"Time
Bombs ? !"
December 1995
George Galloway
Precision Aerodynamics, Inc.
Dear George,
Skydiving instructors who are good at their
craft know that students must be carefully
watched and cleverly handled. They also know
that students are time bombs. Our morning
staff meeting divvies up duties and I'm assigned
a static line class consisting of two students.
I learned my trade jumpmastering static line
students, and in this accelerated world of
student instruction I enjoy teaching and slinging
the odd static line class.
Manual
is young, capable, and a tad confused. Patrick
is quicker of mind but seriously out of shape.
Class goes slowly as Manual struggles with
the concept of a windsock. There are two types
of students. Some are capable of comprehending
the whole picture, some just a snapshot. With
the latter, priorities are limited to 1)dive
flow, 2)how to recognize a good canopy from
a bad one, 3)emergency procedures, and 4)how
to fly a pattern and land. Everything else
is gravy.
I
resorted to taking Manual orally through every
step over and over like a student pilot goes
around and around the pattern until there's
a good chance he'd make it around once without
an instructor in the plane. By late afternoon
they're ready. Sitting against the rear bulkhead
of the Twin Otter, Patrick looks confident
and ready. Manual manages a weak smile. He
is operating on pure guts.
No
matter which instructor rating you hold, you
are paid for just one thing. In AFF it's make
sure a ripcord gets pulled. In tandem it's
make sure the passenger is attached to you.
Here, it's make sure the static line is hooked
to something else besides the student. Manual
is going first, on the theory of less distance
from the door, less mistakes. I carefully
hooked him up and handed him the static line
to pull on and double check. Stroking his
shoulder I looked deep into his eyes trying
to beam him the confidence he needed. He reached
out and grabbed the gripper on my jumpsuit
leg, even after I told him not to in class,
but I let him hang on.
Most
jumpmasters don't take advantage of it, but
say something to someone sitting in the open
door of an aircraft for the first time, and
they never forget it. Putting my mouth to
his helmet I give some last minute exit advice,
told him I was very proud of him, and tapped
him out. He pushed forward into the relative
wind and hit a nice arch looking up and counting
like a champ. He had one line twist that cleared
before he knew it. Patrick leaped into the
door and did another good exit.
I
checked my handles going through the door
at 4,500-feet and lay on my back watching
the Twin Otter climb away. Passing Patrick's
and Manual's canopies I notice they are both
heading the right way. Ten seconds gone and
just passing 3500-feet I'm working on my inverted
reaper roll until I hit two grand and pitched.
I'm
thinking how happy and relieved Manual must
be as deployment pulls me upright. What? I
go over center and start to accelerate looking
up at a perfect streamer. Eighteen hundred
jumps (and after 12 years of teaching it)
here comes my very first cutaway. My
Super Raven opens fast, and on-heading.
Never seeing my drama Manual and Patrick are
down safe and overjoyed, Manual keeps trying
to hug me. I'll tell you something George,
I could never concentrate on my students that
much without a Super Raven reserve on my back.
Thank you for making my job easier.
Nick
Di Giovanni
Raven Packed & Cypres Equipped
D-8904
AFF S/L I 96
Senior Rigger #15748850
