rohicks 2 #1 December 30, 2012 So 6 years ago I started my AFF course and ran out of money because I was in college and due to Indiana winters. You can read more about this on my intro post > http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4418015 I'm restarting my certification again (hopefully sometime in January or Feb.) back at Level 1 because I only completed Level 1 in 2006, but I have a question I'm just generally curious about. Is there a time limit on when you have to complete the AFF course jumps or your 25 jumps to be accepted for the A license? In other words if i start my AFF do I have to complete the course jumps within say 6 months for it to be "legally" counted? If you don't jump for a long time, even after you have your A license, are you required to do a refresher course with an instructor ? I scuba dive as well, and after not diving for a period of time you are required to do a refresher course, and some charter boats will refuse to allow you to dive if you can't prove that you have been underwater after a long period of time. Also one other small unrelated question... What are the average costs of jumping after you complete the AFF course. I obviously would have to pay for a lift ticket and rental gear for awhile until I'm able to purchase my own. I know it depends on the DZ prices, but I'm curious as to what is a normal or average price to rent and jump after your A license or after you do the 8 jumps for the AFF course? Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #2 December 30, 2012 USPA SIM on Recurrency Training I haven't heard that your skydives ever "expire", but at the same time you could end up jumping more than 25 times to check everything off your A license proficiency card. For example, I did a canopy course (Which will come in handy for my B license in a while) while I was still in coaching. So I ended up doing around 33 jumps before I checked the last thing off my proficiency card. Most places I look in the USA a lift ticket is $25. In a couple this depends on altitude. I haven't looked at gear rental as widely, and suspect it probably varies more. A couple drop zones I looked at don't even offer gear rental. How much that actually costs you kind of depends on you though. It's not that hard to knock out 10 jumps in a day, once you get rolling!I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shredex 0 #3 December 30, 2012 If you can get out to Lodi, the prices are: $15 for jump ticket to 13,000 $650 for 50 jump tickets ($13/ea) $35 for jump ticket and gear rental Source Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
milehigheric 0 #4 December 30, 2012 I am so fucking jealous of USA dropzones, you guys have got it good! $13 a jump at lodi vs $40- $50 a jump here in Aus. Gear hire is usually that again per jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #5 December 31, 2012 Quote I am so fucking jealous of USA dropzones, you guys have got it good! $13 a jump at lodi vs $40- $50 a jump here in Aus. Gear hire is usually that again per jump! Don't be jealous of Lodi. You too can skip maintenance on your planes and pass on the savings. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 568 #6 December 31, 2012 Quote I am so fucking jealous of USA dropzones, you guys have got it good! $13 a jump at lodi vs $40- $50 a jump here in Aus. Gear hire is usually that again per jump! Don't forget to factor in medical bills - then we're cheaper Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #7 December 31, 2012 Quote Quote I am so fucking jealous of USA dropzones, you guys have got it good! $13 a jump at lodi vs $40- $50 a jump here in Aus. Gear hire is usually that again per jump! Don't forget to factor in medical bills - then we're cheaper Well! Finally an Aussie admits to being cheap bastards. Oh wait..that's a Brit talking. Nevermind.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregpso 1 #8 December 31, 2012 Be careful Milehigheric mentioning prices in Australia. I burned by jumping career in Aust by mentioning price here.(among other things. Cost structures are different in Aus. as well as wages higher... GST etc. as well as a lot less jumpers. I see you do not identify yourself on post and prob good ideal to keep it that way. Drop zones in Aus are not plentiful (esp the turbine ones) and believe me they do not forgive or forget !! I learnt the hard way !!I tend to be a bit different. enjoyed my time in the sport or is it an industry these days ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mahonie10 0 #9 December 31, 2012 If I remember right you need to jump every 30 days as a student to remain on course, if you exceed that you may need a tad additional training before your next jump. In your case you may need to go though the pre jump course again but im no instuctor, so call your DZ they will be able to give to more info. After your A you need to jump at least once every 60 days to stay current, B and higher every 90 days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rohicks 2 #10 December 31, 2012 QuoteIf I remember right you need to jump every 30 days as a student to remain on course, if you exceed that you may need a tad additional training before your next jump. In your case you may need to go though the pre jump course again but im no instuctor, so call your DZ they will be able to give to more info. After your A you need to jump at least once every 60 days to stay current, B and higher every 90 days. Thanks; sounds reasonable. I plan to ask my instructor(s) too once I get my first jump scheduled again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel99 568 #11 December 31, 2012 QuoteBe careful Milehigheric mentioning prices in Australia. I burned by jumping career in Aust by mentioning price here.(among other things. Cost structures are different in Aus. as well as wages higher... GST etc. as well as a lot less jumpers. I see you do not identify yourself on post and prob good ideal to keep it that way. Drop zones in Aus are not plentiful (esp the turbine ones) and believe me they do not forgive or forget !! I learnt the hard way !! Honestly that is largely bollocks, dropzone drama happens all over the world and your 'poor me' posts are getting really old. Yes our jumps are more expensive, but so are our costs. If you want cheap jumps go to the US for a holiday of jumping. Quite a few people do that... To the OP, minimum currency is 30 days, nut to progress you want to do as much as possible.Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NNault 0 #12 December 31, 2012 My God gregpso...go away Send me your address and I will send you a bowling ball..give you something to do other than sling fairy tales on hereDude..what the hell is on your head? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregpso 1 #13 December 31, 2012 yeah I could go away but I wont (thats what you expect me to do) and do not take the lords name in vainI tend to be a bit different. enjoyed my time in the sport or is it an industry these days ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gregpso 1 #14 December 31, 2012 Hey nigel I was actually agreeing that the cost structures are different in Australia Poor me my arse ! I did the jumps I wanted to do and anytime I like can go to a tandem factory and jump.. So I did not conform to the skydive community norm..(tough) I am not sorry and do not feel sorry for myself. I actually like the vast majority of jumpers I met For better or worse I did it my way. NOW CAN SOMEONE DELETE MY BLOODY ACCOUNTI tend to be a bit different. enjoyed my time in the sport or is it an industry these days ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyrad 0 #15 December 31, 2012 Re-read B & F http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4355614#4355614When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy. Lucius Annaeus Seneca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #16 December 31, 2012 QuoteIs there a time limit on when you have to complete the AFF course jumps or your 25 jumps to be accepted for the A license? I don't believe there is. Provided that you still have your logbook, or the DZ still has a record fo your jump, you should be able to count that toward your license. Lucky you, only 24 more to go. Otherwise, what's been mentioned about currency is correct. Your jump only 'lasts' for 30 days in terms of your AFF progression. If you go for more than 30 days in between student jumps, you may be bumped back and have to repeat the last jump you did. The jump you repeat will count toward your license. So let's say you do Level 1 every summer for 5 years before finally finishing up your license, on that 5th year you will only need to do 21 jumps to get your license. That, of course, is provided you can complete all the requirements of your A license proficiency card within 21 jumps, but if you can, the license is yours. QuoteWhat are the average costs of jumping after you complete the AFF course. I obviously would have to pay for a lift ticket and rental gear for awhile until I'm able to purchase my own. I know it depends on the DZ prices, but I'm curious as to what is a normal or average price to rent and jump after your A license or after you do the 8 jumps for the AFF course? AFF is one thing, getting a license is another. The A license proficiency card I mentioned has some 'coached' jumps you'll need to complete, and those are like a student jump but with a 'coach', not an instructor. Completing AFF allows you to 'self-supervise', meaning that you can do solo jumps, but you are not a licensed jumper. So you can do some solo jumps, and some coach jumps on your way toward completing