denete

I know some "professional teachers" that can't teach for crap. Even if you believe that you are a great teacher, there still may be something to take away from seeing another person teach. I personally love to watch teachers...both good teachers and bad teachers. Of course, I also like to learn. If they're that bad after years of formal training and experience, why do you expect a few more hours in a coach course to make the slightest bit of difference? You may be a great teacher at the local truck driving school. But before I give you the stamp of approval from our National governing organization, I would like to see you teach skydiving. Then, we can address areas where your professional teaching techniques might fall short in skydiving and help to get you up to speed to be a better coach. With so much resistance to coach training on the part of any potential coach, my instincts jump to "what are you trying to hide" instead of "wow, you're really trying to be efficient". $.01 - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

I know some "professional teachers" that can't teach for crap. Even if you believe that you are a great teacher, there still may be something to take away from seeing another person teach. I personally love to watch teachers...both good teachers and bad teachers. Of course, I also like to learn. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

I guess I see this in almost all "regulated" activities. People learn just enough to pass the test. But, I'm pretty sure that I had to study part 91 in order to pass my groundwork when I did my private training. Do you think the pilot in this case knew about FAR 91.307.b? I hope they don't dig through FAR 91.3.a. There is no getting around that one. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Good point. I've always believed that there are four high-level scenarios and lots of situations that fall somewhere between these four. "Good coach" and "Bad coach": you can probably figure out for yourself what these mean. Generally they apply to the teaching abilities. "high-potential / advanced learning student": the student that can progress quickly, a naturally quick-study, possibly very analytical, Stephen Hawking could be their coach and they'd still advance quickly. "low-potential / remedial learning student": the student that is about three bad jumps away from bowling, they have the potential to "make it" as a skydiver but it is going to take a lot of work Here are the scenarios that combine the coaches and students that are at the far ends of each spectrum. Bad coach with: (a) high-potential / advanced learning student -- this student will become a good skydiver regardless of how poor the coach may be at teaching; the curve of progression will change as the student becomes aware of their own advancement and modifies their learning methods independent of how they are being taught; the student's learning will outpace the coach's teaching Bad coach with: (b) low-potential / remedial learning student -- this student will struggle due to being short-changed on their coached experiences; the curve of progression will not likely change and may be linear or regressive; they will try to follow their coach's lead and progress mainly through trial and error Good coach with: (a) high-potential / advanced learning student -- this student will become a good skydiver regardless of how good the coach may be at teaching; this student may accelerate their own learning by having a coach who can readily identify the curve of progression and adapt their teaching style / content Good coach with: (b) low-potential / remedial learning student -- this student will progress at the best rate that they can handle and will see a gradual increase in their curve of progression as their coach adapts to the student's ability to demonstrate learning; this ability will change over time as the coach nurtures and guides the student to advance So, that's my take on coaching (teaching). It comes from my real-world experience with teaching students to play very advanced music and observing their advancement over a long period of time (usually 5 to 7 years). The range of students that I worked with went from a student who had 1/4 of his brain removed due to a tumor to students who should have skipped high school and gone on to college. All were able to advance at an impressive pace and exceed their peers', families', and own expectations. I also observed the same students stagnating under other teachers in the same subject and started to search out the reasons why some would advance and others would not. $.02 - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

IMO, yes you did deceive him by not telling that the jump was being made in violation of an FAR. I may be a little out of the loop here, but wasn't the pilot in control of the aircraft? Are pilots responsible for following all FARs while in control of their aircraft? I would think that unless the aircraft was hi-jacked and the pilot was under duress, any illegal actions on the part of the aircraft/pilot go into the pilot's bag. Is there another thread where I can find information on this? - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

