AFF FJC - how long

[friday999 0]

Hey instructors,

Was wondering how long does your first jump course usually take.

How long it can be and still be affective, how short and still informative enough?

[BIGUN 1,053]

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Was wondering how long does your first jump course usually take.

I don't use a factor of time for the FJC. We don't move on to the next block of instruction until they ALL get it. IMO, there is no cookie cutter off-the-shelf, three, four or six hour class. But then again, I teach at a Cessna DZ.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[AFFI 0]

Some try to get it all in at a certain time - hard to believe but some I know say they can get it all in a mere 2 hours...

Biggun is right on... It takes as long as it takes and a "good" instructor will be willing to take the time necessary to get comprehension to occour, then again it is also wise to recgonize when they are frustrated, tired and unable to learn and to perhaps call it a day and get em fresh in the AM or another day. IMHO the worse thing to do is take a student up who it not prepaired.

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[BIGUN 1,053]

We start class on Thursday nights for four hours (including breaks), assign perfromance -oriented homework and start the finish up Saturday morning with the students demonstrating; 1) knoweldge of the gear, 2) exit procedure, 3) Dive Flow, 4) Clear Alls, and 5) Emergency procedures again (takes 30 minutes). Next blocks of instruction... We're usually done by 10:00AM and those that we "feel" need some additional training - get it.

IMO - teaching someone to skydive once is easy. Teaching them to feel more than lucky after their first skydive requires the time and ability to teach confidence so they will return.

On that note, if we had a wind tunnel in the area, I would incorporate a successful Cat A dive in the tunnel as part of the training before exiting an A/C (which would add time).

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[tdog 0]

The one I taught yesterday started at 7:30 AM and jumpers were ready to jump at 3:30 PM with a 35 minute lunch. That includes every student getting enough dive flow practice that their AFF level 1 instructors really just need a quick review.

I had 10 students, but one had 16 jumps 5 years ago, and he remembered a lot, so I used him as the 1st to go on all the physical training things - so it made it go real smooth...

The one a few weeks ago I was done 1 hour earlier with 8 people, but I had a coach candidate helping me, so the EP training went a bit quicker. Also, this class asked a lot more questions, so we talked more.

[Squeak 17]

do you teach the First Jump course Tdog?

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Pancake 0]

Quote

Quote

Was wondering how long does your first jump course usually take.

I don't use a factor of time for the FJC. We don't move on to the next block of instruction until they ALL get it. IMO, there is no cookie cutter off-the-shelf, three, four or six hour class. But then again, I teach at a Cessna DZ.

Exactly what Bigun said, but then again, I teach at a turbine DZ.

[BIGUN 1,053]

Yeah, but not a very large one...

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[friday999 0]

Quote

Quote

Was wondering how long does your first jump course usually take.

I don't use a factor of time for the FJC. We don't move on to the next block of instruction until they ALL get it. IMO, there is no cookie cutter off-the-shelf, three, four or six hour class. But then again, I teach at a Cessna DZ.

Of course not, but you do look at a watch from time to time, right?
so if you could estimate, how long would you say the average course takes? (and Pancake - the questions goes to you too - how long does it take in a 'not so big' [yeah...] turbine DZ???)

[BIGUN 1,053]

Not less than six hours.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Pancake 0]

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Of course not, but you do look at a watch from time to time, right?
so if you could estimate, how long would you say the average course takes? (and Pancake - the questions goes to you too - how long does it take in a 'not so big' [yeah...] turbine DZ???)

Personally, about five hours for a small (1-3 person) class. This is assuming some background in freefall awareness and canopy control gained during some initial training tandems. First jump AFF course with no prior skydiving experience I wouldn't expect to finish in less than 6 1/2 to 7 hours.

Keep in mind these are purely average approximations based on best case scenarios. At the end of the day, it takes what it takes and every student, class, and instructor will absorb or offer the information at their own pace.

And btw, we do have a Cessna 206 at our little turbine DZ

[Miami 0]

The first course I ever taught on my own took about 14 hours over 2 days...with one student... He actually did really well, too.

The last one I taught had 6 students and took about 7 hours...all including. 1 or 2 students and I'm looking at about 5 hours, depending.

Miami

[voodew1 0]

I do my best to get them out and jumping in 2 hrs -- I mean we are going to be hanging on to them whats the worst that could happen?

AFF LVL1 or LVL2 is really just a high performance tandem













That was a joke don't everybody get your panties ina wad --- but I did have an ex dzo tell me that AFF LVL1 was just a high performance tandem --- I still use that saying every chance I get.

My FJC take between 4.5 hours for the sharper tools in the shed to 8 hours for the ones that aren't the shiniest peanuts in the turd (8hrs is kind of rare)

The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid