AFF lessons in South Africa

[boris_77 0]

Hello in a few months i will have enough money to take my AFF courses, and i was going to take them in England around May where it will be hot and preferably at Black Knights Parachute center, where i have heard good reports but while looking over the internet i have found a few Places in South Africa which do AFF courses and at half the price, which also means that at the end off my course i also might have enough to buy my first skydiving rig, what i want to know is if i take my AFF course in South Africa will it be valid in the UK ie will i have my A license and could i skydive at any DZ i wanted.

[riggerrob 643]

Good choice, because South Africa generally has drier weather with fewer clouds to impede lessons.
BPA Instructors can be a funny lot. They sometimes get their shorts in a knot about junior jumpers who did AFF in other countries. The simple answer is to plan on doing 25 or 30 jumps in South Africa, enough to pass your A License exam. When you reutrn to the UK with a South African A License, BPA Instructors will have to find some other reason to whine.
Hee!
Hee!

[boris_77 0]

in fact its quite cheap in america as well it works out the same cost where would the best place in america to skydive

[Skykat108 0]

Our TI is from south africa.. very good guy, did all of his learning down there... I don't know how many years ago... like 30 i think... anyways... It's a good place ^_^

[boris_77 0]

if i did it in england or south africa would it be possible to get the licence in 1 week including 10 consolidation jumps for the (BPA) or would it be safer to do it in two weeks, because if it would be safer to do it in two weeks that means i am going to have to wait until the summer holidays but if i can get it in one week thats means i can do it in either febuary or May

[dragon2 2]

Your A in one week? You'd be pretty beat up I imagine

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[boris_77 0]

LOL, so summer time it is then

[vt1977 0]

I presume you're based in the UK in which case have you considered AFF in Spain? Both Empuriabrava (contact Kev McCarthy - a BPA instructor) and Lillo will get you your A licence and will help make it as easy as possible to jump without hassle when you get back to the UK.

If you are doing AFF abroad (i.e. outside the BPA system), try to ensure that you do at least 10 consolidation jumps after AFF as that is required by the BPA before you are off student status. Also try to get as much video as possible showing what you have done.

hth and good luck!

Vicki

[Tonto 1]

The AFF system in South Africa is very similar to both the US and the UK systems, with the exception of 3 solo dives, making for 10 levels.

AFF exit altitudes in SA are generally 10 000ft - with a few DZ's operating from 11000ft. This is due to the majority of the country being 5000 ft AMSL, which presents hypoxia issues.

All SA DZ's operate weekends only, with a perenial few offering instruction during the week. One of these is in Cape Town, where you are assured of terrible weather in May. (Not called the Cape of storms for nothing, you know.) Our DZ has graduated several students in a weekend, but they are always the exception, and the credit is always more to the student than the club or the instructor.

If you planned to do AFF here, these are my suggestions.

1. Find a DZ you would want to continue jumping at in the UK.
2. Go and see their CI, and show him our course content. (PM me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.)
3. Get your dives on video so that the UK. CI can see what the task was, and how you performed it.
4. try and get your A.

Fortunately SA has some cool spots to visit, so maybe you'd want to come into JHB on a Friday, Skydive the weekend, head to Cape Town, and if the weather is good carry on down there, if not, do touristy stuff,
Next weekend in CT or JHB is the weather is good, following week on Safari, and then finish up on the 3rd weekend.

In JHB, the weather is rock solid May to August, no cloud, no wind, and our instructors are international and experienced. (I have over 1800 AFF dives)

I think though, that if your purpose was to learn to skydive, that a healthy credit card and a trip to the US, and a DZ that has a tunnel is in order. My Vote would be for Perris or Eloy.

Blue Skies,

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[boris_77 0]

Thanks for that

[Orange1 0]

Just to add to what Tonto said - Cape Town weather in May is not great (though i got a bunch of jumps done in May through July this year - judging by the gaps in my logbook it was August that really sucked) but AFF instructors are generally available 7 days a week - if you do happen to decide on it better to contact the DZ in advance and arrange it. They do recommend 2 weeks for AFF for overseas students in case of bad weather, allowing for some sightseeing etc, but I did AFF in a week even with some bad weather days though at end-April.

Contact details on http://www.skydivecapetown.za.net/contacts.htm

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[wildchild 0]

Pietermaritzburg Parachute Club also has 3 AFF instructors generally available 7 days a week. Weather in KZN is magic in May - February is pretty hot! Go to our website and take a look. It's only about half an hour inland from Durban, and worth considering if South Africa is your choice.

