How did you learn????

[Ron 7]

This is not to start the great debate.....

It is just to find out how DZ.commers learned.

Also give time in sport, and total jumps.

Ron

For me it was a Tandem in TN.
Then S/L in ARK. back in OCT 93.
2,500 jumps

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[dex 0]

AFF.... the perfect way to end my first plane ride....

[ernokaikkonen 0]

Static line. Everybody knows the best jumpers come from the S/L progression.

[Sonic 0]

Static line. No fears of low hop n pops here

-----------------------------------
It's like something out of that twilighty show about that zone

[CrazyIvan 0]

AFF baby...no better way to learn.

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[skybytch 259]

Half s/l, half AFF. I'd done 5 s/l's, a hop and pop and two 10's when an AFF I showed up on the dz for a few weeks. Did a total of 6 more jumps using a modified AFF progression (AFP), the 6th one being my "grad dive."

[petur 0]

Hmmm... few seem to recognize IAF:

3 tandem jumps, 1st relaxed with no objectives, 2nd 90° turns and 3rd 360° turns. 6 solo jumps where one instructor accompanied me during freefall with harness hold during the first two if I remember correctly...

Seems the best buy for your money too: http://www.skydivemiami.com/SITE8RES/gravitypacks.htm

---
P.
"It Hurts to Admit When You Make Mistakes -
But When They're Big Enough, the Pain Only Lasts a Second."

[Ron 7]

IAF...Tandem progression....same thing

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[AirMail 0]

3 Tandems then into AFF. No fears of low hop n pops here.

Started Myy 15, 2002, currently 46 jumps.

--
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Postal Rodriguez, Muff 3342

[riggerrob 558]

Back in 1977-1979 I learned under the traditional static-line leading to short solo freefalls method. that was long before AFF or tandem were available.
Now I encourage my student sto start with a tandem followed by a couple of IAD jumps, then a half-dozen PFF dives. After a few more coached dives, they are ready for the Solo Certificate exam. If they can afford to travel to a wind tunnel, I encourage them to try that too.
No single training method is ideal. The best program uses different training methods at different levels.

[dterrick 0]

IAD.

One thing is for SURE ... IAD (and that damned paper pull) ensures you can fly in slow air close to the ground with confidence. Then, the 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 sec delays each teach you in discrete chunks how you can better manage your air the faster you go .

When I go downhill skiing in the mountains I typically go straight to the top. A brief freakout later I KNOW the whole mountain is under my command since I'm as high as I can get. BUT, taking the short chairlift does not freak me the same was as AFF students seem to be freaked by hop n pops.

Interesting contrast, yes?

Dave

Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

[Jessica 0]

I did straight, seven-level AFF.

After observing the sport for more than two years, I think that tandem progression is by far the best way to go, along with following USPA's Integrated Student Program all the way through.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[DaMan 0]

I also went straight into AFF...

I spoke with the ST&A at Z-hills; they stopped doing the tandem progression because they didn't see a significant improvement of canopy skills from it...

Anyone else agree with that viewpoint?

Z-Flock 8
Discotec Rodriguez

Too bad weapons grade stupidity doesn't lead to sterility.

[Gawain 0]

AFF, Skydive Oregon...took to it like a fish to water!

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[flyangel2 2]

Quote

I'd done 5 s/l's,

How lucky are you? I think I hold the record for the most number of S/L jumps in the state of Colorado before I could be cleared for my hop n pop

Naturally when I was learning to skydive, the only way that you could do it was S/L. I thinks it's great that there are different choices out there.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[bwilling 0]

I'm with flyangel2... I started so long ago (1978) that S/L progression was the only way people were trained...

I didn't get stuck until 15 second delay's though... I made a bunch of them, most of 'em spinning like a top! I jumped just long enough the first time (1978-1983) to actually make some AFF jumps as a jumpmaster!

I think the current availability of a variety of training programs is a good thing for our sport!!!

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[murrays 0]

Static line...the only way to go back when I started. I think today's AFF/PFF and tandem are better ways to learn.

[jessd 0]

Well, so far I've only done tandems. I'm planning to do AFF in the spring though.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..."

[Dumpster 0]

Static line here- had to repeat one 15 secon delay and one 30 second- Yep- Hop-n-Pops are a piece o' cake. I remember AFF students really freaking on thiers, while I was doing them for fun!
S/L was good for me, as it is front-loaded with canopy flight.

Easy Does It

[mustard 0]

Quote

How lucky are you? I think I hold the record for the most number of S/L jumps in the state of Colorado before I could be cleared for my hop n pop

And how many *was* that? I learned by doing 3 tandems first, then AFF. I was supposed to pull on my own altitude awareness on my second tandem in order to skip AFF Level 1, but I didn't do it. So I did a third tandem, then started in AFF at Level II. I was terrified before every jump and still did pretty well. I did repeat Level IV 4 times before moving on to V. Then it was cruisin' to graduation.

***
DJan

[Cepheus 0]

Quote

And how many *was* that? I learned by doing 3 tandems first, then AFF. I was supposed to pull on my own altitude awareness on my second tandem in order to skip AFF Level 1, but I didn't do it. So I did a third tandem, then started in AFF at Level II. I was terrified before every jump and still did pretty well. I did repeat Level IV 4 times before moving on to V. Then it was cruisin' to graduation.

Very, very close to the same routine I followed... I did 4 tandems, started at level III, repeated level IV 4 times, then went on to graduate the next week.

--
Skydive -- testing gravity, one jump at a time.

[jimmytavino 16]

I learned by paying attention,,, and by lots of reading.......
Static line progression ( 5 ) then freefall..
31 years ago.... 2,693 jumps,,
every one of them ... logged......

[AntiPinkChrissy 0]

I went through the S/L program. Which I think is a great way to learn. You find out right from the beginning that the only person who is going to save you is yourself. Though as I look back at the gear I use to jump....I just shudder.

~La La Gang Member #2~

[Scottyb 0]

My wife and I started in September 2002. 3 tandems and on to AFP, we are both on level III and are looking forward to getting some more jumps in the near future. The weather has been rough so we just missed our 30 day status so it looks like the refresher course for us.

[Mad47 0]

AFF ... and I still fly like sh!t ...