AFF in a weekend

[BigDreams32 0]

I'm planning on doing my AFF in a weekend for various reasons (cost, time, efficiency) what are sum of your opinions and thoughts as far as doing it in a 3-day span? maybe sum of you have also done it in a weekend. thank you

[davelepka 4]

I think you need to stop asking questions and just start your training. According to your profile you live in Miami, and there are more DZs in the state of Florida than almost anywhere else in the world, and they're all open year round.

Rushing though your training is rarely a good idea. You have no idea how you're going to perform on your jumps or react to the physical and mental stresses involved in learning to skydive. Planning to just knock it out in a 'weekend' is only going to add pressure to that situation, and given your location and proximity to muliple DZs, you don't need that pressure.

Sure, plan a weekend trip to a DZ, lots of jumpers do that. Jumping Sat and Sun, with some hanging out and socailizing Sat after dark. As far as how many jumps you make, take it one jump at a time, and go from there. Keep in mind that ground school can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, so most of day one will be spent on the ground.

The VAST majority of jumpers take a month or more to go from jump #1 to having a license. It's a process, and it takes time. It's also fun and you'll learn a ton. Stop looking at it as something to 'get through', and more like something 'to look forward to'.

[dthames 0]

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I'm planning on doing my AFF in a weekend for various reasons (cost, time, efficiency) what are sum of your opinions and thoughts as far as doing it in a 3-day span? maybe sum of you have also done it in a weekend. thank you

What davelepka said was dead on. My first 3 day weekend, I got a total of 2 jumps. Most people need some time to learn and study between jumps if you really want to learn what you need to know. Plan to go slow.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[Airviking 0]

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...It's also fun and you'll learn a ton. Stop looking at it as something to 'get through', and more like something 'to look forward to'.

Zackly!!! It's the journey, not the destination. I never did AFF, but my student days did leave me with fond memories. (I wish I could go back.)

Be here now.

I believe you have my stapler.

[RMK 3]

Yes, it can work well. I did my 8 AFF levels over 4 days doing 2 each day (the DZ had a rule that 2 lessons/day was the max limit – which I believe is a good idea). The day prior I had done the ground class and a single static line jump which was the requirement in South Africa in early 2000’s.

On my fifth day I made two consol jumps and flew back to the UK after my holiday. It then (thanks to mix of British weather and arcane UK student/packing training methods*) took me three months to get 8 more consols for my A license.

* at the UK DZ I did consols, a student had to flat pack and stop at four/five different stages and go find a staff member to check the stage (this turned a pack job into an hour long event with most of the time spent wandering around the hangar/DZ to find someone to check my stages).

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Have you jumped at all yet?

Do you have any idea how physically and mentally taxing each jump is to you?
Each person reacts differently. For some students, more than one or two jumps per day is too much. Others can do more.

But to slam all 8 AFF jumps into 3 days sounds a bit much to me. And that's assuming no repeats.

Repetition and jumping frequently can improve retention and help you learn better. But there's a limit to it.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

DaveLepka is right on target.

In addition, there is no telling how many jumps it will take you to meet the objectives of the program. Repeating one or more levels is VERY common.

Further, there is no guarantee that the weather will cooperate with your plan. At my home DZ, weather is a HUGE source of delay for students due to wind.

Smile, Breathe, Relax.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[BigDreams32 0]

Well I guess you're right. I look at it totally different now and it is a process, and I wouldn't want to waste my time and money trying to rush anything and id rather take it more slow and enjoy the training and see what the different drop zones here in FL have to offer. thanks everybody!

[Striker1521 0]

I did my AFF in Lodi, California in two days. It was fast paced with three levels one day and the remaining four the next. Looking back after seeing how other DZs do their AFFs I would have much preferred taking a longer more in-depth course. Sure you get on student status in two days but the quality of instruction appears to be far less. You're learning how to jump out of planes! There is no need to rush that.

[popsjumper 2]

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I'm planning on doing my AFF in a weekend for various reasons (cost, time, efficiency) what are sum of your opinions and thoughts as far as doing it in a 3-day span? maybe sum of you have also done it in a weekend. thank you

What davelepka said was dead on. My first 3 day weekend, I got a total of 2 jumps. Most people need some time to learn and study between jumps if you really want to learn what you need to know. Plan to go slow.

Yep. Dan nailed it.

Blowing through the jumps bang, bang, bang is all well and good...IF you are only interested in air skills.

This is one of the major problems with the state of the AFF training these days. Total focus on air skills with little to none on safety issues across the board...then they turn you loose on your own. Not good.

While you are spending all your time on the air skills, you are missing out on the very, very important knowledge-based learning.....so great.....you can
jump, but you are short-changing yourself on how to save your ass when the shit hits the fan.

Slow down the jumping, spend more time learning skydiving safety.

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

[jinlee 0]

A full week is more realistic or more as suggested.

Week days in Florida this time of year would be more jump productive. Weekends are always bad times to set the goal you've suggested.