Schoenauer

I went though Billy’s evaluation course and thought he is fair but firm he lectured exactly what he wanted to see in the ground reviews and if you can do that you’ll pass that portion of the evaluation. The in air evaluation again were fair, and if you got an unsat, you were told why. In retrospect the AFFI course is the time for evaluating the candidate ability and not the time to teach or coddle the candidate. The pre course on the other hand is something all together different which I know nothing about because I did not go though one, but I have heard that Jay and Bram have a good pre course. Memento Mori

You forgot that aircraft seat belts are TSO’d and two people sharing a belt exceeds the belts designed limits. Memento Mori

I have noticed two types of AFF instructors, those who want to teach something they truly love, skydiving, and those that get the ratting for their status and ego. Memento Mori

Narrow 182 and I use to sit in the student slot next to the pilot my back to the fire wall and I also would hook up the lowers while taxing with the door open, but I have changed my seating arrangement in the 182. This would have been the only other time. I was taught the same thing and when I hook up early that always passes thought my mind. Memento Mori

I would guess your referring to the student sitting next to the door where I have the lowers hook up at at take off. That is DZ SOP, which has some logic to it, it guard the student from doing something stupid. If this doesn’t answer your questing then I don't quite fallow what your after could you be more specific? Memento Mori

My SOP, at 2K seat belts off hook up the bottom student attachment points, adjusted ready to skydive. My thinking is below 2K we are landing with the airplane. At 2K I know I can get out with a student regardless of aircraft type and deploy the reserve. If wing is gone or airplane is on fire below 2K I will do everything possible to get out with or without the student. Student sitting next to the door, Caravan/Otter, the bottom attachment is hooked up for take off, but adjusted ready to skydive at 2K when seat belts come off. If the door is going to be opened at 1K, during the summer heat, I want two bodies between the student and the door. If not the student is hooked up at the bottom attachment before the door is opened. I have never had a student make a suicide move towards the door but I am not going to leave that window of opportunity open. Memento Mori

No Memento Mori

If your at a DZ that has both vector and strong tandems that’s to bad I don’t believe in using different tandem systems at the same DZ. I feel it may lead to problems. Now if the DZ your at are using one tandem system then I agree with Noonan pick the one you would be using and jump the hell out of it. Then cross train to another system and figure it out for your self. My personal rating of tandems of which I am rated in are: #1 Sigma “There is no competition its way ahead of the others, UPT has set the new standard for modern equipment” #2 and 3 are Strong and Vector “Both vary close to each other but personally I would choose the Strong over Vector when given a choice” Memento Mori

I don’t know about the monetarily benefit that Kip and Jay would gain from mandatory TI rating for all USPA tandem pilots. If there are benefits then I agree there is a conflict in interest and I feel they should have refrain from voting on the issue, in the spirit of Robert Rules Of Order. Understand that Robert Rules Of Order is only a guide to bring order out of chaos when conducting meetings, so only being a guide, a voting member in a meeting is not forced to refrain from voting. The requirement for a board member to refrain from voting where a conflict exists would have to be stated in the organizations’ bylaws. About Board Committees they study the pros and cons about an issue and present a report to the Board on their findings and recommend a Yes or No vote to the board. I was not contacted nor have I ever been contacted by a BOD about any issues so this leads me to believe that the committees are not doing a complete job. Memento Mori

Talk to your S&TA about what you need to do to get the TI rating, they should help you. If they won’t then call the USPA license and rating department. The Grandfather clause you mentioned was a one time deal if you were a TM when the USPA dropped the TM classification. On a side note: I do not agree with the TI requirement I think it’s a bunch of bull. I believe the old TM rating should be reinstated, and allow the TM to jump upper level tandem students under the supervision of someone with the instructor rating. That means that the instructor needs to be available if there is a problem or question. I would not write off the TI rating, it has its place, they can conduct upper level tandem jumps self supervise and supervise other TMs’. Further, if a TM wants to make the transition to TI, if so desired, the TM would have to attend a course like the old days when the AFFJM had to attend an instructor certification course. Memento Mori

