Shark 0 #26 February 12, 2004 QuoteI'd always ask and remind them as well. I suppose it's your concern, not theirs. Sometimes instructors can get very busy, so it can be difficult to get an initial or two. To make it easier please note which skydives and/or dates that may have met the requirements, then show your log book as proof. Certainly, on weather holds or after sunset loads are the easiest times to do this. I know for a fact that if you bring Newcastle, Cajones may assist you with the card. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Decibel 0 #27 February 13, 2004 You've been having fun jumping, right? So you might have to do a few dives to show proficiency. Just have fun and don't worry about it. Relax, don't worry, have a home brew. Err, wait... wrong hobby. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nightjumps 1 #28 February 13, 2004 QuoteIf you're not using the 4 page "A" license card which requires the oral quiz sign-off - you should also know the date for using those only is coming up soon (if its not already here). We started using it last year. CORRECTION: I was mistaken... The 4-page card will not be required in the near future. One can use the 2 or 4 page card. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeryde13 0 #29 February 16, 2004 [quotI don't think it is the USPA that is treating you wrong if no one at your DZ knows what test you should be taking. Your instructor should know, that is his job and what you have paid him for. i thought the instructors job was to get me off aff...wich mine did a great job of. i live far from a dz so i have done jumps at a few different dz's. so thats my thing with the uspa...ater aff..i feel kind of left on my own. don't gat me wrong ,i think the uspa does a great job of lobbying and promoting saftey and self regulation. but i think the drop zones are a bit confused because the uspa keeps changing polocies. and why do they do it? it's retty challenging to get the a card any way, why make it harder?_________________________________________ people see me as a challenge to their balance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikecm469 1 #30 February 16, 2004 I had a similar problem. I started jumping at one DZ and transferred to one that is closer to home. I had never even heard of the A license progression card until I got to the second DZ. I was in category C at that time. My instructer made the decision to go back through my log-book and use the entrys in it to check off the stuff that needed to be signed off on. I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peacefuljeffrey 0 #31 February 16, 2004 QuoteAt what point (dive) was the "A" license card handed to you? I was told when I first began AFP jumps to join USPA and order a Skydiver's Information Manual (SIM). The 2004 SIM came with the A-license proficiency card as well as the A-license category checklist. I think your instructors should have at least told you to obtain this stuff. How is a student going to know it even exists, much less that they need to get it in order to get licensed? Once I had mine, no one lit a fire under me to get it filled out -- I had to pin down my instructor to go over jumps with me and get the quals done. For me, it was the prospect of forever doing solo jumps that made me get it accomplished. Currently, my A card has been mailed to Virginia and hopefully I'll have my new A-license membership card soon! Good luck! --Jeffrey "With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropdeded 0 #32 February 16, 2004 I think your instructors should have at least told you to obtain this stuff. How is a student going to know it even exists, much less that they need to get it in order to get licensed? ----------------------------------------------------------- Believe it or not, at the time, I was under the impression that after I passed aff I got my A. Eventually I heard ya gotta do this, have x amount of jumps, do that etc... I was a bit disappointed that the whole thing wasnt explained to me. I dont know why but I still kinda expected somebody at some point to approach me with info. dropdeded------------------------------------------ The Dude Abides. - Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #33 February 16, 2004 I don't know how many times I am going to have to hear these stories before I just quit bothering to say same the same old thing: You are a student until you have your A-license. You don't have an A-license until you have a fully completed, signed and stamped A-card. Graduating seven levels of "old" AFF does not make you an experienced skydiver, nor does it mean you are off of student status. It simply means you are to the point in your progression where you are no longer required to jump with AFF certified instructors. Substitute "AFF" for "SL", "IAD", "AFP" , or whatever they call it at your dropzone (assuming USA here). If you learned or are learning at a school that doesn't spell that out to you in no uncertain terms, then they are doing you a disservice.....period. Why does this still happen? Simple, they don't want you driving an hour down the road to the next dropzone. The one that says that they can get you through AFF for $400 less. Until there comes some industry standard/requirement for advertising the complete cost of the program from FJC to A-license, then dropzone owners are going to try to lure you to their place by telling you half the truth or just outright lies. This isn't just happening at podunk dropzones in the middle of the woods, it's happening at some of the largest, most popular dropzones in the USA. There is no excuse, none, for "graduating" a student with seven (or eight, or ten...whatever) skydives and sending him/her down the road without proper documentation (read: A-card, completely filled out and signed logbook, etc) and no concept of what USPA actually requires in order to get licensed. Yes, your dropzone might make more money because you lured more people there under the perception that yours was a complete course, but in the end you lose. You get stories just like the person who started this thread circulating all over an internet site with over 30,000 registered users. Get the picture? Educate your students from day one on what it will take for them to actually become licensed and thus able to travel to other dropzones and skydive. Give them all the training they need to check off the blocks on their card. Do the right thing. It's all there in black and white (the SIM), so anything you do to the contrary will simply not pass the litmus test should you get an informed or inquisitive student who has "done their homework." Chuck Blue D-12501 AFF/SL/TM-I, BMCI, PRO Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
