How many jumps in six weeks?

[lupinelacuna 0]

Hi everyone

I'm from London and will travelling to America in the summer for 6 weeks. I have always wanted to skydive and am therefore going to do the AFF.

How many jumps do you think I can do in my six weeks? I want to do as many as possible!

Does anyone have any recommendations on where I can go and camp, make friends and just hang out?

At the moment trying to decide between Skydive Utah, Eloy or Davis.

Thanks so much!

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Hi everyone

I'm from London and will travelling to America in the summer for 6 weeks. I have always wanted to skydive and am therefore going to do the AFF.

How many jumps do you think I can do in my six weeks?

5-10 a day are pretty reasonable after you complete the AFF program; so you could do 200-400 jumps although you'd do better spending some of your time and money at a vertical wind tunnel. iFly SFBay is probably a couple hours from Davis.

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At the moment trying to decide between Skydive Utah, Eloy or Davis.

Eloy is too hot in the summer. Utah isn't a destination drop zone and probably doesn't get enough loads off the ground during week days. California is the place you want to be.

[skybytch 273]

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iFly SFBay is probably a couple hours from Davis.

Hour and a half when it's not rush hour.

To the OP - How many jumps depends on weather. Summer in Davis is generally good jumpable weather, if a bit warm at times. Weekend days you can easily bang out 5 -10 a day once you're off student status and have your own gear. Weekdays are a bit slower and the dz is closed Tuesdays.

Instead of focusing on how many jumps you can do in six weeks, you might be better served by focusing on how much you can learn. Tunnel time and a canopy control course might "cost" you 50 jumps, but you'll get way more out of those than you will the 50 jumps, guaranteed. There's a lot of learning to be had while standing in the landing area watching loads land, while sitting around the packing area bullshitting, and especially post-sunset, when the instructors aren't rushed and have time to share 12 ounces of coaching with you.

Hope to see you in Davis this summer!

[demoknite 0]

Yeh, the summer is actually the off season at Eloy. Its extremely hot and dust devils galore. Skydive Chicago is sort of the antithesis of Eloy. Theyre closed in the winter because its too cold. California as mentioned above have good drop zones. I would also suggest Skydive Dallas all though there isnt a lot to do during the down time. You could definitely achieve your A liscense if all the stars aligned. In six weeks, potentially a B though you might get burned out.

[lupinelacuna 0]

Thanks everyone that is really useful. Cali makes most sense as I'd like to be near the climbing areas too.

Can I get them in advance to reserve me a second hand rig if something comes up? I haven't looked into the pricing in the US, but for a beginners setup how much am I looking at?

I have to admit my original attention was to do a couple hundred jumps and then get a wingsuit as I'm desperate to wingsuit

[skybytch 273]

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Cali makes most sense as I'd like to be near the climbing areas too.

Davis is a great place for that too. There's an indoor climbing gym in town and several of the local jumpers also climb (including one who is world class).

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Can I get them in advance to reserve me a second hand rig if something comes up?

You'll want to do some research and talk to your instructors and get through the AFF program before you buy a rig. There is rental gear available to use between your student jumps and when you get your own rig.

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I haven't looked into the pricing in the US, but for a beginners setup how much am I looking at?

If you do a search here on "first rig" you'll get the long version. Short version is US$2000 - US$6000 depending on how much of it you buy new and how much is used. You'll also be spending a couple hundred on a jumpsuit and several hundred on instruments and a helmet.

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I have to admit my original attention was to do a couple hundred jumps and then get a wingsuit as I'm desperate to wingsuit

No need to admit that, it's a common goal for new jumpers now. And there are quite a few people in northern California (not just at Davis) who'd be happy to help you work toward that goal while you're here.

[jumpsalot-2 3]

Don't overlook " Lodi Parachute Center " for the best jump planes, Twin Otters, great instruction, friendly people, and lowest jump ticket prices. Also closest to Yosemite.

Life is short ... jump often.

[davelepka 4]

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Don't overlook " Lodi Parachute Center " for the best jump planes, Twin Otters

This is a flat out lie. No other DZ has been fined $650k by the FAA for ignoring required maintenance on a Twin Otter. None.

Don't fool yourself into thinking everything will be fine. Bill already lost a King Air up in Canada due to incomplete maintenance, and was lucky nobody was killed in the process.

[davelepka 4]

How much time do you plan to spend jumping? If you give it five days per week, you should be able to complete your A license program in two weeks. Beyond that, you are free to make as many jumps as you can manage, with the limiting factors being how many loads the DZ is flying during the week, how many of those loads you can make (you'll probably need to use a packer), and of course the weather.

Again, if you figure on five days per week jumping, times four weeks after you get a license, that's 20 jumping days total. I would guess 5 jumps per day, maybe 6, is a good guess for an average number of jumps per day, so you're looking at 100-ish jumps, plus the 25 you need to get the A license.

So starting from nothing, you could be at 125-ish jumps in six weeks. Cost wise, the A license will run you about $2000 (including the first 25 jumps), 100 jumps will run you $2500 ($3000 if you pay a packer every time), a handful of rig rentals before you find a rig will run about $100/$150, and a nice used rig about $3000 ($4000 with an AAD). All in, about $8000 to $10,000, and you go home with a license, 125 jumps and a rig.

You could maybe double that if you jumped every day the DZ was open and flying, and you rented or bought two rigs so you could make back to backs, and you got on every load that flew. If you follow that plan, and use a rental rig and your own rig, figure on another $3000 for 100 more jumps (with a packer) and $300 for the additional gear rental, so total about $12,500.

