Interaction with Tandem Students

[shorehambeach 9]

I spend a fair bit of time going up with groups of tandem students. Doing a tandem made me want to do AFF.

Apart from smiling (in a reassuring "you're not going to die" way) can I ask the TI's what interaction is best.

I am busy doing my own thing, I don't want to interfere with the tandem/TI's, but I also don't want the student to think that skydivers aren't friendly ... so I just normally say Enjoy! and then tell them well done if I see them on the ground.

I skydive for me, not for my ego (look at me student - I am a skydiver!) .....so I have no interest in talking to them about me....

Whats the type of interactions with the student that you, as a TI, appreciate ?

Thanks.

[Abedy 0]

What you wrote sounds absolutely OK to me.
I do appreciate other skydiver's cheering up students in an unobtrusive way. I do object if other skydivers interfere with my students, especially if they touch 'em even when well-intended.

The sky is not the limit. The ground is.

The Society of Skydiving Ducks

[davelepka 4]

On the ground, keep it to generic questions/answers, and if they ask specific questions about what their jump will consist of, refer them back to their instructor.

In the plane, follow the lead of the TI. If they are having a 'non-essential' conversation, feel free to chime in, again making sure not to instruct them on what they should be doing. You can ask them if they are excited, you can asnwer questions they have about anything besides their jump. If they want to know about your jump, that's fine, but be clear that everythying about their own jump is up to their instructor.

Have you ever been in the emergency room with a friend or family member? It's like that, with the TI being the doctor. When the Dr isn't around, you can talk to your friend, and when the Dr is in the room, there is a time to be quiet and let the Dr do their job, and sometimes the Dr will engage you or the patient in non-essential small talk, or lighthearted banter, and you can usually chime in at this time as well.

While the Dr is removing whatever your friend got stuck in some part of his/her body? Probably not the time to speak up about anything, especially the medical procedure itself.

Ditto with the TI, when they are 'talking business', leave them alone, and when they're not, leave the 'business talk' out of your part of the conversation.

[nigel99 143]

I love chatting to them on the ground. Often tandem pax have interesting stories about why they want to jump.

If I've chatted on the ground and am in the plane, a big thumbs up and smile during the 'fist bumping' ritual is usually returned with a big grin.

One thing I noticed on the review of another local dz, was a customer had been offended by someone saying " get the tandems out the way first". I've used.that phrase myself, but shave since stopped when you realize how it sounds from the tandems perspective.

Something else, tandems come from different backgrounds and are often older, it can really offend when profanities and explicit sexual conversations. If in ear shot it really helps to tone things down. Keep the stories about drunkenly blowing your dog for the beer light...

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[dragon2 0]

From a videoflyer's perspective, I think it looks nice when you wave or give a thumbs-up from behind or next to the tandem when I'm videoing. You could maybe also point out nice visuals on the plane, or at least tell them to have a good time.
Provided you don't show up too prominently on the video (the passenger, plus TM should be the focus) and don't distract the passenger when he/she should be focussing on the TM or the videoflyer.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[gregpso 1]

Quote

From a videoflyer's perspective, I think it looks nice when you wave or give a thumbs-up from behind or next to the tandem when I'm videoing. You could maybe also point out nice visuals on the plane, or at least tell them to have a good time.
Provided you don't show up too prominently on the video (the passenger, plus TM should be the focus) and don't distract the passenger when he/she should be focussing on the TM or the videoflyer.

great post as a former nervous tandem passenger I always appreciated a bit of friendly banter from the video bloke. never had a bad one (Got 4 videos of me tandeming) Thanks Naggas

I tend to be a bit different. enjoyed my time in the sport or is it an industry these days ??

[Andy9o8 0]

Quote

While the Dr is removing whatever your friend got stuck in some part of his/her body? Probably not the time to speak up about anything, especially the medical procedure itself.

"Hey, I can make you a great necklace outta that bullet!"

[popsjumper 2]

Three things to consider...

- before the TI gets them
Talk to them. Make them feel welcome and part of the sport. Do not assume that they are comfortable with foul language or sexual innuendo...bad mistake there. Do NOT talk to them about the process or the training. That's the TI's job

- During the TI training process
NO talk. Do NOT interfere with the TI's training.

- After the jump.
Balls to the wall...after the TI releases them. Just be aware of and adhere to DZ policy.

OTOH, all of that is TI-dependent. Unfortunately, some don't care on way or the other. It's always best to play it safe.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239