Take the time and describe what they will feel and their involvement in airplane including the exit. If you have a 182 mockup or the real thing available use it and let them check it out and brief them on exactly what you want them to do. I have found that the blind pay close attention to what you say and do exactly what you want. In all honestly they are by far on the top of the list of students I have ever had the pleasure to take skydiving. Memento Mori

I find at my home DZ we approach the difficult student the same as Vdschoorn and Tombuch have described. When it comes to the point that different instructors are not breaking through and the student is stubborn and refuses to give up, admirable, we then bluntly tell them to look into going to a wind tunnel before continuing. Memento Mori

I could not agree with any one of the options you have produced on this thread but I might if a few things were merged together. I have posted a revision for your group to view, it may inspirer new thoughts. I have included a brief comment about each at the end. Over all I agree with Brian Germain plan, if I owned and DZ with enough property I would establish separate landing areas, including a student area then this would not be an issue. H) Drop zone requirements 4. Landing Patterns: a) The standard landing pattern (SLP) is defined as a rectangular flight pattern with a defined downwind, base and final turn to land. Jumpers will enter a leg of the pattern determined by their position relative to the landing area. Each turn in the pattern will be no more than ninety (90) degrees. [NW] b) Any landing pattern that does not conform to the standard landing pattern will be termed a high performance landing (HPL). [NW] c) Drop zone operators shall create and maintain landing approach patterns to ensure traffic continuity with in each separately, SLP and HPL, in a manner that SLP and HPL shall not conflict with each other. [NW] d) Every drop zone, where high performance landings are permitted shall do one of the following, so that an individual performing HPL can not interfere with an individual fallowing a SLP: [FB] 1) Shall separate the landing areas and traffic patterns geographically 2) Shall separate by time to establish adequate clear air space (a & b) This is necessary to clearly define the difference between Standard Landing Pattern and High Performance Landing Pattern so this has not been changed. (c) Is something that we should be doing where ever we jump, it should be established, depending on wind direction, and that our landing approach pattern is either a right or left hand pattern. (d) This one pains me, because it has come to the point that we have become so inept that it takes a BSR to enforce what we were supposed to have learned, meaning what were taught, lower and slower have the right of way. (d) 1) and 2) Gives DZ the flexibility depending on their individual setting and size so the DZ may provide for their customers, if they so choose. Memento Mori

Close, JMs could teach a FJC, and they only needed the JM rating for one year while under grey-beard’s supervision and then they could apply for the “I” once completing the ICC. I don’t know about the Tandems. Memento Mori

I can only guess but I would assume it has to do with a shortage of instructors bacause the rating was not easy to get, or DZOs wanting more flexibility. For example AFFJM had to be supervised by an AFFI and could not give tests or sign off application cards. The TM I am not sure about because when I got my tandem rating my membership card showed nothing about tandem but at the DZ I was regarded as a tandem master. 2001 is when I started seeing Tan-I on my membership card I figure I was grandfathered to TI. Memento Mori

AFF instructor where I am are being paid $35 main size and $25 for the reserve. The first jump tandem instructors get $35... the same as AFF main side, but the Tandem instructor doing tandem progression is the highest paid at $45. Go figure? The coach is the lowest at $15. Packing for the school earns $10 / tandems and $6 / student rigs. All sport packing is still $5 regardless of size. I agree with a lot with what is being said on this thread: Yes it seems that the USPA is handing out the AFF tickets like candy on Halloween, but the same could be said for the TI. Heck there are several TIs I know who got their Coach and TI rating with in a week and that is what bothers me... a little. Why? Here’s brand new TI who is one of those one week wonders that has no practical experience, teaching skydiving, other than the examiner’s lectured, and this new TI now has all the rights and privileges of an instructor. They can supervise coaches, perform A license check dives, and administer A,B,C license test and sign off the application form for A,B,C licenses. My fear is this privilege may be abused, say, letting students slide, when truth be told they shouldn’t. Sorry, I don’t mean to only pick on TIs, I know the same can be said about the AFFI, I am just venting a little. So what’s the fix, return the AFF/JM and TM rating and make the “I” rating tough but obtainable to achieve. It would seem to make pay easer to structure and it would be fair because JMs and TM could then be classified as apprentice instructor. Hell there I go... deviating from the subject again. AFF should get the same as the TI doing tandem progression. AFF reserve side should be paid the same as a first jump TI. As for the coaches pay, sorry guys, I am on the fence with that one. Memento Mori

