Beginner question: AFF and then what?

[jjulio 0]

Hey there

I am on a relative short vacation trip from Europe (Scotland/Germany) to the Westcoast. I am leaving 04/07 which won't leave me with alot of time.
Due to the USD<->EUR conversion the dives got quite cheap and I was looking more into it. However, while Tandem dives are around 200USD the more fun AFF1 dives are only 100USD more. But both jumps eitherway will leave me only with great memories and won't enable me to more so I was thinking about the AFF certification which will cost up at Lodi (parachutecenter.com) 1000USD and down in San Diego (skydivesandiego.com) around 1300USD.

So my question is, once gained this AFF-certification does it enable me to anything that I can take over to Europe and do dives there?

Also Lodi was recognized as non-USPA. Any disadvantages through this? Is USPA something like PADI (open water diving)?

Thanks for the replies and I am already looking forward to join your 'club'.

PS: Here should also be a sub-forum for this beginner questions

[jsaxton 0]

Completing the AFF course does not get you your "Skydive card" This requires the USPA "A" License which is a minimum of 25 jumps.

Once you have your A License you are free to spend half your income skydiving!

[jjulio 0]

Thanks.

Okay, so once completed the AFF course I need these minimum of 25 jumps to get the USPA "A" License. (Does this mean that parachutecenter.com is out of the game as they are considered as non-USPA?)
Is it possible to do these back in Europe? Do you normally get kind of a record on completion of the AFF?
Also in what time frame do I have to complete these other jumps. The weather over in Scotland is quite.. well... challenging.

[jsaxton 0]

Quote

Thanks.

Okay, so once completed the AFF course I need these minimum of 25 jumps to get the USPA "A" License. (Does this mean that parachutecenter.com is out of the game as they are considered as non-USPA?)

At Lodi you will have a Rated USPA instructor AFAIK.
This is all the USPA requires.

Quote

Is it possible to do these back in Europe? Do you normally get kind of a record on completion of the AFF?
Also in what time frame do I have to complete these other jumps. The weather over in Scotland is quite.. well... challenging.

I believe that they will accept any jumps in your logbook that are signed by a USPA instructor.
Better check with your dropzone though to make sure they honor these jumps.

The USPA requires all students (people who don't have their A License yet) to jump at least every 30 days. If they bust that deadline a "recurrency" jump is required.

[jakee 1,279]

If you get your A-licence in the states then you should be fine to come back to europe and start jumping at your local DZ with no problems.

If you think you might not get all the way to your A before you have to leave the US then make sure you speak to your local DZ before you head to America, and find out what the deal will be when you get back. Different DZs may have different procedures for handling returning students.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[LongWayToFall 0]

Hello!
What you should first do, as others have said, is contact your local dropzone back in europe to see what they would require, if you can get away with just aff or if they require an A license. All of the instructors at Lodi are USPA rated, and very experienced. If you choose to go there, you will be taken care of! The AFF is $1000, and includes 7 jumps with video (this helps allot). After that, the jumps are $35 ($15 for ticket and $20 for rental). So, if you don't need to repeat any levels, that would be $1630 for all 25 jumps. (plus your check dive and any other Instructor or coach jumps you might want). This is a great deal, and don't forget the BEER!