SKYDIVE INSTRUCTOR RATINGS. USPA AND UPT COURSES IN RUSSIA.
EARN USPA COACH-, USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR- AND UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATINGS AT THE FLIGHT CLUB SKYDIVING SCHOOL
At the FLIGHT CLUB SKYDIVING SCHOOL in Russia, we administer USPA Coach-, USPA AFF instructor- and UPT Tandem instructor rating courses year-round on the territory of Aerograd Kolomna and, upon request, at an USPA affiliated drop-zone near you.
On this page, we introduce the USPA instructor rating hierarchy and provide detailed information regarding scope, format and content of UPT Tandem instructor- as well as of USPA Coach and AFF instructor rating courses, discuss candidate registration pre-requisite- and certification criteria, and provide clarification regarding rating privileges, validity of UPT and USPA instructor ratings abroad, associated tuition fees, scheduling and booking procedure.
THE USPA INSTRUCTOR RATING HIERARCHY.
The United States Parachute Association (USPA) issues instructor ratings to current USPA members who have:
been signed off on the respective course pre-requisite skill and experience requirements and successfully attended an USPA instructional rating course.
USPA instructor ratings are based on 3 levels of maturity, depending on skill- and experience level of the candidate:
Coach rating (junior-level)
Instructor rating (senior-level)
Examiner rating (expert-level)
These ratings are successive, meaning you can't become a USPA instructor without being holding a USPA coach rating, nor can you become a USPA examiner if you do not hold a USPA instructor rating.
USPA Coach rating holders are cleared to skydive with self-supervised students in preparation for their USPA A-license and to teach the general (non-method-specific) portions of the first-ground school. All USPA coaches work under supervision of an appropriately rated USPA instructor and cannot endorse USPA licenses on their own.
USPA Instructor and USPA examiner ratings are being issued for the following skydive student training methods:
Static-line
Instructor Assisted Deployment
Tandem
Accelerated Free-Fall
You must hold a current USPA instructor- or USPA examiner rating for the respective student training method in order to engage students. USPA Instructors have the authority to administer USPA A-, B- and C-license exams.
USPA examiners are senior level USPA instructors who have successfully attended an USPA Instructor Examiner Rating Course (IERC). USPA Examiners have the authority to teach students, conduct USPA instructor rating certification courses in their respective discipline(s) and to administer USPA A-, B-, C- and D-license exams.
SKYDIVE INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSES AT THE FLIGHT CLUB SKYDIVING SCHOOL.
COURSE SELECTION.
At the Flight Club skydiving school, we focus on the following skydive instructor rating courses, simply because they are the most relevant to a successful professional career in the sport and thus, popular choice of skydive instructor candidates world-wide:
USPA coach rating course
USPA Accelerated Free-Fall instructor rating course
UPT Vector/ Sigma Tandem instructor rating course
Following, you'll find a detailed description for each of these skydive instructor rating courses regarding candidate registration pre-requisite criteria, course format and structure, information regarding course duration, certification criteria and associated tuition fees:
YOUR USPA COACH RATING COURSE
AT THE FLIGHT CLUB SKYDIVING SCHOOL.
SCOPE.
The USPA coach rating course focuses on transmitting knowledge and teaching techniques required by USPA coaches to successfully convey fundamental skydiving and canopy piloting skills to skydive students training towards their USPA A-license.
USPA COACH RATING PRIVILEGES.
USPA coach rating holders have demonstrated the ability to, under supervision of an USPA instructor, teach the general (non-method-specific) portions of the skydiving first jump course, conduct group free-fall skills training, supervise students making group free-fall training jumps and conduct re-currency training and jumps with licensed skydivers.
USPA COACH RATING CANDIDATE REGISTRATION PRE-REQUISITE CRITERIA.
USPA coach rating candidates must fulfil the following pre-requisite criteria in order to attend the USPA coach course:
must be 18 years old
be a current USPA member
hold an USPA B-license or FAI equivalent
have completed 100 skydives
assisted in at least one first jump course
scored >/= 80% on the Coach Final Exam (available in the IRM)
completed the pre-requisites of the COACH PROFICIENCY CARD
USPA COACH RATING COURSE DURATION.
The USPA coach certification course will keep you engaged for 40 hours over a 4-day period.
USPA COACH RATING COURSE FORMAT AND CONTENT.
