First ever jump- where can I do it again?!

[MiniClaire 0]

Hi,

I just got back from a trip to Africa where I did a tandem jump in Swakopmund, Nambibia, and was completely blown away by the experience- first time I'd ever done something like it, and I was on a high for weeks afterward. After coming home (to London) I decided that I really wanted to jump some more, and I've been reading about how to become a qualified skydiver, but it is just so expensive! Probably not expensive when you realise what you get for the price, but as a poverty-sticken student, everything seems expensive to me!

Could anyone recommend the most economical ways to learn to skydive? If it involves going to another country to do a course, then that's even better, especially somewhere exotic!!

Thanks,

Claire xx

[scooterskydives 0]

lucky you for getting to go to Africa, I dream of visiting there one day so you live in London... you could visit www.uspa.org and they have a listing of dropzones all over the world. as far as expense, any sport you get in to usally is spendy but once you get off student status and get your own gear the jumps get really cheap, or should I say the arplane rides. I work at a pretty big dz in southern California in the winter and we have alot of people come from other countries to get certified, but even there it is fairly spendy, about $1700. however the dz where I work at in the summer the same course is only $1050. so check around and maybe you could make it a vacation, but be sure to make sure the place you chose is a member of USPA and has a good saftey record

If God wanted man to stay on the ground.
He would of put roots on them instead of feet.
loving life
GO-N-UP

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"I do know that a lot of British also find it economical to get a cheap flight and come on over to Florida to do their training, stay inexpensively in a bunk house and stay long enough to get their A license. "

Thats what I did, otherwise you are looking at a long winter waiting for weather, which can be just as expensive as biting the bullet and crossing the pond.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[Erroll 49]

I did a couple of jumps at the London Parachute School on a trip to the UK. (One of the closest DZ's to London?)
They specialise/d (?) in S/L training but were happy to give me a bit of altitude.

Their contact info is/was
London Parachute School
Post Office Box 18
Goring on Thames
Reading. RG8 9EW

Tel (0249) 651909

Hope you do continue!!

[BethUK 0]

I started my training doing RAPS but after just one jump I decided I was too eager to get qualified and I also worked out that it would work out a similar price overall if I did AFF instead, just seems alot at the time! I did my AFF in France at GAP and it was £770 for the full course of 8 levels and then I paid £20 for each of my 10 consols...the whole trip was wicked and its in the french alps!

If you want any more info then PM me and I will send you the details :)

Beth x

------------------------------------------------------------

"This isn't flying...it's falling with style!" Buzz Lightyear - Toystory 1

[lazyfrog 0]

hi there congrats and welcome to the real world...
all the poor english go to empuriabrava... seems to work out cheaper and conditions are better

----------
Fumer tue, péter pue
-------------
ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579

[Chrisky 0]

Well, i know two good and quite cost-effective DZs from personal experience;
One is the Skydivecenter Spa in Belgium, they ususally charge about 1450/1500 EUR for AFF. The other DZ is Skydive Portugal which is one of the safest DZs i have ever seen.
When i was there, a british instructor had two students with him, if you go to their website might know who from britain is jumping there occasionally. I have no idea what that might cost, but it's a damn good DZ.You will meet TONS of people at Spa, many from Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It's very international and has a great holiday flair.

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...