Wingsuit Instructor Rating

Proposal
Wingsuit Working Group

Executive Summary
May 2009
 Scope
• What this proposal covers:
– New wingsuit-specific instructional ratings
– First flight instruction for new wingsuiters

• What this proposal is not intended to

change:
– Coaching for wingsuiters with prior wingsuit
experience
– Requirements for skydivers who have
completed their first wingsuit jump prior to the
adoption of this proposal 1
 Key Concepts
• Two new ratings:
– Wingsuit Instructor (“WSI”)
– Wingsuit Instructor Examiner (“WSI/E”)

• Section 6-9(c)(1) of the SIM modified:

– Skydivers now required to successfully
complete a USPA First Flight Course
prior to being cleared for wingsuit flights
without a WSI
2
 USPA First Flight Course (FFC)
• Uniform syllabus through which all USPA FFCs
will be taught

• Consists of two components:

– Ground School
– Air Skills

• FFC must conform to all of the USPA’s

recommendations for wingsuiting (including
recommended minimum jump numbers)

3
 USPA First Flight Course (FFC)
• FFC Ground School component includes segments on:
– Gear selection
– Rigging and wearing the wingsuit
– Exit techniques
– Basic flight techniques
– Navigation
– Deployment procedures
– Emergency procedures
– Pilot communications
– Oral quiz

• FFC Air Skills component includes:

– Gearing up with WSI
– Completion of at least one wingsuit skydive

• Successful completion of both will result in student being cleared to

conduct wingsuit skydives without an WSI
4
 Wingsuit Instructor (WSI) Rating
• Authorized to conduct FFCs and to clear
skydivers to conduct wingsuit skydives without
an WSI

• Key Requirements:
– USPA Coach or other Instructor rating
– USPA C license or its equivalent
– Completed 200 wingsuit jumps
– Either:
• Successful completion of Wingsuit Instructor Course
• Challenging the course

5
 Wingsuit Instructor Rating Course
• Conducted by WSI/E

• Focuses on instructional technique with the FFC

Syllabus as its backbone

• Consists of two major components:

– Classroom/Lecture (typically, two days)
– Practice/Evaluation (typically, one to two days)

• Includes a written exam

6
 “Challenging the Course”
• Intended to permit currently highly experienced
wingsuit instructors to become WSI without
attending the classroom/lecture portion of the
Wingsuit Instructor Course

• Candidate must conduct the following while

overseen by an WSI/E:
– the Ground School component of two FFCs
– the Air Skills component of four FFCs

• Candidate must demonstrate instructional and

practical skills equivalent to the requirements of
the Wingsuit Instructor Course 7
 Keeping WSI Rating Current
• To keep a WSI rating current, on an annual
basis a WSI must, among other things:
– Act as a WSI on 15 wingsuit jumps (these need not
be FFC jumps)
– Attend the USPA Instructor Seminar
– Conduct at least one full FFC

• If a rating lapses, the un-current WSI may

renew the rating by completing one full FFC
(including Air Skills component) with a WSI/E
acting as a student.

8
 Wingsuit Instructor Examiner
• Authorized to conduct the Wingsuit Instructor
Rating Course and to appoint WSIs, whether
through the candidates’ successful completion
of the course or by challenging the course

• Key requirements:
– WSI Rating
– USPA D License or its equivalent
– Conducted 50 FFCs
– Completed 500 wingsuit jumps (including 100 in the
last 12 months)
– Completed Wingsuit Instructor Examiner Rating
course
9
 Wingsuit Instructor Examiner Rating Course
• Course to be taught by Wingsuit Instructor
Examiner evaluator.

• “Wingsuit Instructor Examiner evaluator”

– Not a formal rating
– WSI/E who has conducted at least 100 FFC jumps
– Appointed by USPA Board of Directors
– Attend the entire classroom portion of a Wingsuit
Instructor Rating Course every two years

10
 Related Issues
• Coaching
– Wingsuit coaching - wingsuit education and training
after completion of the USPA FFC - may be
conducted by any experienced wingsuiter (i.e., the
coach is not required to hold a WSI rating or any
other USPA instructional rating).

• Grandfathering
– The FFC requirement will apply only to skydivers who
have not yet completed their first wingsuit flight prior
to the effective date of the proposal.
– Any skydiver who has completed his or her first
wingsuit flight prior to the effective date does not
have to complete a USPA FFC.
11