[Members] Fwd: Tandem Safety, GM Renewals, Staff Ratings and More!

[Kenneth Bader]

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "United States Parachute Association" <e-news at uspa.org>
> Date: March 12, 2019 at 3:30:24 PM CDT
> To: kbaderjr at cox.net
> Subject: Tandem Safety, GM Renewals, Staff Ratings and More!
> Reply-To: safety at uspa.org
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> March 12, 2019
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> Tandem Safety Reminders
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> All tandem instructors, tandem examiners and drop zone owners should work toward improving the safety of every tandem skydive. With one of the requirements for tandem instructors to renew their ratings being, “Within the previous six months has completed a full review of all tandem emergency procedures including a demonstration of responding properly to each malfunction with the use of a training harness,” now is a great time to review emergency procedures. Otherwise, the requirement might catch you in the middle of the upcoming busy season.
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> Tandem instructors must follow many requirements specific to tandem skydiving. Recent reports indicate that some instructors are not meeting the requirements outlined in the Federal Aviation Administration FAR 105.45 or the USPA Basic Safety Requirements (see Section 2 of the Skydiver’s Information Manual).
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> Among other requirements, FAR 105.45 specifically requires that each student be fully trained before boarding the aircraft:
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> The person acting as parachutist in command has briefed the passenger parachutist before boarding the aircraft. The briefing must include the procedures to be used in case of an emergency with the aircraft or after exiting the aircraft, while preparing to exit and exiting the aircraft, freefall, operating the parachute after freefall, landing approach, and landing.
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> Some other ideas to cover:
> BSRs specifically for tandem skydiving can be found in SIM Section 2-1 G.4.c.
> Student harness adjustment according to the manufacturer instructions.
> Practicing performing handles checks before exit and after the drogue deployment. Be sure instructors are not skipping handles checks altogether or rapidly slapping at each handle.
> Proper positioning of the student in the door of the aircraft.
> Stable exits focusing on flying the tandem into the relative wind immediately upon exit.
> A stable drogue deployment throwing the drogue far out to the side once the tandem pair is flying in the relative wind.
> Releasing the drogue no lower than 4,500 feet (most tandem manufacturers require a fully inflated main canopy by at least 4,000 feet).
> A stable and smooth canopy flight and landing.
> Review pilot safety. Jump pilots can definitely benefit from reviewing aircraft normal and emergency procedures. A preflight inspection should include a review of the aircraft’s maintenance status, FAA or STC approvals for jump modifications, and aircraft weight and balance with various fuel loads. Is your jump pilot familiar with local noise abatement procedures and alternate landing areas? Have your instructors briefed the pilot on minimum emergency exit altitudes for tandem and other student operations? Does your pilot know how to use an onboard pilot emergency parachute? Your pilots are part of the team.
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> Group Member Renewals Due
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> March 31 is the deadline for the annual Group Membership renewal for all drop zones based in the U.S. Be sure to get your renewal paperwork in early to avoid cancellation of important membership benefits. If you have not received your GM renewal, please contact groupmembers at uspa.org to request a new packet.
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> Check Your Staff for Current Ratings
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> Now is the time to check your staff to make sure everyone has current USPA memberships and ratings, as well as to ensure your tandem instructors and pilots hold current Federal Aviation Administration Third-Class Medical Certificates. For any DZO, Safety and Training Advisor or Instructor Examiner, checking for current USPA ratings is easy. Simply log in to the USPA credential verification page and check the status of each staff member.
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> Each tandem instructor and pilot must hold a current medical, which is not included in the USPA credentials information. So tandem instructors and pilots must provide you with physical copies of their current medicals for verification. If you have issues logging into your new online account, contact groupmembers at uspa.org.
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> DZ Marketing Tip of the Month: Free First-Jump Ground School
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> Has your DZ ever considered periodically offering a free first-jump ground school? Some DZs have successfully increased their AFF business by doing so. You can offer the free training to your first-time tandem students or to those who haven’t yet made a jump. You can promote the training as a way for people who have thought about skydiving to learn more about the sport without yet making a financial or mental commitment to jump. Even if you don’t require the participants to actually jump, almost all will most likely want to jump after investing time in ground school. You can offer the training during the week or in the evenings so it doesn’t interfere with the instructors’ jumping time. Especially in the slower season, this is a great way to increase interest of potential jumpers, since you can maximize downtime due to weather.
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> You can promote the free ground school using Facebook and other social media. You can also email those who have come to your DZ just to do a one-time tandem jump, which can help bring the bucket-list tandem jumpers back to pursue their student progressions. You might also consider other advertising outlets such as radio ads, as well as a “street team” of experienced jumpers who pass out flyers at bars, local events, etc.
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> Offering free ground school is a great first step to increasing student retention and turning first-timers into licensed skydivers. It costs your DZ nothing except your instructors’ time and energy and can help increase your business in the long run.
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> USPA’s monthly marketing tips offer tons of ideas that drop zones can use to help their businesses grow. To look through previous DZ Marketing Tips of the Month, view “The Professional” archives here.
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> If you have a marketing technique that’s working well for your drop zone and you’d like to share it with other DZs, email your idea to sportpromo at uspa.org.
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> U.S. Parachute Association
> 5401 Southpoint Centre Blvd., Fredericksburg, VA 22407
> (540) 604-9740 (p) | (540) 604-9741 (f)
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