USPA Coach Examiners at the Flight Club skydiving school follow a facilitation-style presentation format to cover the content of the following workshops and activities:
WORKSHOPS:
introduction
the role of the coach
teaching for skill development
positive communication skills
the coaching cycle of activity
physiological aspects/ injury prevention
basic aerodynamics and biomechanics
basic skill-/ video analysis techniques
debriefing strategies
ACTIVITIES:
teaching practice sessions
motor-skill development: proximity- and fall-rate control
briefing basic exits, free-fall drills and canopy control
supervision and support pre-flight and in-flight
coaching in free-fall (2 jumps)
applying effective observation strategies
basic skill analysis sessions
USPA COACH RATING COURSE.
SUMMATIVE EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION CRITERIA.
in order for candidates to qualify for the USPA coach rating they have to satisfy the required performance criteria during the following final evaluations:
1. TEACHING PROFICIENCY.
USPA coach rating candidates must satisfactorily conduct two sample training sessions from the USPA Integrated Student Program (ISP) syllabus' general sections of the first-jump- course.
In addition, USPA coach rating candidates must satisfactorily conduct two sample training sessions effectively preparing a student for ISP category G1 and category G2 skydives.
2. SKILL-ANALYSIS AND DEBRIEFING PROCESS.
Finally, candidates must demonstrate their proficiency in skill-analysis by completing an observation plan comparing the actual performance of a live student to pre-determined qualitative and quantitative performance benchmark criteria. The results of this process must be presented during an effective and cleverly conducted debriefing session adhering to basic sport-psychological principles.
3. IN-AIR COACHING.
USPA coach rating course candidates must satisfactorily conduct two group free-fall training jumps covering targeted learning objectives for ISP category G1 and category G2 student skydivers.
During these evaluation skydives the USPA coach rating candidate must show solid exit and fly-away skills, quarterback set-up distances allowing for the student to train with sufficient repetition and demonstrate safe break-off behavior.
USPA COACH RATING ENDORSEMENT AND PROCESSING.
Flight Club's USPA Coach Examiners will endorse the successful candidate's USPA coach rating proficiency card and logbook with a USPA coach rating recommendation to USPA's Safety and Training department.
This recommendation will serve as a temporary USPA coach rating for the duration of 30 days.
The USPA coach rating application will be processed and finalized at USPA HQ within that timeframe and the official USPA coach rating endorsement will be entered into the successful applicant's Data-Card and online membership profile at uspa.org.
VALIDITY OF THE USPA COACH RATING.
The privileges and responsibilities of the USPA coach rating travel with the coach rating holder and are recognized world-wide as valid professional qualification at any USPA affiliate drop-zone.
Your USPA coach rating will renew annually with your membership, provided you meet the associated currency requirements. The necessary credentials can be verified online and updated in your membership profile on uspa.org by any current USPA Instructor, USPA Examiner, USPA Safety & Training Advisor or USPA BoD member.
USPA COACH RATING COURSE.
TUITION FEES.
For USPA coach rating courses hosted by the Flight Club skydiving school at Aerograd Kolomna, we charge EUR 625.00/ candidate. This includes tuition fees, USPA coach examiner and candidate jump tickets for evaluation skydives and associated coach rating processing fees at USPA.
For USPA coach rating courses which require our examiners to travel to a USPA affiliated drop-zone near you, a surcharge covering airfare, transit and accommodation applies. In addition, a standard surcharge of EUR 80.00 will be added to the base price for USPA coach rating courses administered in Central Europe and the Middle East, to account for elevated ticket prices.
USPA COACH RATING COURSE UPGRADES.
The Flight Club skydiving school offers two valuable upgrade options to the basic format of the USPA coach rating course:
OPTION # 2.
ADVANCED PROGRESSION COACHING CLINIC.
SCOPE.
The basic format USPA coach rating course focuses strictly on transmitting knowledge and skills essential to effectively teach skydive students working towards their USPA A-license.
The USPA coach course does NOT train candidates to coach the entire body-flight progression and disregards advanced skydiving skill-sets such as center-turns, sideways-motion and super-positional movements.
Flight Club offers an advanced progression coaching clinic intended to fill this gap in a 12 skydive follow-up to the USPA coach rating course.
FORMAT AND CONTENT.
A senior Flight Club coach will mentor you throughout the advanced modules of the skydiver skills-development-grid and facilitate the following workshop sessions and practical exercises:
WORKSHOPS.
advanced aerodynamics and biomechanics
advanced skill-/ video analysis techniques
ACTIVITIES.
motor-skills development: turns and sideways motion
briefing advanced exits, fly-away drills and free-fall skills
briefing super-positional free-fall drills
advanced progression free-fall coaching (12 jumps)
advanced skill analysis sessions
ADVANCED PROGRESSION COACHING CLINIC DURATION.
the advanced progression coaching clinic will keep you engaged for 20 hours over a 2-day period.
