fencebuster

John: I am a TI as well, and I have 6 cut-aways (none on tandems). I had my first cutaway on CAT C, so I experienced the stress pretty early on, but the up side of that is that I have not hesitated to cut away early in situations where it was called for since. I have done two hand pulls, just fine, but I have D ring ripcord handles on both my personal rigs, so I am less likely to go out of sequence. Obviously, experience (and practice) helps, but the two jumpers with less experience that I discussed above panicked or made an erroneous choice of procedures when they could least afford it. Color coordinated pillow handles look cool, but I recommend to my jumpers buying gear for the first time that they go with the D ring to start. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

I was at Skydive City for one of the out-of-sequence deployments. Very experienced jumper ended in needless fatality. I also know of two jumpers who pulled out of sequence, neither of whom skydives any more, one because he suffered a TBI on impact under entangled main/reserve, the other because it was a decision ti quit after the broken pelvis. Since I run the FJC and am responsible for QA of our students at my DZ, I made sure that we are teaching two hands method all around. I really dislike two pillow handles for A license jumpers and students. It invites error in a stressful situation. I am pretty sure all three of the above mentioned cases involved two pillow handles. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Concur. Interrupting the normal sequence of events can lead to mistakes. I had an AFF student interrupt me to ask me a question while I was adjusting my own leg straps and I took the time to answer and didn't finish tightening my leg straps. My rig was all over the place in freefall and I had an opening that left me with bruises inside my thighs. If you have a system, don't let yourself be interrupted and if you are, start over again. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Well, I run a DZ and I usually teach the First Jump Course for AFF students. At the end of the ground training, I provide the student with a 4 sided A license proficiency card -- it is found on the USPA website, but I have no expectation that the students will find it and the FJC needs to be signed off anyway. We use the four sided card because it tracks the USPA ISP category training from the SIM in an orderly and building block approach. IMO, whoever signs off the FJC should provide the card to the student. There are many things on the proficiency card that are likely to not be logged by the instructor on the jump in the logbook, such as rear riser and front riser turns, changing a closing loop, check another jumper's gear etc., unless they are looking at the card. The card provides the student with the "way forward" and also lets the instructors see what the student has accomplished, and more importantly, what the student needs to accomplish so training can be focused. The cost of a sheet of plain paper is nothing, but not providing a proficiency card to the student is really a dereliction of our duty to supervise our students. Again, my opinion, but USPA wouldn't have created the card if it weren't part of the program. And at the end of training a fully completed card, signed off by the appropriate level of rating holders where indicated, is a necessary step to receiving an A license from USPA. I can't think of any reason not to provide the student with the A license proficiency card so both the student and the instructional staff can track the student's training. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

What he said. The judges have read the briefs before the argument. They want new material. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Chris is spot on. I went through this over the last two years with one of my TIs (and with Chris's help). You just have to power through it. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

As a result of the tandem dual fatality at Lodi, USPA has suspended Bill Dause's ratings and membership pending investigation. All TIs who received their ratings from two named individuals must stop doing tandem skydives and complete refresher training and in some cases, complete the entire Tandem Rating Course again. So much for USPA not doing anything. http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/files/misc_USPATandemAnnouncement.pdf Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

What he said! Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Really? In a forum about skydiving? I guess I'll just have to take my chances. I hold multiple skydiving Instructor ratings and S & TA appointment. I think I can comment when someone is way off the reservation wrt skydiving and I am not doing it as a lawyer about a lawyer in court. Bring it on; as I have broad shoulders. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

You are far away from me so I have no dog in this fight, but I am a DZO at a student-centric DZ in VA. Call me and let's chat. I am glad to talk to you about these things. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Except that they are building it in Orlando. Do you really want to go down this rat hole? You are uninformed and behind the power curve, my friend. Read on, and then I'll accept your apology. What you posted was dated 2014. It is August 2016, in case you have had a brain injury. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

So, I am an old military guy who used checklists and emergency procedures as a part of my USMC aviator experience. The changes were usually explained by checklist and owners manual (NATOPS) in my experience and any change was highlighted. Looking at the decision tree in the updated manual, there is no indication of what has changed. This could lead to another fatal mistake. How about a highlighted change page, Bill Booth, so we don't have to guess what you changed with our limited intelligence.? Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

A little math, my friend: 180 days is approximately six months. 120 days is approximately 3 months, which equals FOUR repacks per year in the old days, not 6. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

USPA museum, er. the Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame. How many jumpers go to Fredericksburg, Virginia to see it? Seems like a waste of money for the average jumper and student who buys membership. Dipshit: it will be in Orlando when it actually is built. Your lack of knowledge undermines your post. That said, I had a beef with USPA two years ago and resigned my Group membership. It was totally transparent. I still followed all the rules that I would have otherwise agreed to in the Pledge; my airplanes were maintained in accordance with FAA standards; all my instructors had USPA or manufacturer certification according to the FAA rules. I did make students join USPA for the insurance coverage, for their own benefit, since the DZ gets nothing from that. I didn't get the second issue of the Parachutist magazine while we were not GP members. Big deal. Other than the insurance, there is really no significant benefit for GP members; other than some of the local marketing groups, like Groupon require it. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Really? Can I be on your ash dive? Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Find yourself an AFFI who has been an AFF course evaluator and go to the tunnel. You can learn spin stops and flip overs very well in the tunnel so that you are not burning up skydives trying to learn the techniques. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Chris Whitley at Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Pull out the FAA memo on "head tax" that USPA solicited a few years ago and provide an advance copy to the Council. Likely the issue goes away fast and quiet. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

At my DZ if you were to try to get recurrent, we would run you through an abbreviated review of the FJC based on your knowledge and responses. Then I would send you with an AFFI for a CAT D-E recurrency jump. Arm turns, at least one disorienting maneuver, and back to belly with no assistance, pull on time without assistance and track at least 5 seconds on heading. If you were successful, on to Coach jumps. If not, we re-evaluate your training program to A license. If you don't like it, you can try another DZ. My goal is to train safe, competent skydivers. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures & Training Center is hosting an Independence Boogie on July 1-3 2016. We'll have a C-208 Caravan along with our Navajo; Jim Smith and Terry Kollar organizing. Catered grilled chicken dinner on Saturday night. T-shirt. Fireworks on Saturday night. Come out and jump at the most scenic DZ in Virginia. Early Registration $35; after June 24, $40 (includes dinner on Saturday night & T-shirt). If you have questions, please feel free to call DZO, Charlie Gittins @ 540-327-2208. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

$115. Includes the slots, the pay to the Coach, the gear rental and packing of the parachute. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

At my DZ, we try to keep the student on track with the ISP. We have Instructors and Coaches willing to train the CAT F, G and H jumps, so we take advantage of that for our students. The cost of a Coach jump includes a Coach on the jump. Solos are not very useful for learning proper tracking, or the group free fall skills necessary to be a (relatively) safe new A license skydiver. We also pay our instructional staff to make the Coach jumps, so the Coaches have an incentive to help the students in their progress to A license status. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Just wow, wow. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

We use mostly PD; 300, 280, 260, 240, 190 depending on weight of the student. Most rigs have appropriately sized PD Reserves. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

I had my first cut-away on CAT C-1. I couldn't believe that I had to cut away -- there, square, not controllable, not landable -- and I went through the drill 2 or three times before I was convinced I was on Plan B. But since that cut-away, I have never hesitated to go to Plan B. 6 Cut-aways and 7 reserve rides in 1500 jumps. You do what you need to do to stay alive. Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208 AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures