inextremis

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Gear

  • Main Canopy Size
    150
  • Main Canopy Other
    Sharpchuter
  • Reserve Canopy Size
    160
  • Reserve Canopy Other
    Startrac 1
  • AAD
    Cypres 2

Jump Profile

  • Home DZ
    The Ranch
  • License
    D
  • License Number
    6498
  • Licensing Organization
    USPA
  • Number of Jumps
    1400
  • Years in Sport
    13
  • First Choice Discipline
    Formation Skydiving
  • First Choice Discipline Jump Total
    600
  • Second Choice Discipline
    Freefall Photography
  • Second Choice Discipline Jump Total
    300

Ratings and Rigging

  • AFF
    Instructor
  • Tandem
    Instructor
  • USPA Coach
    Yes
  • Pro Rating
    Yes
  • Rigging Back
    Senior Rigger
  • Rigging Chest
    Senior Rigger

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  1. Go look at a Sigma passenger harness and container. On the passenger harness, the attachment webbing and hardware that attaches the passenger to the Sigma rig is about six inches long, meaning that the passenger's clavicle is roughly six to eight inches below the D ring on the container. The cutaway handle is five inches BELOW the D ring, behind the passenger's shoulder. It's good geometry in the majority of circumstances, but can be defeated if the TM lets the student reach up and back.
  2. Not interested in the 10 fingers of death being above my student's shoulders and near cutaway handle while under canopy--good harness fit and bringing knees up to the "sitting in a swing" position helps. Leg grippers on student jumpsuits (or just excess fabric) can be grabbed as an assist.
  3. I bought a very nice Sigma with a 370 main 4 years ago. I enjoy having it and doing maybe 75 tandems per year. I have never worked in a commercial context. I seldom ask for money beyond slots plus (usually $50 per jump). I can't defend it economically, but I like being able to take friends and acquaintances on tandems and I like owning and maintaining the rig and knowing exactly what's on my back. I skydive for enjoyment--that includes my tandems.
  4. Had an unfortunate minor mishap--one of our instructors released an exuberant tandem passenger after an uneventful standup landing. She was excited to see her friends and started jumping up an down in the harness. When she turned her head to the side, one of the harness hooks (Sigma) flipped upwards and knocked a piece out of one of her front teeth. I've always warned my passengers to stay with me an watch for other jumpers after landing. Now I have one other thing to warn them about.
  5. Getting onto this thread a little late, but I think I have something to add. I've never been a commercial tandem instructor, but I have my own Sigma and do about 100 tandems per year. I spend a minimum of 30 min with every student. Typically, I drive the hour to the DZ with my students, and on the drive up talk through every step of the jump in detail. Then, when we get to the DZ, I physically walk them through every step of the jump, from geting into the airplane, into the hanging harness for canopy control and landing practice, to walking off the DZ looking for traffic. As a result, my students are VERY heads up--they enjoy the experience, are VERY confident, and several have transitioned to the commercial DZ to go on to make other tandems and/or AFF. I would never say that commercial centers "should" spend an hour or more with students, but I will say that it changes their experience, mostly for the better, and it's the only way I operate as a private tandem owner. And it makes them better in the air, which is something I like a lot. It's exciting to hear about a robust training program for tandem students, thanks for sharing the note Gary.
  6. Seat belts only until survivable reserve altitude (2K+) then left upper hook only until 8k, then all hooks until 11K when the laterals are tightened and the excess stowed.
  7. Just called this DZ and talked to an absolute jerk. Annoying know it all with a heavy accent, kept interrupting me. I'm in no hurry to jump at this DZ.
  8. I once saw a Canadian jumper at my home drop zone with a really small flotation device attached to her rig--smaller than a beer can. I can only find the Stearns style on the web. Any good links for compact flotation devices that could be affixed to a rig? thx
  9. Same with UPT and Sigma, manufacturer recommends soft helmets for both instructor and student. I wear one mostly to maximize my chances of getting my student (and me) out of an airplane that has crashlanded.
  10. Educate, train, and inspire--the first and second make them safer and the third makes them want to stay.
  11. You might ask your rigger how he opened the rig to swap out the CYPRES. Sometimes there is an attempt to get a spectra pull up cord through the loop under the pin so that the loop is not lost into the reserve when the rig is opened (making it necessary to gently put a rod through the pack job or completely repack the reserve). Usually if you try to get a cord through the loop under the pin, the pin is bent slightly in the process. I did it once a few years ago on my own rig and discovered how dumb it was (and bought a new Mirage ripcord in the process). If your rigger bent your pin, he should replace the ripcord.
  12. I do tandems with my own rig for people who I WANT to take on tandems. I really enjoy it (I've held various instructor ratings and enjoy teaching and developing students). I am also pretty much a weekender. The greatest challenge to part time tandem jumping is that it really gets in the way of developing skills in other disciplines. I feel very good about the quality of my tandem work, but my RW and freefall photography skills have definitely diminished somewhat. But no hint of burn out--I love the challenge and excitement of the sport more than ever. But if you do a lot of things for variety, it's tough to do all of those things well.
  13. I think we're in agreement on most points. I'd love to bring you to West Point at some point to do some coaching for our demonstrators. Thanks, TAK