velvetjo

No aviation restrictions at all on my AAFMAA term policy - great rates too! Lance

Unless you're somehow putting a dedicated cutaway system on the G3, the term "safest" doesn't even remotely apply to your question. Hint: fastex buckles don't release easily under tension. As for Grant's reply being negative, I'm impressed that you can figure out what the hell he said...known him for years and I still have trouble with his syntax on here.

You'll be a lot more maneuverable with big wings in the same situation than you are now clinging to the edge of your fall rate range. Cordura booties with pockets will definitely help to balance the big wings, but I have a 2-piece camera suit without booties and it's still pretty manageable with large wings. Lance

Raynox 0.5 or 0.3 are good video choices for tandem to complement a Canon 10-22 still lens. Which one depends somewhat on your flying style & typical exit configuration, but either will work. Lance

Booties and wings together can give you more options for combinations of fall rates & angles. Lance

Fair enough. Lance

Yep, shit happens sometimes. Gotta take a hit for the team once in a while.

So, tell us about some of your off landings as a TI. Sounds like you're pretty experienced with them. Got any good tips for how to keep Granny's ankles intact in a soybean field on a no-wind day? Lance

In 13 years of full time skydiving, I've never seen this "shortage" of TI's. And assuming there is a shortage, why would you suspect the the medical is the bottle neck? Who said anything about a shortage now? Tighten up the medical to Class 2 and it will weed out more TM's from the finite number available. Lance

Diablo, I agree with your point in general, and have no problem with the idea of requiring a Class 2 medical for TM's in principle. That said, there are two big factors in play: 1 - limited supply of TM candidates doesn't allow for that level of medical scrutiny 2 - FAA doesn't regulate tandem licenses directly The current system seems like a reasonable compromise between the aviation medical system and our self-regulated world. But, I'm betting that if we have any high-profile tandem student injuries or fatalities, you'll see #2 change and we'll all be looking at Class 2 medicals as TM's. The FAA is letting sport pilots self-certify medicals now with a valid driver's license, but that's for strictly non-commercial stuff. They draw a pretty hard line with lots of things at commercial vs, non-commercial. For that reason, I wouldn't be surprised if the FAA pushes back on USPA for the proposed DOT vs. FAA medical change. Lance

You might find this thread helpful. I had similar concerns and it generated some interesting points. I've done tandems when needed over the last couple of seasons, and one of the scariest was a lady who could barely demonstrate an arch or lift her legs for landing. I let her know that if she didn't, we weren't going. That motivated her enough to at least show me that she could. On the way to the boarding area I asked her what she did for a living and she responded: "corporate lawyer." Predictably, she was more like cargo than a participant in the jump. I'm still not sure why I took her. Despite all that, tandems can be a real blast with a good student. Lance

The model numbers are not the same. Zlew gave you an easy way to check the models that dragon provided earlier in this thread as EIS. Buying online may be your only option for some of the older models that are EIS. Please pay attention and fill out your profile. Lance

A NOTAM for skydiving does not clear the airspace for jumpers. VFR flying in uncontrolled airspace is see-and-avoid, no matter whether you're flying a Cub with no radio, the Goodyear blimp, a hot air balloon, an F-18, a Life Flight helicopter, or a student canopy. You'll likely have the right of way as an unpowered craft, but it's definitely not worth it to be "dead right". We all need to be prepared for evasive action in situations like this. Like it or not, it's shared airspace. With pressures like user fees facing all of us who work and play in it, we're a lot better off finding ways to help each other than making comments like "Dr. Cessna". Lance

Around the first time you do 10+ instructor and/or video jumps in a day, you'll figure out that it's work.

They saw that you only have 166 jumps. It'll probably ship around the time you make your 200th. Lance