TANDEM INSTRUCTOR COURSE

&

TANDEM INSTRUCTOR PROTOCOL

By Tristam Burrell

 

This course and protocol is given in accordance to the strict guidelines and regulations of the South African  Hanggliding and Paragliding Association of South Africa (SAHPA).

 

Commercial tandem flights may be performed by Instructors, for the purpose of dual instruction only.  In the strictest sense of these criteria, commercial tandem flights are forbidden, but the perceived consenses / loophole was that Instructors needed to perform tandem flights with their students as part of the Instruction Course.  This is soon to change.  Thanks to our SAHPA Chairman; Craig Fortune, the wheels are in motion for commercial Tandem Flights to be a legal reality for Instuctors who qualify for the required criteria.

 

The purpose of this Course Manual & Protocol is for these Instruction flights to be performed safely and to a specific standard.   

 

Here are some comments from Pilots who have attended the Tandem Course & Protocol:
 
As a pilot attending Tristam’s tandem course I found it to be highly beneficial and well structured,  covering both the practical and theoretical aspects of tandem flying.  It is clear that the course itself is well thought out and as a result of extensive, practical experience.  I was most pleased to see how he shared his experience. I conclude that the tandem course is highly recommended.
Jo Chananie
aviotec@iafrica.com
 
I found the course on a whole very professionally put together from the manuals we were issued to the first lecture and subsequently the quality of the instruction.  Along with the serious attitude in which the training was carried out  we all got a very clear understanding of what format to follow, when dealing with student /tandem passengers on a flying site.  We learnt how important it was to take total charge of each preflight situation ensuring all safety checks are done in an orderly and systematic fashion.  We were shown how to brief our passenger to all that was to take place, whilst instilling a calm reassurance at all times 
I was particularly impressed with the techniques taught that ensured predictable canopy inflations and landings etc.
 
It is clear that with the right attitude and clear easy to follow systems many tandem pilots could improve their efficiency and safety ratios.
 
Finally thank you for allowing me the experience of assisting you at executing eight tandem flights at Arthur's seat the other day, even though the conditions were on the strong side.  With these disciplined techniques and some help on the take off, it went as smooth as clockwork.  I certainly learnt a ton and will use these lessons as a benchmark for my own flying.  Thanks for all the help.
Brett Ellis
nolimits@ionet.co.za
 
I have been flying paragliders since mid '93.  Participated in the national & provincial comps for 4 years.  For the past few years I fly mainly socially & XC.  I fly the Ozone Proton S.  A few weeks ago I have attended the Tandem Instructor Course that have been compiled & executed by Tristam Burrell.  I was very impressed with the simplicity & the amount of international experience that was 'compressed' into that manual.  I will recommend to any pilot that is thinking to become a Tandem pilot, or a current license holder, to read through that manual & to execute it to the dot, as it is simple, easy & full of knowledge.  It makes both pilot & prospect passenger feel at ease.   If all Tandem pilots will act as per this manual, our sport will be safer & will flourish in the future !!!   It is my opinion that such manual should be adopted by SAHPA, as the basis to acquiring the Tandem License.
Nir Eshed
mlifestyle@mjvn.co.za

 

If you have any ideas, improvements or suggestions, then please Email them to me. 
I am presently producing a DVD / VCD of this Course and Protocol, which will be available shortly.  

 

1. RESPONSIBILITY

You are responsible for your passenger’s life.  Be totally aware of:

·         Choice of equipment.

·         Choice of site and conditions of flight.

·         Choice of the passenger - his/her psychological evaluation.

·         In-flight decision making - take off, flight & landing.

·         Personal flying skills.

·         Type of flight envisioned – instructional or for pleasure.

·         Insurance  - Currently un-available due to commercial Tandem Flying being presently illegal.

 

3 things will kill or injure your passenger:

  1. Forgetting to do up their leg-straps.

  2. Forgetting to clip them or yourself to both carabineers.  

  3. Landing under deployed reserve, with the reserve attached  to your own harness and not to the spreader-bars

YOU, THE PILOT, ALONE, BEARS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL THAT HAPPENS, 
RELATIVE TO THE FLIGHT. 

I.E.  A bad decision, a botched take-off or a bad landing can never be blamed on your passenger, legally or practically.  Each flight must be 100% safety oriented.  Take no chances!!! 

