License D to become tandemaster

[DroptheMan04 0]

If you already past 500 jumps and passed to be tandemaster, you could take relatives or friends for free jumps with harness locked on yours? Or what?

[AggieDave 6]

If you have completed the requirements to become a TI then sure you could take whom ever you wanted if they met the weight requirements. However, you're implying for free, which *can* happen if you have a DZO that's cool. It means you'll go for free, you'll pay for the gear rental (or the DZO will comp it), you'll pay for the packjob or pack the tandem rig yourself and pay for both slots on the plane.

A number of DZOs that I know don't mind a TI doing that every once in a while for special friends/relatives, but remember tandems are their money makers. If you're doing a free tandem that's an instructor and a rig that's loosing money on that load.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[DroptheMan04 0]

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If you have completed the requirements to become a TI then sure you could take whom ever you wanted if they met the weight requirements. However, you're implying for free, which *can* happen if you have a DZO that's cool. It means you'll go for free, you'll pay for the gear rental (or the DZO will comp it), you'll pay for the packjob or pack the tandem rig yourself and pay for both slots on the plane.

A number of DZOs that I know don't mind a TI doing that every once in a while for special friends/relatives, but remember tandems are their money makers. If you're doing a free tandem that's an instructor and a rig that's loosing money on that load.

Oh I'm sure, I would willing to pay for packjob and pilot plus rental, instead pay full like more than $150 bucks while take my relatives or friends to tandem jumping. By the way, thanks for information.

PS; Anyone have more information than this as important I should know?

[AggieDave 6]

If you're serious about becoming a TI then work hard to learn belly skills and canopy skills to become a good coach first. Then when you hit 3 years in the sport and 500 jumps then you should be good to go to become a TI.

Maybe I'm not clear on exactly what you're asking. Are you wondering how to become a TI or how to get to a point where you can take your friends and families on jumps? Becoming a TI just to take friends and families on jumps is a piss poor solution. You'll find, if you follow a TI path, that it takes hundreds of tandems jumps to get where you feel like you can do them even half-assed well. Nevermind currency issues with your rating (not legally current but actually current, there's a big difference) with your rating. I know that even with 1000 tandem jumps if I don't do a few tandem jumps every week I feel like I'm slightly behind the curve with my student on the next jump.

Please explain to me what it is you're asking, since I'm obviously not quite getting it. I'll be more then happy to answer your questions or point you to someone who can if I can't.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[DroptheMan04 0]

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Oh yes. I understood what you saying! I would take normal as tandemaster to take normaly customers to jumping for my job to earn money and to pleasure new students. Is that right to get 10 points to be TI with expreienced jumpers in safetly landing?

[AggieDave 6]

You typically do 10 jumps with a 100+ jump jumper as the "student" then another 10 jumps on probation before you're signed off completely as a TI. Even then, 20 jumps teaches you how not to die. You learn so much due to all the variables on each jump. Every wingloading is different on every jump, the students react differently on each jump, its just different on each jump. Its also a LOT of fun!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[DroptheMan04 0]

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You typically do 10 jumps with a 100+ jump jumper as the "student" then another 10 jumps on probation before you're signed off completely as a TI. Even then, 20 jumps teaches you how not to die. You learn so much due to all the variables on each jump. Every wingloading is different on every jump, the students react differently on each jump, its just different on each jump. Its also a LOT of fun!

What do you mean "another 10 jumps on probation before signed off?"

[AggieDave 6]

10 jumps with "live" students but under watch of the course director (supposedly). In reality that means you have to document the jumps with those 10 students, not die, don't get hurt and don't do either to the student.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Andy9o8 2]

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you could take relatives or friends for free jumps with harness locked on yours?

Definitely. Not lacking their harness on is generally frowned upon; and if they're in an AFP program, it may preclude their progressing to the next level.

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to pleasure new students.

You need at least 3,000 TI jumps to qualify for that privilege.

[riggerrob 643]

All of the pre-levels (550 jumps, 3 years in the sport, D-license and some other instructor rating) are all attempts at measuring your maturity.

I have seen a few highly skilled skydivers refused tandem instructor ratings because they were not mature enough. They were too busy skydiving to glorify their own egos to care about whether the student enjoyed the jump or learned anything.

Oh! And taking your friends and family for "free" ($150 out of your own pocket) rapidly fades as fun. Face it, tandems are hard work. If you don not see a monetary reward, the fun rapidly fades.

It takes hundreds of jumps to get good at tandems. For example, even though I do upwards of 300 tandem jumps per year (and I have done more that 3,500 total tandems), I still feel "rusty" every spring. It is not until June or July that I feel "current" again.
... and I tell young tandem instructors - that if they plan to do less than 50 tandems per year - to not waste their time and money on the rating.