True he is specific about an AFF however I only pointed out by definition what classifies a student. I see from your ealer post that there is confusion in this. Just because a student has been cleared to self jump master him or her self is no longer a student, is not true. Well, I ran to manifest had them called the pilot on his decent instructed him to spot the student until she was down then I went and got her. Memento Mori

I can see an application for power point during a lecture section of the FJC, but not the whole course you might as well write a FJC manual for your students, that they can keep, it would be as useful if not more. The difference between a good instructor and a poor one is the good instructor will improvise with success when training aids are unavailable in order to deliver the message. Memento Mori

A student is a skydiver who has not obtained their A License regardless of their level if training, remain classified as a student until the A license is achieved. The BSR is vary clear about student jumps. 2-1 E. Student skydivers 9. All student jumps, including tandems, must be completed between official sunrise and sunset. [NW] If I know I am going to have the student’s feet on the ground by official sunset we’re good, I just hope they don’t waste their time admiring the view during the jump. Memento Mori

No I would not sign. Designated landing areas is great in a perfect world where all DZ had enough property to establish designated landing areas but this is not the case. Requiring or mandating a designated landing area for all USPA group members, regardless of size, would restrict the freedoms DZ has in deciding how best to operate their business. If you feel the DZ your jumping as is not safe because their policies, or rules, or lack of them, and that does not conform to your ideals, then jump some place else. Memento Mori

Some time ago I used to get paid at the end of the day by the DZ, and at the end of the year the Zone sends me a form W-2 for my taxes. I had no problem with this set up because and when each day was done I had cash in my pocket. Now I am an independent contractor and the student pays me cash up front, my fee plus pay the packers. Its not a bad system for the DZ, it makes their accounting more efficient, and eliminate the likely hood of the staff skimming some extra cash though false invoicing. There is a down side, but its more of an inconvenience compared, and that is I have to make sure the packer gets paid and do the meet and great with the next peace of meat, if I am on a quick turn. Now on the good side I can claim less income at the end of the year and stick it to the MAN, its the American way, more money for me and less for him. I figure I can spend the money better then he can. Memento Mori

I don’t know what Relative Work Shop wants’ their tandem instructors to do but Strong spells it out pretty clearly. Below 1K land with the airplane. Between 1 and 3K exit reserve Between 3 and 5K exit main, throw drogue, release drogue once clear of aircraft, the instructor does have an option to this, pull both drogue release handles before exit then exit and throw the drogue. Above 5K use normal drogue and main deployment As for the hook up; both shoulder connections minimum are the preferred by any instructor but if the situation dictates it one shoulder connections will work Memento Mori

The closest jumper to the door, the spotter, on an emergency exit is going to orchestrate the exit and separation depending on the aircraft type, for the jumpers aboard, but this ends at the instructors with student. In that case the instructors with students, the spotter leaves before the instructors. The Instructors are in command of their student and with that responsibility, they alone make the decision for their student on exit type, and canopy to be deployed, main or reserve. In reply to other post on this thread: At 6K in an aircraft that is FUBAR, please don’t be stupid and track back to the DZ because there are two things that will happen. 1. Everyone on the load will be tracking the same direction and will not achieve safe separation from others. The objective is to exit the airplane, open either main or reserves clear of others. 2. Your are not going to cover enough distance in tracking back to the DZ compared to flying back under a canopy. A final note, if the aircraft is a fairly long distance from the DZ where people are not going to make it back under canopy then they need to land together. There is nothing worst then looking for 22 skydivers scattered all over BFE. Memento Mori

Flips are not a standard exit out of a Cessna nor are they recommended by either relative work shops or Strong. It looks like the guy threw the drogue to get stable; I think he could have been there if he kept flying a little longer, got stable and then threw the drogue, and we wouldn’t be here talking about it. Memento Mori