0
zcohen13

Location for AFF course

Recommended Posts

I recently did my first tandem jump about 2 months ago (as soon as I turned 18) and fell in love with the sport. I've been researching local Florida dropzones looking for the best location to complete my AFF course. I'm located in Fort Lauderdale, but willing to travel to anywhere in Florida for the right price/training. I was looking at Jump Florida Skydiving which has the AFF for $1,150, Skydive Palatka for $1,200, and Skydive Sebastian for $1,335. Any Florida jumpers with opinions on this? Has anyone been to Jump Florida in Tampa?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I was looking at their website and seemed like a cool DZ but it's a little more pricey. I think I've narrowed it down to either Jump Florida Skydive in Tampa or Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales. 1150 in Tampa and 1320 in Lake Wales. Have you been to either one? I found pictures of the Lake Wales facility and it looks nice but haven't been able to find any of Jump Florida.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
zcohen13

I recently did my first tandem jump about 2 months ago (as soon as I turned 18) and fell in love with the sport. I've been researching local Florida dropzones looking for the best location to complete my AFF course. I'm located in Fort Lauderdale, but willing to travel to anywhere in Florida for the right price/training. I was looking at Jump Florida Skydiving which has the AFF for $1,150, Skydive Palatka for $1,200, and Skydive Sebastian for $1,335. Any Florida jumpers with opinions on this? Has anyone been to Jump Florida in Tampa?



The best advice is...don't be penny-wise and pound foolish. In the grand scheme of things in skydiving one or two hundred bucks is a rounding error, an afterthought (and these prices are just for AFF with no rejumps...let alone a full license).

Clewiston has an excellent "Skydiver Training Program" and is relatively close.

Sebastian is also relatively close and has excellent facilities and gear...and the best view going.

Deland and Zhills are the two biggest in FL, with Deland being the largest. Both have excellent gear, staff and multiple full-time aircraft of the turbine variety.

Palatka is a nice, smaller DZ. But you'd be driving by Sebastian and Deland on the way...so I'm not sure the point.

Jump FL is...Jump FL. Smaller landing area, more of a tandem mill. When their grass field floods they bus the folks to the a few miles up the road to Zephyrhills airport...where skydiving has been going on for 50+ years and already has a DZ.

Deland, Zhills, Sebastian have full facilities (bar, restaurant, showers, team rooms etc etc). The rest do not. Lake Wales is nice (and is huge) but lacks some of the facilities - namely food, drink and showers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
some smaller DZs don't have the flight line to keep turning loads back to back, additionally you may not get 13.5K. not a big deal if doing static line, but in AFF that's several more seconds of freefall. at 13.5 over the DZ all you can see below you is airport, plenty of space to learn to fly your canopy.

Z-hills is where it's at, bring a tent or rent a trailer from judy. and jump all day and all weekend long. find out when TK is cooking breakfast, really great way to start the morning and a lot of fun in the serving line.

get to know the folks there, they're awesome people!

don't forget to get fitted for a Tonysuit while there so whether you're any good or not in the air, you look damn good on the ground and in the airplane on the way to altitude!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
. Lake Wales is nice (and is huge) but lacks some of the facilities - namely food, drink and showers.

Actually Lake Wales does have showers back near the restrooms and there is a snack bar (burgers, hot dogs etc.) that recently opened on the patio. Plus there is a cooler full of sodas and energy drinks, also chips and candy bars to the right of the manifest window. I was just there at Christmas.
diamonds are a dawgs best friend

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Any money you save at the cheaper places is going to be offset by the extra lodging expenses. I'm a Zhills local, would love to tell you Zhills. But honestly, it doesn't make much sense to do it anywhere besides Sebastian or the folks down in Miami. If you're going to go somewhere for a full week straight to do this, then Hillson's post is spot on. Depending on your jump pace and your physical fitness, Tampa/Lake Wales is a LONG drive back while sore as hell from your first handful of jumps.
Zhills kept at least 1 Otter going from 9 am til sunset yesterday on a COLD and windy Monday. I didn't see any canopies or activity at Jump FL (our pattern takes us within a mile of their DZ).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
busichio

Do you know the difference between your AFF and your A license?



