Above: Photo by Josh Reuck.

All of us have either heard, asked or answered this question while on jump run. Instructional rating holders commonly use this phrase as a final check-in with their student shortly before exit. However, instructors should establish the true measure of readiness much earlier: on the ground.

When it comes to your student’s readiness to jump, how sure are you that the ground training was sufficient and comprehensive? Have you ever been in the plane wondering about it? Readiness is particularly important for first-time solo students, because they frequently experience heightened anxiety and cognitive overload.

When teaching a first-jump course, how do you know a first-jump student is ready to take it to the air?

It’s easy to talk through the content in the First-Jump Course Syllabus in Section 4 of the Skydiver’s Information Manual or your drop zone’s first-jump-course syllabus. There’s plenty of it. And its easy to deprioritize physical rehearsal and practical application of knowledge, especially when the schedule is tight or the class size is large. However, talking is not teaching: checking for learning is. So, in addition to monitoring the detailed content in the first-jump course, you should also check for minimum performance from each student. According to the Instructional Rating Manual, your student should:

Equipment

• Be able to find and operate main deployment, cutaway and reserve-activation handles (or single-operating-system handle)
• Explain the use of the altimeter in freefall and under canopy
• Expect three complete equipment checks

Aircraft

• Know to approach the plane from behind (away from propeller) and with an instructor
• Demonstrate correct procedure for landing with the plane in an emergency
• Demonstrate correct procedures for emergency exit (exit on main, exit on reserve)
• Respond correctly to questions about how to handle an open parachute in the aircraft with the door open and closed

Freefall

• Be able to arch sufficiently to lift both shoulders and knees off a flat surface and hold for 10-second intervals without straining
• Be able to control both legs and arms with symmetry and extend both legs slightly during arch practice
• Demonstrate the correct deployment and practice deployment procedures, including cue words (e.g., “arch, reach, touch!”) and symmetrical movement
• Understand and respond with the correct body position to freefall hand signals
• Recite the three pull priorities
• Demonstrate the correct technique to handle a hard pull and a can't-find-the-handle situation for the main deployment
• Demonstrate how to clear a pilot chute hesitation (main or reserve)

Canopy

• Respond correctly and within five seconds to presented malfunctions, including line twists, slider up, end-cell closures and all three two-canopy-out scenarios
• Name and explain decision altitude
• Solve two contrived canopy descent problems from opening to 1,000 feet
  1. too close to the planned pattern entry point at
  2. too high an altitudemore than halfway down, but not yet halfway back

Landing

• On your drop zone's aerial map, draw what to do if they are coming into their base leg and arriving at their landmark before their 600-foot altitude.
• On your drop zone's aerial map, draw what to do if they are coming into their base leg and are arriving at their 600-foot altitude before their landmark.
• Recite the four landing priorities
• On an aerial map, draw what to do on final approach at 100 feet if they find they are running with the wind
• Demonstrate the flare and a proper parachute landing fall
• Explain the correct procedure for these landing hazards: power lines, water, trees, buildings (also any other hazards specific to the drop zone)

Having these outcomes in the forefront of your mind while you teach can help you focus on the most critical items and minimize extraneous information that can draw out the length of the course, which easily fatigues students. For example, there is no requirement for the equipment section of the first-jump course to involve an hour-long deep dive into naming and describing all of the parts of a rig. Instead, your student simply must be able to answer questions about and physically demonstrate the use of all handles and the use of the altimeter. Having this minimum checklist of observable outcomes not only assures that you covered the appropriate material in a way that maximizes retention, but also assures you that, yes, they are ready to skydive!

For even more help reducing cognitive load, have your students preview information that aligns with the ISP at skydiveschool.org. Access is free after they create a uspa.org account for login.

Jen Sharp, Ph.D. | D-17516
AFF, Tandem and Coach Examiner Rating Course Director