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USPA offers a two or four page card. Either is fine. I don't know what version of the four page card you have, but if an instructor is willing to finish it with you, then it will be valid. It shouldn't be a problem. If you compare the two cards, you will find the four page version is more detailed and more demanding. That's a good thing. Some DZO's like the simpler card because it makes their jobs easier, but the four pager makes your training better. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I'm one of the S&TA's at the DZ Pete jumps at. We had three injuries this weekend that I am aware of. The first involving a tandem student was a hard landing on her butt. She was transported by ambulance with back pain. I do not have a follow-up report. The second involved an experienced jumper who simply had a bad landing of unknown cause. He broke his ankle and was treated on his own without an ambulance. It was not related to weather or a low turn, but may have had something to do with a new line set or the way this experienced jumper flared. It may also have been caused by an unanticipated downdraft or turbulence. Who can say? The third involved an experienced jumper who turned to low and fast, and smashed himself up pretty badly. He was transported by ambulance. I do not have a follow-up report. I hate to say it, but after 25 years in the sport and five years as S&TA, I'm pretty much bored by these incidents. I tend to report the major incidents and those that generate new lessons, or lessons that need to be brought out of the clutter. Reporting every ambulance call at every DZ would add so much clutter to the channel that we wouldn't see the major accidents or learn the new lessons. Based on past years numbers I expect we will have about 20-25 ambulance calls at The Ranch this season (on a total of about 40,000 jumps). That's about 1 ambulance call for every 2,000 jumps. At the national level USPA membership applications show that we seek medical care from a doctor roughly once for every 22 members, and we have 32,000 members---that's about 1,400 skydiving related member doctor visits per year. We will probably have about 30 domestic fatalities this year, or roughly one for every 1,000 USPA members. If you want more statistics, check out Article 7 "Skydiving Risk" on The Ranch web site at http://www.ranchskydive.com/safety/index.htm. The site also has some pretty good articles that will help you understand risk and avoid the major mistakes that have injured so many of our friends. If you are visiting The Ranch you can see a collection of Ranch specific statistics from a Safety Day presentation a few years ago. They are included in the appendix of the printed version of the S&TA Articles available in a binder at manifest and the school office. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

The best I can find is surface data available at: http://www.wunderground.com/history/station/71113/2005/7/3/DailyHistory.html . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

The FAA can actually bring an enforcement action against the jumper, pilot, manifester, drop zone, or anybody else involved in the jump or skydiving operation. See article 13 "FAA Regulations Applied" on The Ranch web site at: http://www.ranchskydive.com/safety/index.htm . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

