What does it take to be a Tandem Instructor?  

By Nicole Richards

We interviewed Angie Aragon, Course Director & Tandem Instructor Examiner, and Aria Vela, Women’s Skydiving Network Scholarship recipient and now Tandem Instructor, about what it takes to make it as a tandem instructor.

The appeal of the job is easy to see –skydiving everyday, getting paid to do it, the opportunity to travel the world, and the freedom to make your own schedule as a contractor! According to Angie and Aria, the best part of their job is when the canopy deploys and they hear their student’s initial and authentic reactions to the experience.  “Thier energy passes through me like osmosis!” Angie says with a smile. 

Angie’s experiences of teaching courses all over the world (Skydive Perris, Skydive Chicago, Skydive Paraclete XP, Skydive Deland, Skydive City/Z-Hills, Skydive Puebla, Skydive Cuatla, Skydive Qatar) give her a wide range of real world experiences. She is able to help candidates work through different scenarios that can come up when traveling for the job. Some of these scenarios are exiting different types of aircrafts and international issues, such as foreign equivalents and language barriers.  She is also able to offer tandem instructor courses in English and Spanish.

Taking the first steps into this career can seem intimidating. Aria remembers looking up to TIs with 200+ jumps and thinking “I’ll never be where they are. I’m not strong/good/confident enough.” Now, after one season at Skydive Indianapolis, she has 600+ tandem skydives and the experience to have secured a full-time TI position at her dream dropzone, Skydive Perris! Making a lot of jumps in a day allows you to build muscle memory and play with techniques; the amount of learning that can happen is exponential. Aria’s progression shows it is possible to advance quickly.  She says, “It is possible anyone can do this, you just have to put in the work!”

To begin, you must meet the following requirements:

• 18+ years of age
• Earned a USPA D License or Foreign Equivalent (Must be USPA D license if using the tandem rating in the USA)
• Logged 500 jumps on a ram-air canopy (Logbook required)
• Logged 100 jumps in the last 12 months
• A minimum of three years in parachuting
• Presented a FAA Class 3 Medical Certificate or military or foreign equivalent

Financially you should be prepared to spend around $1,600 for the course. This includes the course fee ($650), 19 jump tickets for the required 10 jumps, gear rental, and license fees (USPA and UPT ratings).

Beyond the above requirements, Angie has further expectations of her candidates. Her highest expectation is that they have spent at least a week or two studying the UPT Sigma Manual and Tandem Instructor section of the USPA’s IRM.  Tandem skydiving equipment and emergency procedures are much more complex than sport gear malfunctions. One of the hardest parts of tandem instructing is the amount of EP’s and the risks involved with them, Angie expressed. Making and studying flash cards of tandem emergency procedures is a great way to come into the course with the preparedness and understanding of the different scenarios that can occur and how to handle them. 

The second expectation is that all candidates show up having some level of physical fitness. Angie shares, “From the moment you pick up a tandem rig for a gear check and all the way until you lay it back on the mat you will be challenged physically.” As you prepare, it can be helpful to create a regimen to build the muscle needed for the job. You may include a variety of core exercises, lat pull downs, push-ups, pull-ups, rowing, and weighted squats. Doing these exercises with 60lbs of weight is comparable to a tandem rig. No matter where you are, you can build the strength needed to do the job!

The third expectation is to show up with an attitude to be aggressive enough to do what needs to be done to take charge in the sky. “Tandems are not the thing to be doing if you find yourself being a passive skydiver,” Angie says. “You need to be ready to physically handle a person who might be bigger than you.” Understanding the mental aspect has helped Aria succeed. She has learned to not let the last jump affect the current jump. “Keep a present and confident mindset for each individual jump,” she says. Angie shares that it is most important to have respect for the job and the lives that will be in your hands.   Showing up to the course a little intimidated and fearful is normal, it means that you have respect for the new, more complicated equipment as well as the lives you will be taking into the sky.

“Am I ready?”

You will need to be a proficient canopy pilot that understands the stages of canopy flight and has the skills to the land safely and accurately with smooth consistency.  Tandem canopies fly similar to a lightly loaded (1:1) intermediate canopy. Be ready to effectively use the tools up your sleeve to land on target in zero to high wind situations. You will also need a thorough understanding of flying the relative wind including the exit, the hill, and different orientations. Free fall experience beyond the belly-to-earth orientation, such as free fly or angle, allows for comfort flying the relative wind in any orientation. This can be helpful in terminal situations or on unstable exits.

Build a network of experienced instructors you are comfortable going to for advice. Angie and Aria expressed the importance of mentorship in progressing after the course. The first 200 tandems are all about learning how to do the job and getting comfortable with it. Mentors can help master techniques and problem solve during that time. Aria shares that after her first 150 tandems she felt more comfortable. After 500 tandems, she began to feel confident. Having a network of experienced instructors available to give advice has helped her succeed. Angie shares that when you have 500+ tandems (with no incidents/injuries) opportunities for work as a TI start to open up. When you have 1000+ tandems (with no incidents/injuries), you have the experience to work anywhere in the world!

As your examiner, Angie wants you to come into the course ready to accept that tandem instructing might not be for you. The course is set up in phases to help you succeed and take some of the pressure off as you start to develop confidence. “Candidates suddenly realize they are doing it!” she says. As a fellow instructor, her advice is “Be ready to work hard!”  

When it comes to skydiving products, buy from the best! UPT Vector, Larsen & Brusgaard, and don’t forget to ask me about my sexy Cookie Helmet! 

About The Author:  

Nicole Richards is an experienced skydiver, aspiring professional skydiver, and the official blog writer for USPACourses.com. Her home dropzone is Skydive Chicago. Nicole has been working on the ground in the sport since 2014. She is an AFFI and aspires to obtain her Tandem Instructor Rating in 2021.

When it comes to skydiving products, buy from the best! UPT Vector, Icarus World, Larsen & Brusgaard, and don’t forget to ask me about my sexy Cookie Helmet!  MEOW!