Danor69

ok.. you can read about what the features are but I've already used a few of them.. 1. the log booking feature.. basically the same as the protrack.. but since I make a lot of jumps in a day I like having it to keep track.. 2. the single biggest selling point for me is you can playback your jump using the needle.. esentailly you can use it for an accurate altitude simulator.. GREAT for student.. and decent even just for dirt dives.. 3. the backlight is electronic, and very visable. 4. the fit is great.. a simple rubber gasket on the back makes it 100% more comfortable than predicesors.. not that they were even uncomfortable.. but that's L&B always raising the bar.. it is a little spendy for a newer jumper, but if you concider the logbook functions combined with the jump playback for training and the backlight.. in my opinion it's worth it..

if I'm not mistaken you now need to hold a coaches rating for a full year before being eligible for any instrutors rating.. does anyone know where this is spelled out?.. IRM? SIMS? S&TA newsletter? what? where? thanks in advance.

I agree with wsinsel. Attend a couple FJC at your DZ and if possible other DZ's. what it will do is show you how people at YOUR DZ teach. it's good to keep things relativly consistant for students. I helped teach a coach course a few weeks ago, and for some reason the coach canidates do get very intimidated and nervous... remember, it's just like jumping..relax.. you.. know this stuff, your instructors are just trying to point out some things that might happen w/ students.. almost never till everything go 100% as planned. learn to expect the unexpected and then still be posative and encouraging for your student. Personally, I teach... to teach.. What, Why, & How Overall what you are going to learn.. ie fall rate. Why you are learning it.. ie. because not all skydivers fall at the same rate and explain why. then How you vary your fall rate.