The Rating

This is the fundamental entry level USPA Instructor rating. It will be the foundation that you will build upon while you obtain all of your other ratings. This course will give you the basic tools and understanding needed to instruct general skydiving concepts. This course also teaches coaches how to teach group freefall skills and teach new students how to build upon their newly developed skill sets.

The course focuses on adult learning principles, teaching techniques and understanding the ISP, as well as applying useful strategies to be successful in applying and teaching skydiving to novice students.

THE USPA COACH RATING ALLOWS YOU TO:

  1. Conduct training in the non-method-specific portions of the skydiving ground school:
    (1) Equipment familiarization as it pertains to the first jump
    (2) Basic canopy control
    (3) Parachute emergency procedures
    (4) Landings and landing emergencies (obstacles)
    (5) Aircraft emergencies for students cleared to freefall self-supervision and who have completed the Category E aircraft briefing in the USPA Integrated Student Program

  2. Teach the general portions of transition training for students changing from tandem to solo methods.

  3. Conduct group freefall skills training and jumps with students who have been cleared by a USPA Instructor.

  4. Make gripped exits with students during group freefall skills jumps.

  5. Supervise recurrency jumps with licensed skydivers.

  6. Supervise static-line and IAD students beginning in Category C after each student demonstrates a successful clear and pull:
    (1) All ground training must be performed by an appropriately rated instructor.
    (2) The student must be trained by an instructor to independently handle aircraft emergencies.

  7. All student training and recurrency jumps with a USPA Coach are conducted under the supervision of a current and appropriately rated USPA Instructor.

How to Prepare

Prepare for the Ground Evaluation portion and the training section by reviewing the Coach Candidate Manual you receive after registration. Print the pages and bring them with you to the course or bring a tablet or laptop with the file. Make sure you have a SIM and IRM. Please familiarize yourself with these two important references. In order to facilitate that, you must have the Coach Test from the IRM completed BEFORE you show up for the course.

Prepare for the Air Evaluation portion of the course by doing 2 way relative work jumps with a friend, practicing flying close, laying a solid base, as well as making up distance. The air evals are not as high as standards for AFF Instructors, but you must be able to unconciously fly your body well enough to observe a student in close proximity. Other periphial freefall skills you may need to work on include fall rate, observation skills, and effective feedback.

Pre-requisites

To participate in a USPA Coach Course you will need the following:

  1. Current USPA membership

  2. B-license

  3. Minimum of 100 jumps

  4. Have the required topics signed off on the Coach Proficiency Card prior to the course

  5. Have completed your written exam

  6. Have the USPA SIM and IRM - You need to have a current SIM and IRM for the course. (Within 24 months) Ordered from USPA

PROFICENCY CARD:

Have your Proficiency Card: You need to have this card filled out in all the required areas before showing up at the course. It is a good idea to attend as many FJC's and observe some of your seasoned instructors teach the ISP and see how they apply it. You can find this card in the back of the IRM or download it from the USPA, be sure to have the required areas signed off, most of the topics on the card will be covered by or signed by the Coach Course Director or evaluator.

THE WRITTEN TEST:

You must complete the required test prior to arriving to the course. The Coach written exam is located in the back of the IRM along with the answer sheet. You must have a passing score is 80% before the start of the actual course and it will be graded before day one. It is an open book test where you will have to use and read the SIMS and IRM - if you do not bring your test you must score 100% at the course. Have your SIMS and IRM: Books need to be no older than 2 years old.

The Course

The Course is three full days.

You must receive a satisfactory score in the following areas to complete the course:

  • Satisfactorily conduct two training sessions from the assigned topics (FJC)

  • Demonstrate the ability to teach topics from Categories F-H in the ISP

  • Satisfactorily conduct debrief and equipment checks

  • Satisfactorily pass two air evaluations