New Guy

[Dan2679 0]

Good evening. This is my first post here. I have a couple tandem jumps under my belt and am 110% addicted. I plan to start my AFF course early next year. I have browsed a lil in here and this seems like the place to come to learn all that I could outside the classroom. I am a member on a few other non-skydiving forums and have a general idea of how these communities work. So, I will try to read as much as possible and not ask redundant stupid questions like "What is the best rig out there?" I'm sure you guys get enough of that. Anyways. I am looking forward to learning from you guys and I cant wait to get into my AFF course and actually take that step out the back of the plane on my own.

Thanks,

Dan

[RevvyAiny 0]

Hi, Dan!

I'm a newbie, too. Four tandems under my belt, hooked after the first one. Intending to work through AFF, etc. in the Spring. You probably won't learn anything from me, but its nice to know someone else whose journey is somewhat mirroring my own.

Welcome!

[Dan2679 0]

Thanks. How long do you anticipate the AFF course taking you? Does taking it a level per month sound reasonable? Not the cheapest hobby in the world, haha.

[RevvyAiny 0]

I'm probably not the best person to ask. Maybe more experienced folks can weigh in.

But as I think...if you do one per month, you will just about be finishing AFF by the end of the season, assuming you don't have to repeat any levels. That would mean you can't begin working on your A license until the season after that. There is nothing wrong with that...I'm just saying.

For myself, what I am hoping to do is save enough money over the winter to be able to pay for everything up front. (My DZ offers a 10% discount for full prepayment in cash, so there is some incentive). If I can muster that cash, then I hope to spend every day off working through the levels. This would mean, assuming I don't need to repeat anything, that I will complete AFF by June-ish and have the rest of the summer to work toward at least my A license.

Lot of talking. Hope there is an answer for you in there somewhere.

[skydivecat 3]

Hi Dan!

I am a fellow noob, and just got my A license in October, I started jumping at the end of August. The AFF levels will really just depend mostly on A. how much money you have set aside to jump with, and B. how many jumps you do/how many tries it takes you to pass each level.
I was fortunate and passed each level on my first jump and was able to do a lot of coaching jumps to work on my other skills. My 25th jump was my check dive and I start to finish got my license in just under two months (aff aug 27, check dive oct 22). I committed every weekend, rain or shine to the dropzone though and worked on anything i could when we weren't flying (packing, learning about gear, how it all works, ect.). I'm sad that our season just ended, but am counting the days til april first to get in the air again! Not that I am an expert by any means, but if you have any questions about my student experience, feel free to ask.

[Dan2679 0]

Thanks for the input guys. Saving up the 3k first would be nice. Just gotta be able to save it without spending it. Haha! Not sure that we have an off season here in San Diego. I've jumped in January.

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!

I'm just teasing you, of course we're happy to have you join us! I hope the site entertains you while you are waiting for your training.

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

[Trafficdiver 8]

Quote

Thanks. How long do you anticipate the AFF course taking you? Does taking it a level per month sound reasonable? Not the cheapest hobby in the world, haha.

Depends on how the weather treats you. If the weather is good, you're at a big DZ, or one with plenty of AFF instructiors and you have the money, then you can knock AFF in a week and have your license in another week.

On the other hand, if the weather sucks if can take months.

It took me 3 months to do my first 3 jumps, then did the next six jumps over 3 days.

Just jump in and do it at whatever pace you can. Enjoy the ride cause it's a fun one.

[Dan2679 0]

Thank you Skymama and Trafficdiver. I have been thinking about it and saving over the next few months will be difficult with the holidays coming up. I figure I will be putting some of my tax return into it and just paying for the levels as I can. I havent seen anything that says you have to do them within a defined period of time. I should be able to knock out one to two levels a month so long as nothing comes up. Thanks again for all of your input so far.

[Trafficdiver 8]

The sky will always be there.

My friend, and badass manifest chick, took 3 years to do it.

Just sign up next spring and go from there. You will not regret it.

[Dan2679 0]

Nicely put. Thanks.

Quote

The sky will always be there.

My friend, and badass manifest chick, took 3 years to do it.

Just sign up next spring and go from there. You will not regret it.

[skymama 35]

Quote

I havent seen anything that says you have to do them within a defined period of time.

Back in the day when I went through training, you had to go once every 30 days. I don't know if that's changed, but you can always check the SIMS on the USPA site.

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

[skydivecat 3]

I believe the 30 day rule is still correct. At my DZ, if it was more than 30 days, you had to basically do a refresher of the entire class, and if you were already in student progession, I think you lost/had to redo your last level. I'm still pretty new myself, so don't quote me on the exact rule and I was never in this situation, but from working manifest this is what I saw with some students.

[Dan2679 0]

OK. Shouldnt be an issue. I plan to do at least a level or two a month. Thanks for the info guys.

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

OK. Shouldnt be an issue. I plan to do at least a level or two a month. Thanks for the info guys.

Dan,
The strong recommendation is that you do your AFF training jumps one behind the other as quickly as you can. Your learning curve will be steeper...you will not have forgotten how to do what you did well on the last jump.

Part of the training is developing "muscle memory" and quickly repeated iterations helps increase that development.

In the meantime, you will greatly benefit yourself by obtaining, reading and studying the USPA Skydiver Information Manual (the SIM that Skymama mentioned). You can order a hardcopy or download a softcopy PDF from USPA.org:
http://www.uspa.org/

Click on the "SIM" button in the top right-hand corner.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239