Here are a few items for starters;

-USHGA TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP FORMS-

In case you were wondering if the USHGA, Tandem Committee, Administrators, Tandem PG Community, or otherwise are checking to see if you are buying and/ or sending in the forms, they are. At a U#&@A meeting a few months ago, a large tandem operation was called into question for conducting large amounts of activity without purchasing/ processing a commensurate number of forms. It was decided that more attention would be paid to the subject and that an attempt would be made to increase awareness about this important responsibility that we have as USGHA Tandem Pilots.

-TANDEM ACCIDENTS-

During a recent trip to Turkey we learned that a tandem double fatality occurred because a tandem pilot forgot to connect himself to one side of the spreader bar. Likewise, a Seattle tandem pilot reported having "caught" tandem pilots preparing to launch with only one side connected(spreader) to the pilot. The result in Turkey was the glider was flyable for a time but then went wildly out of control.

I suggest the following measures;

-consider connecting yourself and the passenger, then connect to the glider(eliminates many potentially ugly eventualities)

-in the event that you ever become airborne with only one side of your harness connected, deploy your reserve immediately

-thoughts? suggestions?

-RESERVE BRIDLE ROUTING-

If you don't have your reserve set up so that you and the passenger will be suspended from the spreader bar, then, please, do so... Let me know if I can be of any help.

-SPOT CHECKS-

Imagine the day when an FAA official asks to see your paperwork...

Will you have everything necessary for a legal flight? What will your passenger say when the examiner asks him/her "what was the purpose of the flight?" Will the passenger say "instruction"?

I have never heard of a tandem paraglider pilot being approached by the FAA and asked for paperwork, but I know two occasions when ultralight/ tug pilots have been checked. Realize that you could end up paying a hefty fine for non-compliance. Interestingly, an FAA official showed up at an over the water course the other day. He wanted to know if we have filed a NOTAM. We had. He could have easily asked to see paperwork from tandem pilots who were flying at that time. Again, it was brought to my attention that the passenger needs to respond appropriately ("for instruction") when asked about the purpose of the flight. Lost your copy of the Exemption? lost your rating card? Don't be shy, call USHGA, get a new one, call me and I'll make it so.

-CARABINERS-

I have heard of endless stories where carabiners of all types have more or less malfunctioned in that they released rigging that was once connected or they opened to allow unwanted rigging to become caught. I have heard of passengers that were barely hooked in, risers that got clipped into main biners, the list goes on. Consider changing all of your carabiners to a type that will not allow malfunction. Has anyone identified a type that are fool-proof and practical? Could somebody who is "in the know" tell us what is appropriate in terms of strength for our application? Also, do biners need to be cycled out(if they look worn? if they get dropped?)?

-LAUNCH TECHNIQUE-

We all need to continually improve our launch technique. I suggest that we all work to adopt new techniques that will prevent the following;

-high wind forward launches(learn to reverse)

-reverse inflation, steep launch brake swapping(learn to cross hands)

-INADVERTENT RESERVE DEPLOYMENT-

Who hasn't heard of an inadvertent reserve deployment? I have personally heard of so many that happened(on ground/ in air) tandem that I can't launch without first checking over my shoulder to see if there's a reserve lying on the ground. In an effort to avoid having an inadvertent deployment;

-check the pin and make sure that it doesn't tend to sneak loose

-if you abort a launch, sit around for a while etc. before actually launching, have someone check it, check it yourself

-avoid launching in environments where you could catch your reserve handle on something

-be careful when doing reverse inflations that you don't deploy your reserve or set it up for an in flight, inadvertent deployment

-many tandem reserve systems have two pins, not a bad idea...

-WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SHORT COMINGS AMONG USHGA TANDEM PARAGLIDER PILOTS?-

-flying without all appropriate paperwork

-flying without appropriate size reserve/ rigging

-flying without hook knife

-failing to check the reserve pin pre-flight

-flying near/in clouds

-excessive scratching

-flying in excessively strong conditions

-inappropriate aerobatic flight

I clearly, am/ have been guilty of some of the above mentioned short-comings. I only took a moment to write a list of them in an effort to identify the various and many areas where we tend to come up short and so that we can all take steps to minimize their frequency with which they occur industry wide.

-TRICKS-

In an effort to get the ball rolling in the "trick" dept. Here are a few of my favorites;

Jeff Farrell (on landing briefing)

"Landing is easy, like going down a flight of stairs and skipping the last step"

Monte Bell (on launching)

Let the passenger take of running before you. Wait until they get to feel you resist, until there is some distance between pilot and passenger before starting to move yourself(pilot). When they feel the resistance, then they will lean forward and go, because there is something to pull against. Conversely, if you say 1,2,3 go and then hit them in the back with your chest, there is no distance between you(i.e. no room to run), and they immediately lean back and push against you.

-CHECKLISTS-

Each T3 pilot that I have certified, of late, has had to provide me with his/ her checklist. Do you need one? Shouldn't we all use them? I am personally doing mine aloud, as any commercial pilot would. I have mine memorized, but should probably have a hard copy. Maybe we ought to have a printed ones on the back of our passenger harnesses(like Kelly Kellar<picture please>). Again, thoughts? Let me know if you would like me to send you a sample check list.

Off the top of my head:

PASSENGER

-three points on the harness

-helmet strap

-hooked in straight

-biners locked

PILOT

-three points on the harness

-helmet strap

-hooked in straight

-biners locked

GLIDER

-hooked in straight

-biners locked

-quick links tight

-trimmers set

-no sticks

-no tangles

-brake lines free and clear

OTHER

-hook knife

-reserves not going to fall out

-legal flight(rating, exemption, temp, passenger know its for instruction)

-head wind

What am I forgetting?

If you would like to contribute, then please e-mail me and tell me if you would like your thoughts to be shared with the group also, let me know if you would like to take credit for your comments or whether you would prefer to remain anonymous.

We are primarily interested in the following;

-stories

-tricks(to enhance safety)

-systems

-news

-concerns

-questions

-opinions

-confessions

-etc.

?????

Here are a few questions that I would be interested in hearing your opinions about;

-what is your understanding? can a T1 take a P1 with a hard card? or just a P2?

(I know, the program is in writing and relatively clear<this is just a poll to determine what the average pilots understanding of the program has become>)

-do two solo reserves equal one tandem reserve? is it appropriate to fly with such a config?

-In Closing-

Let us not forget;

SOP 12-2

19.03

E.

When present at a flying site, a Tandem Paragliding Instructor shall personally ensure that all tandem flying requirements and the site requirements are being strictly followed. He shall personally inspect the USHGA ratings of both tandem passengers and pilots, and shall have the authority to halt those tandem flights that are in non-compliance. Non-compliance shall be reported to the Regional Director.

-USHGA TANDEM TESTS-

I have been asking each new T3 to write some test questions for a "new" T3 test. Here are some of them;

1) Under what conditions would you consider aborting a launch?

2) What does the T2 represent?

3) What is the difference between a T2 and a T3?

Is anyone aware of a person compiling new test questions?

Thanks in advance for your participation. I am looking forward to hearing from you.