ADVANCED PROGRESSION COACHING CLINIC TUITION FEES.
This follow-up course costs EUR 1,080.00 including tuition fees, videos and tickets for yourself and your mentor, if the course is being administered by the Flight Club school at Aerograd Kolomna.
For advanced progression coaching clinics which require our coaches to travel to a drop-zone near you, a surcharge covering airfare, transit and accommodation applies. In addition, a standard surcharge of EUR 240.00 will be added to the base price of the advanced progression coaching clinic for courses administered in Central Europe and in the Middle East, in order to account for elevated ticket prices.
USPA COACH RATING UPGRADES.
OPTION #1.
PRE-COURSE TRAINING JUMPS.
SCOPE.
In order to give our USPA coach rating candidates the best possible chance of successfully full-filling the required in-air performance criteria during the actual USPA coach course evaluation jumps,
we offer interested USPA coach rating candidates the opportunity to hone their skills during some training jumps prior to the actual USPA coach rating course.
PRE-COURSE TRAINING JUMPS TUITION FEES.
You can book an experienced USPA coach or Examiner at the Flight Club skydiving school to get you ready for combat starting at:
EUR 90.00/ skydive including videos and jump tickets for yourself and for your coach.
YOUR USPA COACH RATING COURSE.
SCHEDULING AND BOOKING.
To schedule and to book your USPA coach rating course with the Flight Club skydiving school, please fill in and send us the initial BOOKING REQUEST FORM.
Feel free to speak with us about any unanswered questions which you might have in FLIGHT CLUB LIVE CHAT.
YOUR USPA ACCELERATED FREE-FALL INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE
AT THE FLIGHT CLUB SKYDIVING SCHOOL.
SCOPE.
the USPA Accelerated Free-Fall instructor rating course (AFF IRC) focuses on transmitting knowledge, life-saving techniques and in-air skills required to effectively coach and body-guard novice free-fall skydiving students.
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING PRIVILEGES.
USPA Accelerated Free-Fall instructors are authorized to train and jump with (USPA-) AFF students and to train and supervise non-method-specific students for the USPA A- license.
In this role, AFF instructors can administer USPA A-, B- and C- license exams.
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
CANDIDATE REGISTRATION PRE-REQUISITE CRITERIA.
USPA AFF Instructor rating candidates must fulfil the following pre-requisite criteria in order to attend the USPA AFF instructor rating course:
must be 18 years old
be a current USPA member
hold an USPA C-license
hold a current USPA coach or instructor rating
have completed 500+ skydives or
hold a coach rating for more than 1 year
have accumulated 6+ hours free-fall time
completed the pre-requisites of the AFF PROFICIENCY CARD
own a current version of the USPA SIM and USPA IRM
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATION COURSE DURATION.
The USPA Accelerated Free-Fall instructor rating course will keep you engaged for 65 hours over a 7-day period.
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE FORMAT AND CONTENT.
USPA AFF IRC examiners follow a facilitation style presentation format to cover the following workshops and course activities:
WORKSHOPS:
introduction
history of "harness hold jumps" vs "Accelerated Free-Fall" today
equipment knowledge
the role of the instructor: ISP, CAT A, techniques
USPA ISP CAT C in-air sequence
in-air training safety
in-air priorities: instructor levels of response
inverted exit recovery and blocking techniques
USPA ISP CAT C ground preparation
supervision and support: pre-flight, in-flight, canopy
AFF emergencies: prevention and response
USPA ISP CAT D in-air sequence
flat-spin control and inverted recovery
in-air evaluation: rules of engagement
USPA ISP CAT D ground preparation
AFF/ I ratings: (re-) currency, renewal, expired
canopy control coaching
USPA ISP CAT E techniques and briefing
ACTIVITIES:
The USPA AFF instructor rating course format at the Flight Club skydiving school includes 6 practice skydives leading up to the all-decisive final evaluation jumps.
During these low-pressure jumps, we ready our USPA AFF instructor candidates by running them through the free-fall levels of response and by introducing the "7-second-dance" as a go-to solution for the bottom-end sequence of any real-life Accelerated Free-Fall skydive.
Targeted learning objectives during these exercises are:
flying your slot: control sector and coaching sector
reading the game: hand signals and perpetual motion
blocking excessive student movement
linebacker strategy in a 2 on 1 instructor to student environment
release, re-dock, release sequence
spin stop techniques
inverted recovery techniques
the "7 second dance" final
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
SUMMATIVE EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATION CRITERIA.
in order for AFF instructor rating candidates to qualify for the USPA AFF instructor rating, they have to satisfy the required performance criteria during the following final evaluations:
WRITTEN EXAMS.
score >/= 80% in the USPA general instructor exam and
USPA AFF instructor exam (both exams are available in the IRM).