http://www.uspa.org/publications/manuals.htm . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I agree. Loosing legstraps of tiny high performance parachutes is a bad idea. For larger parachutes it is still fine. I jump an original Sabre 120 at a wingloading of about 1.6. My leg straps do make a difference in the way the parachute opens and flys, but ultimately the difference is pretty minor. I have no problems flying with loose leg straps even if they are uneven. Water training is generally given to people with 25-100 jumps who are on relatively big stable parachutes. I think the standard of loosening leg straps is still very valid, but a caution should be offered about flight performance at higher wing loadings. It is sort of like the RSL, AAD, and one handed vs two handed cutaway issues. There is a specific way this material should be taught to novices, and there are different considerations when we progress. A good program will offer a specific solution for the jumpers current status and also touch on considerations for later. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Others have already said that you should not cutaway before landing in the water. That's so important that I'll repeat it in bold: Never cutaway before landing in the water! Cutting away AFTER landing in water my be an option if you land in a fast moving current and your parachute is dragging you down, but that is very rare. The best bet is to loosen your leg straps and chest strap before hitting the water (some people undo their chest strap). Unless it's a tiny pond I like to enter at half breaks because it is so hard to judge the flare point. Keep your feet and knees together and plan for a PLF because the water may be shallow, or there may be rocks just below the surface. As soon as you are in the water undo the chest strap (if not already opened), and then swim out of the gear. It sounds like you handled the water landing well, and you found out that your equipment will tend to float a bit. That's especially true of the packed reserve. The great advantage of that is that the gear will help you float for a minute or two, so there is no need to panic, and plenty of time to get yourself out of the gear. It is important to get yourself free of the gear quickly. Eventually it will loose buoyancy and sink, and the lines could snag your legs. That's especially true in a river with a current. If rescue will be fast, you may choose to get free but to hold onto the harness. If rescue will take more than a few minutes then abandon your gear immediately...your life is worth far more than a rig. I'd also suggest getting rid of any weight belt quickly, and if rescue will be delayed you should consider removing your heavy jumpsuit and shoes/boots. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Keep in mind this is California law, and the specific ruling does not apply outside of that state. Now, the California Supreme Court has decided that a higher standard of care is required when a person in involved in "common carriage." And the court has decided that an amusement park ride is common carriage, as is a sightseeing flight, or an elevator ride. Each begins and ends at the same point, but involves movement. The distinction between travel and thrill seeking is not relevant to this discussion, according to the court decision. The court decision defines the standard of care that must be provided to the public, requiring that a much higher standard of care be applied if the event involves common carriage. The court then defines a rollercoaster as being common carriage. Clearly, the airplane part of a jump is common carriage according to my reading of the court decision. I can't see any reason to exclude the actual skydive from that definition, or any means of distinguishing a skydive from the rollercoaster ride. This decision, although strictly limited to defining common carriage and the required standard of care in California, seems to show the court is willing to reach and apply common carriage well beyond what we tend to think of as transportation. This logic is discussed as a concern in the dissent, and is addressed as it is applied in other jurisdictions. The standard of care we provide to our students and experienced jumpers is something for all of us to think about, and is especially important if you are jumping or running a DZ in California. I posted the link to this decision because it does such a great job of showing how a specific court thinks about risk and the liability an operator has for maintaining care for the public, and how the same matter might be viewed differently in other jurisdictions. Any thoughts on why a tandem skydive is different than a rollercoaster ride? Is it different than a horse ride at a thrill show, or an airplane sightseeing flight? Can you defend that logic in the context of the California Supreme Court decision? (It's a nasty Saturday in Vermont, so I have had some free time to dig into the issue and think about it. I'd rather be skydiving.) . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Risk and liability, and the importance of waivers, are often topics of discussion here. We often argue about the duty of a drop zone to prevent injury, and the expectations of student jumpers regardless of the waivers they sign. There was an interesting decision offered by the California Supreme Court last week, in a case of injury following the use of an amusement park ride operated by Disney. The case relies on the interpretation of “common carriage” and the standard of care an operator owes the public. The decision in this case defines the Indiana Jones ride as common carriage, and cites cases in various jurisdictions in addition to California. By this definition, the use of an airplane for skydiving could be considered common carriage under the California statute. The case does not directly relate to skydiving, but it provides insight into how the California Supreme Court interprets a law relating to risk, and how similar risks are managed in other jurisdictions. If you are interested in a better understanding of ‘standard of care,’ and the responsibility an operator of an amusement ride owes the public, this decision will be a fascinating read. The entire decision is 49 pages, with an interesting dissent beginning on page 24. The case is called Gomez V Supreme Court of LA County/Walt Disney, and can be found at: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S118489.PDF. …LiabilityCertainly there is no justification for imposing a lesser duty of care on the operators of roller coasters simply because the primary purpose of the transportation provided is entertainment. As one federal court noted, “amusement rides have inherent dangers owing to speed or mechanical complexities. They are operated for profit and are held out to the public to be safe. They are operated in the expectation that thousands of patrons, many of them children, will occupy their seats.” (U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Brian (5th Cir. 1964) 337 F.2d 881, 883.) Riders of roller coasters and other “thrill” rides seek the illusion of danger while being assured of their actual safety. The rider expects to be surprised and perhaps even frightened, but not hurt. The rule that carriers of passengers are held to the highest degree of care is based on the recognition that “ ‘[t]o his diligence and (footnote continued from previous page) however, such owner or operator shall exercise the highest degree of care for the safety of persons using the devices compatible with the practical operation of the devices being used.” 1 5 fidelity are intrusted the lives and safety of large numbers of human beings.’ ” (Treadwell v. Whittier, supra, 80 Cal. 574, 591.) This applies equally to the rider of a roller coaster as it does to the rider of a bus, airplane, or train.5… From the decision Gomez V Supreme Court of LA County/Disney . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I'm a Coach Course Director. The first thing a coach rating will do for you is to improve the way you teach. I find my teaching is always better after I've given a course simply because it has forced me to refocus on the basics. I think you will get a good deal out of the program, and it will improve what you are generously offering the newbies. A coach course is also the first step in along the USPA instructional pathway. It provides a great foundation into how the USPA programs work. The rating allows you to jump with real students at an earlier stage, and that makes your teaching at higher levels even better. The rating is also required for other instructional ratings. You may believe you will never want to be a tandem of AFF instructor (or SL/IAD instructor), but the course might change or mind, or it may not. In any case, it will give you a better sense of who you are as a teacher, and what direction you will want to go. Thanks for helping out with our new jumpers! . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Off field landings happen on occasion. You are right, they can be fun, but they also carry an added risk and should be avoided. Please see Article 16 "Survival Strategies Off Airport Landings" on The Ranch S&TA web site at http://www.ranchskydive.com/safety/index.htm. As for solutions: 1) Demand an extra pass if you need it. If the drop znone or pilot will not give you a second pass or otherwise assure you will be able to make it back, then find another drop zone. 2) Open a bit higher. CAUTION: Do not open higher unless you discuss the plan with the groups behind you. 3) Take an advanced canopy control class. I believe Scott Miller is conducting a course at The Ranch this weekend. There may still be a few slots available. Contact The Ranch directly at 845-255-9538. I'd suggest trying to get into the course on Sunday if there is space---the weather may be better by then. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

