AFF Progression

[kirrz 0]

Is it better to take AFF 1 & 2 now and then 3 months later take AFF 3 and continue.. (will I have to retake AFF 2?)

..or..

is it better to take AFF 1-3 now, then repeat AFF 3 in 3 months and then continue? (I assume I would have to repeat AFF 3 because AFF 4 is the transition to only 1 JM)

[kelpdiver 2]

better off saving your money. Is it $$ or the coming winter that will shut you down for 3 months?

it varies greatly, but I suspect you'd be put back on level 2 for either scenario. The nice part of doing the release dive now is you'd get to experience the sensation of solo freefall. (level 3 was a release for me in a 7 level program, but it's not in some 8s, I believe)

[ScottyInAus 0]

This is how our AFF course goes at Wickham in Australia.

AFF 1 - Jump 1 -Tandem, Practice Pulls, Alti Awareness etc. 1on1 under canopy instruction. (One of the only places in Australia that does this tandem)
AFF 1 - Jump 2 - Solo, 2 JM's, same as previous but you're alone under canopy (radio of course)

AFF 2 - Solo, 2 JM's, Delta and 90deg turn.

AFF 3 - Solo, 2 JM's, staying on heading, arm and leg awareness, 1 JM MAY release you and come around in front of you.

AFF 4 - Solo, 1 JM, Same as AFF 3, JM will release you.

AFF 5 - Solo, 1 JM, Unlinked exit, 360's and docking.

AFF 6 - Solo, 1 JM, Similar to AFF 5.
(Note, you are now allowed to jump unsupervised)

AFF 7 - Solo, 1 JM, Dive exit, Backloops, Tracking.

AFF 8 - Solo, 1 JM, Dive exit, Slowfall, Fastfall, Backloops, Frontloops, Tracking & turning while Tracking.

AFF 9 - Solo, NO JM, H&P

Yay All Done!!!

To answer your question I believe you should only go back to your last AFF course. Although I was pretty sure most of your jumps had to be done in that 3 month period, the 3 months your Student Licence (Pink Card) is valid for...
You will also have to go through a lot of the ground work/trainging you have already done, just to ensure you remember it.

Cheers,
Jason.

[LukeOliver 0]

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AFF 6 - Solo, 1 JM, Similar to AFF 5.
(Note, you are now allowed to jump unsupervised)

Whoa there! Not quite. You can do ONE solo jump between stages, but it's not meant to be a goof off. And you'd have to be pretty convincing for an instructor to leave you in the plane by yourself.

In answer to the original post, seek to compress your basic training to the shortest continuous timeframe your budget will allow. Easier on everyone because it's easier on you.

L.


Training ops manual: 5.7.4 The DZSO may, at her/his discretion, allow a student to make a solo descent between stages six, seven and eight for the purpose of consolidating and polishing manoeuvres prior to advancing to the next stage.

Operational Regulations: 6.3.5. Student parachutists shall be accompanied by an instructor in the aircraft until such time as the DZSO is satisfied that the presence of an instructor is not necessary. At no time will this be before the completion of stage 6 of either the Static-line or Freefall Student Training Descent table

[Andy_Copland 0]

In my honest opinion i'd wait, its expensive enough as it is without having retakes for time off due to weather conditions. Also if you do get a jump in and the weather goes tits up you'll sit rocking at your computer desk like a crack rat watching skydive movies and reading forums. yes the weathers bad here

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Orange1 0]

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Is it better to take AFF 1 & 2 now and then 3 months later take AFF 3 and continue.. (will I have to retake AFF 2?)

..or..

is it better to take AFF 1-3 now, then repeat AFF 3 in 3 months and then continue? (I assume I would have to repeat AFF 3 because AFF 4 is the transition to only 1 JM)

Is the 3 months due to weather? Are you staging it like that because of money? My personal opinion, though it will lead to the consequences Andy describes, is jump soon and do as many as you can ... just because you can Others will disagree with me of course but i think if you have a chance to jump, do it, why wait??

But, also check your particular currency requirements, at student level you will almost certainly have to repeat a level as well as undergo refresher training if you take 3 months off.

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[bob.dino 1]

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Is the 3 months due to weather?

Nope. It's coming into summer here. It's almost 30C outside my front door right now.

[kirrz 0]

The time off is uni holidays, have to go back home and pretend I am a completely different person for 3 months!

[ScottyInAus 0]

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Whoa there! Not quite. You can do ONE solo jump between stages, but it's not meant to be a goof off. And you'd have to be pretty convincing for an instructor to leave you in the plane by yourself.

Sorry, Should've been a bit more clear, was trying to keep it short'ish.
One of our 2 instructors is basically on every load anyway, sorry I forget that other people don't always get that due to larger DZ's

Cheers,
Jason.

[Orange1 0]

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Is the 3 months due to weather?

Nope. It's coming into summer here. It's almost 30C outside my front door right now.

didn't check the profile and just assumed US... which is rather silly as I'm in a southern hemisphere heatwave right now too

kirrz - isn't there a DZ near your home? jeez... if i had the opportunity of 3 months off just to jump i'd be over the moon!!

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[Mike111 0]

AFF is supposed to be a fast track route and my JM said that the shorter the time the better.

Also you might have to pay a refresher course fee which adds up the price eve more.