Tandem Master to Tandem Instructor

[BIGUN 1,297]

I "believe" Chris Miller at Spaceland is still an Eclipse I/E also... But you may want to check with him. It's been about 4 years since I got my Eclipse rating from him.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[DualHawk 0]

Hi Steve,

Okay, here is what I got:

USPA is putting together a matrix of situations, including like the one your in, for the Board to consider. They will then come up with a process for getting the USPA Tandem Instructor rating issued.

The guidelines should be posted soon by USPA, so members have as much time as possible to wrap up any additional requirements.

I trust that the people working on this at USPA are going to do their best to make sure the conversion process is as streamlined as possible.

Hope that helps.

Best Regards,

Tom Noonan
Tandem Director
Strong Enterprises

[steveorino 7]

Tom, you are the man! Thanks for following through with this for me!

steveOrino

[DualHawk 0]

Hey Steve,

As promised, here is the link, now on the USPA Website. The USPA tandem rating process, as outlined by USPA, for "manufacturer only" rating holders to obtain their USPA Tandem Instructor rating.

http://www.uspa.org/licenses/ratings.htm#future

Best Regards,

Tom Noonan
Tandem Director
Strong Enterprises

[NSEMN8R 0]

Thanks for posting that.

It says I need to have "attended a USPA Instructor seminar within the previous 12 months". What's an Instructor Seminar? I don't see anything about it on the USPA website.

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Every dropzone (or region) is supposed to run at least one per year. Some places run them in conjunction with safety day.

[DualHawk 0]

Quote

It says I need to have "attended a USPA Instructor seminar within the previous 12 months". What's an Instructor Seminar? I don't see anything about it on the USPA website.

It has always been my understanding that USPA Instructor Seminars, were the instructor equivalent of the yearly "Safety Day" seminars for fun jumpers.

At my old home DZ, every year we would have a Safety Day meeting for everyone, and then a staff specific open forum Instructor Seminar for all ratings holders to go over any changes that year with the ISP, or any other rules or regs changes to BSRs that affect each rating discipline. Our meetings were held by our S&TA and typically the most senior instructor in each rating would discuss that ratings information/refreshers.

Best Regards,

Tom Noonan
Tandem Director
Strong Enterprises

Okay, just found the official verbiage on page 222 of the SIM in the Glossary section under "R":

Rating Renewal Seminar, USPA: A meeting of USPA Instructional Rating holders to exchange information, introduce and discuss new ideas, and to develop, improve or assure, the quality of skydiving instruction.

(Phew....we were doing it right then all those years...lol)

[steveorino 7]

Thanks Tom.

As I understand it then a TM with only a manufacturer's rating and who is also IADI wils still have to attend a full blown TI course with those who have never been a TM?

steveOrino

[livendive 8]

Quote

Thanks Tom.

As I understand it then a TM with only a manufacturer's rating and who is also IADI wils still have to attend a full blown TI course with those who have never been a TM?

That's not the way I read it. A current "mfg. only" TM with another instructor rating need only provide the following:

Quote

Proof of manufacturers rating, Tandem Proficiency card #10 (score 80% or higher on written exam), current FAA 3rd class or higher medical certificate or the equivalent verified and signed by a USPA Tandem Course Director. Fax or mail the proficiency card to USPA with the $40 rating fee.

The red text was added by me.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[steveorino 7]

Okay, I misinterpreted "This effectively gives USPA members who are only manufacturer rated approximately one year to make the necessary arrangements with a USPA Tandem Course Director and earn the USPA Tandem Instructor rating"

I assumed that meant take the course, not just fill out card.

steveOrino

[davepend 0]

Quote

It says I need to have "attended a USPA Instructor seminar within the previous 12 months". What's an Instructor Seminar?

The monthly staff meetings we had at our previous dropzone is what I used there for I-rating currency.

Counting "safety meetings" around the bonfire might be a stretch, though.

-dp

[AdD 1]

Wow I'm glad CSPA isn't doing this, I hate paperwork.

Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

[riggerrob 643]

Now that there are two (manufacturer-rated) Tandem Examiners on CSPA's Coaching Committee, it is more likely that CSPA will write its own standard for TIs.
Mind you, don't hold your breath.
I posed the same question to them 20 years ago.
This is part of a long-term process that would allow manufacturers to get out of the business of "maintaining" instructor ratings by fobbing the process off on national sporting organizations (i.e. USPA).
15 years ago, the Relative Workshop would have cheerfully handed their entire TI program to USPA, but Ted Strong has been stubbornly resisting relinquishing any control.

Also remember that most rule changes are written in blood. With only one tandem fatality in Canada in the 1980s (Steve West) and one tandem fatality in the 1990s (Abbottsford, not even a CSPA member group) that is not bad enough to force CSPA's Board of Directors to waste time debating a "non-issue."

The bottom line is: if you don't want CSPA to get into the business of "rating" TIs, keep the fatality rate low.

[riggerrob 643]

I am not quite sure what you guys are whining about?????

All professional instructors do some form of refresher training every year or earn a new rating.

I practice what I preach by setting personal goals to earning a new rating every year.

1977 first jump

1978 Private Pilot License

1979 A Certificate

1980

1981 Canadian Army paratrooper Wings (S/L), qualified for Army demo team, B & C Certificates

1982 Instructor A (S/L)

1983 IAD Instructor & Provincial Champ in accuracy

1984 Rigger A, my first season as a jump pilot & Canadian Ten-Man

1985 competed in Para-Ski and accuracy at the Nationals

1986 German Army paratrooper wings, made my own canopy, did my first two BASE jumps, Instructor B & 2 TI ratings

1987 High Altitude Indoctrination Course & made my first few video jumps

1988 Coach 2

1989 PFF Course

1990 TI refresher & made my second canopy

1991

1992 IAD & TI refreshers, USPA D License

1993 PIA Symposium & bought my first camera helmet

1994

1995 PIA Symposium & Racer TI

1996 FAA Master Rigger & factory course on FXC 12000

1997 PIA Symposium & Cypres retrofit course

1998 factory training on Softie PEPs

1999 USPA Coach & TI refresher

2000 completed Coach 2

2001 PIA Symposium, PFF refresher & Coach 2 Theory

2002 Commercial Pilot Ground School

2003 PIA Symposium & made my first Handy-Mount

2004 Rigger Instructor, taught myself hand-cam & attended BM school

2005 PIA Symposium, Rigger B & refresher on S/L

2006 German Prufur rating & PIA Symposium & refresher on IAD & bought a wingsuit

2007 PIA Symposium & Exhibition Jump Rating

2008 Rigger Examiner?

What is your New Year's Resolution for 2008?

[steveorino 7]

From the days of being SF to my my present job as a counselor/therapist I have spent lots of time & $ maintaining my education with 100s of hours of professional development designed to build on my education & training. I have seen the over all value of doing so.

However, I'd be pissed if I was forced to spend $1500 on a Introduction to General Psychology course at this stage in my career. Wouldn't I learn something new? Yes, perhaps, but I believe my time and money would be better spent on a class designed to build on my experience rather than teach me the basics. Is that whining? If so, I guess I'm a whiner.

steveOrino

[riggerrob 643]

Maybe your time would be better spent moderating a refresher seminar for young counsellors or teaching "Introduction to General Psychology."

Teaching the basics is a great way to reinforce them in your mind. That is why instructors "bounce" less often than fun jumpers.

[slotperfect 7]

I posted an update on this situation here:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3140496;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;

Arrive Safely

John