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Ramzisleiman

Choosing the right drop Zone

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Ramzisleiman


I checked them out, it seems like a nice place and the price is logical. Thank you for pointing that out.
After looking into their pricing, it got me confused. Why do i need the 10 con jumps? The website says it is the first step towards your A-licence. Doesn’t Completing the 8 Aff levels mean I get the A-licence?



If it's anything like the UK system, you need to complete the 8 AFF levels (which may mean more than 8 jumps if you don't pass each level on the first attempt), and then 10 solo consolidation jumps before you will gain your A licence. 18 jumps would be the minimum to get your A licence under the UKPA system.

You may also need to check what the A licence from a specific country permits you to do if you wish to travel and jump in other countries. A UKPA A licence does not allow you to jump with other people (apart from instructors and coaches, or perhaps another experienced jumper at the Chief Instructors discretion) until you also pass your Formation Skydiving qualification (FS1).

The A licence in the USA is slightly different in that it is a minimum of 25 jumps but includes some coached jumps and you may then jump with other people once you have passed all the requirements.
A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

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Thank you for the explanation.
I have read in a lot of sources that i need 25 jumps to complete my A licence. However, it seems every country has its own rules, who can guide us about the rules in Europe? and how many jumps are the minimum to get the A licence.
Also, Can someone explain to me the importance of having a uspa membership? Is it of any use other than being able to jump in USA?

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Ramzisleiman

Thank you for the explanation.
I have read in a lot of sources that i need 25 jumps to complete my A licence. However, it seems every country has its own rules, who can guide us about the rules in Europe? and how many jumps are the minimum to get the A licence.
Also, Can someone explain to me the importance of having a uspa membership? Is it of any use other than being able to jump in USA?



Dont have to be a USPA member to jump in USA, just need to have a skydiving license (and an insurance?) from a member nation of FAI...

or something like that...

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Blis

***Thank you for the explanation.
I have read in a lot of sources that i need 25 jumps to complete my A licence. However, it seems every country has its own rules, who can guide us about the rules in Europe? and how many jumps are the minimum to get the A licence.
Also, Can someone explain to me the importance of having a uspa membership? Is it of any use other than being able to jump in USA?



Dont have to be a USPA member to jump in USA, just need to have a skydiving license (and an insurance?) from a member nation of FAI...

or something like that...

I think this is mostly incorrect. Group member DZ's (which are most DZ's) require you to be a uspa member if I am not mistaken. Not sure if that is a hard rule that group DZ's have to follow, or if they choose to go that way with it.
Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

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Hi Ramzis, I did my AFF at FFU - My course story is here and will detail for you what you can expect - http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4342021;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread Your AFF cost normally covers the first 8 jumps, you should ask about costs for re-takes of an AFF level in the event that you fail a level. After you have done your AFF, you will still need to do 10 consol jumps for a BPA membership, or an additional 17 jumps for a USPA licence. You can jump anywhere in the world with either licence as far as I know. I have taking my son to FFU as well. I literally trust them with my life! And my son's life :)

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Thank you for the link. Great post indeed. Your post got me more excited, cant wait to write my story.
The dropzone in empuria in spain seems like a great place to start my future in the skies.
When is the best time of the year to do it? I do not want the weather to be an obstacle and get to cancel some jumps because of the wind or rain.

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No seriously. I am aware that its inevitable to get bad weather but i must think of the best time of the year to go inorder not to be wasting time and money doing nothing but waiting for a dry day. In the end im doing this abroad and paying accomodation and skipping work back home. So i have to consider this.

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"Now that wind tunnels are widely available, I would not touch a freefall student until after he had a few minutes in a tunnel".


Wouldn't touch a FF student who didn't have tunnel time? Oh, yeah, right. Big city rich kids are the only ones who should skydive anyway. Most of the world still doesn't have a tunnel in location and believe it or not, most of the world doesn't travel to exotic locations to learn to skydive. Three cents.

Doog
DOOG
Muff 846
All you people are here to make sure I have a good time.

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I think this is a long debate that many are with and many are against. i am not sure because i am not an instructor nor have i tried a wind tunnel before.
I think choosing the right school with the right instructors and patience are more important than strictly choosing a school over another because they have a wind tunnel.

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For what it's worth, I had an absolute blast getting my A at Skydive Sebastian. Florida is quite a nice vacation destination but it's gonna be hot during them months.
Better be on the ground wishing you were up there than being up there wishing you were on the ground.

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doog

"Now that wind tunnels are widely available, I would not touch a freefall student until after he had a few minutes in a tunnel".


Wouldn't touch a FF student who didn't have tunnel time? Oh, yeah, right. Big city rich kids are the only ones who should skydive anyway. Most of the world still doesn't have a tunnel in location and believe it or not, most of the world doesn't travel to exotic locations to learn to skydive. Three cents.

Doog



.................................................................................

I learned to free-fall a year before the first civilian wind tunnel opened in 1980. I visited that tunnel after I had a couple hundred jumps and learned more (about my leg position) during those 5 minutes (of tunnel time) than I had during my previous hundred jumps.

The original poster ask about which foreign (far away) DZ to visit for his vacation and AFF training. I suggested that he plan his vacation at a DZ that has a tunnel integrated into its AFF program (Perris, Eloy, etc.).

Tunnel time is less expensive than free-fall time.

Also consider that time in an tunnel is invaluable in reducing sensory overload during the first and second freefalls. My biggest teaching challenge is holding students stable during their first 20 seconds of freefall until their brain catches up to their body.

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I have seen the results of good tunnel time. I am in no way an opponent of wind tunnels. I was just somewhat shocked by your remark about not having anything to do with students who had no tunnel time. I suppose if you live in area serviced by a tunnel or work near one or whatever that is great. If a person were to take a map of this continent and mark all the DZs and then all the tunnels I think you would get my meaning. Skydiving is being greatly influenced by the current generation of tunnel trained jumpers but there will never be enough tunnels. We can't forget the guy or gal who jumps at a Cessna DZ in Butt Fuck Nowhere who may never see a wind tunnel. It is a 10 hour drive from here to the nearest in Canada and about the same to NH. If a person lives in the middle of the continent it is a major expense to get to the nearest tunnel.
DOOG
Muff 846
All you people are here to make sure I have a good time.

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coming from a country where skydiving is not an option, i can not have that choice, i know you would suggest choosing the nearest dropzone, which is Dubai in my case. I go to europe much more than i go to nearby countries such as UAE. Mainly i go to Germany and the Netherlands for work and vacation.
This is why i am choosing a dropzone far form my country, but easy to get to at any time.

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doog

I have seen the results of good tunnel time. I am in no way an opponent of wind tunnels. I was just somewhat shocked by your remark about not having anything to do with students who had no tunnel time.



I had 20 min of tunnel time prior to my AFF. My instructor said it didn't show at all up until my 5th or 6th jump, during which he could finally tell.

The stress of having to do everything right (hotel check, door position etc etc.....) and deal with 2 instructors made me forget everything I had learned in the tunnel. Glad it came back tho !
Better be on the ground wishing you were up there than being up there wishing you were on the ground.

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coolskydiverguy

Big city rich kids are entitled to the sky. You and the rest of the peasants are keep around to watch our youtube videos.




just don't slap me on the Frappe hat when you're going out the door
You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

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But you have no video to look at. Because you have no helmet to fasten the camera to. You have no gear to jump with, no home DZ and zero jumps. Or you are a third world spy who forgot to fill out his profile. Or you were at a Dudeist meeting, or whatever. I need a beer now.
DOOG
Muff 846
All you people are here to make sure I have a good time.

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