{"id":41917,"date":"2022-05-26T11:34:51","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T11:34:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=41917"},"modified":"2023-07-15T12:39:47","modified_gmt":"2023-07-15T12:39:47","slug":"so-you-wannabe-a-canopy-piloting-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/so-you-wannabe-a-canopy-piloting-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"So, you wannabe a Canopy Piloting Coach?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The latest episode in our \u2018Working in the Sport\u2019 series, we ask Armando Fattoruso how to become a canopy coach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Armando Fattoruso by Marat Daminov.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Armando Fattoruso has been Italian National CP Champion multiple times and is the fifth-ranked canopy pilot in the world. He\u2019s been skydiving since 2001, has over 11,000 jumps and is on the amazing PD Factory Team. Armando works at Skydive Spain, Seville, as a USPA Instructor and Flight-1 canopy coach.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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We were happy he took the time to talk to us to help others follow in his path\u2026<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Armando, as a full-time skydive instructor, what do you actually do? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Every role needed on a dropzone, in order to archive a smooth and safe operational day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long have you been a CP coach? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I started young as a skydiving instructor, aged 18, but as the modern definition of Canopy Coach, with Flight-1, around the last ten years<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Armando coaching<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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How do you balance that with competing and displays with the PD Factory Team? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been lucky to have a family and a dropzone to help me follow my dream every day of the year and everywhere in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What qualities do you need to be a good canopy coach?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Be able to read the scenario in front of you. The modern canopy coach has to act like a guide taking a group into the wild. He should not expose his group to danger but provide them the respect and love for this specific part of our sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the main challenges?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The students are not the same; everyone is individual and comes from different experiences and different environments. The coach must feed them with the right knowledge, using different methods to achieve the same goal for everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Armando is a top level CP competitor as well as a canopy coach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Is it hard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s challenging but I like to say, \u201cIf it was easy everyone can do it!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you think it\u2019s important to be a competitor before you become a CP coach?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I don’t think it’s necessary! Especially forming the first steps of student progression. I think what is necessary is to be curious and never think that a good class can’t be better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did you choose Flight-1? Or why did they choose you?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You always pick the best in what you\u2019re looking for, don’t you?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Armando and his happy students at Skydive Spain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What are the best points of being a CP coach? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Seeing the eyes of the students shine when they progress thanks to my tips! I like to start my class: “At the end of the day you guys will start to see skydiving like the Matrix!”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do you need to bear in mind to keep your students safe? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Think about it like driving. No one drives a car to be in danger but there are attitudes and habits that need to be controlled more, and some that need to be removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who taught you the most along the way? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I have several mentors. But the one I like to name the most is Pete Allum<\/a>. Since I met him, he always teaches me something… from lifestyle to skydiving to becoming a better human being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Videoing the canopies for debriefing <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What\u2019s the single piece of advice about canopy skills that you repeat most often? <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Once you have done it right, do it again. And then again. And again. Again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What canopies do you jump and why?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For working I love to jump my Valkyrie 79. In competitions I have different sizes of PD Peregrine. The reason; you always pick the best in what you\u2019re looking for! Don’t you?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you choose the best \u2018tools\u2019 for your job? Do you change canopies depending on the type of coaching course?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Oh yes. Changes for lots of reasons. Different types of jump. Different mental approach. Different canopies. But mostly to get the right wing loading to fly with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n