Adrenalinejunky

My first tandem was in '96, and it took me a year and a half to come back, mainly because I waited for my friends that wanted to do it again too. The AFP program consisted of three tandems, being taught something new each time, and then you would go out with only one instructor with you, instead of two. Other than that, the program was basically the same as the standard AFF program. I have a student that has done two tandems with me, and plans to do one more in a couple of weeks. I am teaching her how to move in the sky, and she is going to be a great skyidver. It's not that she is required to do tandems, but she wants to learn, but isn't ready to wear a rig on her back. So, after her next tandem, it is off to AFF. She is more comfortable, and I think it will be obvious on her first AFF jump. Just my 2cents.

I completely agree with Lucky. This past weekend my videographer and I had a really long spot. I gave him the signal that we were really long, and then I dumped higher than usual to give him the best chance at making it back. Looking down once under canopy with my student, I thought I saw our vidiot landing very short, and told my student that I would rather take them back to the landing area where it is safer for both of us. They completely agreed with me, and also wanted to land where their family could see them. As it turned out, our vidiot made it back to the landing area because I had let him know we were long on our spot. Instructors and vidiots always need to work as a team. Being both, I know the importance from both sides.

LOL!!! You either have the manual in front of you, or one hell of a memory!!!

I am rated on the Eclipse and the Vector systems, and I believe that it is the Vector manual that talks about exactly what you are doing. They explain how to work with your student to slide the leg straps down the thigh slightly to alieviate the pressure on the femoral artery. So, you are absolutely correct in your procedure. I purchased my own Sigma harness for my students comfort. It positions the legs in more of a sitting position after opening to reduce the pressure on the femoral artery. I haven't had a student complain yet since I started using that harness. But I am sure that the time will come.

Congrats!!!

We are paid $30 per video, and the DZ provides everything for us. Dubbing the vid is another $5 and is usually done by the vidiot unless we have someone to dub the vids, then they get the $5. The DZ has an editing room with all of the editing equip. We only have to worry about our personal equipment to do the job (suit, helmet, cameras).

You bring up an interesting question. I was taught that technique from instructors with thousands of jumps, and in my skydiving career, I have never seen or heard of it creating additional problems on landing. I have been sitting here for a while now thinking about it. If the side connectors are still connected, and the student stops and you don't, the momentum would still continue through and can cause injuries. I don't see the increased risk of flipping over a student by having the connectors undone. Maybe if I have a student that is significantly taller than I am, and that would cause the center of gravity to be much higher. But still I would expect that it would cause the two to move more as one entity. We are still connected at the shoulders, and as I am thrown forward, I would pull them with me because of the shoulder connections. I only have a couple hundred tandems, and am far from knowing everything, so I am not trying to be a smartass. If anyone has more input, I would like to hear others opinions. I am always open to learning something new, and if it means changing the way I deal with my students to reduce the risk of injuring them, I am all for it!!

THAT WAS IT!!!!!!!!! Thanks!

Like everyone has said, they check all aspects of your vision, take blood pressure, hernia check. They did a urine test also. Don't remember what it was for because I thought it was a drug test, but a friend of mine told me it was for something else, just can't remember what it was for

If I remember correctly, they did it both ways. Each eye separately, and both eyes together.

When I took my class 3, I had to read a typical eye chart, they checked me for color blindness. Then I looked into this lighted box that had lines of "C"s in it that got gradually smaller as you went down the list. It was like a regular eye chart, but you had to tell them which way the opening of the "C" was facing. I would assume that all class 3 requirements would be the same, but you know what happens when you "assume" anything.

