Joellercoaster 6 #1 May 28, 2003 Hey all... I did my FJC last year, some time around July (at Nagambie, Victoria, Australia). It's been hard for me to get down to the dropzone in the interim, to the point where I've only managed to make it to stage 7. The instructors were keen for us to do stages 1 and 2 together, and 3 and 4, so I did. I had a few months off between 6 and 7, to the point where I was pretty apprehensive about jumping again for the last one. I've been nailing my stages, despite the gaps, but I'm wondering if I'm missing or losing things because of the big gaps - it'll have been a good four months since 7 before I can do stage 8. (I'm not sure if AFF courses are the same everywhere - ours includes a two-jump stage 9 consisting of low-altitude hop-n-pops.) In particular, I feel like I have no feel for spotting, and I haven't learned to pack (the DZ has packing classes seperately, and I haven't been able to get there on those nights). So my question is, should I be worried? Should I delay coming off student status and repeat some stages, or just ask for more help between then and finishing my A license?-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bergh 0 #2 May 28, 2003 Hi I am not super experience infact I have only been skydiving for about 6 months but what I have noticed it that the more often you jump the better the learning curve. Thus doing 3 jumps a day is better for muscle memory than 1 jump every 2nd day. If I were you I speak to my instructor and ask him how he feels about the gaps between your jumps. I know that in South Africa we have to jump at least once every month if your a student or A license(not sure about B lic) other wise you have to under go a refresher and if you haven't jump in the last 3 months then you have to start from scratch. Cheers Riaan "Newbie" Eat, Shit, SKYDIVE !!!!!_______________________________________ You are unique, just like everybody else ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyer299 0 #3 May 28, 2003 I really agree... I did my first 7 jumps in 2 weekends (5 the first weekend and 2 the next). It really helps you get the hang of it quicker. I have noticed that as of late, I am jumping a little less and my progression has slowed. I hope to step up the jump numbers starting this weekend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #4 May 28, 2003 You should be worried. I'm an AFF I with around 4000 dives of which about 1200 are AFF. Here (in South Africa) if it's been over 1 month you need to repeat the last level you passed. We also have a similar program where the last 3 dives are solo's and the final one a hop and pop from 4500. Stay current - you can't read a book for 4 or 5 min over 10 months and find your place, let alone skydive. Blue Skies, tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #5 May 28, 2003 Same in the states. You must make your next jump withing 30 days of completing a level or you will have to repeat that level when you show up again, as well as get a refresher. In the states you are now considered a student untiil you have your A-license (20 jumps currently). That said, you are best advised to knock it out as quickly as possible. The longer you put it off due to money concerns, the more it is going to cost you. It's a vicious cycle, but it promotes getting you to that "safe" level in a timely manner. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joellercoaster 6 #6 May 29, 2003 Quote The longer you put it off due to money concerns, the more it is going to cost you. It's a vicious cycle, but it promotes getting you to that "safe" level in a timely manner. This is very true. It doesn't sound fair at first glance, but then, it doesn't have to. I'll plan around having to repeat stage 7 (cool, more backloops ), and budget for the last four jumps including that one over a weekend. This will get me off AFF, and hopefully time and money will be at less of a premium after that. Just out of interest, if I don't jump for another month after that - is there any practical difference between a currency jump (if I had to do one) and the jumps I'd be doing between AFF and A-license qualification?-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #7 May 29, 2003 I think you need to check with your I's or the APF. AFF is slightly different all over the world. I first did the USPA course with Don Yarling in 1992, and then the PASA course later. Our program goes something like this. L1 - 3 double I levels L4 - 7 single I levels L8 (3 jumps, the last a hop and pop from 4500ft) then... 2 throw-out pilot chute conversions (Our AFF gear is ripcord - speak to PASA about this, not me. A 7 jump "relativity" program, culminating in a student capable of flat flying with others at their level. Total is 19 jumps - Our A licence is 15 jumps but is set to change to 25 shortly. Beyond this point licences are disipline specific. Blue Skies, tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joellercoaster 6 #8 May 29, 2003 Ours is pretty much the same, except level 8 is one jump (like 7, but with fall-rate variation and S-tracking), and there's a two-jump stage 9 (hop-n-pops from 3500). After that, I don't think there's a set number of jumps for the license, but you have to hit 10 landings within 25m of the "x" (AFF stages count, as long as you didn't have a TA) and be cleared to pack your own main. *shrug* I'm not in that much of a hurry to get licensed. I just want to make sure I have everything I need by the end of it. If that means passing stages multiple times, that's OK. Of course, getting jump cost down is a factor too... curse my busy weekends!-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
