Getting back into jumping

[bill2 0]

Due to a back injury (not skydiving related) and then getting laid off this year, I have not jumped since May of 2002. I have 31 jumps and only had two things left to get my A license: catch the instructor after jumping out after him and the hop 'n pop. I finally got a job, but the med insurance won't kick in until Dec 1, and by that time skiing will have started so I probably will start jumping again March or so next year. I'm wondering what I will have to do to get current, and what is the best way to go about it.

Will I have to retake part of AFF, start over, what?

Would one of those tunnel camps help, or is that too advanced? I live in the bay area CA, and think the nearest tunnel camp is in Perris.

How about skydive university?

Would it be a good thing to just go down to a big jump center like Perris or Elsenore and stay there for several days and try to jump as much as possible? My home DZ is Byron, but when the wind kicks up the students are grounded. I imagine it would be easier to do the hop 'n pop at a big center where there are more studens doing that all the time? Am I right?

I may go out to the Byron Boogie just to watch. I haven't been out there since I last jumped, since it would make me crazy to to just stand there and watch other people having fun.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Blahr 0]

My last jump was in 1995. I'm starting up again next month when my new gear arrives!
I have 57 jumps, my A license, and its been 8 years since my last jump.

I'm going to sit through the first jump course again, practice emergency procedures like a mofo, and do an AFF style jump with my instructor involving nothing more complicated than hovering on heading, circle of awareness, and pulling on time

After that (assuming that I manage to pull ) I'll be back in the rat race.

[The111 0]

I made 23 jumps (no license, not even close) then took a 4 year break. When I went back to DeLand the manifest girl told me I would have to pay $275 and take a FJC again (several hour ground school, I think she even wanted me to jump with two instructors). When I got there an instructor recognized me and told me he could hook me up with much better. He gave me a regular $72 recert. Like a 30 minute ground school reviewing emergency procedures, gear, freefall, canopy flight, etc. Then I did a level 7 dive with him and it went perfect. I was surprised how quickly freefall skills came back to me, I was never unstable. Canopy skills sucked though for the first few jumps. That's just how it worked for me. I think I lucked out because the instructor was familiar with my abilities. Try to go back to the DZ/instructor you learned at maybe?

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[oldnewbie 0]

Without looking at my logbook, I think I completed the first 8 or 10 dives, then I didn't jump for 12 more months. When I went back to this dropzone (lets call it a rather large dropzone), I was told that I would have to redo my last jump which was with an instructor. So I went with the same instructor that i went with a year earlier and redid this jump. I also went through a *short course* of alll the rules/safety info etc. total cost was like $85. Then I completed everything for my A at that time. I hope this helps

[bill2 0]

Thanks to the three of you for your replies.

[LouYoung 0]

About the same story for me. In 1994 I did the AFF program and jumped around 35 times. My last jump was in '95.

Last month I decided that the auto racing I had been doing was getting a little old and started jumping again with my younger brother. A couple instructors at the DZ remembered my face, but not my abilities. I had the A License to prove I had gone through it before, but didn't have my log book (because I'm stupid and I threw it away during a move) (residential, not bowel).

So they've got me going through the static-line "fast-track", which isn't as fast as what Blahr described. First jump class, static line, PRCP (twice because I de-arched one the first one). I'm cleared for freefall now, so I figure I'll do a hop-n-pop and then a 10 second and they'll be comfortable letting me get myself into trouble.

The thing that I don't like about this stuff is that since I did AFF before, I'm not really familiar with this static line "hang from the strut stuff." At least that's what I blame the de-arch on, and the fact that I was trying to get the practice cord out before the static line popped the pilot chute. ;) I'm much more comfortable diving out.

Lou

[danebert 0]

Had 140 jumps. After 32 years I am back at it again. Took log book to DZ. I made two SL'S and then a hop and pop. They then turn me loose. Took ground school first to learn about the squares. Cost me $150.00 total. Feels good to get some blue again.

Dan Ebert
C4848

[baa75 0]

I took a somewhat similar break. I started jumping, had 15 jumps (obviously no license) and then had to stop jumping for 2 years. (Pregnant with twins)

Anyway, when I started jumping again last summer. I took ground school and did 2 modified level 4 jumps with an instructor. I was cleared to jump on my own. By choice, my next 6-7 jumps were with coaches. (Some Skydive U, some not)

If you are able to get to a DZ where you can get in the air and keep jumping, that's great. I'm at Cross Keys so that's what I did. The tunnel time is nice and I'm sure you can work on some skills but it won't technically get you current again.

This time I've been out all summer from knee surgery but with a license and only being out a few months its a lot easier.

Congrats to being able to jump again and go get that A ASAP!!

BettyAnn

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