tombuch

It's not surprising that you find the question hard to answer. It's a new concept for you. Trust me...in time that question will become easier. Heck, after teaching for a while you will have been asked every possible question about a hundred times and it will all seem old hat. Until the next student asks you something brand new that could never have been imagined. Teaching skydiving will help you become better at thinking on your feet, and at anticipating and understanding the concerns of your students (and other folks in your life). Enjoy the ride. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

A- "Yeah, we have had a couple of fatalities in something like 20 years, but none of them were first jump students. I think that in both cases they were advanced jumpers who made serious mistakes such as..... That's why we are so firm with our training, and why I'm comfortable working here. Just remember the key things we taught you, and you'll have all the tools you need for a terrific jump. Hey, let's check your radio..." You can also reemphasize a couple of the key training issues at this point, but don't over do it. It's a natural question, and you should have a natural answer that doesn't disguise the truth. Be honest if asked, but don't dwell on fatalities. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Well, since you were with your rigger I've got to suggest the best answer would have been to try it. You could have put the rig on and pulled the RSL to see how much force would be needed and in what direction. Then you both would have learned the correct answer to your question with your rig. I'm too lazy to dig out my own rig and try it now (and then reclose the reserve on the off-chance it works), but perhaps I'll give it a shot the next time it needs a repack. Has anybody else actually tried this, or does anybody have a packed rig and want to try it now? Aside from the specifics of this question, I think the point your rigger was trying to make is that if all the regular procedures have failed and you are hurtling toward the planet at an unsurvivable speed, you should keep working on the problem creatively. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

If you are a member of AOPA they will be happy to help you out. If not, it wouldn't hurt to give them a call (800-872-2672) and see if they will bend the rules and offer an informational assist. If that doesn't work you could check in with the FAA directly. They have a wealth of information on their web site regarding medical issues, and a series of phone contacts. The main web site is FAA.gov, but medical issues are covered at http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/ Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Not in this case. When the FAR's were undergoing the lastest change, USPA and several commenters (myself included) were concerned that there was no provision requiring a tandem parachutist in command to follow the manufacturers directives. FAA responded to those comments in the Federal Register on May 9, 2001 as follows when they published the final rule : It is clear that FAA expects a tandem parachutist in command to successfully complete a tandem instructor course as listed in 105.45(a)(1)(iv), and that the tandem parachutist in command must have been certified as properly trained as listed in 105.45(a)(1)(v), but there is no requirement for ongoing training or supervision by the manufacturer or any other industry entity. There were several comments filed about this lack of oversight issue (mine included), but FAA did not address them. Thus, training and manufacturer control appear in the regulations as a single event with no follow-on responsibility. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Good advice for the original poster who has about 75 jumps, but experienced jumpers can and should do more. As we gain experience we should also gain awareness. After a while it becomes pretty easy to know the direction of the jumprun throughout the skydive and to keep a casual scan going along the line of flight. When you get to break-off and opening altitudes that casual scan should become a concentrated scan that will often pick-up the group before and after you. Knowing where they are before you dump will help you avoid them once the canopy opens, and throughout the canopy flight. As I said, this isn't something a beginner should be worried about, but as we gain experience we should be actively targeting personal growth, and this is one place to make improvements. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Perhaps try a tandem jump first. Go with an experienced instructor who understands how to teach canopy control and make the tandem jump about that alone. You could add some freefall fun (spins and such) just to get smiling again if you so choose, but really focus on parachute skills. Especially work on team landing skills. My hunch is that your fractured lumbar vertebrae were compressions from landing on your butt. That's the most common mechanism of injury that will fracture the lumbar spine, and is usually the result of lifting you legs with a straight vertical descent. There are no protective devices that I know of for reducing that kind of injury. Traditional spine protectors will help if you land flat on your back, but they won't do anything for the vertical component of a butt strike. As you train for your next jump do some extra work on parachute landing falls (PFL's). And then prepare to use this skill on every jump to roll off any extra speed, rather than lifting your legs as you may have been trained to do on your first tandems. Our industry has done a real disservice to students by minimizing PLF training. It's a skill that we should all be prepared to use on every jump, and a skill that can save us even when we have thousands of jumps. Welcome back to the sport! Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I'm guessing that by the time you saw the yellow canopy it was too late for you to do anything to prevent a collision, especially given your limited experience and inability to track sufficiently. What I hope you would do is open your own parachute, and upon landing immediately apologize to the other jumper, then get with your instructor and deconstruct what happened. It sounds like that’s the approach you took. The higher jumper (you) should be looking out for the lower jumper, and the higher jumper should be able to adjust his opening altitude and track to stay clear of the lower person. Of course the lower person (yellow canopy) has an obligation to behave reasonably and not track up the flight line or open at an unexpected altitude. It’s possible that in this case the lower jumpers slid into your airspace as inexperienced freeflyers sometimes do. Your instructor should be able to sort that one out and offer additional guidance to the group ahead if that is warranted. As for improvements you can make, I’d begin by looking at exit separation. There have been a few other posts here about how long to wait between groups for adequate separation. I’d start with five to eight seconds, and make sure you are counting at a reasonable speed. If the group ahead is inexperienced I'd add some buffer in case they slide or drift. Likewise, if you are unsure of your ability, add some buffer for yourself. If there is another experienced jumper still on the plane you could ask that person to back you up. Keep your eyes on the group in front so you know where they are, while also watching the ground to confirm the airplane has as much ground speed as you would expect from the forecasted winds aloft. It will be tough for you, at your current experience level, to know how fast the airplane should be moving, but the idea is to know what the winds are, and then relate that to the airplane movement. In time you will begin to recognize and identify ground speed. Next, once you get out and get stable, find the other group(s) as best you can so you know where they are relative to the flight line, drop zone, and ground references, and how much separation you actually have. At your experience level this will be tough, but again, just looking and trying to find them will help you build awareness for future jumps. Then, work on your tracking. Have an instructor or coach join you for a jump or two as a reference, and for feedback. As you are tracking, keep an eye on your heading using the ground references you identified when you first got out and started looking for the group in front of you. Often we use little things like a house or field. Those are great headings for tracking, but knowing where the really big landmarks are is essential for navigation. So, be aware of the location of the drop zone, or massive things like major roads or mountains or rivers. You want to be sure you are tracking in a straight line (small target), but you also want to make sure you are tracking in an appropriate direction to get you where you actually want to go (big landmarks). Watch your altitude. In your post you didn’t say what the opening plan was for the prior group, but you should make sure that you are opening at about the same or higher altitude than the group in front of you, ideally confirming this prior to exit. When I get close to the targeted opening altitude I become super-hyper-aware, and am especially observant of the airspace close by and below. That way, if there has been any unrecognized sliding I will hopefully see jumpers that might have ended up below me before they wave off, and I'll have time to adjust. That's tough for you at your experience level, but it should be a goal for later in your skydiving career. Once you open, take a look around for all the other parachutes. See if the groups are still set-up along jump run, and see how much horizontal and vertical separation exists at the end of the process. Use this as feedback for the next jump. Mistakes happen, especially when you are learning, so don’t be too hard on yourself. And, when you become a skygod please remember the anxiety you are feeling now. All of the experienced jumpers went through the same phase and would do well to be tolerant of beginners mistakes. That doesn’t mean we should ignore the mistakes, but rather, we should be generous in our understanding, and offer plenty of guidance in skill development. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Another excellent reason to join AOPA! For those of you who do not know about AOPA... This is the organization that defends general aviation. It is mostly composed of pilots and aircraft owners, but it really represents all of GA, including those of us in the skydiving world. AOPA has been working closely with USPA, but I think both organizations recognize that the more skydivers join AOPA, the more attention AOPA will pay to our interests. That is especially important when we have airspace or airport conflicts between jumpers and pilots. Obviously it is important to have AOPA and their more than 400,000 members in our corner when it comes to keeping costs down for the maintenance of older aircraft, but they far more than that. There is another thread about user fees, something both USPA and AOPA have been working hard to keep at bay. AOPA has been especially successful in keeping these fees out of legislation approved by Congress, but now faces a veto unless Congress caves in to pressure from the airlines and the President. If you are flying in an old Cessna that uses regular car gas rather than the more expensive Avgas, AOPA has been working to keep this product available. See the full range of work they are doing as listed on their web site under Government Advocacy. In any event, check out their web site at http://www.aopa.org/. Click on the Membership services link to join, or call them at 800-872-2672. Membership is an amazing bargain at just $39.00 Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