TRAINING, SUPERVISION, DEBRIEFING.
score >/= 75% in:
ground preparations: ISP CAT C and CAT D.
supervision: equipment, pre-flight, in-flight, canopy
skill analysis and debriefing
Specific scoring criteria is available for review in the IRM on the AFF instructor "training, supervision, debriefing evaluation form".
IN-AIR PERFORMANCE.
Candidates must score >/= 75% on 3 AFF evaluation skydives, acting once as CAT C1 main-side AFF instructor, once as CAT C1 reserve-side AFF instructor and once as CAT D solo AFF instructor.
You have 4 attempts to pass three times.
Specific scoring criteria is available for review in the IRM on the AFF instructor "in-air skills and instruction evaluation form".
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING ENDORSEMENT & PROCESSING.
Your USPA AFF Instructor Examiner will endorse the successful USPA AFF instructor candidates' proficiency card and logbook with a USPA AFF instructor rating recommendation to USPA's Safety and Training department.
This recommendation will serve as a temporary USPA AFF instructor rating for the duration of 30 days.
The USPA AFF instructor rating application will be processed and finalized at USPA HQ within that timeframe and the official endorsement will be entered into the successful applicant's Data Card and your status will updated accordingly in your USPA membership profile at uspa.org.
VALIDITY OF THE USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING.
The privileges and responsibilities of the USPA AFF instructor rating travel with the holder and are recognized world-wide as valid professional qualification at any USPA affiliate drop-zone.
Your USPA AFF instructor rating will renew annually with your membership, provided you meet the associated currency requirements. Your credentials can be updated electronically by any current USPA AFF Examiner, USPA Safety & Training Advisor or USPA BoD member via your online USPA membership profile.
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
TUITION FEES.
For USPA AFF instructor rating courses hosted by the Flight Club skydiving school at Aerograd Kolomna, we charge EUR 1,575.00/ candidate. This includes tuition fees, skydives for both candidate and examiner (6 practice skydives + final evaluation jumps) and associated AFF rating processing fees at USPA.
For USPA AFF instructor rating courses which require our examiners to travel to a USPA affiliated drop-zone near you, a surcharge covering airfare, transit and accommodation applies. In addition, a standard surcharge of EUR 200.00 will be added to the base price for courses in Central Europe and the Middle East, in order to account for elevated slot prices.
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE UPGRADES.
Flight Club offers a valuable upgrade option to the standard format of the USPA AFF instructor rating course:
UPGRADE YOUR CHANCES WITH
PRE-COURSE TRAINING JUMPS.
SCOPE.
In order to give our USPA AFF rating candidates the best possible chance of successfully full-filling the required in-air performance criteria during the actual USPA AFF instructor rating course evaluation jumps, we offer interested candidates the opportunity to hone their AFF instructor skills during some training skydives prior to the the actual USPA AFF instructor rating course.
The AFF instructor rating is widely regarded as the most challenging skydive instructor rating there is to obtain.
You must be absolutely solid in-air if you want to stand a fighting chance in the final evaluation skydives!
USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING
PRE-COURSE TRAINING JUMPS TUITION FEES.
You can book a senior Flight Club AFF Instructor Examiner to get you ready for combat starting at:
EUR 90.00/ skydive
including ground-training, briefings, videos and jump tickets for yourself and for your AFF Examiner.
YOUR USPA AFF INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
SCHEDULING AND BOOKING.
To schedule and to book your USPA AFF instructor rating course at the Flight Club skydiving school, please fill in and submit the initial BOOKING REQUEST FORM.
Feel free to speak with us about any unanswered questions which you might have in FLIGHT CLUB LIVE CHAT.
UNITED PARACHUTE TECHNOLOGIES (UPT) MANUFACTURER ENDORSED VECTOR/ SIGMA TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE
AT THE FLIGHT CLUB SKYDIVING SCHOOL.
SCOPE.
the UPT tandem instructor rating course focuses on transmitting knowledge, life-saving procedures and in-air skills required to safely take passengers on tandem skydives utilizing UPT Vector/ Sigma tandem systems.
UPT VECTOR/ SIGMA TANDEM INSTRUCTOR PRIVILEGES.
! CAUTION !
The respective National Aviation Authority governing skydiving activities in your country of residence/ of activity might require you to obtain an additional domestic qualification before you can legally engage in tandem skydiving activities with real life passengers.
