Beyond Freefall: Empowering Your Tandem Student Under Canopy
As tandem instructors, we guide our students through the incredible experience of freefall, but the journey doesn't end when the parachute opens. The moments under canopy offer a unique opportunity to enhance the student's experience, build rapport, and even lay subtle groundwork for future progression. Once your critical control checks are complete and you're soaring under a stable canopy, a crucial question arises: When, and how, do you empower your tandem student to take the controls? This isn't just about handing over steering toggles; it's about facilitating active engagement and creating an unforgettable, enriching experience for your student.
The Student's Perspective: Engaging Them Under Canopy
In our collective experience at Skydive Fundamentals, the vast majority of tandem students – typically around 85-90% – express a genuine interest in experiencing active canopy control. While initial apprehension is common, often stemming from a fear of making a mistake, this can be easily overcome with the right approach.
Anticipate Hesitation: It's natural for students to feel overwhelmed or unsure. Their concern about "doing something wrong" is a healthy sign of caution.
Empathetic Encouragement: Your calm demeanor and clear assurance are key. Explain that you are there to guide them, that they cannot "break" anything, and that you will always be in primary control. Frame it as a unique opportunity to truly "fly" rather than just ride.
Build Trust: A confident, reassuring invitation from the instructor strengthens the bond and trust built during ground school and freefall, leading to greater student participation and enjoyment.
Benefits of Your Student Flying the Parachute
Allowing your student to actively fly the parachute is more than a courtesy; it's a powerful instructional choice with numerous benefits for both the student and the instructor:
Enhanced Active Engagement & Agency: By taking the toggles, students transition from passive passengers to active participants. This hands-on experience significantly deepens their connection to the jump, fostering a sense of accomplishment and genuine agency over their flight.
Elevated Enjoyment & Memorability: Active involvement inherently makes any experience more engaging. Students who fly the parachute often describe a richer, more personal connection to their skydive, creating more vivid and lasting memories of their adventure.
Reduced Motion Sickness: Active participation under canopy can significantly mitigate motion sickness. When the student is actively engaged in controlling direction and turns, their brain processes the movement more effectively, reducing the disconnect that can lead to nausea.
Instructor Performance: While the focus is always on the student, allowing them to perform basic steering maneuvers conserves your energy. This ensures you remain fresh and focused for the critical, high-concentration phases of flight, particularly the landing pattern and flare.
Building Rapport & Trust: Sharing control fosters a deeper level of trust and camaraderie. It shows the student you value their participation and empowers them within a safe, guided framework.
Subtle Introduction to Canopy Piloting: For those students who might be considering future certification (like an A-License), this experience offers a tangible, positive introduction to canopy control – a core skill they'll need to master. It's a taste of what's possible beyond the tandem jump.
Taking Back the Toggles: Prioritizing a Precise & Safe Landing
While empowering your student is vital, the safe and predictable execution of the landing is ultimately your responsibility. The timing for recovering primary control is a critical decision based on altitude, airspace, and environmental factors.
Establishing Your Landing Pattern: For most tandem operations, securing controls around 1,500 feet AGL (Above Ground Level) provides sufficient airspace and time for a thorough assessment and precise setup of your landing pattern.
Tandem Progression Exception: Naturally, for students engaged in a Tandem Progression Jump (where active student participation in landing is a goal), the control recovery sequence will be adjusted to align with specific training objectives and USPA guidelines. In these cases, heightened communication and layered instruction are paramount.
Situational Awareness: Always be mindful of other canopies in the air, wind conditions, and any potential ground hazards. Your decision to recover control should always be informed by maintaining complete situational awareness for a controlled and predictable conclusion to the skydive.
Empowering your tandem students under canopy transforms a memorable experience into a truly engaging and active adventure. By understanding their perspective, embracing the instructional benefits, and making strategic decisions about control recovery, you not only enhance their jump but also reinforce your role as a truly skilled and thoughtful instructor.