I was thinking that the RW one would have a 4 or 3way formation from the top down as the 'heart' part. Do you think that 'RW' or 'FS' would be better? RW I think there should be a conscious rebellion against this whole 'FS' thing. I hear 'FS' and think of free-style. poof. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Shall I become a transvestite stalker with a disposition for eating jelly beans from the still warm carcass of dead religious leaders while humming the theme tune to Dynasty? *shake-shake-shake* *turns the Magic 8-Ball over* "Not Likely" SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Thoughts from a youngster follow. I used to try and get approval from other people before going out and doing what I wanted to do. Having someone else second my opinion allowed me to "blame it on them" if I was wrong. Then I started skydiving, and doing what I wanted to do. Not saying that's what you're doing, but just trying to relate my own challenges and how skydiving has helped me. On the roller-coaster thing; Were you driving the roller-coaster? Did you make it go where you wanted it to go? Using my own jumping as my basis, I think that the adrenaline rush in skydiving comes from fear (or mind-body freakout) on the first couple of jumps. After that I think it comes from doing something that is difficult, yet exciting, and rewarding. I can't tell you how many jumps that I've had where I walk away feeling like a totally different person...just because I accomplished something that I had been struggling to accomplish. If I got in a roller-coaster I would feel like I was jerked around on somebody else's vision of what an exciting ride should be like. I am also a person who considers all of the negatives of a situation...along with all of the positives. That you admit this "ability" is good. You will make a safer skydiver. You would be surprised to see how much of the skydiving community is made up of "average joes". Lots of computer geeks, teachers, lawyers, bikers, dental assistants, waitresses, classically trained singers, soccer moms, pilots, students, etc., and skydivers (yes people do make a living doing the thing they enjoy most)...but not too many accountants. So, what do I think? I think that for me, I realized that "someday" never comes. What do you do currently for entertainment? What do you do currently that you could not live without doing? - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

My last "arch" is for my arms. My body is arched the whole time. I also didn't include my final altimeter check, but it's just a sig line. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

I take it that your son might not yet be of legal age to buy beer. It's only important that they pull up a chair somewhere with their beer in tow. Don't just stack it up on the sacrificial altar and run away. In exchange for their beer, they should expect to get at least one story or piece of advice from someone who is willing to sit with them and welcome them into the family. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Bwaaa haaaa! Shawn Johnson: "It makes my taco pop!" Jimmy Fallon: "Tommy, tell me you got that!" SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

You can smell Fall in the air up here. I've been to about 70 UGA games and 7 bowl games with them...and I'm not really a huge football fan. But, SEC football is something else. There still isn't another conference that puts out the level of squads that you'll see in the SEC in general. Woof! SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

From Scott Miller... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=680 SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

So maybe the better question to ask in a new discussion would be: "What is involved in getting a course director rating?" SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Did you ever read their boilerplate? It essentially spells out that the customer is F*cked. http://www.1800skyride.com/terms_for_all.html SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Just like cockroaches, they scatter when the light comes on...but they don't die because of the light. They will go hide in the corner and start up a new bunch of fake sites. Remember, skyride was just a name and a phone number. Since Google became a verb, good SEO can make any domain name a "winner". SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Clarify please. Are you saying that if you just show up and pay for a coach course, it's guaranteed that you'll get the rating? Or, are you saying that if you show up with your money, you will have the skills necessary to be a safe and effective USPA rated coach? Thanks in advance for your clarification. - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Um...oh wait...yep...oh...I just threw up in my mouth a little. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Make sure you've got your new passport or they might not let you leave. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Happiness couldn't happen to two better people. You are both at the top of my list...you're just great people. (Be safe and drive carefully

Two quick shots from that first SCR jump are attached. - and - SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you for the SCR jump today. It was the highlight of my summer. - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Just damn. Pot...Kettle...Black... What exactly do you want? Why did you post on dropzone.com in the first place? Did you post as a means to seek sympathy? Advice? Accolades? To share your wisdom? It's amazing how you've burned bridges that were never even built. Good luck on Walden pond. (maybe there's a future for this guy with AMF) SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

I'll be there as well...maybe we could get a Rodriguez Bros. jump in? Or maybe an SCR? So much to do. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

Yeah, it had to be said. Everyone gets to make their own decisions regarding their personal priority lists, but I think in the long run MichaelMoore is right. SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)