At the most basic of requirements 15 to 18 jumps, several of which have evaluation requirements to be conducted with a coach or higher, usually at a cost to the student. When a value comparison is made a complete "A" package program frequently beats a cheaper advertised AFF program.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I've been asking drop zones the difference and what they told me was that when you complete the AFF, you have a certification to jump with other people, compared the the A license where you can jump completely solo. Because if this is the case, I'd rather do the AFF for $1,300 and after it's completed I'd pay the 25$ for the jump fee and 25$ for gear rental until I get my A license and decide to get my own gear. Would it make more sense just to purchase the whole A license package? Can someone please explain the difference to me if I'm incorrect

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
AFF completion allows you to jump self supervised (solo) or with a Coach rated jumper or a jumper who holds a "D" license and with a small group if a Coach or "D" license jumper is with you.
An "A" license allows you to jump with any licensed skydiver and group or of course solo.

I was recently in Zhills for a Rating Course and the people and instructors there are first rate.
"You don't get many warnings in this sport before you get damaged"

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
ZHills not my home DZ but spent the better part of the first week in last November there and I met the DZO TKHayes, the Manifest Staff and talked to a good number of the instructors and was impressed. It's a class operation and the landing areas for students and noob jumpers is outstanding. Don't let the bottom line drive your decision; assuming of course the bottom line is an issue (but DZO's can work this out with you). Just up the road is Bev Suits and you can get a very good jump suit there and the Bev Suits Staff is first rate (IMHO). Just to be up front. I'm not affiliated or have any financial interest in ZHills or Bev Suits.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
technically you cant finish your a license just jumping solo, you would have to pay for coach jumps to get signed off on your progression card, usually DZ's will discount the price for the whole 'A' package because it keeps you coming

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
^^^^ What he said. "AFF" gets you only to self supervised free fall. "A License" is what you should be shooting for. Compare prices for the "A License" program.
Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
To keep it simple, your AFF allows you to jump solo/self supervised. Your A license allows you to jump with other people who aren't instructors/coaches.

After you get your AFF, you need 9 solo's (jump ticket plus gear rental) and 6-7 jumps (jump ticket/gear rental/coach fee) to be able to get your A license. Those coach jumps teach you safety in freefall while jumping in groups. You cannot jump with non instructors with only your AFF.

Consider your cost to be the entire A license package. I think mine at Z Hills was 2500.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
after AFF you can jump with: AFF instructor, a coach, or D licensed skydiver with S&TA approval?. at most DZ's that will mean you will pay at least that persons slot. I finished my a license at a 182 dz so sometimes you get on a four way with your aff instructors and they will sign you off if you "happen" to demonstrate the appropriate skills but this is not the norm at most turbine DZ's

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So would I save money by doing the whole A license course instead of the AFF? Sorry for all the questions I'm just a newbie who did a tandem a few weeks ago and really want to get involved in the sport, probably just like everybody else on here was at some point:D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
if you really want to get involved in the sport your first goal should be an A license, my advice would be too pick what will most likely be your 'home' DZ go there speak with them get your a license and ask questions along the way. its hard to understand everything In the beginning so you just gotta do it but as mentioned earlier trying to save 100$ here or there just isn't worth it, you will look back later and laugh at that. if you don't have the money yet wait, save every dollar you have by eating pb&j's and come back when you have some money to blow. it sucks to run out of money after 10 jumps and then decide to save money for 5 months, that's what I did. my recommendation would be 10grand but it can be done for less. that would get you through your a license, get you a used rig, jumpsuit, helmet, alti, and have some left over to blow on fun jumps but that is just my opinion and others have done it different ways.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
AFF is one (of multiple) paths of progression towards getting your USPA A license. It only certifies you to jump by yourself or with a coach or instructor. Beyond the A license, there is a "B" license, which allows you to jump after sunset, and C and D licenses. Beyond licenses, there are all sorts of ratings you can acquire.

If you want to be involved in the sport, just focus on getting your A and everything else will fall into place. If you complete AFF without planning ahead, chances are you're going to realize you want an A license, and soon, very quickly. You could also look into alternates to AFF for being cleared for self-supervised jumps, such as an IAD program, which would typically cost less overall.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0