Re: Good Idea ,Bad Idea ??

[MicDon 0]

There has been a very interesting thread going on in the “Instructors’ forum (Good idea, Bad idea). I personally think this belongs in the General Discussions where more people can form an opinion. Maybe someone can make it sticky or link. There should also be a Poll on whether this so called “instructor” should get his ratings yanked.

As an Instructor with over 2400 Tandems and also a person in the Legal field I want to put in my two cents. This could potentially hurt a lot of us and Dropzones .I think we dodged a bullet with the last two tandem passenger fatalities. This guy could potentially have shut the door on tandems and therefore take away my and many other instructors income. Not to mention the millions generated by tandems for Dropzones.

We have been closely watched over the last year when it comes to tandems and the risk the customer takes. We have lost two customers in hundreds of thousands of jumps. In my opinion it was the instructors fault in both cases. Taking this in consideration and all the attention and talk it has drawn, I can not imagine that this instructor was not aware of the added scrutiny. What did he think was going to happen if someone saw the photo and video? What did the DZO think will be the reaction of fellow jumpers and the general public after seeing the photos he e-mailed out to everyone on his mailing list and posting it on his website? If you go to the DZ’s website it calls itself the safest DZ in the Midwest and has a promo video trailer. Why not put this video as your promo trailer?

My safety input: This was in my opinion a reckless and irresponsible jump.(Apparently he has done a lot of them this way) I think that the instructor was playing with fire and was putting the customer’s life in unnecessary danger. I have seen the opinions in the other thread whether tightening the side straps are necessary or not. If they are there then they are important. The warning from the manufacturers after the last two fatalities was that they were important. Sh…t happens. What would the instructor have done should any of the following scenarios happen while standing next to the customer? Drogue bridal breaks, Customer pulled her legs up, bag comes out of the container and worst of all, premature reserve deployment. All videos from the manufacturer show you that the reserve will clear the bridal in a normal position .With this instructors standing up; he has just put that reserve straight into the bridle. Again, the unforeseen happens.

Professional input: This customer bought a video to view her jump. We as instructors all do the necessary to make their jump fun and give them your full attention. We all make jokes and fool around. We all make faces for the camera etc. Besides the fact that this video sucked (Cameraman is all over the place with his hand in the way).This guy totally wanted the show to be on him. This customer will show the video to her family and friends and all they will want to know is who the clown was and why he is doing what he was doing. It is her day and her achievement. I’m not even sure if he gave her the opportunity to pull, which in my opinion is what most customers are the proudest of after a jump. No wonder the retention rate of tandem customers is so low and the country in a whole is experiencing a decline in the growth of experienced jumpers. I think he should join the circus if he wanted the show to be on him. I don’t think he should be called a “Instructor’ He taught her nothing.

Legal input: This guy is a walking liability for this DZ and DZO. The DZO got his S&TA designation pulled. In any way you look at this, this is a disciplinary action taken by the USPA for allowing this conduct and will be seen that way by any lawyer or, if it should ever come to that, a jury. If this guy as so much as stump a customer’s toe on landing and a good ambulance chaser gets hold of it, it will be the easiest case ever handed to him. They got sanctioned by the governing body which is a guilty verdict by itself. From what I understand, they got their designation pulled because they did not want to take action against the instructor per the request of the RD (USPA Designee).I could be wrong. Even though Ted Strong does not want to take action against this, he will have a hard time defending his stance for this guy in a deposition, after the USPA took a different opinion regarding his conduct. The DZO should seriously think about getting some legal advice on this.

Dude…… Has your mother never taken you by the ear and say “THINK BOY,THINK”

That’s my two cents. Flame away
MD

[Ron 10]

No flames....Bravo

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[slotperfect 7]

Quote

I personally think this belongs in the General Discussions where more people can form an opinion.

We don't need two threads on the subject to split the conversation - let's keep this thread going.

Posting in the Instructors Forum is not limited to instructors - anyone can post there if the information is pertinent to the subject of skydiving instruction.

Arrive Safely

John