***I remember not to long ago a tandem went in, from a student standing on the tops of the instructor’s feet and while stepping up reached back for something to hold onto and accidentally pulled the cutaway handle. Never loose awareness of what your student hands are doing.*** That is one of the reasons why when I am training students, I explain to them that at no time during our skydive should they reach behind them to grab onto anything for security. I picked that up because of a TI that I filmed that pulled the students arms in to their chest before deployment. I didn't understand the reasoning behind it, so I asked him about it. He told me that one time he had a student pull the cutaway handle free of the velcro as they reached behind them for something to hold onto as the canopy was opening. I did three tandems before I began the AFF program, and have done a few more on the front for future TI's going through the tandem course. I know how uncomfortable it feels to be suddenly pulled upright, and want to hold onto something. Since I teach all students not to reach behind them, I have never had a problem with their hands being anywhere I don't want them. They stand on my feet with no problems, and I disconnect the lowers.

I actually refused my first student last weekend. I myself weigh about 210 lbs. When manifest asked me if I was comfortable taking a student that weighed 240, I declined. I was a little uncomfortable saying no because I had never refused a student before, but I just wasn't comfortable pushing the limits of the gear like that. I didn't get any kind of attitude for my decision, and as it turned out, all of the other TI's made the same decision. I wasn't sure if I would catch hell for turning down a student, but I am glad to know now that I won't.

I am definitely with Aaron and Clint on this one. I have left the plane with laterals that weren't as quite as tight as I would have liked, and can definitely feel a difference. The students seem to have a little room to slide from side to side, and we don't fly as one as well. I delfinitely make sure that the laterals are as tight as I can get them. And I also disconnect them and leave them that way. Have had so many students comment on how they are more comfortable once that has been done. And like some other TI's here, that is just the way I was taught too. When I have stand up landings with small students, it seems easier to me to lean forward and diconnect the upper clips, rather than having to squat down so they can stand up before I disconnect all four points. Just my two cents.

I have always liked reading about everyones first experience with a tandem cutaway. I just wasn't sure when I would be here talking about mine. After this weekend, my time has finally come. I always wondered what kind of mal I would have for my first reserve ride, and Saturday I got to find out. After a great skydive with a relatively small student, it was time for that fun canopy ride......well, so I thought. As we got line stretch, I suddenly felt the sharp pain of being slapped in the face and neck. And of course had the first thought "what the hell was that"!! Looked up to see broken lines on the right side, accompanied by blue skies due to the fact that we began to spin on our back. It is amazing how slow everything seems to move sometimes. The spin seemed slow and rather calm, but everyone on the ground said we were hauling ass!! I looked down, grabbed my handles, and let my student know "here we go again". I learned that I am a little uncomfortable with an RSL on a tandem rig for the same reason that I don't have one on my sport rig. With a spinning mal, I didn't have a chance to get belly to earth before deploying my reserve. Saw the reserve bridle come over my left shoulder as we were rolling over belly to earth. Of course once on the ground, I realized that I looked like someone took a whip to my face. A few lacerations, but that was the least of my concerns. My student told me he knew something was strange because "we were falling, then we stopped..........then were were falling again"!!!! I couldn't help but laugh. All in all, it was a great skydive, and of course I made sure to buy my rigger his bottle for the save. I am glad that first one is out of the way, and I am not in any hurry for another one. And of course my student loved getting two rides for the price of one!!!!!!

Being both a vidiot, and now a TI, I agree with everything that everyone has had to say. Seems like we are all on the same page. At our DZ, we have a consistent staff of vidiots and instructors, and we all have pretty much the same routine, so we all know what to expect from each other. If someone wants to come out of the plane with us, and work on their camera skills, we always make sure that we have a talk with them about the typical do's and don'ts. And of course, if we want to try something different, even if it is an instructor/camera flyer that we work with regularly, we always communicate with each other prior to the jump. Communication is the key to making sure that everyone is on the same page, and the jump goes as planned and as safe as possible for everyone involved.

