Rating Certification Course
Advanced Instructor Course - (AIC/IERC)

Skydive University has been involved in running “trainer” courses since we incorporated back in 1993. In early 2000, we agreed to develop a "train the trainer” program with USPA using the USPA Coach and Instructor programs (as well as our own Coach programs and Evaluator and Examiner training).

The SDU course was named “Advanced Instructor Course (AIC),” which USPA later revised; their version is the Instructor Examiner Rating Course (IERC). The course content is similar with the exception of extra coaching content and testing included in the AIC. Skydive University's AIC provides certification of USPA’s IERC as well once completed.

This course is for anyone looking to advance and better their skills teaching classroom presentations and for those that want to become an evaluator and/or Course Director for either Coach or Instructor Courses. The course is open to anyone who has completed a USPA or SDU Coaches Rating.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The passing of the AIC or IERC does not immediately give the privilege of conducting either Coach or Instructor courses. All prerequisite tasks must be completed as well as a final course test consisting of conducting an entire course (of chosen discipline) under direct supervision of an Examiner to a satisfactory level. This practical training could require an Examiner candidate to teach the course 2 -3 times or more before a sign off is achieved. The passing of the AIC or IERC in itself only opens the door to continue “breaking in” on one of the rating disciplines.

Prerequisites:

• Must be 18 years old
• USPA membership
• USPA D-license
• Completed 100 jumps coach jumps within 12 months or 300 total
• Taught a minimum of 15 First Jump Courses
• Evaluated 15 Coach evaluations jumps
• Completed a minimum of 250 jumps for Static Line or Instructor Assisted Deployment (IAD)
• Completed a minimum of 500 jumps for either AFF IE or a Tandem IE
• Taught a minimum of 50 First Jump Courses for any Instructor Examiner rating
• Evaluated 50 Instructor evaluation jumps
• Attended the AFFIE standardization meeting (only for AFF IE)
• USPA AFF proficiency card signed off
• Purchased current copies (in last 2 years) of the SIM and IRM.

You can start working as an evaluator once you have completed the required number of actual coach or instructor jumps. The evaluation jumps must be actual evaluation jumps. Training jumps leading up to evaluation do not count. If you want to become an examiner, the sooner you can get involved the better. To break in as an evaluator you will need to sit in through the entire course with an examiner first in order to begin.

Prior to the course:

To allow for maximum success in the “Trainers” program, read the manuals and fill out any questionnaires prior to showing up. Complete the exam, which is “open book” and has a pass mark of 100%. You must show up with a 15 minute theoretical non-skydiving presentation prepared.

The “Trainers” clinic is a 3-day (30 hour) program. As a participant, you must attend the entire program in order to gain maximum benefit. This program does require after-hours work and preparation for upcoming lessons. Count on a full three days of effort; after all, this is an Examiner’s course––the highest level of rating to be achieved in skydiving.

Benefits of the Advanced Instructor Course:

• Trains you to be an objective evaluator for ground evaluations and air evaluations for I/E’s and coach course examiners, given the level of your freefall skills and testing (i.e. USPA Coach, AFFI, S/L, etc.)
• Enables you to either attain or upgrade to USPA/SDU Coach Course Examiner.
• Prepares you to assist and upgrade in any of the Director or I/E rating courses.
• It's a constructive alternative to the required Instructor seminar
• Allows a Coach Examiner the opportunity to upgrade to SDU Coach and Coach Examiner
• Allows attendance to the SDU Level #2 FS, Level #2 Freefly Coach, and the Wingsuit Coach courses.

Course Evaluations

Written Evaluations:

• Pass the USPA Examiner exam with a pass mark of 100%

Conduct a Classroom Presentation

Candidates will teach several topics from the Coach Examiner's Guide. The presentation will take approximately 20-30 minutes. The key issues are:

1) Apply the teaching process

2) Apply dynamic teaching strategies and methods

3) Teach the correct content

4) Apply KISSS and 90-20-8.

There are a number of other criteria scored in the presentation that are averaged in the total end score. The two key points, dynamic teaching and involving your students, must receive a passing score for the lesson to be passed.

Conduct a Motor Skills Presentation

Teach a topic from the Coaches Session Guide. Candidates will teach either Session 1 or 2 from the Basic Body Flight manual. The presentation will take approximately 45 minutes. The key issues are:

1) Conduct the motor skill drills by the required repetition and holding times

2) Immediately correct any student body position errors that may occur.

There are a number of other criteria scored in the presentation that are averaged in the total end score. The two key points, kinesthetic drills and correct body position training, must receive a passing score for the lesson to be passed.

Evaluator Scoring: Classroom Presentations

uring the final classroom presentations you will be scoring the presentation along with other class candidates and the lead Evaluator or Examiner. A comparison of your scores will be matched against the lead evaluators to determine accuracy of detail and objectivity of scores. Your scoring must be within 20% of the lead evaluators and mutual agreement of pass or fail.

Evaluator Scoring: Motor Skills Presentations

During the final motor skills presentations you will be scoring the presentation along with other class candidates and the lead Evaluator or Examiner. A comparison of your scores will be matched against the lead evaluators to determine accuracy of detail and objectivity of scores. Your scoring must be within 20% of the lead evaluators and mutual agreement of pass or fail.

Skill Analysis Test/strong>

The skill analysis test will require the viewing of one actual student jump, completing an observation plan and a detailed analysis of all positive and/or improvement points of the student's performance. The test is one of the “coaches eye” and not limited to the improvement points the coach feels they would debrief the student on.

Debriefing

The debriefing of fellow candidates will be rotated and conducted on all presentations. The debriefing process of facilitation must be applied as well as an emphasis on what was gained, the positive points of the lesson, and a constructive debriefing of improvement points.