Jumping with a friend

[Brethalamue 0]

Hello all! I am recently new to skydiving and have been working through my AFF training. I am scheduled to do my final category jump this weekend followed by a few coach jumps! So far I completely love the sport and it is all I can think about all week at work while I wait patiently to jump the next weekend. I love learning new things every time I jump and the "family" at my local dropzone are the coolest group of people I have ever met. My question is fairly simple. I have a few friends who are going through the training with me and we all hope to finish our 25 jumps and obtain our A Licenses within the next few months (weather permitting). After obtaining your A License are you allowed to jump a 2 way with a friend who has also just obtained his license as well? I read on another forum that you should only jump with a well experienced diver for a while before jumping with other beginners. I know a 4 way with 4 newly licensed skydivers is a recipe for disaster but was just wondering if at this time I'd be able to jump with my best friend who I've known my whole life just me and him. We were just looking forward to the interaction in freefall together. Thanks a lot for any information!

Blue skies!

[Southern_Man 0]

Assuming you are in the USA then yes, your A license will allow you to jump with other A licensed jumpers.

You will not learn much from those jumps, certainly a lot less than jumping with experienced jumpers.

However we do this to have fun so keep your expectations low and jump with your friends sometimes too. You will both get better eventually.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Southern_Man

Assuming you are in the USA then yes, your A license will allow you to jump with other A licensed jumpers.

You will not learn much from those jumps, certainly a lot less than jumping with experienced jumpers.

However we do this to have fun so keep your expectations low and jump with your friends sometimes too. You will both get better eventually.

Agree 100% on all counts!

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[mrubin 0]

Southern_Man

Assuming you are in the USA then yes, your A license will allow you to jump with other A licensed jumpers.

You will not learn much from those jumps, certainly a lot less than jumping with experienced jumpers.

However we do this to have fun so keep your expectations low and jump with your friends sometimes too. You will both get better eventually.

I would also suggest that when jumping with other newly licensed skydivers that you keep the group small. It keeps it safer and more fun.

Another thing that you might want to think about is finding an experienced jumper to jump with the two of you. That way you can both learn a lot more and jump with each other.

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[Brethalamue 0]

Yes, I am in the USA. Thanks for the helpful information!

[Brethalamue 0]

Yes this was exactly my thoughts. Since there are 4 of us who will be getting our licenses at the same time we would probably keep it a 2 at a time thing and definitely have my coach friends jump along with us making it a 3 way so we can learn more about jumping in groups. Eventually we will all four jump together! I've learned that patience is a huge aspect in the sport of skydiving. It's good to always have something to work towards in the sport of skydiving though!

[Chillies 0]

Thre is a lengthy debate on a UK skydiving forum at the moment about the UK system, which is to qualify as a basic skydiver then an additional qualification to jump with others (formation skydiving or 'FS'). Althought the British system can be expensive it provides checks and balances in regards to safety. Even a skydiver who is newly qualified in FS will be expected to only be involved in small groups initially.

[Squeak 17]

Brethalamue

Yes this was exactly my thoughts. Since there are 4 of us who will be getting our licenses at the same time we would probably keep it a 2 at a time thing and definitely have my coach friends jump along with us making it a 3 way so we can learn more about jumping in groups. Eventually we will all four jump together! I've learned that patience is a huge aspect in the sport of skydiving. It's good to always have something to work towards in the sport of skydiving though!

we have a similar system to England's.
Go to the APF website (apf.asn.au) and downlaod the B license manual. It's all about learning 2 and 4 way jumping skills

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?

[nigel99 489]

Quote

I know a 4 way with 4 newly licensed skydivers is a recipe for disaster but was just wondering if at this time I'd be able to jump with my best friend who I've known my whole life just me and him. We were just looking forward to the interaction in freefall together. Thanks a lot for any information!

You've already had a number of good answers. As Squeak pointed out the Australian Parachute Federation has an excellent manual for our B license requirements. You could work through those 2 way drills with someone.

If you go ahead and jump with your friend, a word of warning, really watch and plan for the break-off. Just off A license your tracking skills will be quite low, so don't just give it 5 or 6 seconds, give lots of time and make sure you both know to track away from each other and hold the heading (I've seen quite a few low time people track in a circle)

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[tristansdad 0]

I jump at Suffolk. I would be more than happy to fly with ya.