2. SELF-IMPROVEMENT

When we fly solo we often allow our skills to deviate, little by little, from the basic techniques we learnt when we started flying.  Tandem flying requires greater skills at take-off and landing than solo flying:

·         Launch runs are longer with two, especially with no wind.

·         Constant control of a larger surface due to greater inertia.

·         More technical approaches with a higher air speed which is harder to stop.

 

The pilot must psychologically prepare himself for these differences:

·         He must equip himself with the necessary expertise.

·         He must accept a return to the training hill to perfect the necessary new techniques.

 

3. FLYING WITH ANOTHER AND FOR ANOTHER

Managing your passenger means:

·         Taking off safely with him/her.

·         Forgetting that you are flying for yourself.

·         Landing safely.

 

Since the passenger is basically in the way of the pilot, the pilot has to make decisions for and around the passenger:

·         Type of flight chosen.

·         Decision to abort or not.

·         Ensuring comfort - clothing, harness adjustment, etc.

 

Give the passenger specific instructions and information as to what will happen during all phases of the flight and what will be expected of him during these phases.  The passenger will be more relaxed if he/she feels informed. 

 

Never take off unless you are absolutely sure.  There is no shame in aborting a launch.

 

Your passenger should ENJOY the flight.  Present yourself professionally.  Continue to learn and make safe decisions.

 

THE WING

·         Wing loading is almost always higher on a tandem

·         Air speed is higher.

·         Stalling is at a higher speed.

·         Be aware that for every passenger, the constant variation of weight will cause a constant variation in how the wing will react.  It’s like flying a new wing every time you do a tandem flight.

·         Manufacturers indicate a weight range for their wings.   Consider your experience, the site, the conditions, etc, before you decide to go close to these limits.

·         The tandem wing, when compared to a solo wing, is by design, slower to react due to inertia and has a faster air speed.  As it has a larger surface area, it is physically harder to flare,  which makes the landing that much more technical.  Even more so when the wing is heavily loaded.

·         A tandem paraglider has a larger turning radius.  Be very aware of this on your landing- approach.  Maneuverability may also be affected by the effort needed to turn it.  Handling varies on each flight according to the wing loading.

·         Tandem Gliders are manufactured specifically for the tandem category.

 

SOME GOLDEN RULES

·         Only use wings designed and rated for tandem flying.

·         Limit your flying to the meteorological conditions.

·         Fly the wing only within the prescribed weight-range.

·         Do not attempt maneuvers which are beyond your tandem flying ability.

·         Do not fly unnecessary maneuvers which will impose greater wear on the wing.

·         Regularly inspect and maintain the wing.

·         Attach reserve to the spreader-bars, and not to your own harness.  

 

The Tandem Flight Protocol

 

The entire process involves  3 BRIEFINGS and 6 COMMANDS.  Learn them well.  If you do your tandem flying by the book, you will minimize the chance of an incident or accident.

 

BRIEFINGS:

  1. Anchor/s Briefing

  2. Passenger Launch Briefing

  3. Passenger Landing briefing

 

COMMANDS:

  1. “Walk slowly forward”

  2. “Stop for final check”

  3. “Anchor/s - Let us go”

  4. “Lean forward and run”

  5. “Sit back, knees up, bring your elbows through”

  6. “Stand up, lean forward, put your elbows through”

 

THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS – REVERSE LAUNCH

1)     Choose your set-up area to accommodate your larger wing size.

2)     Greet your passenger.  If he/she has any friends; direct them to a safe place out of your way.

3)     Put passenger in the harness - This stops them moving around.  Don’t forget their leg-straps.  We now have the T-strap harnesses for extra safety.  It would be good
if eventually, all of us use this method, as it reduces the risk of forgetting the legstraps to zero.  Explain that the shoulder-straps will loosen up in flight, and that you will reach forward and tighten them.

4)     Put your passenger’s helmet on.  Now walk with your passenger to a spot where they will not be in your way - Tell him/her you are now going to get the glider ready, so he/she should not move away, and then you will be back to brief him/her.

5)     Lay out your wing.  Use a greater horseshoe configuration, allowing for a better inflation from the center out - Check your lines by building a wall / semi-inflating the glider.  Check you have no pressure-knots. 

6)     Put on your harness – Make sure you do up your legstraps.

