AFFI

Where are you? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3537280#3537280 Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

It is not big deal, I often train skydivers that started somewhere else and they are always glad they got at least part of thier training here... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3537280#3537280 Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

And what a great bargain it is for all that is offered with it – a large fleet of well maintained aircraft, 130 acre landing area surrounded by miles of fields, fantastic gear, all of your instructional solo jumps are videotaped free for accurate debrief, great instructional staff and the best training program available anywhere on the planet… I had a female student recently not only finish the entire student progression but went on to get her A License in only 3 days of jumping - day one – 6 jumps, day two – 10 jumps and day three - 9 jumps! I gurantee that if you learn at Spaceland, you will be hard pressed to find another DZ anywhere that will provide you with the knowledge base you will obtain here. Our graduates have the knowledge I had at 100 jumps or so and when we get new staff members they say the same thing after being here a bit – the curriculum is simply remarkable. I recently trained a guy who is in a similar line of work as you, travels around a lot and took a two week vacation here, finished in around 5 days of jumping. Here is his progression from the first release dive to graduation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuydq8WcyOE Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Not even a joke, just a waste of everyone’s time. Not even worthy of the Bonfire, how disappointing that the moderators have not deleted this total waste of their service...

If you are talking about Spaceland then the runway is 3400 feet. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I read it from a rock climbing school, so it must be true... First, what does the dictionary say? trial and error –noun- experimentation or investigation in which various methods or means are tried and faulty ones eliminated in order to find the correct solution or to achieve the desired result or effect. What does that mean? Sometimes referred to as discovery learning, trial and error is learning by doing. Students can achieve success sooner if you set a proper example for them to imitate. A proper example reduces the number of errors students make and thus helps to develop their self-confidence. Although the mastering of most skills requires this way of learning to some degree, it does involve some hazards. Think back to when you learned how to ride a bicycle to help you visualize some of the hazards of this way of learning. It can be dangerous to the students and the equipment. It can also become frustrating if repeated trials don’t lead to some success. The Navy Instructor Training School is a good example of where this way of learning is currently used as students present lessons during performance exams. Students receive proper supervision, reinforcement of acceptable performance, and get immediate feedback on how to correct errors. “There is a principle that is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is condemnation before investigation.” — Spencer Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

The Kaisers are great, durable, well constructed and last a long time: Don't know if this is still good contact info, but I have: Bob Kaiser at (301) 388 - 0513 email: kaiskat4@aol.com Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

A sharing of personal experience... The drill sergeants from 20 years ago that I remember the most, that gave me habits and taught me lessons that carry through to this very day decades later were the drill sergeants that were the toughest, made life unbearable at the time but I have nothing but gratitude that they were tough on me. There is an old saying that a person cannot "save their ass and face at the same time". Very early in my skydiving I had a choice to either do things my way or go under the extended wing of a canopy coach who taught with an iron fist yet possessed a level of knowledge and experience that I desired so for 500 jumps I did EXACTLY what this particular mentor told me to do even though I did not understand all the "whys". I have been in a situation when I had to put my canopy down after needing to turn 180 degrees UNDER 100 feet with power lines all around, dogs barking in complete chaos and landed in a small clearing the size of a trampoline. One mistake in that situation and I may not be here typing this today but thanks to the willingness of a mentor to lean hard on me and my willingness to shut my mouth, control my ego driven attitude and do what he told me to do - I am better for it today and better prepared for the instances when the chips are down. One time a Master Rigger who has been at it longer than I have been alive told me that "true line dump will kill you". I do not know if that is an accurate statement but who am I to call bullshit on someone with such a great deal of knowledge and experience. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Brilliantly written! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1071076/posts Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I disagree. You should never unthread the chest strap. Never means never and water landings are water landings... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Anyone who can start a comment off like this and still walks on all fours commands my attention Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

A few people have made the wisest remark concerning the D-Bag placement issue. DSE, You are doing great as a young AFF Instructor, conscientious, caring and concerned and I cannot agree more with most of your statements in this thread. You already have a lot of knowledge and in time you are going to be a great AFFI, there is no substitute for experience. Hang in there… Anyone who does not believe that mistakes are inevitable while tackling the learning curves associated with skydiving can start their mothers out on a Velo – I’ll put mine under a Manta or some other big ass tarp that will keep things really slow. Bill, Rob, John, Bill, Jim - etcetera: As always, there are many here on DZ.com who have my utmost respect – fantastic thought provoking comments as always... Todd, Todd Todd Todd Todd Todd… Slow down bigguy. Much of the crap on DZ.com is written by the inexperienced who think they have it all figured out when the fact is, there are many experienced skydivers who have forgotten more about skydiving than many sub-500 jumpers have even learned yet or in most cases, ever will… Safety should be the paramount cornerstone of our existence at the DZ - learn and progress in this sport humbly and void of knowitallism and the complacency that leads to disinterest in safety that results in serious injury and death. Crap pouring out of an inexperienced brain is a lack of humility and an expression of knowitallism – potential breeding grounds for complacency… Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Another thing to consider: Skydivers have been killed before by self induced malfunctions created by aggressive canopy maneuvers below a safe cutaway altitude. Rule of thumb – Never do high performance maneuvers below your hard deck. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I am such a dork... How do I spend a Saturday evening? Often times reviewing student training jump footage but tonight I decided to shake things up and used the search function on YouTube for "A License Check" and found a lot of newcomers to the sport posting their "right of passage" (so to speak). Why refer to it as a "right of passage"? Personally, I am not a "freefall skills" instructor - but rather the philosophy I subscribe to places the focus of attention on safety in regard to reacting properly to malfunctions and canopy control/piloting. Honestly, I really do not care what happens in freefall as long as the student I am working with deploys at or above their assigned deployment altitude and lands safely without injury to anyone. This means a students familiarization with the gear and how to use it correctly becomes paramount and oddly enough an interesting byproduct of this approach seems to be a relaxed and confident solo freefall student that, through this mental state of mind is able to perform considerably well despite the fact that 90%(+) of their training did not place any emphasis on freefall targeted learning objectives. When working with students in freefall I have a tendency to keep a short leash on them, even after they have been making solo unassisted deployments subsequent to tracking, I still like to be as close as possible. For to me the "right of passage" refers to the fact that the A License Check Dive (usually solo jump #14 or #15 where I work) is the first time I allow students to track away completely on their own without me giving pursuit. It was very cool to watch skydivers all over that have gone through a variety of training philosophies to cross that threshold - the "A License Check Dive right of passage"... So, I am wondering - Other Instructors out there, what is your training philosophy? (conducted a Search for " training philosophy", sorry if this is a born-again topic). Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Put me down for one of those! No, wait, I thought it said scrotum... Never mind... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

ummmm, houzabout - Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

A March or two ago I seem to remember something about a Beech at 2K with emergency exits necessary and one jumper did a poised exit and struck the horizontal stabilizer (tail) on exit subsequently saved by a Cypress fire. Everyone else on the plane dove out with no other injuries. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

The YouTube version had to be less than 10 minutes, so I had to chop that edit a bit. If anyone wants to be able to DL the full length edit (5 minutes longer) it is here: http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=7524 Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

This is a student going through the Skydive Spaceland Student Training Program (STP) Progression (click on link below)... All of the dives are in order starting with the first release all the way through the A License Check Dive. It is neat to be able to watch a student develop and here we get to witness the entire transition in minutes. Starring Teddy as the student - Good Job Teddy! Here is the YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuydq8WcyOE\ Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Students are taught how to SAFELY land in pine trees? Well then, guess I'll have to start teaching students to aim for the trees... (being facetious) Houz about teaching braked approach flat turns for evasive actions low to the ground and PLF's? And when students have a hiccup, which all will have in some form or fashion, then houz about positive reinforcement rather than admonishment. Here is an unsolicited suggestion: If you want to be an instructor, I mean a good instructor perhaps you might consider less thought and vocal output and more knowledge input, then experience will come with time. You are going to be amazed what you start realizing and learning about this sport after a couple thousand more jumps and a few more years working with students. You seem to have the drive and passion which is commendable, what you lack is that which cannot be bought and there is no substitute for; experience... Hang in there... There have been a lot of good comments by really experienced skydivers in this thread, thought provoking and educational – the collective genius shines on! Any takers? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

So an AFFI Reserve side makes Coach pay? What are the differences in duties for the AFF Instructors? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…