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SIGMA TANDEM SYSTEM OWNER’S MANUAL
11301 - 00.00.0000 Section 3: Instructor Techniques • Chapter 3 - Freefall / Drogue-Fall
E. Reserve initiation altitude is 2,500 AGL
For all the reasons mentioned above, do not delay the execution of reserve procedures. If the situation calls for it,
make a decision and carry it out. The following chart (Fig. 1) shows the difference between freefall and drogue fall.
Notice the increase in speed and the decrease in available time.
STABILITY CONTROL
A. Arch
B. Anticipation
C. Manipulation
A. Arch:
What the Tandem Instructor does is more important than what the student does. The Tandem Instructor should
concentrate on good training for the student in the proper body position, and then on his own body position on the
exit with focus on using the relative wind to achive instant stability. If the Tandem Instructor attains a good arch right
out the door, then chances are the pair will gain stability easily.
Incredibly enough, many instability problems are caused by a bad Tandem Instructor body position. Specifically,
many problems start because the Tandem Instructor fails to throw a hard arch on exit, and ignore the relative wind .
While a poor exit resulting in instability is not inherently dangerous (except when it leads to unstable drogue
deployment), it is nonetheless unnecessary and unacceptable. A poor exit is defined as any exit creating a combination
of uncontrolled loops or rolls immediately after exit. It is not acceptable to loop an AFF exit, nor is it acceptable to loop
an airplane on takeoff with a first time student, and Tandem is no different. While everyone will “blow” an exit every
now and then, it should be the rare exception, and not the norm.
Ironically, the smallest students can be the most difficult to control.
Example: When you hit a badminton birdie, the weighted end always ends up below. The same can hold with a
Tandem pair. If a large Tandem Instructor makes a poor exit with a small student, it is very possible for them to end up
back to earth (with the heavier of the pair below).
8,400 Ft.
(2,560m)
Droguefall
12,500 Ft.
(3,810m)
Freefall
Distance
Covered
In
50 seconds
Fig. 1
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