After doing more than 1200 tandems the people I will NOT let jump with me anymore are the old school old timers that think they know what the hell they are doing! I have had near misses with them and also while doing camera they don't track away and stay on top watching me fall and stay under the tandem! They also have a tendancy to go low so trying to track in shorts (I just use a camera jacket) to get away from them and being low really sucks!!! The low time jumpers (100+) that I have let come with me I have briefed first and they have done a great job and usually stay more on the preservative side and too scared to f--k up. Was very impressed with them. But I sussed them out big time first and make sure I know who they are/skills etc. Jump numbers don't mean you are a safe or smart skydiver, it's wether you can plan the jump, jump the plan and stick with. Thinking you know better and changing your mind half way through the jump is what will kill. Fom what I have seen, (so called) experienced jumpers are just as bad if not worse! My advice to tm's - doesn't matter how many jumps they have, make sure everyone is briefed and does their job and make sure they understand, don't be relaxed with the experienced jumpers also. If someone has 10,000 jumps and doesn't stick with the plan then chew their arse as well!!! IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER SKYDIVE!
