New from North Dakota, with questions!

[jailbot 0]

Hey all, after several years of debating I've finally found the proper time to allocate funds and start jumping!

I have been doing research, and have found a site where I could get my skydiving license locally. Alternatively, my employment has me traveling often and I could get training out of state easily.

However, I have to ask, what would you recommend? I've narrowed it down to the AFF and SL training methods. What I'd like to know is if either provides a better learning experience or makes better jumpers as a result. If you guys have any extra advice feel free to add it in.

Thanks,
jailbot

[dks13827 3]

Go make a tandem soon, it's a blast ! Good luck with your training.

[skymama 37]

Welcome to the forums!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

There's tons of argument about AFF vs S/L. If you've done any research, you'll know that AFF gets you to freefall faster, but S/L is a good bit less expensive per jump.

I did S/L myself, but I don't think that I'm better off or worse off over an AFF grad. Both methods put you in the same place at the end.

You still have to have the same minimum of jumps and demonstrate the same skills no matter which way you go.

Most folks suggest training where you are going to be doing most of your jumping (local DZ). It allows you to build relationships with the rest of the jumpers there. They get to know you, your strengths and weaknesses. You also get the opportunity to show how much you are willing to help out and what your overall attitude is.

This will help further down the road, as opposed to coming in cold as a newly licensed jumper wanting to get on loads.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[dthames 0]

My 2 cents...

I was stiff in my back and slow to learn basic stability. This caused me some frustration in AFF. I decided I would be better off doing S/L where I could learn in smaller steps. Being by myself was not a concern for me and the move to S/L worked well. It seems to vary from person to person what is best for them, AFF or S/L.. I learned a lot on the AFF jumps that I did. I also learned a lot on the S/L jumps.

On similar threads some have suggested a mixed AFF and S/L program. You might search for similar threads. There are some out there in the past couple of years.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[theplummeter 15]

Quote

Hey all, after several years of debating I've finally found the proper time to allocate funds and start jumping!

I have been doing research, and have found a site where I could get my skydiving license locally. Alternatively, my employment has me traveling often and I could get training out of state easily.

However, I have to ask, what would you recommend? I've narrowed it down to the AFF and SL training methods. What I'd like to know is if either provides a better learning experience or makes better jumpers as a result. If you guys have any extra advice feel free to add it in.

Thanks,
jailbot

Where are you in North Dakota? Geography frequently determines training methods.

[rubberducky 0]

Hey, I'll be up in Fargo this summer! I'm hoping to go through the static line course in West Fargo and get my 'A' license through the summer. See ya round the DZ maybe.

[JackieEllis 0]

My opinion: AFF. S/L progression is certainly less expensive, but it has some distinct disadvantages. While you will receive essentially the same FJC as AFF, your first exposure to free fall is done with your instructor watching you from the plane. You may be a wonderful student, but from experience (I rolled over on my back on my first 10 second delay and stayed there until I pulled my ripcord). There is a big difference in an instructor looking you in the eye during freefall and giving you hand signals for instant feedback on body position and assistance if you become unstable and unable to correct, and an instructor watching from the door of the plane yelling at the pilot, "I hope he pulls."

I'll admit, I'm biased. But I hold instructor ratings in both IAD (similar to S/L) and AFF, as well as an SDU coaches rating and I also grew up S/L progression, and I have taught both methods at the same time at various DZs. It takes a S/L progression student much longer to gain the freefall skills of the AFF student.