In the United States the airspace belongs to the public, that means skydivers, pilots, and whuffos. An airplane flying above a drop zone is NOT violating the airspace. You are correct that a pilot should at least know he is over a drop zone, but technology has replaced paper charts, and skydivers are not covered by the new technology. Sure, the pilot should be looking, but so should the jumpers. Here's a quick bit of math: Assume you get out of an airplane at 13,500 feet, freefall for one minute, then fly your canopy for a minute, and then have a near miss with a small airplane. That airplane is probably traveling less than 120 mph, and was no further than four miles away when you exited. Come on now, don't we have a responsibility to clear the airspace before we jump? I sometimes feel like a broken record on this topic. If you haven't already done so, read my additional thoughts on the S&TA area of The Ranch web site at http://www.ranchskydive.com/safety/index.htm. Take a moment to read: Article 1, Checking For Traffic Article 8, Airspace Article 13, FAA Regulations Applied . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

There is a third option: abort the takeoff when there is still runway available. A good pilot will know the performance of his aircraft and will not fly when there isn't enough runway. Sometimes that might mean only taking two or three jumpers on a hot day, sometimes it might mean not flying at all. The situation you describe would drive me directly to another drop zone in a hurry. A while back I wrote a feature on The Ranch web site about flight safety. It begins with a quick discussion about airplanes, and then deals with pilots. It is Article 14, called "Piston or Turbine Airplanes?" and is available at http://www.ranchskydive.com/safety/index.htm. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

We're not talking about listening to the stall horn go off for a second or two on takeoff roll. We're talking about listening to it the whole way up, with the plane buffeting around. You know, that feel you're talking about a good pilot knowing? My commercial pilot training is a bit rusty, but I don't understand why the stall horn should ever be making any noise on climb out. With a single engine airplane like a C-182 the idea is to climb at Vx until clear of the hazards at the end of the runway, then climb at Vy. The stall horn is set at a much lower airspeed than Vx. You might hear the horn just after rotation while building speed in ground effect, especially on a soft field take off, but the climb out should be horn free. The idea behind Vx is that it is the airspeed that will give the greatest climb performance over a given distance. Vy gives the greatest climb over time. Any airspeed below Vx gives less climb performance than Vx. If the pilot is climbing with the stall horn making noise, it seems he will be below his best climb airspeed, and will thus be sacrificing performance. So, he would climb better at a higher speed (Vx). It's been a while since I hit the pilot training books, but am I missing something? . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Back in the day, 7,500 was considered standard, with 10,000 a 'high' jump, and 12,500 the maximum normal altitude. That was mostly a factor of aircraft efficiency. Today, in the United States, we are governed by FAR 91.211. It specifies: All passengers must be provided with oxygen for that part of the flight in excess of 30 minutes above 12,500 feet. All passengers must be provided with oxygen anytime the aircraft is above 15,000 feet. The required flight crew must use oxygen for the entire time above 14,000 feet. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Actually, you and I both know people who are on "Bonus Days." Hope I'm never in that club. Years ago I was involved in a wrap off the New River Gorge Bridge. At the after-party another jumper told me of his near fatal event, then offered a member-to-member toast: "That nasty Grim Reaper got lost in the haze So welcome my friend, to Bonus Days." It made an impression. I've crossed that line a few more times and watched as friends have earned their step into bonus days. It's something to be avoided at all costs, but if you ever make the crossing, it's a pretty humbling experience that lasts the rest of a lifetime. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

A wet (or in this case, probably damp) parachute isn't a big deal. A parachute that is packed when wet will generally open faster and harder, at least based on my experience after water landings. The major threat of flying a parachute through a cloud is that you may hit an airplane or another parachute. If the cloud is low, you may fly off in a wrong direction and not make it back to the DZ. Flying through a cloud is dangerous and illegal. And yes, it's pretty fun too, but not recommended. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Updating maps is hardly the ideal solution it once was. Many pilots are now doing their flight planning with computer software and then flying with GPS, or GPS slaved to FMS systems. Digital datasets do not include drop zones, so no matter what is on a paper chart, pilots using GPS won't know about it. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

He is packing at The Ranch full time. Try calling manifest in the afternoon at 845-255-9538. Or you could try leaving a message at The Ranch PROshop at 845-255-2252...he packs reserves there too (but not really, really old reserves). John also checks these forums and would reply to you directly, but your profile says you can not receive private messages. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Don't sweat it too much. I'm guessing the crew at the boarding area saw you coming and expected much worse. We tend to be a bit harsh with each other when somebody lands near any object or person, but mostly it's just in fun. I hate landing an airplane when there are people at The Ranch boarding area because I know there will be so many critical eyes watching me, and any little fumble will get critiqued. I guess it's an ego thing. I didn't see your landing, but I assume you were facing toward the mountains or toward the pond and using the long dimension of the landing area in case you ended up too short or long. That's a good way to manage the space. As long as you were not flying directly at the boarding area/mock up and you were confident you could avoid all the people, tent, and mock up, it shouldn't have been a big problem. With all that said, the area around the boarding area is a general danger zone and should be avoided if possible for many reasons. First, it is where airplanes taxi and they have big spinner things that make lots of wind. Second, there are lots of people walking in the area and often they are not paying attention to landing parachutes. Third, there is a ditch that runs across the field by the boarding area and that can cause confusion when you flare. Fourth, the area features undefined turbulence and is sort of like a 'devils triangle' for landings. So, if you must land near the boarding area, by all means do it, but avoid flying directly at the mock-up/tent, and watch for people and turbulence. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The gates on B-12 snaps often get bent to the point they will not close by themselves. Vector I and II student harnesses used B-12 snaps with locking pins. I have never seen this mal on the heavier 5500 pound snaps used by Strong. That was ort of my question. The most common problem is the pinching of the moving part, but the same issue could become manifest if the entire hardware is elongated or deformed and the hook doesn't have room to close. The specific problem wasn't obvious from the small image. A pinched gate is easily corrected before the next jump, while a deformity of the entire piece of hardware is an immediate grounding issue. I have seen both in the field. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Both drop zones are very well respected in the area. My suggestion is to give each DZ a call and ask a series of questions about things like instructor qualifications, jump altitudes, who packs the gear, time in business, how many students are trained at a time, and my favorite...is skydiving dangerous. Compare the answers you receive from the two drop zones and at least one more (see: http://www.uspa.org/dz/index.htm for a listing of USPA affiliated centers), then visit at least one of them before you make a final decision. Look for an honest, student-centered approach to your questions, and get a feel for the business that you would like to trust with your life. I'd also suggest (shameless plug) that you pick up a copy of my book, "JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy" published by McGraw-Hill. It's written specifically for folks like you, and includes a detailed guide that will help you evaluate drop zones. There is a free sample of the book on the Amazon.com site...just click the link on my signature line, then click on the cover of the book. The sample includes the table of contents and index, as well as the first six pages of text. Good luck, . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

It looks like the gate on the shoulder attachment wasn't closed. My question is why? Did the TI not clip it completely and then the gate just hung up, or was there an undetected deformity that prevented the gate from closing? . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I'll take a stab at the question with an educated guess. Back in the day most parachutes had seven cells, with each cell being split into two chambers. PD developed the first commercially successful cross braced canopy called the Excalibur, with a three way split in each cell. By the standard convention of the day it was still a seven cell parachute, but as a marketing gimmick PD defined that as a 21 cell. When the rest of the industry caught up to PD with cross braced cells they followed the convention of dividing by three. It doesn't make sense, but marketing never really has to make sense. So, that's my take on the question. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

You should keep track of the date for currency, freefall time and altitude for licenses, canopy used to help you manage your parachute progression, and any specific maneuvers you made such as RW or vRW with the formation size and names of the other jumpers. Then get it signed. For a list of actual requirements in the United States take a look at the USPA SIM, pages 11-15. In addition to all the above things, I also make note of the aircraft used and the cost of the jump. The aircraft isn't all that important, but the cost really matters to me so I can tally my annual expenses. As an instructor I also make not of any money I make for each jump. I log the financials in the space for "delay" so my entry might look like this; "70/-18" which means a 70 second delay and a cost of $18.00. If I make $30.00 for a jump, the entry would be "70/+30" It helps at tax time. I also keep track of what happens on the jump, with more detail recorded for interesting or unusual jumps. It's sometimes fun to look back and recall the memories. . Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy