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bluesboystig

another beginner question - license levels after AFF

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Hi guys,

Probably there are already other posts on this subject in the forum but I couldn't find them. In case, I'm sorry!

I live in Belgium and I got my AFF certification in August 2013 in Italy. Due to some various reasons I couldn't jump after my last AFF jump. I imagine that my first jump here in Belgium has to be with an instructor. My question then is: I need at least an A License to really jump without tutoring and maybe with other people right? And what do I have to demonstrate I can do for getting it? I'm getting quite confused with US and European requirements, so I decided to ask you directly..

I'm sorry, probably you have enough of these silly beginner's questions.. but now the only thing I want to do is jumping jumping jumping jumping jumping jumping!

SO, thanks a lot guys for being patient with me and helping me through this!

Blue skies!

Simone

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Simone,
US requirement: if you have not jumped within 30 days, all students (anyone not in possession of at least an A licence) must perform a recurrency jump at the same level as your previous jump with a certified instructor if you have not completed all insturctor supervised jumps. However, this is also dependant on how long ago your last jump was conducted.

If you have completed all instructor supervised jumps and have not jumped with in 30 days, you should at least perform a Category D jump with an instructor to demonstrate proficency. After this recurrency jump, if you have completed all levels of AFF trainning required under the supervision of a certified insturctor, you are cleared to conduct solo jumps. All other jumps (those made with other jumpers) must be made under the supervision of an appropriately rated USPA Coach or Instructor (US requirement).

However, different drop zones may require additional instruction or limit what you are allowed to do. However, what I have listed is the minimum requirement.

To anyone else reading this, please chime in if I missed anything.

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Thanks Kenates, very much clear!

Dragon2, unfortunately I'm not flemish, I'm italian.. but thanks anyway!

I have sent an email to Skydive Spa where I intend to go for the jumps, asking for some more info DZ related and also regardin this issue. I will post what they reply to me as soon as they get back to me.

In the meantime if someone else has some European centred info on this.. of course is more than welcome!!

Thanks guys!

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There are no 'European rules' as such, you need to abide by your own country's jumping permit plus the rules of the DZ you're visiting. IE, if Belgian rules do not forbid you to jump a certain specific canopy and Dutch rules do and you have a Dutch license, you still cannot jump that canopy even when in Belgium... If you are allowed a specific canopy under Dutch rules but Belgium says you're not, they may or may not allow you to jump it there, their prerogative.
In your case, you still haven't mentioned, is your license Flemisch or not? Spa is, so the BVR I linked to would apply (in short, a lvl4 jump for recurrency and a 15jump course before jumping with others on your belly). If your license is Italian and you do not want to convert it to a Flemisch one, look up the Italian version of the BVR as you will need to abide by their rules even when visiting abroad.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

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Thanks Saskia, you've been amazingly clear! My AFF certification is italian, and italian rules say that you need to pass a skydiving exam for jumping with others on your belly. This exam consists of some turns, tracking, basic RW, basic precision landing, and I think that's it. Now, what I'm thinking is checking the requirements of the Belgian system with the DZ and then understanding what I need to learn to get a basic license so I can jump with others, either here or in Italy (at the DZ where I completed my AFF they do exams in October so I have plenty of time to get prepared to it).

Thank you so much for your help, it's very important having the possibility to get clarifications from expert fellow jumpers! Well, now I'd better get out and buy some thermal clothing for winter jumps!

Thanks again!!

Blue skies,

Simone

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You're welcome ;)

Just a tip, since you're in europe, don't buy thermal clothing, just buy a thermo/warm suit from these guys: http://www.rainbowsuits.com/d7/en/kombis/airtherm-suit that one. Or 2nd hand, like here: http://www.parachutecase.nl/theshop/artikel/overalls/index.html#warm
They may not look like much ;) but I can't say enough good about these suits: they're nice and warm even for jumping in Dutch/Belgian/German/... winters, they end up being cheaper than layers of good quality thermal clothing, the suits last for-ev-er (we have them at our DZ up to 15-20 years old with heavy use, still good) and moving in them is a breeze even under a tight fitting suit.


ciel bleu,
Saskia

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