Revised: What Tandem Certs do you hold?

[fcajump 164]

With apologies to the OP, this was too good a question to leave floundering with what quickly became apparent as too limited a list of options...

So, what ratings do you hold?

In the comments it would also be interesting to know:
What do you actively use?
Is the choice of what ratings dictated by where you work, or do you choose where to work based on the ratings you have/rigs you like?

Did I miss a brand?... yep, likely... don't know them all, but this might give a better representation.

Blue Skies (or, I guess "Bleu Skies" for our Atom jumpers )
JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[fcajump 164]

For myself, I got the Strong rating because at the time there really were only two options (Strong and Vector) and RWS/UPT required that you have an instructor (SL or AFF) rating prior to taking the TI course. Having none, and no real desire for either, I went the Strong route.

I did however have to take the BIC (for those that remember it), as it was a new requirement. But got the brand new USPA TI rating when the Strong TI was completed.

JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[riggerrob 624]

Last year I jumped Strong Dual Hawk, Vector 2 and Sigma.
Last year I worked at 3 different DZs and trained a pair of new TIs.
........ just refuse to jump two different rigs on the same day.

[cacrinklaw 0]

Funny that the Vector and Sigma are not closer to the same. Or vector larger. I thought that you have to be Vector certified with a Sigma endorsement added. At least that is how it was when I got rated 5 years ago.

[riggerrob 624]

Most DZs that started with Vectors wore out their Vectors and replaced them with Sigmas. Sigmas have dominated sales for the last 15 years. Only a few low-volume DZs still jump Vectors. Eventually Vectors will wear out and disappear.

Younger TIs only earn Sigma ratings.
I suspect that a few older TIs are jumping Sigmas with only a Vector rating, but they have survived so many thousand jumps that no-one cares about the (Sigma) paperwork.

[Beatnik 2]

Quote

Vector certified with a Sigma endorsement added

You would be correct. It is still like that. When training new TI's they will go through and have to know all the Vector emergencies along with the Sigma ones because they have the rating. I can't speak on all examiners but that is the way I train new candidates.

Vector tandems are quickly fading out because UPT no longer has the has the patterns to build/repair them. Well they are not in their computers anyways but I am sure paper copies exist somewhere. I think it also comes down to getting a better product out there.