camamel

Hi Will Usually I don't spend too much time on this forum but in your case it is clear that you want to improve yourself. Don't you have an experience tandem master at your place that give all the others some guide lines? I saw your video couples times and I have to admit that I read only a few of the post reply not all of them. Iam not familiar with the Strong system either. But after 3200 + tandems and being a TME for UPT for 15 years here are my comments. Since the beginning I always told my new TM the same think. In first place always try to avoid to put yourself into trouble. To do so in your case you need more controls(more materials) in your upper arms jumpsuit. You need to emphasis passenger body position and arms on harness on exit. Here at my DZ I have a Cessna Gran Caravan so the door is pretty much the same as a Twin Otter. If you look carefully at your exit you'll see that your problem start wright there, in the plane, on the edge of the door. Your passenger has there left foot on the floor. By dooing so you never know where this foot will end up on exit, inside or outside your legs. At my place passengers are on their knees in the door and both their knees are between my legs that way your chance to have theirs legs still between yours after exit is a lot better. Feel free to cantact me any time I will be more than happy to help. Thanks Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I agree with you and NSEMN8R. I am doing tandem since 1985 and I am examiner since 97. I don't know how to say that perfectly in english, but basicly what I hink is if I was good enough before to do the job and they (USPA, CSPA or others) now decide to change the rules they should automaticly upgraded instructors that were approved to do the job in first place. That's commom sence for me. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Is it Top Secret? When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I agree with you. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Yes I remember Roch Charmet. Thanks for your comments. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Thanks all of you guys This thread was not about quality jumps...anyway what is a quality jump? Leksrom10k ...if I read you well Cheryl Stearn is a nobody because she always jump from a lower altitude,with a lot of up and pops and not that much freefall time for the amounts of jumps!! Don and Bill are both exceptionnals skydivers since many years. Don jumps , open his parachute and land 37000 times. That's make him my # 1 ...but Bill is not far behind and still # 1 in freefall time. Piisfish... Yes Eric is an outstanding skydiver like Dan B.C. and some few others with 20 to 25k skydives. But you have to admit that 37k jumps is a totally different league . Thanks Richard PS I hope to have the chance to meet those two exceptionnals skydivers in freefall one of those days. When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Those two where head to head 15 years ago. Is it still the case? How many jumps do they have? How many freefall time? Thanks Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Just for fun How many jumps the biggest Dz do in a year in states? I think I saw that Skydive City in Z-Hills did 67000 last year.What about Deland,Eloy, Perris and others? What about Taupo in New Zeland, and some in France? I heard 25000 for Taupo! When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Who is the skydivers with the most jump? Is it still Bill Dause? When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I have to admit that I agree with you on some points, but not on $50 for AFFI and $25 for TMI. That I totally disagree. I agree with Toolbox for the risk involve for those two type of instructors. Things to consider: AFFI Eventually he will end up with a regular jump at the opening time, with his own rig and regular emergency procedure in case of a problem. Otherwise he will enjoy the ride under his main. But he also have to jump and maintain his own equipement and he need very good flying skills. TMI on the other hand need to be very methodic ( I am not sure about this word, anglish is not my language !) they have to do all the time the same thing the same way because the rig is different, with more handles and more complex emergency procedures. They also stay with the custommer thru all that on opening and until the ground. They also jumps the DZ's rigs and not there own. I have around 2000 4W & 8W jumps not that much but enough to understand the game. Do you think it is possible with a 15 min brieefing to take a very experience 4 way jumper and have him do a AFF with you? Now do you think the same jumper with a 15 min brieefing can go with a tandem passenger? At my place for next year I decide to pay both of them the same $35/jump. But we also decide if those instructors do both during the summer they will receive and extra $5 for each and every jump of instruction they did. What do you think about that. Personnaly I think it is fair, but I will see what my instructor think about that soon. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Why do you think AFFI should earn more than Tandem instructors? Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Yes it was When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Good instructors should be well paid, the other's should not work! You don't always need experience to be good. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Lets talk about AFFI's and TI's. This is two complete different kind of job. In the first case it is closer to formation skydiving because you have to move in 3D. To stay alert it is very nice ( you also have to stay alert to do it!!!), at the opening time you are with your solo rig so you can enjoy the ride back to earth with your main canopy.The down side is: Even with the best team work it will be hard to do 10 or 12 quality jumps a day and after couples years you'll eventually need a new main. With the TI's on the other side it look like they don't need that much of formation skydiving experience because they don't play in 3D. WRONG. What team exit (formation skydiving or freefly) teach you is the dynamic of the wind out of the door. In tandem exit and opening are the two most critical part of every jump. Yes it is easy with experience to do 12 jumps a day and during all those jumps your own rig stay in your locker.The down side is: On opening the TI stay with his custommer when an emergency happen (is also a big + the rest of the time). If we compare a good AFFI and a good TI I think both should be hi skills skydivers, no difference in my mind. But I have to agree with you on one point. AFF course is a lot harder to pass than the TI course. I am a TIE since 93 and I think 500 jumps and 3 years in sport should be at least 1000 jumps and 4 years. Having only 5 jumps to evaluate new instructors is not enough. Personnaly, since couples years, I had some 4 way jumps. About the pay they should paid equal. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