7)     Clip yourself to the spreaders - NEVER passenger first.  If a dusty or a gust comes through, your passenger  can be dragged and severely injured.

8)     Call your passenger towards you.  Give your passenger’s harness a final check, and then clip him/her to the spreaders.  Take their weight into consideration, and clip them to the correct hang-point.

9)     Do the passenger and anchor/s  “Launch Briefings” - Take charge of the situation.  Don’t allow any chatter or interruptions.  Check that your anchor/s know which is Left and Right!  

Anchor/s Briefing:

Show the anchor where to hold on the passenger’s harness.  Emphasise “Don’t let us go!”  (But also, don’t take your anchor/s with you!)  Explain that if the wing inflates skew, and starts to drag the lot of you, that you will get the wing under control, as long as the anchor/s don’t let you go.   

Passenger Launch Briefing:

I will turn around to inflate the glider.  When I do that it will pull hard, so I need you to resist.  Put your right foot forward, bend your knees, keep low and and lean slightly forward.  Keep looking forward.  Don’t try to turn around or look up to see the canopy.  Just keep looking forward.  I will tell you to “Walk slowly forward!” when I start to inflate the canopy.  This will pull a bit, so I need you to help me and resist the pull.  When I inflate the canopy, it will usually lift you off the ground.  Stay in your position, and when your feet touch the ground, continue to move forward.  When we get to the edge, I will say “Stop for final check!”.  I will then give the anchor the “Let us go!” command.  I will then tell you to “Lean forward and run!”.  Keep running, even if we leave the ground, as we may touch down again.  Once we are flying, I will say;  “Sit back, knees up, bring your elbows through!”  Then I will reach forward and tighten your shoulder straps.

 

10) Do the 5-point check, and include your passenger.

11)  Grab right-risers, turn around to face your wing, anti-clockwise, bringing right-riser up and over your head.  Passenger keeps facing forward.  Right hand holds the risers to do the inflation.  Left hand holds the brake to stress the opposite wing.  NO swapping toggles is permitted with tandem flying.

12) You are now ready to launch.  Stress the correct side (controlled by left hand).  This is very important, as you’ll see there’s no movement available for the right hand, so make sure there’s no tendancy for the un-controlled tip to inflate first. 

13) Give the “Walk slowly forward!”  command.

14) Inflate glider and turn around. 

15)  Catch the pitch.  This will usually lift you both off the ground if the conditions are strong.

16) Tell passenger to stay on their feet and keep walking slowly forward.  Keep talking in a “normal and unexcited” tone of voice.

17) Walk the 3 (or 4) of you forward, making left and right adjustments.

18) At the edge, give the “Stop for final check!” command.  Do a final check of your wing and the conditions.

19) Give your anchor/s the “Let us go!” command.

20) Instruct your passenger to “Lean forward and run!”. 

21) After lift-off, make sure you are aerodynamically sound and flying AWAY from the hill.

22)  Instruct your passenger to “Sit back, knees up, bring your elbows through!”    Help him/her, if he/she needs it, by pushing gently against the back of his/her heels with your feet.

23) Reach forward and tighten passenger’s shoulder straps.  Tell your passenger what you are doing.

24) Adjust your passengers position if necessary and ask “Are you comfortable?”

25) Now help your passenger to relax and enjoy the flight.  Get him/her to talk a little.  Ask him/her;  “Isn’t it beautiful?”  Remember that a person’s first tandem flight is usually a very overwhelming experience.   

Dangers:

                     26) Set yourself up for the landing, and give the “Landing briefing”.

 

Landing briefing:

Allow plenty of time for this before the landing approach. 

Tell your passenger that when it is time to land; you will give the “Stand up!” command, and they must do the following:

                  27) Give the “Stand up, lean forward, put your elbows through!” command.  This will create drag and help 
                         to slow you down.

28) Say “We are looking good” in a normal voice, to relax your passenger.

29) Remind your passenger to “Take 2 steps forward when we touch down”.

30) Take a wrap (optional), Flare and land.  Walk forward if necessary.

31) Reach up and collapse your glider using the C-risers.

32) Unclip your passenger BEFORE you unclip yourself.  There is still a danger of him/her being dragged.

33) Congratulate your passenger on his/her great flight.

If you have any ideas, improvements or suggestions, then please Email them to me. 
I am presently producing a DVD / VCD of this Course and Protocol, which will be available shortly.