Do I NEED an A license right off the bat?

[Mazz 0]

I have no friends who want to skydive and I probably wont make any for a long while (Antisocial). Do I need to get the A license or can I just solo dive for awhile after going through the AFF course?

the reason I ask is because I have enough money to cover the AFF course but not enough for the A license.

In the Navy, you can't put your hands in your pockets but I was always told not to put my hands in my pockets by people with their hands in their pockets. Kinda funny huh?

[jakee 1,563]

If you won't have enough money to send off for an A'licence then what are you going to pay for jump tickets with?

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Mazz 0]

$2000 for AFF. Another $2000 for A license.
$20+rental for jumps.

$20+ rental is MUCH cheaper than $2000.

In the Navy, you can't put your hands in your pockets but I was always told not to put my hands in my pockets by people with their hands in their pockets. Kinda funny huh?

[Thanatos340 1]

Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

[Mazz 0]

Quote

Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

In the Navy, you can't put your hands in your pockets but I was always told not to put my hands in my pockets by people with their hands in their pockets. Kinda funny huh?

[pilotdave 0]

If you want to be a skydiver, you are going to spend all of your money on skydiving. ALL of it. You can work toward an A-license for as long as you want. You can be a student forever if you want and keep renting gear for 10 years. But realistically, you won't want to do that. It will get boring very fast. You'll probably quit during or after AFF, or you'll want to really become a skydiver which will mean completing your license, buying gear, and jumping.

If you accept that all your money now belongs to the dropzone of your choice, it makes spending it a lot easier.

Dave

[idodsick 0]

im pretty sure that once you are off student status you can jump all you want "SOLO". the program at my home DZ is a little different so i am not positive. i checked the perris website and it looks like the extra $2000 dollars you are speaking of is not a requirement. there is some coaching, tunnel time, and some video if i am reading right. these are not required for the "A". as long as you have your proficiency book signed off you can get you "A" for $20 bux. so go take AFF and get some solo's in. ask around, im sure some coaches would jump with you and sign your log book for free or some beer. i did the same thing after student status. its a great way to keep jumping and getting to know people.

the diamond can not be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.

[Mazz 0]

I dont mind spending the money. I just dont have it to spend atm. Maybe i'll just wait and save.

In the Navy, you can't put your hands in your pockets but I was always told not to put my hands in my pockets by people with their hands in their pockets. Kinda funny huh?

[Baksteen 84]

Don't know about the pricing, but there should be no reason to spend the money for the A-licence all in one go.. You must do slolo's after completeing AFF anyway - solos during which you can perform tasks that are required to obtain your A-licence.

The way I read it, an average student will have gradually spent those $2000 on solo and coaching jumps by the time they achieve their A-licence - though I agree that the price does sound a little high.

The A-licence is more than just a ticket to jump with others, by the way - it's also proof that you can do certain things, so you will need less extensive supervision. This means that you are more responsible for your own actions.

ETA: that third dropzone you mentioned may not offer AFF, but they probably DO offer Static-line.
Static line is a slower, more gradual progression than AFF but has the advantage that a repeat jump is way cheaper as you only have to pay your own slot AND that you prbably will need to spend less cash upfront.
Where at first the accent lies on freefall during AFF, it lies on canopy skills with static-line. later in your progression you will compensate for that, so that in the long term though, it will matter little which progression you choose. You will have spent approximately the same amount of money and have obtained the same skills.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[kkeenan 14]

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I have no friends who want to skydive and I probably wont make any for a long while (Antisocial).

You'll fit right in. The whole sport is full of friendless antisocial psychos.

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[randompoints 0]

You don't NEED to get the A license, it just makes things easier, I have several friends with up to a thousand jumps without an A and they've done demo's and everything but of course their pretty old school most of their jumps were from the 80's.

But usually the progress from AFF to A is only another 10 or so jumps. Even if you decide not to ever get an A the skills on the progression card need to be able to be performed. Most DZ's after you've cleared AFF consider you in that in between state not student not full jumper. If you show up 2wice a month and make 1 jump each time you can usually go for just slot + gear rental. Nothing wrong with that at all.
As for being anti-social just bring beer we'll take care of that

[MakeItHappen 15]

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Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

Camarillo has a DZ???
I don't think so.
Are you looking at this url
http://www.soaringsports.com/skydiving/Camarillo_California/index.html
That page is from a booking agency - not a real DZ.

If so, you need to go check out FunJumper.com
and this sublink

To find REAL DZs, not booking agents, go to CA DZs and type in your zip code to find the REAL DZs near you.
The one I recommend is Jim Wallace Skydiving. It's located at the Perris airport too.
Elsinore would be second. Perris third and Taft (to the north of LA) as fourth.

.

.
Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

[bfilarsky 0]

Quote

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

How about Skydive San Diego? That's where I jump - I paid a little over a grand to go through AFF, and about another grand to go up through A license. So roughly $2k to go all the way to the A (I didn't keep track - figured it was better that way )

I'll be going this friday (and taking an AFF level 1 student) if you wanna go!

[diablopilot 2]

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Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

Camarillo has a DZ???
I don't think so.
Are you looking at this url
http://www.soaringsports.com/skydiving/Camarillo_California/index.html
That page is from a booking agency - not a real DZ.

If so, you need to go check out FunJumper.com
and this sublink

To find REAL DZs, not booking agents, go to CA DZs and type in your zip code to find the REAL DZs near you.
The one I recommend is Jim Wallace Skydiving. It's located at the Perris airport too.
Elsinore would be second. Perris third and Taft (to the north of LA) as fourth.

.

Jan I believe he's referring to this one....http://skydivecoastalcalifornia.com/index.html

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[ozzy13 0]

Read section 3 + 4 in the ( SIMS) Skydivers Information Manual. Here http://www.uspa.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=8txBpSfn%2fjs%3d

As a student you will be required to jump every 30 days until you receive your A license. If you don't you will have to undergo extra training and repeat previous level. All the info you need and questions you have are in the SIMS online. and for free. http://www.uspa.org/ I would recommend trying to get threw AFF in as quick as possible. You will learn faster. Good luck

For a DZ near you here is a linkhttp://www.dropzone.com/dropzone/North_America/United_States/California/index.html

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[Mazz 0]

Quote

Read section 3 + 4 in the ( SIMS) Skydivers Information Manual. Here http://www.uspa.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=8txBpSfn%2fjs%3d

As a student you will be required to jump every 30 days until you receive your A license. If you don't you will have to undergo extra training and repeat previous level. All the info you need and questions you have are in the SIMS online. and for free. http://www.uspa.org/ I would recommend trying to get threw AFF in as quick as possible. You will learn faster. Good luck

Right. I saved enough money so i could just pay for the AFF outright. When I do it, im going to take a couple days off work and hopefully that combined with the weekend will be enough time for me to complete the course.

In the Navy, you can't put your hands in your pockets but I was always told not to put my hands in my pockets by people with their hands in their pockets. Kinda funny huh?

[ghost47 18]

Quote

I have no friends who want to skydive and I probably wont make any for a long while (Antisocial). Do I need to get the A license or can I just solo dive for awhile after going through the AFF course?

You have no choice (probably). The AFF course (at least at Elsinore) consists of 8 levels. You need at least 25 jumps (in which you need to complete a bunch of skills) to get an A license. So it's very likely that after you finish AFF, you'll do a bunch of student solo jumps.

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the reason I ask is because I have enough money to cover the AFF course but not enough for the A license.

You don't need to get the A license right away. However, getting your A license will make things cheaper, not more expensive. A student jump is $69 at Elsinore, an experienced (i.e. A-license or above) jump is $25. The $69 does include gear rental and packing, but if you make more than two jumps a day, it's cheaper to be an A-licensed jumper who rents gear than a student jumper who rents gear.

[LongWayToFall 0]

Drive to Lodi for a week. 1000 for the AFF course, and 35-40 bucks per jump including gear rental. For 2000 bucks, you can pay for gas getting here and back, as well as bang out you A license and a handful of coach jumps.

[TaylorC 0]

Quote

Quote

Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

just drive to skydive AZ

[brucet7 0]

I am not sure how it works where you are, but I didn't pay for a package to get my A. I paid for each jump as it came. Before the jump I would talk to an instructor or the DZO and learn what I should do that jump. We have a progression board, but the A license card is a great place to look at what you need. Sometimes I needed a coach for dock and dive or whatever. Sometimes I needed to hop and pop. Soon I had my 25 jumps and the card full. Have fun.

POPS #10623; SOS #1672

[wildfan75 1]

Mazz,

If you do your AFF course and cleared for solo before May and can afford and could be available May 4-6 at Perris or Elsinore, let me know. I'll be in CA for the Big Way and 100 Way Camps and those days are non-camp days. I can afford to do a few fun jumps while I'm there. Maybe I could do a coach/instructor jump or two with you while I'm there. There's also some ground stuff we can go over after sunset or if there's crappy weather days.

Let me know.

[pirana 0]

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I have no friends who want to skydive . . .

This will change once you start jumping regularly.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[MakeItHappen 15]

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Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

Camarillo has a DZ???
I don't think so.
Are you looking at this url
http://www.soaringsports.com/skydiving/Camarillo_California/index.html
That page is from a booking agency - not a real DZ.

If so, you need to go check out FunJumper.com
and this sublink

To find REAL DZs, not booking agents, go to CA DZs and type in your zip code to find the REAL DZs near you.
The one I recommend is Jim Wallace Skydiving. It's located at the Perris airport too.
Elsinore would be second. Perris third and Taft (to the north of LA) as fourth.

.

Jan I believe he's referring to this one....http://skydivecoastalcalifornia.com/index.html

To the OP - go to Jim Wallace Skydiving.
You won't go wrong there or get duped.

Go look at this and pay attention to the photographs in the upper left and on the right, slightly lower on the page. PDF attached.

Then go to this page and watch the slide show.
jpgs attached for two of the slides.

Notice anything similar about those images?

I'll ask anyone that would have a spectacular view of the California coastline on a jump whether they would face the students to the east or to the west? The background ought to be the busy streets of the LA basin, not the spectacular view.

.

.
Make It Happen
Parachute History
DiveMaker

[timmyfitz 0]

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Those prices are waaaaay high.

AFF Package at my DZ (Jumps 1-7) - $1,199.00
Complete A license Package (Including AFF)(Jumps 1-25) - $1,799.00 Total.

Shop around.

I live in LA. I have basically 3 options in my area. Elsinore, Perris, or Camarillo.

All of them are expensive except Camarillo and they dont offer the program yet. Elsinore and Perris are a 2 hour drive away too

Camarillo has a DZ???
I don't think so.
Are you looking at this url
http://www.soaringsports.com/skydiving/Camarillo_California/index.html
That page is from a booking agency - not a real DZ.

If so, you need to go check out FunJumper.com
and this sublink

To find REAL DZs, not booking agents, go to CA DZs and type in your zip code to find the REAL DZs near you.
The one I recommend is Jim Wallace Skydiving. It's located at the Perris airport too.
Elsinore would be second. Perris third and Taft (to the north of LA) as fourth.

.

Jan I believe he's referring to this one....http://skydivecoastalcalifornia.com/index.html

To the OP - go to Jim Wallace Skydiving.
You won't go wrong there or get duped.

Go look at this and pay attention to the photographs in the upper left and on the right, slightly lower on the page. PDF attached.

Then go to this page and watch the slide show.
jpgs attached for two of the slides.

Notice anything similar about those images?

Yep, same images. But since both dropzones are owned by the same guy, I guess he can use HIS images on both of HIS website as he chooses.

I'll ask anyone that would have a spectacular view of the California coastline on a jump whether they would face the students to the east or to the west? The background ought to be the busy streets of the LA basin, not the spectacular view.

Don't do video much, do you? You don't want the video guy facing the sun, doesn't make for good pictures. Also, these are promo pictures on the website. If you are going to advertise spectacular views you may want to show them on your website.

[Mazz 0]

thanks for the input guys.

I think i might try heading down to San Diego. They are legit and the price is right around 1400-1500 for the AFF.

In the Navy, you can't put your hands in your pockets but I was always told not to put my hands in my pockets by people with their hands in their pockets. Kinda funny huh?