Student to A License question

[UncleMax 0]

I have done 17 jumps so far as a student. I currently reside in a central Euro country. For various reasons I'd like to complete the remaining student jumps and any needed towards getting the A in another country.

Is it simply a case of finding another instructor, having the right proof (signed logbook) of my jumps thus far and then picking up where I left off? I guess I'm a bit confused as to how the progression towards the A license works regionally, whether I have to attain it in the country that issued me with the student license?

[Muffie 0]

I know a guy who came down to NZ from Switzerland(?) to finish off his A license. Didn't seem to have a problem doing it. I'd clear it with the AFFI and/or dropzone wherever you're thinking of going, though. They'll be in the best position to tell you what you need.

[dragon2 2]

I don't know about other countries, but I expect most if not all work similarly. Over here you have to have a checklist signed off for your A, this includes passing either AFF or StaticLine and exiting from various altitudes and in different ways, various freefall maneuvres, landing accuracy, canopy control jumps, 1-on-1 coached jumps, packing, a written test, and the requisite number of freefall jumps and freefall time.

So you could transition for sure and get your A, it may take you a little bit longer than in your original country because you would have to get the requirements matched up: you need to do or re-do any exercises you didn't get signed off before and pass the written test to get your A. Plus become a member of the national skydiving association.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[UncleMax 0]

Thanks for the answers.

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Over here you have to have a checklist signed off for your A, this includes passing either AFF or StaticLine and exiting from various altitudes and in different ways, various freefall maneuvres, landing accuracy, canopy control jumps, 1-on-1 coached jumps, packing, a written test, and the requisite number of freefall jumps and freefall time.

How many jumps in does one start with the checklist? My last 10 or so have been very basic as far as instructor input, kinda feel like I'm going nowhere. The instructors seem very busy with new students, I need to be a little more pushy perhaps.

[dragon2 2]

Well, for SL you start as soon as you get off the rope, because you exit at various altitudes and that counts. During AFF you can get a lot of freefall stuff signed off already. So basically, you start as soon as you are freefalling. Of course solo don't-have-to-do-nothing type jumps have their place, you should do a couple of those
Get a list of requirements or checklist for the A license in whatever country you're in now (might help if you mention WHICH countries we're talking about...) and take a look at what you have already done and what your next jump could be and go ask your instructors for a briefing on that new exercises .

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[UncleMax 0]

Czech Republic. I did try to get specifics out of them but they said essentially that I just needed to pack and do two formation jumps to get the A. No mention of a checklist which did seem odd to me as I've read about it everywhere online.

Anyhow, due to time restrains I will only get time to jump once more here (with the express purpose of keeping current within the 30 day period), and then I will resume regular jumping and working towards my A back home in South Africa.

[dragon2 2]

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Czech Republic

Hmm what did you learn for a canopy checklist over there?
You know: 1000, 2000, 3000, check canopy, check for shape, direction etc? Can you spell your checklist out for me, including what to do if the canopy doesn't pass one of the questions?

I'm asking because a month or 2 ago I had a refresher student who was originally trained in the Czech Republic, and it took him 4 (!) tries in the hanging harness to get a (reluctant) "pass". He very nearly was not allowed to jump, and that was after a solo refresher course which he had no particular trouble with, until that final test in the hanging harness. He said he was taught an "interesting" checklist, and I'm wondering if that was "standard", or not.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[UncleMax 0]

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Czech Republic

Hmm what did you learn for a canopy checklist over there?
You know: 1000, 2000, 3000, check canopy, check for shape, direction etc? Can you spell your checklist out for me, including what to do if the canopy doesn't pass one of the questions?

They held photos above my head and I was taught to identify the issues, and then say if I needed to cutaway. Did a "standing" cutaway while wearing an actual chute, and the rest I mimed the cutaway when it was needed. I've had two actual line twists and I've done exactly what the told me to do (kicking legs) to solve it. I felt the canopy checklist I did was effective. That part of the AFF was with a different instructor than the guy I have now.

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I'm asking because a month or 2 ago I had a refresher student who was originally trained in the Czech Republic, and it took him 4 (!) tries in the hanging harness to get a (reluctant) "pass".

[dragon2 2]

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I was taught to identify the issues, and then say if I needed to cutaway

Can you clarify this part?

Identify what issues specifically, and what issues need to be cutaway?

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[TriGirl 319]

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I was taught to identify the issues, and then say if I needed to cutaway

Can you clarify this part?

Identify what issues specifically, and what issues need to be cutaway?

That's one bit of instruction here in the States, and is used quite often by my instructors for refresher. The photos are of canopy malfunctions, as seen from below (hence holding the photo over the student's head). You (the student) pretend you have just deployed. "You look up at your canopy, and *this* is what you see. What do you do?" Some are total mals that need to be cut away (student executes cutaway motions), and some are partials, which the student can talk his/her way through. There's even a photo of a perfectly good canopy in the mix, just to be sure you're paying attention!


ETA -- Sorry, Dragon -- misunderstood your question I think. Perhaps you were asking Max exactly *what* mals were presented in the photos?

See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

[dragon2 2]

The issue I ran across with my refresher student was that he kept asking what exact mal he had. When the instructor told him he was spinning fast and the canopy was not square, and getting not much reaction so followed by shaking him in the harness and putting an alti in his face.

He kept trying to figure out exactly what mal he had, wasting time and altitude and talking a whole lot about it in the process, when all he had to do was optionally pump the brakes twice followed by performing his cutaway procedures in a timely manner. "Yeah but ..." "But if ..." etc etc etc




I got the idea that he had been taught a whole lot of different mals, what name they had, and maybe how to try and "fix" them, and he got fixated on all that instead of pulling his *** reserve.

I would like to know if that is the standard way the canopy checklist is taught over there, instead of the simpler "it's not square and/or the horizon is not straight and I can't stop the turn -> reserve procedure" we teach over here.

I don't CARE if you know the exact name of your malfunction or cannot tell the difference between a lineover and a tension knot, just deal with a malfunctioning canopy in a timely manner, PLEASE

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[nigel99 501]

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Czech Republic. I did try to get specifics out of them but they said essentially that I just needed to pack and do two formation jumps to get the A. No mention of a checklist which did seem odd to me as I've read about it everywhere online.

Anyhow, due to time restrains I will only get time to jump once more here (with the express purpose of keeping current within the 30 day period), and then I will resume regular jumping and working towards my A back home in South Africa.

There is at least 1 USPA dz there. I think the list is online but there are 2 near Prague. The requirements for a uspa A license are online.

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

[UncleMax 0]

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I was taught to identify the issues, and then say if I needed to cutaway

Can you clarify this part?

Identify what issues specifically, and what issues need to be cutaway?

I could list all of it but it would just be repeating standard stuff as it's listed in manuals and online :)

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I got the idea that he had been taught a whole lot of different mals, what name they had, and maybe how to try and "fix" them, and he got fixated on all that instead of pulling his *** reserve.

My own experience wasn't anything like that. It was not "theory" orientated, it was recognising that there was a problem and acting on it. I mean I might not be able to remember the exact name of the malfunction but after what I was taught to recognise, visually etc - I feel I'd know when to cut away or not. Hope this answers your question :)