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jenkincb00

swooping instructor

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Do you think that instructors should fly conservatively even on their "fun" jumps as not to influence their students who are most likely watching them.




depends on how you look at it.. you may want to inspire them, have them look up to you for a goal to achive. but in the same sense, you might be getting somone to look up to you who wants to get there too quick.. and end up hurting themselves.

i say, do what makes you want to be in the sport, be yourself and if others want to follow, then teach them the way.

if they dont listen, well what can you do?.

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As I progress as an instructor and swooper thats what I generally have been doing but last summer several experienced skydivers thought it was unsafe for me to be swooping on coaching jumps and the like because it was "a bad example" to be setting for students. Even though I took the time to explain to the students that the HP landing that I would be attempting (mostly 90s or 180s) was an advanced landing and they should concentrate on their straight in approaches. Essentially a do not try this at home disclaimer. I don't think that I should have to not have the most fun I can just because I'm coaching.

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the like because it was "a bad example" to be setting for students



Why?

If you're doing it right, you're still flying final into the winds, you're also flying a landing pattern (down wind, cross wind and point of maneuver).

If anything you're showing exactly how a flight plan will produce accurate results in how to fly your canopy...unless of course you're not flying a flight plan and you're sucking it up on consistancy and safety with your swooping. Then you have more important things to think about besides what your students think.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

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Do you think that instructors should fly conservatively even on their "fun" jumps as not to influence their students who are most likely watching them. ***

nope..........

but it should be fully explained to the student what you are doing, why they should hold off on trying it, how long it took before you were doing it, and the concequences of screwing up.....

Roy
They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

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I totally agree.

I just wanted to know if anyone else had similar experience, I happy to say that most of the people who have suggested not swooping at all because of influencing students have changed their minds, I'll work on the rest of them next wkend at safety day

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several experienced skydivers thought it was unsafe for me to be swooping on coaching jumps and the like because it was "a bad example" to be setting for students.



What students? The one you just did a coach jump with? Wouldn't they be 1000's of feet above you, watching for traffic in their immediate area?

Were these 'experienced skydivers' swoopers and/or instructors? My guess is no and/or no.

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As a "student" stand point, i always saw my coach/ inst. swooping. It's not a bad example, if they are not digging out of the corner, or doing an ultra aggressive stuid approach.

That said, i do not support instrcutors that cut people off, or yell at fun jumpers that are already in the pattern, just so that they can be the first ones down. When i am a paying skydiver, i have the right to be in the proper airspace without getting yelled at. I had a problem with an instructor in Flroida that would not accept that doing Free Fly coaching was gonna put him behind me, and cause me to be in the pattern. If he/ she is getting paied to jump, they must treat all paying customers with respect, thats all..

as for the setting a bad example, no, the student pre A liscence should be asking for information on everything they do. That means S&TA, Instructors, or Coaches. For post A lisence jumpers, hopefully the proper training has been done that they understand that turning approches equal death for the untrained eye.

It's as simple as that, responsibilty needs to be promoted on both parties parts, but espcially the students.. because they (I) are the ones learning.. jumpers around them are already experinced and just sharpening their skills.

So thats my opinion being one of those "straight in" guys. lol

dave


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