some outside people are setting up something called the International Bodyflight Association. Eventually, anybody wanting to professionally coach other people in the tunnel will have to have a IBA pro rating. To get that rating the applicant will have to show compentance in 4 way and freeflying skills.

[NeedToJump 0]

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There might be tunnel policy against having more than one customer in the chamber with a tunnel employed instructor at a time.

Nope, not at all, Paige and I do 3-way flying with the tunnel instructor all the time.

Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

[matttrudeau 0]

Yes, the IBA is coming. We're already using it here at the Perris Tunnel. It is designed to evaluate not only flight skills but instructing skills as well. We kind of think of it as the USPA Membership for wind tunnels. With so many tunnels being built in the near future, this will help coaches and flyers easily transfer and keep up to date with their skills at several tunnels. Orlando is heading the project so contact them if you want more info.

[Ron 7]

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To get that rating the applicant will have to show compentance in 4 way and freeflying skills.

Why would I need to show freeflying skills If I only coach flat flying and 4way?

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

[Ron 7]

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Yes, the IBA is coming

What is it going to allow other than a neat card to carry in a wallet?

I am a member of three organizations:
USPA, Academy of Model Aeronautics, AOPA.

All offer more than just a neat card to carry. They offer insurance, and lobby power in DC.

What else is this new org gonna offer?

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

[matttrudeau 0]

It's going to require you to meet certain skills before moving onto others in the tunnel. For example, You need a B license to do a night jump or a D license to do a beach jump. The requirements will be safety oriented and will be internationally recognized. We can travel to many USPA dropzones and they let us jump because we've met the requirements for the USPA. Your card will represent your skill level and it will specifically state what you're cleared to do and what you're not cleared to do. There will be certain requirements for you to be a coach in the tunnel. Only after you've met those requirements will you be able to teach those skills in the tunnel. For example: if you can't do a backflip, you won't be able to teach others how to do them.

[Bodyflight.Net 0]

When we're staffing a particular facility, obviously we have to take into consideration the desires of the tunnel owner on certain points. In some cases, these 'desires' have nothing to do with flying abilities, but rather hinge on things like a clean appearance or outgoing personality. (just like any other business)

As far as flying abilities, while it's sometimes nice to have student instructors with alot of flight time under their belt, it's by no means a requirement. We'll take trainees at every stage of their progression, including beginners. We won't release you to instruct until you're ready to do so (by John's definition). There is no set amount of time required in training before your cleared, because everyone is different and progresses at different rates.

Our requirements for an instructor before we train them would be basically the following:
1. Overall good physical health
2. An understanding of basic aerodynamics or strong desire to learn
3. The ability to speak clearly & be understood (very important)
4. Flexibility; in regards to scheduling/work hours or travel and sometimes relocation.

We believe in the healing power of flying, and that teaching others to fly is a gift, and should be respected as such.

If you want to become an instructor because of money, exposure or free tunnel time, then you would NOT make a good candidate.
Wrong attitude for what we're looking for.

Bonus skills to have before applying to our instructor program would be:
CPR/First Aid/EMT/Massage Therapy and/or being Multi-lingual

Hope that helps!
Edited to add: This system has worked well for us and maintained our reputation for over 10 years now. The only open tunnel in the US we haven't helped to staff or train is Perris.

Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels,
Dawn Suiter

[Ron 7]

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It's going to require you to meet certain skills before moving onto others in the tunnel

OK so no insurance, nothing that makes it WORTH joining.

Is this going to be a not for profit organization? Or will it be just another person who wants me to pay them for my work?

See unless it provides a service other than a "permission slip" to coach...It holds very little interest.

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For example, You need a B license to do a night jump or a D license to do a beach jump. The requirements will be safety oriented and will be internationally recognized. We can travel to many USPA dropzones and they let us jump because we've met the requirements for the USPA.

The USPA does more than certify skydivers. If it were not for the lobby efforts in DC and insurance...I would not be a member.

I see nothing like that so fat from this "tunnel org."

What benefits would this have?

Or is it just a "pay your money and get a permission slip" business?

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