HOWEVER, either one of those plans is a shit ton of jumps for anyone. For a new jumper, even the 125 jump plan will be a lot of 'work' to make it happen. Jumping all day, every day, for weeks on end takes a real commitment and most of your time and energy. Either way, good luck.

[jumpsalot-2 3]

I jump where my Reginal Director jumps. Now while I may be a moron, and apparently, a liar, he is years and years ahead of me with skydive, and Drop Zone knowledge. If he jumps at Lodi, that's good enough for me. I've been jumping there for ten years or so.

Life is short ... jump often.

[-ftp- 0]

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I jump where my Reginal Director jumps. Now while I may be a moron, and apparently, a liar, he is years and years ahead of me with skydive, and Drop Zone knowledge. If he jumps at Lodi, that's good enough for me. I've been jumping there for ten years or so.

If you make it to altitude.

Seriously, read about the plane and tell me you fell comfortable flying in it.

Im sure its wasted type, I guess just follow your regional director.

[lupinelacuna 0]

You guys are awesome, thanks so much. This is really helpful. I think I will go down the 2nd hand route, I do with mountaineering clothing too as its just such good value.

The reason I wondered if I should let them know in advance is because it might take a little while for it to come up...

Damn, though, I'm going to start cycling to work between now and the summer to save more cash.!

Btw, when I said summer, I actually meant half of August and half of September. Do the previous comments about off-season and heat still apply?

Cheers

[PiLFy 3]

I love it when Brits come here, & shop @the most expensive stores. All while exclaiming they can't believe how cheap everything is. I'm not saying Cali DZs are overly expensive. They're not. Jumping in UK is, I believe, quite a bit more expensive, though.

Have you looked into how much bringing that used rig into England will cost you (Customs)? I hope you have a great time. I don't want you to go back home, & get a nasty surprise.

[CornishChris 5]

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Have you looked into how much bringing that used rig into England will cost you (Customs)? I hope you have a great time. I don't want you to go back home, & get a nasty surprise.

Nothing if you dont declare it.

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

[davelepka 4]

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I think I will go down the 2nd hand route
The reason I wondered if I should let them know in advance is because it might take a little while for it to come up...

Every jumper needs something different for their first rig, and it all depends on how they perform as a student. Once you get through your first ten jumps, they'll have a good idea of what you'll need as a starter rig, and can start looking then. Anything they do before you make 10 or 12 jumps is just a guess, and might turn out to be a waste of time once they see you in the air.

You'll want to contact the DZ before your trip. Let them know what your plans are with regards to AFF, an A license, jumping after your license and buying a rig.

Some DZ have a package deal where you pay for all of AFF (or all the way to an A license) up front in one lump sum, and you get a discount for pre-payment.

Some DZs offer block rates for buying jump tickets. If you plan to make 50 or 100 jumps after you get your license, you can buy them in a block for a cheaper price than paying one by one. In either case, the AFF package or the block ticket packages, find out if there is a refund policy and what it is before you pay for anything. If it's 'no refunds for any reason' you may want to just pay full price, and not risk losing your money in the event of an inury or bad weather limiting your jumps.

Do give them a heads up that you'll want gear, but don't expect a rig waiting for you when you arrive. They may keep an eye out for anything close to what you might need, but again, you need a handful of jumps before you can be sure.

[jakee 1,500]

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Have you looked into how much bringing that used rig into England will cost you (Customs)?

Why would that cost anything? It's a used rig, he obviously brought it out with him and now he's just bringing it back again.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[djmarvin 2]

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I jump where my Reginal Director jumps. Now while I may be a moron, and apparently, a liar, he is years and years ahead of me with skydive, and Drop Zone knowledge. If he jumps at Lodi, that's good enough for me. I've been jumping there for ten years or so.

So if it's good enough for a politician, it's good enough for you :) not knocking either your RD or Lodi, just pointing out the fun side of your comment.

DJ Marvin
AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E
http://www.theratingscenter.com

[PiLFy 3]

Kinda hard to bury a 25#, big_*ssed rig in your carry-on luggage, no?

[PiLFy 3]

Fine, if you can get away w/it. They don't check that sort of thing?

[huge 0]

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Kinda hard to bury a 25#, big_*ssed rig in your carry-on luggage, no?

I don't see why. I usually travel with two bags and my rig is in the carry-on. When I'm coming home I might check the rig, but it isn't difficult to have it in your carry-on.

[Ron 10]

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Don't overlook " Lodi Parachute Center " for the best jump planes....

Uh, only if you think the 'best' means they do not have the required maintenance done and got fined 600K+ for the lack of maintenance.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[skybytch 273]

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Don't overlook " Lodi Parachute Center " for the best jump planes, Twin Otters, great instruction, friendly people, and lowest jump ticket prices.

Be sure to ask to see the instructor's rating cards from USPA prior to paying them to jump with you. Sometimes little things like ratings get ignored there.

Oh, and you can really save some money on student jumps at Lodi if you tell them you have 25 or 30 military static line jumps from back in the day. They'll hand you a rig and tell you that you'll do fine.

[skybytch 273]

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I jump where my Reginal Director jumps.

Hey, now that there is a USPA BOD member on the dropzone, are all jumpers wearing seatbelts for takeoff like the FAR's say they're supposed to?

[-ftp- 0]

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Be sure to ask to see the instructor's rating cards from USPA prior to paying them to jump with you. Sometimes little things like ratings get ignored there.

Oh, and you can really save some money on student jumps at Lodi if you tell them you have 25 or 30 military static line jumps from back in the day. They'll hand you a rig and tell you that you'll do fine.

Oh do tell!