Left handed ketchup??? I take it the mustard is right handed?? Then of course there is the saying that only us left handed people are in our "right" minds. Although every non skydiver I know would say there is no right mind if you jump out of airplanes. If only they knew what WE know!!! Lefties skipped a generation in my family. My grandfather was left handed, all four of his kids were right handed, and three out of the four of us grandchildren are lefties. Coincidence or genetics??

could someone explain to me why a smaller TI shouldn't jump with a big/baggy jumpsuit? *** From being in the position of vidiot, and now a TI myself, the biggest problem we have at the DZ with smaller TI's wearing baggy suits is freefall speed. It isn't so bad when the smaller TI's jump with bigger students, but if you put a small student with a small TI, and that TI is wearing a baggy suit, trying to video their freefall is a nightmare. I can fall pretty slow when I need to, but falling slow, and being able to get the money shot isn't always easy. Unless, of course, you are a smaller vidiot yourself, which I am not.

I wish I had a picture, I'd post it. He's an arrogant bitch in real life too.. *** So, if you know he is the same in real life too, does that mean you know his true identity?? If so, how about sharing it with the rest of us so we can all make sure to say hi when we meet him!!

It will get you up to altitude before you know it. Although with a tandem student strapped to me, or if it is at full capacity, it never seemed fast enough. But that is the case with any plane. The sound system rocks, and that makes the flight a lot more enjoyable too.

For us in Taft, he would fly with as few as 8. But now that he owns the DZ and the plane, that might change. Maybe he will fly with less, I don't know. The PAC is a lot of fun, and you guys will really enjoy it. And you are right, with 17 people, it is really tight. With the co-pilot seat facing forward, we were only maxing out with 15. Still really tight!! Enjoy the plane, it is a blast.

***I'll be up there soon and look foward to meeting you all! When you show up, not that I think you will, make sure that you introduce yourself as DOG. I would hate for us to meet you and not be able to give you the recognition that you feel you deserve for our new otter.

I suppose that wasn’t very nice of me. Sorry Dave. I hope however, my derogatory remarks were a partial influence in Dave finally investing some coin to get a truly competitive aircraft. If this is the case, I think everyone at Skydive Taft owes me a serious debt of gratitude. UntamedDOG You know, I find it fascinating that there is someone that will talk shit about a dropzone and not even reveal who he is. You talk a lot of shit DOG, and you know things that make me think that you used to jump in Taft. I have Perris and Elsinore half the distance from me than Taft, yet I still choose to be there. You talk as if Dave has no sense of humor, and you couldn't be further from the truth. I have been there for a year and a half, and have had a lot of laughs with Dave and everyone else at the DZ. And if you think anyone on the DZ owes you anything for the new Otter, it will be a cold day in hell before that happens!!!! I have seen the DZ grow a lot in the time that I have been there, and with the PAC leaving, we needed to take another step forward. And come to think of it, I don't remember your name ever coming into conversation regarding the need for a new plane. So, my advice to you is this.....if you have nothing better to do than to stir up shit and cause problems, why don't you find somewhere else to do it. And feel free to say hi when you are in Taft so that we can put a face to your words. I am sure that there are several of us that would REALLY like to meet you!!

The Otter has tunes in it also, so you won't have to miss the PAC too much. And there are a few of us that fly wingsuits in Taft.

Once I have my female students geared up, I explain to them about how once the parachute opens the harness may become uncomfortable, and the chest strap may need to be adjusted to make them more comfortable. I will stand behind them and explain exactly what I am going to do to adjust the chest strap, and then I will do it once so they know exactly what to expect from me. Once under canopy, I always let them know that I am going to adjust their chest strap. Once done, I ask them if it is more comfortable for them, and so far have always gotten the same answer "yes". I guess for me, I figure that if the student knows that I am doing it on the ground in front of other people, they will be more apt to undestand that I am not trying to cross any lines and cop a cheap feel, and that it is strictly for their comfort. I have never had any problems with female students, and I hope that it contintues that way. And thank you ladies for your input on this subject. It may be an instructors forum, but it is of great benefit to hear from people that can help in the discussion, whether you are an instuctor or not.