Working with students

[freeflir29 0]

Whats some good drills for students. I made the mistake of trying to get two newbies to do Round/L360/Round/R360. I spun around the first time and the guy with 60 jumps back slid a little but the one with 20 or so was gone! Spent the rest of the dive trying to heard them back up. Almost got the third one back...LOL
Other than sticking to moves that let the student keep his eyes on the formation like doughnuts, what other advice do the "experts" have?
"I only have a C license, so I don't know shit..right?"-Clay

[skycat 0]

When I jump with newbies, especially ones in the 20 jump range, I try to make sure the docks are ones where it is easy for them to keep eye contact and where they don't have to do head switches. Rounds, open accordians, side bodies depending on who is on the dive. Here is a dive Tequila Girl and I will do to take a newbie out. So far it has always worked and the newbie who has more than once said that is the first exit that has worked is more confident and on the next dives more relaxed and will to do more.
(I had over 200 jumps, Cyndi over 100, the 3rd person 25 jumps)
Exit a closed accordian, I was in the middle head jamming and controling everyone the next strongest flier in this case cyndi was point who had to make sure to jump up and present and the newbie was tail all she had to do was dive out. Exit everytime has come off perfect.
From there a round, I did a 180 and they just flew together and I closed the round. Then an open accordian on the newbie, to side-bodies the newbie side bodied on me, cyndi side-bodied on her, then back to the round (repeat). It was very simple and someone always had control of the newbie...also the newbie was the base.

[Beachbum 0]

being on the newbie end of those ... I agree with the eye contact thing ... remember we learners have enough trouble matching fall rate when we can see you ... get our eyes off ya for a few seconds and who knows where we'll end up!

[skycat 0]

Exactly....If you are organizing a dive with a newbie, plan one that will succed, yes shit still does happen, but there is a lot I can do to make sure it doesn't happen. Like planning an exit that I can muscle out if I have to. Keeping things simple like side bodies or open accordians where they never have to take their eyes off mine. Even if they can see me doesn't mean they can stay with me, but for some reason as long as they see my eyes we are golden. Some newbies are scared to dock, scared that they will hurt me. Guess what, I can take a hit, and it takes a HUGE hit to hurt me. Someone told me this trick once about docking, both of you get on creepers, and have the other person drive at you and dock on you. When he/she hits both of you end up moving, I had a big guy scared to hurt me and we did this he was quite surprised. I also make sure to stress that if all we turn is 1 point, that is one more point than they had before. This is also why I throw in formations that I can make sure the dock happens, it boosts their confidence, and if they are confident with their flying, that will make them relax that much more on the next jump. Which in turn will help them learn faster.

[nws01 0]

Clay,
I recommend "Body Pilot, The Manual" by Carl Nelson, Jr. for coaching and training recent A Licensed jumpers wanting to learn Relative Work. Also, go through Skydive University. If you want a copy of Body Pilot just PM me your address and I will send it to you tomorrow.
Nathan

[nws01 0]

Body Pilot by Carl Nelson, Jr.
Level Flight
Flying the Base Position
Basics for the Aggressor
Flying the Pin Position
Diving
Horizontal Tracking
Subterminal Exit Trajectories
Floating
Docked Exits
Speed Star
Team Formations
Team Freefly
Big Ways

[billvon 2,400]

>Whats some good drills for students.
Depends on a lot - objective of dive, relative experience levels, number of jumpers . . . in your particular case, sounds like an experienced jumper with a 20 and 60 jump student.
An excellent training dive is the no contact round, but it's somewhat boring. Launch a round, then release and fly an inch from your slot for the rest of the dive. Gives very good training in slot flying and body position control.
A more fun dive might be a dive designed with the 20-jump guy as base for three of the four points, and the 60-jump guy the base for the fourth point with the 20 guy docking on him. An example:
Round (with the 20 guy agressing on the 60 guy)
20 guy in center, sidebody docks
open accordion, 20 guy in center again
20 guy flies forwards, other two pod on his legs
Back to round (note that if you do this the "short" way, the round will now be in the opposite orientation)
That has one outfacing point by the low timer, but the trick there is the experienced jumper can "catch" him and create a stable base. It will give him some experience with outfacing points and looking at the right place.
-bill von