the A license card and your 25 jumps. Yoru best bet is to call the DZ and ask about their pricing. If you're looking multiple DZs, visit them all and just observe the operation on a Sat or Sun afternoon. Watch how things work for a load or two, and then go to the office and ask a bunch of quesitons about their student training. One of them will be about the price of AFF, coach jumps, solo jumps, and gear rental both with and without a license. Most will have package deals, where you can pay for the whole thing, or groups of jumps, up front for a discount. Ask about that, and the refund policy on unused jumps (just in case). Beyond that, a used rig will cost you anywhere from $2000 to $5000, depending on what you get. Figure another $500 to $1000 for a helmet, jumpsuit and altimeter. Average jump prices are about $18-$20 for a Cessna jump from 10k ft, and $24-$26 to jump from a larger plane from 13k ft. As mentioned, the prices quoted for the Parachute Center in Lodi, CA, are due to the owner not doing the required maintenance on his airplanes. Maintenance costs are huge on big airplanes, and if you skip those costs, the jumps are cheaper. Do some research, and you'll see the FAA fined the guy $600,000+ for a string of infractions over a long period of time. He has lost aircraft in the past due to improper (or skipped) maintenance procedures. Proceed accordingly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #17 December 31, 2012 Simple answer is - jumps never expire, they always count towards paper experience. Real world skills get rusty, so you will have to do refreshers and other things along the way if you take long gaps. The refreshers you will have to do are often dropzone dependant. Some dropzones will be lax, letting you work one on one with a coach or instructor. Others will manage the whole process, pick your instructor for you, and require you jump a certain number of times with DZ instructors in a formal coaching program. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hchunter614 0 #18 December 31, 2012 The one thing that no one has mentioned is that you'll be less effeicent learning if there are gaps in your training. Skydiving is based largely on muscle memory which requires repetitions. You only have at most 60 seconds in the air to practice at a time then you have to wait for the next load. Having any significant gaps in your jumps (more than a weekend off) will likely result in you having to repeat levels. If money is a concern, I would suggest saving up enough to pay for the FJC and the first 9 or 10 jumps and concentrate all of that in 2 back to back weekends (or a full week if you're lucky with weather and lift capacity). That will get you through the first 7 AFF levels (cleared for self supervision) and a couple of coached jumps. After that try to have the shortest gap possible between jumps so you build up the muscle memory. Good luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rohicks 2 #19 December 31, 2012 Thanks for all the input. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wasatchrider 0 #20 January 2, 2013 500 to 1000 for a helmet? Wow my ski helmet has better protection than a camera holder built for skydiving and they are cheep.BASE 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #21 January 2, 2013 Quote500 to 1000 for a helmet? Wow my ski helmet has better protection than a camera holder built for skydiving and they are cheep. Helmet, Jumpsuit and Altimeter. Helmet's actually the cheapest thing you can buy there. Jumpsuit could run you between 150 and... Well... depends on what you want to pay for a jumpsuit. A digital altimeter could run you $200-$300.I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #22 January 2, 2013 Quote500 to 1000 for a helmet? Add another $100 for reading lessons so you can get a better understanding of the comma, it's use, and meaning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
excaza 1 #23 January 2, 2013 The panda eats, shoots, and leaves! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RyanFYF 0 #24 January 4, 2013 DeLand, Fl isn't too bad at all. $23 jump tickets ($17 for a hop and pop) Gear rental is 1 jump $35 or $75 for the entire day. Repacks are $7 and if you pack your own you HAVE to pay for the final repack of the day on rental gear. Altimeters are free to use but are limited and first come. Same goes with student helmets and student jumpsuits. Instructor jumps are jump ticket +$50 I think. The entire AFF course with gear and instructors is like $1250 if paid in full. Instructed tunnel time is like $250 for 15 minutes in Orlando through a DeLand instructor. Video guys (and gals) will jump with you for $40 and usually will take HD photos and upsale them for an extra $20 if you choose to get them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