You won't find one. I argued for such a requirement when part 105 was rewritten, but the FAA choose not to include it. Manufacturers may require a medical, but there is no FAR that requires a tandem instructor to follow that manufacturers recommendations. I argued for that as well, but apparently the FAA didn't see a need. The requirement is included in the USPA BSR's in section 2-1-C(2) as follows: C. MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS 1. All persons engaging in skydiving must: a. Carry a valid Class 1, 2, or 3 Federal Aviation Administration Medical Certificate; or b. Carry a certificate of physical fitness for skydiving from a registered physician; or c. Have completed the USPA recommended medical statement. 2. Any skydiver acting as parachutist in command on a tandem jump must possess an FAA Class 3 medical certificate or the equivalent. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Nice work Dave. I wrote a feature for The Ranch S&TA site a few years ago that covered the same ground. It begins with a discussion about how we figure the time between groups, and then lists ground speed at various upper wind speeds. Finally it computes the required time between groups to allow 500 feet, 1,000 feet, and 1,500 feet of separation. We began with 500 feet as the minimum because that's what our pilots and drop zone management thought was appropriate given the costs of running the airplanes. I agree that 1,000 feet is a better starting point. The final chart was printed out and posted at manifest along with winds aloft for the day. That way jumpers could figure out the required seperation when they manifested. The article is #15 called "Waiting Between Groups" available at: http://theblueskyranch.com/STA.php Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

You have raised some good points, and identified some important issues that we should all consider regarding how we handle students at our own drop zones. It's sometimes tough to see our own drop zone through the eyes of a student. I’m guessing that TK will learn something about his operation in this thread, and that he will use your feedback to strengthen his program. Z-Hill has an outstanding reputation, and TK does have an interest in quality instruction. I’m betting he will be sorry you fell through the cracks, and will be running around with a tub of Bondo filling those cracks post-haste. Ed Scott (Executive Director of USPA) has an interesting column in the new Parachutist Magazine in which he talks about school rituals that followed the first freefall back in the day when static line was the norm. Even back then we had huge DZ’s where students could get lost in the flow. The achievement of the first freefall was a point to rally the troops and welcome the new skydiver. It was a point at which a student left the crowd, and was welcomed under the collective wing of the skydiving community. We seem to have lost that point in our training, and would do well to find a similar milestone today. That point should include an introduction to the key players on the DZ, and an overview of how to access all the resources that are available. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Oh crap hell yeah. I've been working that issue hard since 2003. It's much more complex than you could ever imagine, but there has been progress. Randy Ottinger just took on the Government Relations gig at USPA and is currently sinking his teeth into the issue. We should see additional progress soon, but even so it will be years before drop zones appear on any GPS, FMS, or digital flight planning screen. You will find a somewhat outdated review of the issue that I wrote in 2005 at: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1882590;#1882590 Since then... We now have technical standards for how drop zone data is handled. We have a standard for how to depict the data in an FAA release, and an international standard for how FMS hardware will share the data. That's huge stuff. HUGE. The FAA standard isn't everything I wanted, but still, it's huge. The FAA has digitized much of the existing data and it is flowing at some level, but the dataset is bloated with long closed drop zones, and that creates an issue with screen clutter that needs to be resolved. We may end up building a new dataset from scratch to generate a dataset of appropriate integrity that manufacturers will ultimately accept. That remains to be seen. In any event, the building of a national dataset of drop zones is the issue of the day, and there are some really smart people working on it. We do not yet have any buy-in from manufacturers to update their firmware. That means that even if we have solid data and it is fully distributed, there is no way to actually display it on GPS or FMS screens because the software doesn't recognize a "drop zone" data type, and won't know what to do with it. This needs to be worked out with manufacturers once we have a reliable dataset in distribution. Both USPA and AOPA will be working this issue when the time is right. Finally, we will need buy-in from pilots. That means they will need to update their GPS's and actually display the data, then avoid DZ's when practical. That's a tough step because VFR pilots don't regularly update their units, so there will be a long term legacy issue until GPS devices have been replaced through normal electronic attrition. So don't look for resolution any time soon, but know that the problem is been worked on. I hope that explanation helps. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Thanks for the change. It really helps! A bit more information than you probably want to know… My monitor is a Mag Innovations 15” flat panel that rotates to either portrait or landscape using Pivot Pro software. It’s friggin AWSOME! I bought it at a Best Buy in 2001 where they had it on sale for just under $250. It was an amazing value, especially for that time. I haven’t seen a similar product anyplace close to that price point since. Unfortunately, as you correctly note, screen resolution is an issue. It’s currently set to 768x1024 with 16 bit color, which is about the only setting that works in the portrait mode. It kills me with some other programs too (Google Earth, for example), but I’m willing to live with the negatives since it is such an outstanding monitor for most basic applications. You should really see how absolutely amazing this thing is sitting on my desk, taking up minimum real estate, displaying documents in full just as they would appear on paper, and displaying most web pages with far better formatting that more closely matches the way we generally view the world. Of course your site isn’t the only one moving to optimization for greater screen resolutions. At some point I will need a new monitor, and will probably have to give up the portrait display option in favor of price. I’m putting that off for as long as I can. Thanks again for making the change. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Welcome to the sport. I'm impressed that you are trying to research something you are not sure of. The short answer is that you should not have jumped through the cloud, but as you saw, there are some drop zones where regulations are ignored. In some cases a DZ will refund your money if you don't jump, but in others it will not...that's a DZ specific policy. Pilots have a fundamental right to fly over your drop zone below the clouds, and you as a jumper are prohibited from creating a hazard. Thus, you must make sure there are no airplanes below or within the clouds, something you really can't do without radar vision. While most pilots (myself included) will try to avoid overflying a known drop zone, it still remains the jumpers responsibility to ensure the airspace is clear before exit. Since you are just starting out, I'll assume you are not familiar with all the available resources, and I'll share a feature I wrote for The Ranch web site when I was S&TA. The article is about jumping through clouds, and although it relates specifically to The Ranch, there is plenty of applicable take away information for other drop zones too. Find it listed as "Article 19, Jumping Through Clouds" at http://theblueskyranch.com/STA.php Other relevant articles available on that site include "Article 1, Checking For Traffic" and "Article 13, FAA Regulations Applied." I suggest you consider the other information posted in this thread and on this site. You will probably find different viewpoints, and different levels of risk tolerance. When you have a chance, chat with your instructor, the S&TA, or drop zone owner about the way regulations are interpreted at your DZ, and the level of risk this places on the jumpers and other airspace users such as transient pilots. If you like, go ahead and print out any of the posts or articles you have questions about and share those with your instructor. Blue skies, Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Changing the textbox settings didn't help, and messing with resolution is a big no-no. Resolution changes are limited by the monitor, and making these alterations either makes the text too tiny to read at all, or causes the monitor to not display anything...try fixing that without a second monitor! (umm, yeah it can be done, but I've learned the hard way to leave my resolution alone) It just really seems like there is a tremendous waste of really valuable screen real estate with those boxes on the left. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Thanks for the idea, but it didn't really help. See the attached screengrab. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Gosh do I hate the recent change that places "My Stuff" in the top left. It completely alters the way the page formats and makes it tough for me to navigate. See the attached screen grab. My monitor is a portrait display (unusual, I know), and the addition of the My Stuff block pushes everything else to the right, requiring that I use the bottom scroll bar to read or write posts. That's really inconvenient and adds a huge amount of mouse movement to page navigation. The change appears to have happened early Sunday morning, April 27. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

With all due respect, Tom, I would hope that people would begin by bringing the issue up with the pilot, DZO, or other DZ official. What may be a misunderstanding, or even a legitimate concern, will most often be solved more easily by staying local than by going to the Feds. If we have become so jaded with an us (skydivers) vs. them (DZOs) mentality as some people here espouse, then the sport is really lost. - Dan G I agree on all points. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

First, I'm not seeing 737driver "standing up in public." He is hiding behind an anonymous identity. Some of what I'm hearing is of concern, but it doesn't have a whole lot of credibility in this forum without a name and a bit of background regarding his relationship to the operation. If the idea is to simply put the concerns out in public, then this approach is effective. If the objective is to bring pressure to change behavior, then this approach is probably not going to have the desired effect. For others: The FAA is actually happy to hear anonymous complaints. If you identify an issue at your drop zone and call the local GADO or FSDO they will listen without requiring you to identify yourself. The inspectors are knowledgeable about aviation issues and will take your concerns seriously. In some cases they may be able to explain the regulations and put you at ease, in other cases they may agree to look into the matter informally, and in some cases they may ask you to go "on the record" so they can launch an official investigation. In my experience, you will always have the option of declining to go on the record. In that case, they will still take your concern under advisement, but may not be able to take certificate action. If you are concerned about your own DZ or another DZ, begin by finding the local FAA office, either in the phone book or at http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/. When you call tell them you want to speak with an inspector about a potential problem regarding skydiving at (name of airport, city, part of the region). That will get you to the right person. Then, state clearly that you don't want to file an official complaint at this time, and would like your name to remain off the record. The inspector will probably say something like "Alright, tell me what's on your mind. If we get to a point where I need to take this on the record, or I need to include your name, I'll tell you, and you can then make the decision if you want to go forward." If, for example, you report that a pilot was drinking before flying, but you won't file an official complaint or go on the record, the inspector will probably say he can't take action, but he will still keep your report in the back of his mind. If he gets other similar reports about the operation he may then call the operator, or do a ramp check to get a feel for what is really going on. So even an anonymous complaint can begin the oversight process. It's pretty easy to bring critical issues forward. If you know about a problem that places the public at risk, remaining silent isn't really a suitable solution. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

OK, I'll jump into this one very briefly, I hope. There is a continuing conflict between more regulation and less. USPA advocates less regulation, or at most, the same level of regulation. Every time FAA raises a finger to add oversight USPA pushes back. I'm not saying that's good or bad, just that it happens. In the past it has been the overwhelming position of skydivers that we want USPA to keep FAA away, and USPA has certainly done an effective job of that. They have, without question, represented our interests well in government affairs. I hear from some jumpers that they no longer know what's happening on the aviation side of the DZ, or that they can't know, and they seem to want FAA to take that up in defense of skydiver safety. That's a relatively new position in the skydiving world, and as it takes hold we need to keep our industry representatives informed of our perceived interests. If our position as a constituency is changing, and we now want more FAA oversight, we need to make our USPA regional directors aware of that position. I'm not saying that change in desire is happening at a significant level, but pointing out that we each need to evaluate what kind of advocacy we want from USPA and then offer direction as members. If the recent aircraft issues have drawn your attention and you want FAA to have a greater hand in protecting jumpers from DZ operators and pilot, then contact your USPA Regional Director or the National Directors. You will find them all listed at: http://www.uspa.org/contact/bod.htm. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Really good point. I've been on some emergency flights that turned into major pig f*cks, and others where everything went super smooth. The difference is the manner in which communication is handled. In an Otter you ideally want an experienced person on the copilot side against the bulkhead, and he should then be crew lead. Whoever is in that slot is in the best position to communicate with the pilot, and also with the folks near the door. The best person for that position is probably an instructor who understands the needs and interests of students and fun jumpers, and who can take charge politely while using the respect he has earned over years of interactions. That person needs to be a terrific listener, and a good leader...two things that actually go well together. So, the next time you are sitting in that position, consider how you would handle an emergency. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I understand your point, but disagree somewhat. I think she was overloaded and frightened by the unexpected turn of events, and she lacked any meaningful means of dealing with the emergency. I was surprised by her reaction (or non-reaction), but not really shocked. If I knew in advance that I was going to be in an emergency she wouldn’t have been my first pick, but she was certainly adequate as an instructor and flying partner. The other thing to keep in mind is that she knew I was there, and I took change immediately. If she was alone she might very well have stepped up to the plate herself. I have been through several real aircraft emergencies, and have plotted contingencies for just about any eventuality. That really helps. We all spend so much time sitting in airplanes and letting our minds wander. Why not take some of that time and ask yourself “what if” questions. Devise a plan of action for any conceivable scenario, and then when trouble strikes you will already have a stock solution to something similar. In my world that’s a key component of risk management, and it’s a big difference between somebody who freaks out, and somebody who responds appropriately. So my lesson from the incident is to imagine any possible problem and then plot contingencies. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Yes, the seated exit is three abreast sitting on the edge of the door with a rock and roll out. From an instructors standpoint all grips are in place so it is thought there is less chance of instability from the student. She did continue teaching for a while but at a reduced level. I think she is out of the sport completely now. It really shook her up. Another poster likened an emergency exit to a CRW exit, and that's a pretty good analogy. It's not a matter of making a super hard arch, but rather a good arch while facing into the prop and throwing the pilot chute quickly. Back in the day we all started with static line training so we were pretty comfortable with hop and pops and low altitude exits. We have lost that comfort from our sport, and that's a shame. Those quick and easy hop and pops are important for in flight emergencies, but they are also fun. I've had other emergency exits from lower altitudes and it's never been a problem, just a change in plans. I strongly recommend folks practice hop and pops, and especially encourage them on days with a low ceiling. Heck, it's an important skill, and it gets you in the air even when there is no chance of full altitude. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

I’ve done a few. My most interesting was with an AFF level one from a Porter, with two fun jumpers along for the ride. The plane was being flown in the left seat by a rookie, who was being trained by an outstanding pilot in the right seat. The engine suddenly lost all power at about 10,000 feet, roughly five miles from the DZ. It immediately freaked the heck out of my AFF partner, but didn’t seem to bother the student too much. Since my partner was freaked out, I had to devise a plan. If we got out right away the student would certainly be landing off the drop zone in an unfamiliar field without radio, but if we stayed with the plane there wouldn’t be any time for freefall. When I checked with the pilot he didn’t care. The fun jumpers were looking to me for a decision, as was my freaked out AFF partner. I decided to stay with the plane as the pilot turned back toward the DZ. We lost a few thousand feet and traveled a few miles before my partner finally spoke up, asking “Where is the DZ?” Not a great question considering she had been sitting on the bench seat with huge windows and easily visible landmarks. So I told her where we were, and what our altitude was. Really, she was scared and clueless. Then I told her we would get as close as we could to the DZ and do a standard exit with immediate deployment. At about 6,000’ I put the fun jumpers out and suggested they open high. By 5,000’ we were ready to exit with the student, still a good distance from the airport, but probably within range. At least my student could see the field and the radio operator could see the student. My partner was still super freaked out and insisted it would be better to do a seated exit, rather than the planned poised exit. It wasn’t necessary for the student, but since my partner insisted and seemed to scared to discuss the options intelligently I went along with the suggestion, and briefed the student on the new exit. That little bit cost us some agl’s, and took us to just above 4,000’. We were in the door with grips when my partner suddenly suggested it would be better if I (as main side) dumped for our student. It didn’t seem necessary, but that wasn’t the time for discussion so I quickly agreed. The exit was flawless, I pulled for my student as his eyes and hand followed along. As I fell away I silently cursed myself for denying the student a chance to pull, something he would have been able to handle with ease. Just as my student landed with a soft stand-up on the airport, the airplane came in for a perfect deadstick, and then coasted easily to the maintenance building. As I was walking back with my first time student, who was super relaxed throughout, he asked why the other instructor was so scared. Go figure. The two fun jumpers and my partner also made it back with no worries, and we all shifted to a different airplane for the rest of the day. And I took the student back up with a different partner for a very fun and relaxed conventional level one. Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy