Teaching students to "tighten butt" at pull time.

[Kimblair13 0]

So, just wondering...what Instructors tell their students that at pull time they need to tighten their butt, or keep their arch strong so they don't kick themselves in the face? At my DZ we give them the finger as a pull signal and I've heard my DZO many times, even before this whole recent incident, to do this. Just curious if this is the norm or not, or if Instructors just don't worry about that.

[AFFI 0]

Jump, Pack, Red Bull, Repeat...

That is awesome!

[AFFI 0]

Dont know if this will help but this is what we teach, havent had any problems of significance in the past 5 years...

Main Deployment:
1. Establish belly-to-wind (arched) body position.
2. Maintain the arch and locate the hackey handle.
3. Students using equipment with the hackey handle mounted on the bottom of the container should keep chin up look towards the horizon while reaching for the handle with their right hand.
4. The jumper must accentuate the arch while reaching for the hackey.
5. For equal deflection of air (balance), stretch the left hand overhead and across as the right hand reaches for the hackey handle.
6. Throw the hackey handle vigorously, returning to the original position.
7. Verbalize each action, e.g., “Arch! Reach! Throw! Arch!”

[riggerrob 643]

Yes, we teach a similar deployment process to our freefall students.
We teach them to blow out and exaggerate their arch as they toss their pilot chutes.

[Kimblair13 0]

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Jump, Pack, Red Bull, Repeat...

Thanks, you can use it too if you want.

OK...so maybe I should re-phrase my quesiton...it was more directed toward tandem students than AFF students. Maybe alot of TI's don't allow students to pull, but ones that do...do you also throw in when you pull to keep a hard arch?

[timuuu 0]

Hard arch throughout the skydive. Telling them "definitely at pull time arch" suggests they don't have to arch for the whole skydive.

I tell them if they don't arch, we won't necessarily get stable. No stability = no drogue. No drogue = no main.

All this is said to the student, and in no way is done by the TM. TM needs to get the pair stable & get the drogue out as per their training. Just another good way to explain why they need to arch from the minute they leave the plane.

[AFFI 0]

When I first got my AFF Rating there were two seasoned instructors that I was lucky enough to get to mentor me, both with over 10,000+ skydives, all kind of awards and history with about 50 years of experience between them and they gave me some advice I want to share.

Both of them advised me to strike the term “Hard Arch” from my vocabulary and replace it with “Relaxed Arch” and to have a relaxed attitude when working with students, making sure they know the gear and how to use it will likely produce a more relaxed student in the air.

Relaxed Arch…

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[DJL 235]

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OK...so maybe I should re-phrase my quesiton...it was more directed toward tandem students than AFF students. Maybe alot of TI's don't allow students to pull, but ones that do...do you also throw in when you pull to keep a hard arch?

But you said something about pointing a finger as the pull signal?

I'm not a TI but in the several hundred video jumps I've made, I've seen the student body position at this point to about as predictable as exit, meaning not-so-predictable. Worse position for the ones who actually reach and pull for themself. Maybe you just like the thought of people clenching their butts?

Arch-Look-Reach-Clench Butt-Pull Has a nice ring to it.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[Andrewwhyte 1]

I've had a few students express anxiety about opening shock over the last year or so. I have gotten in the habit of telling them I will, and then yelling 'here we go!' just before I pull. That is their cue to stiffen up. So far the results have been good with the students appreciating the warning.

[Kimblair13 0]

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But you said something about pointing a finger as the pull signal?

Yeah...at our DZ we let students pull the ripcord. They know it's time when we give them the pull signal.

[DJL 235]

Ok, that's what I think a few people's confusion was as to whether you were talking about AFF or Tandems. I've never heard of a TI reaching their hand out there and pointing back at the student. Our guys will sometimes grab the student altimeter and shove it in their face if they're not paying attention.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

On "non-student-training" tandems I don't give the passenger any indication that I am about to pull. I wave off the video guy (when present), reach back and pull my drogue release. I will sometimes hook my elbows under the passenger's armpits if they are "larger" to control them during the opening.

If it's a training tandem (generally just Cat A's), I instruct them just like my AFF students. Lock on at six, then "wave, wave, arch, reach, pull".

It's amazingly crass, but I tell my male students to arch from the pelvis like you don't want to piss on your feet. Hey, I'm a redneck, OK.

Chuck

[AFFI 0]

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I tell my male students to arch from the pelvis like you don't want to piss on your feet

Arch like Pamela Anderson is beneath you, and Tommy-Lee is behind you!