When UPT finally give me a call to let me know they had a démo 340 it was too late, my season was over (October 2006). In 2006 I had 6 Sygmas all with 370 mains. For 2007 I ordered 3 more of those. Even if there is not that much difference for the packers some instructors will for sure ask for one set up or the other. So from my point of view in order to bring something different to my DZ it has to be really better or safer, otherwise I will stay with 100% the same. Because I never had the chance to try it myself I decided to thrust the most experienced guy who answerd me skydiveoc. I will ask UPT to send me one démo this summer so I can compare by myself. Hope that can help you. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

As a DZO my self I know what I will do next summer with my instructors. But what you guys think is fare? What do you already earn? What do you want? And why? Thanks Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I agree with you 100% When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I am not that familier with this site ( quote,reply ect) , and english is not my first language.But I agree 100% with UPOZZOLI and I disagree with DIABLOPILOT. BOBDINO is right, one of the world top hang gliders have been suck to 30000 feets during a competition in Australia from a huge cumulus cloud couples weeks ago. She survive and her GPS prove it all. Tandems are most likely to be affect by those clouds because we open higher. I did more than 3000 tandems since 1985 and even if I was aware of how powerfull and dangerous those cumulus can be for us I had too deal twice with those under tandem. I can tell you that those clouds can shift from one direction to an other what ever the wind direction is. They suck from the side on some occasion ( my second experience ) and from the bottom. Even a nice cumulus that goes from 4k to 10k ( that's not a dangerous one for us at this point) will generate enought lift even 500 feet under it so you will feel a bumpy ride and if you look at the others skydivers around you'll see that while they go down you stay there .Your alltimeter will confirm you that. Higher the cumulus goes (up to 60 K in some case) whorst is the effect. Customers trust us.It is our job to understand all that for them. UPOZZOLI. ... thanks a lot, you know what you're talking about and you fight for it. I appreciate. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

Hi Bob How many jumps do you have with the 340? Do you have some with the 370 so I can use your experience as a reference. Here we have couples thousands jumps with the 370 and I am happy with it except it is a little bit tought on the toggle with a 200 pounders other wise it is, in my mind,the best all around tandem canopy. By the way did you try the micro tandem. Two years ago two DZO that I know order them but send them back un happy. I also herd that RWS change the original version. I am looking to buy those as well. Thank's Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I finally have everything the same (Tandems speaking) at my DZ. No more TV2 and no more EZ, only Sigmas with Sigmas 370 as mains. A friendly package for packers, instructors and riggers. I ask for a demo 340 earlyer this year but when RWS call me back one a month ago I was closing for the winter! I need a few more Sigma rigs for next summer but I won't be able to try that new main by myself so. My questions are? Do we really end up with a smaller rig? What about the toggle pressure between 340 and 370? What about the forward speed for the landing with no wind condition? Yes I like to have fun under a tandem canopy and that's why I have Sigmas main at my place, but my first priority is still my passengers safety. Does a TM need more skills with this smaller canopy? What if you end up with a line over or a tension knots ( I am sure Bill knows about that) is it the same as a 370. I would like to have input from instructors that jump it at least a few times to have a good idea. thanks all of you guys. Richard When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I think it is a great idea. When they can proved it won't hurt anything we have around then it will be a deal. Thanks Bill When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I agree with you it is a good thing to have the tandem passenger involve as much as possible in his jump. Personnaly my passenger have the controls in their hands all the way until 1000 feet if they want to, after that they take their harness back.. Then I told them what I expect from them for the landing. 30 sec later this is history. Of course you can find ways to have a student helping or assisting you for the landing. This is what I did for my first 1000 or so tandems and I never hurt anybody doing so. As good as you can be on teaching your student on how to do it ,you will eventually end up with a landing that is not as good as if you were doing it yourself. That same landing with today high performance main tandem canopy can end up with a lot of injury. There is a huge difference in performance between tandems mains those days. Same way a pilot can give a yoke to a passenger in flight he will never do that on take off or landing. When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

First I have to admit I agree with Zing. If you want to start a small DZ you should look for a wide body C-182. That way you can put at least two tandems and one camera man in. The wide body is easyer to sell if you have to. If you can rent it great. If you start from 0 you need a plane at least $50000 US one tandem rig and three solo rig use at least an other $10000 plus an office plus a snack bar for your staff and your custumers , plus, plus. I don't think you can start a DZ under $100000. That's gone a be strick min and I think I am too friendly it is probably twice that as a minimum. When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I agree they look better. Only for my own information how many jumps did you do with there Elite Tandem system 1999 straith from the factory ( no modification ). When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

I am sure that Jump Shack use as good materials as any other company on the market. But I am not sure they did enough test jump before putting there Elite on the market. Back in 98 I was a V2 rig owner and the only tandem on a small DZ. At the end of the season the DZO decide to buy 3 new Elite. His reason: he can buy 3 Elite for almost the same price of 2 V2.In the winter of 99 I took my examiner with Nancy Larivière. Back home the instructors quickly discover: Main's took way too long to open. The slider had extra material so in fact it was almost twice the size of a regular one. After some talk with Jump Shack we took that off only to discover real hard opening. After one year of pain we discover that the drogue was not colapsing on bag lift up but only on canopy opening. The DZO was loosing his instructor so he decide to replace the drogue system by a V2 drogue so we finaly end up with normal opening. When you closed that system you end up with three red teflon cable. The end of those you put it inside a pouch inside the bridle. After couples jumps we end up with hard release once in a while, to realize that the bridle was so thin that in fact she was twisting as well as the three red cable inside. Nancy told me that the reason behind that was if you end up with a drogue in tow you can cut the bridle with a hook knife. After that it was possible to see the three red cables ending up outside the rig between the main and the reserve because no one want to end up with hard release or even an impossible release. On Vector and Sigma the leg strap on the instructor harness have wider webbing but it was not the case on the Elite. Single webbing and thin padding after 200 or 300 jumps this thing was twisting so you end up sitting on a rope like leg strap. We modify that as well with extra stiff and thik padding. I don't remember exactly what happen but an instructor with his passenger end up with a down plane with both canopy open, it was not a low opening. All I remember is that the double RSL was involve. So after that they took that off as well. When you modify a tandem system with parts from an other system you end up with something realy complex for packers and instructors and something that had not been test for our customer. I am not going back 20 years ago. I didn't talk about sky hook and three ring yet. When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.