Holding a manufacturer endorsed tandem instructor rating will in very most cases greatly simplify the certification-/ rating conversion process to whatever form of regionally valid authorization you might (additionally) require.
UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
CANDIDATE REGISTRATION PRE-REQUISITE CRITERIA.
UPT Tandem instructor rating candidates must fulfil the following pre-requisites in order to attend the certification course:
must be 18 years old
hold an USPA D-license or FAI equivalent
hold a current USPA coach or instructor rating or
hold FAI sanctioned foreign instructor license
have completed 500+ skydives on ram-air canopies
must be in the sport for 3+ years
hold a valid FAA class 3 medical or foreign equivalent
own the UPT VECTOR 2 TANDEM MANUAL and UPT SIGMA MANUAL
score 100% on the UPT SIGMA TANDEM INSTRUCTOR EXAM
sign the UPT WAIVER AND USER AGREEMENT
UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE DURATION.
The UPT Vector/ Sigma Tandem instructor rating course will keep you engaged for 40 hours over a period of 4 days.
UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE FORMAT AND CONTENT.
Flight Club UPT Tandem IEs follow a facilitation style presentation format to cover the following workshops and course activities:
WORKSHOPS:
introduction
history of tandem skydiving
liability
equipment familiarization
passenger harness fitting
passenger briefing
ground preparations
in-flight procedures
exits
free-fall and drogue fall
canopy control, landings, assisted landings
emergency procedures: in-flight, in-air, in pull-time and on landing
special needs passengers
code of conduct
accident reports
packing demonstration and practice
UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
SUMMATIVE EVALUATION PROCEDURES.
in order for UPT tandem instructor candidates to qualify for the UPT (Vector/ Sigma) tandem instructor rating,
they have to satisfy the required performance criteria in all 3 phases of their UPT tandem instructor training. This needs to be documented in the UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR TRAINING LOGBOOK.
ACTIVITIES:
TRAINING STAGE 1: formal application.
suspended harness: standard sequence of events
suspended harness: emergency procedure review
1 solo familiarization jump
1 jump as a tandem passenger
1 jump as TI in command: standard sequence
1 jump as TI in command: drogue-fall heading control
1 jump as TI in command: exit recovery, drogue-less
TRAINING STAGE 2: practical application.
suspended harness: emergency procedure review
5 jumps as TI in command: experienced passengers
TRAINING STAGE 3: probationary period.
15 jumps as Tandem instructor in command: real life passengers.
UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING ENDORSEMENT AND PROCESSING.
Your Flight Club UPT Tandem Instructor Examiner will endorse the appropriate portions of the UPT tandem instructor candidate's logbook and submit it, together with your UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION FORM and the UPT PAPERWORK CHECKLIST FOR TANDEM INSTRUCTORS, to United Parachute Technologies LLC. (UPT) for a final review and processing.
VALIDITY OF THE UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING.
United Parachute Technologies, LLC. (Vector/ Sigma) tandem instructor ratings renew annually, provided the applicant holds a current FAA Class 3 medical (or a foreign equivalent) and meets the mandatory currency requirements.
UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
TUITION FEES.
For UPT tandem instructor rating courses hosted by the Flight Club skydiving school at Aerograd Kolomna, we charge EUR 2,800.00/ candidate. This includes tuition fees, skydives (50 tickets), gear rental (25 jumps) and associated rating processing fees at UPT.
For UPT Tandem Instructor rating courses which require our examiners to travel to a drop-zone near you, a surcharge covering airfare, transit and accommodation applies. In addition, a standard surcharge of EUR 500.00 will be added to the base price for courses in Central Europe and in the Middle East to account for elevated slot prices.
YOUR UPT TANDEM INSTRUCTOR RATING COURSE.
SCHEDULING AND BOOKING.
To schedule or to book your UPT Tandem Instructor rating course, please fill in and submit the initial BOOKING REQUEST FORM.
Feel free to speak with us about any unanswered questions which you might have in FLIGHT CLUB LIVE CHAT.
SITE LINKS
YOUR USPA COACH RATING IN ACTION
If you are interested in learning how to best put your new USPA coach rating to use when working with skydive students towards their USPA A-license, check out a step-by-step training guide in our USPA SKYDIVING LICENSES tutorial.
If you want to learn about the more advanced modules of the skydiver skills-development-grid and on how to best integrate these advanced progression modules into your own coaching process, you might find some added value in our comprehensive SKYDIVE COACHING, ORGANIZING, MENTORING tutorial.