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"If there is doubt, there is no doubt." - Tonto

[Peej 0]

It might be handy to give him the address

www.skydivekzn.co.za

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[tustinr 1]

Actually just to confuse you some more - May is not usually too bad a month in Cape Town (my home town) - the weather really turns for the worse in late June or July. Best months however are Feb/March/April. Windless days generally. Weather is unpredictable though !!

The views from the air at Skydive Cape Town are unsurpassed worldwide ! Magic.

But then I am biased having done my AFF down in that part of the world 8 years ago (sorry Tonto !! )

Having said that Tonto is right - Jhb area has the best weather in SA for predictability at that time of the year. Sadly I went to school there !!

If you are confused ....... so am I.

Bottom line is SA is great country and worth a visit - ewveni if it is after you have done your AFF !!
Rich

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Everything that happens to you in life is your teacher. The secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your life and be taught.

[wildchild 0]

Duh...blonde moment!

Thanks Peej

____________________________
"If there is doubt, there is no doubt." - Tonto

[Peej 0]

No worries, i have them all the time!

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[lowie 0]

If your going to come back to the UK without an A license try and get as many of the consolidation jumps done as possible and get converted from a rip cord to a throwaway pilotchute.


As otheres have said here (Riggerrob for one) some people have had a bit of a tough time with UK DZ's if they have returned wothout the A. Thing is though it probably is better to be thought of as a student and looked after a bit than to have little over 20 jumps and be fending for yourself. Y

our call at the end of the day. Vicki's spain idea is probably good as well as you can keep going back there until you are sorted.

[gavmaniac 0]

Dudes !!!
As one who did AFF & other initial training in Cape Town (Stellenbosch 10 years ago), admittedly I'm a little biased & will therefore promote SA (especially Cape Town although have jumped at most SA deezees).
But, I personally visited the US 3 times to get further ratings & licences, etc, coz I found that things moved along quicker there with less red tape hassle. Another reason is the exposure (hey, I got to sit NEXT to Eli Thompson once , jump with Mike Swanson, etc, etc ) you'll get over there. Yes them yankee boys have loud mouths & can't spell shit (there is NO such word as aluminum! )but they're generally very hospitable & willing to share knowledge with you. THEN pull in to SA & get ya freak on!
YOWZERS!

[boris_77 0]

Ok you are all probably going to be pretty pissed off at this after all the posts but i have found an excellent deal for spain, i get my accommodation, flights, AFF course and 10 consolidation jumps all for just over £1500 and thats with a three star hotel so not to bad, considering to do it in england its going to cost me just over £1500 for the AFF course and consolidation jumps alone. Plus because its in spain i wont have to pay 17.5% tax if i buy a Rig over there, so i am saving HUNDREDS OF POUNDS again, which also means more jumps. ( can you tell how excited i am about this deal) its with www.freefalluniversity.com are these people any good, from reviews i have high hopes with them, all i have to do now is cope with the mental torture knowing that i carnt go untill july..... i hate waiting so much. especially knowing that its something so good!

[Peej 0]

Quote

Ok you are all probably going to be pretty pissed off at this after all the posts

Nope, just stoked for you that you're getting in the sky

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[dropoutdave 0]

If money is an issue you probably made the rigth move, I went out to Cape Town to do AFF 3 years ago and planned on staying 2 months out there, ended up staying for 6 and spending a fortune because I couldn't bring myself to leave the place!!! Absolutley amazing place, the views and people are second to none! Definately put it on your list of places to go though.

Blue ones

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May Contain Nut traces......

[daniel_owen_uk 0]

Flying to florida in ouhhhh 13 days to do AFF at Z-Hills current rate is ~£700 for AFF, £600 for flights accomodation and that includes transfers to and flights back from minneapolis (have a friend up there). So thats £1300 without the consols, jumps are 21$ with $20 rig rental, so its very close to the £1500 you are getting in spain, but obviously it would be cheaper if you don't have friends in minneapolis.

Hoping to get AFF and hopefully A in a week, might be pushing it a little, but you never know
Not sure May is the best time for florida (hurricanes), but perris/eloy will probably be great.

BTW if you are stuck in the UK waiting to go somewhere get yourself down to bodyflight, went on sunday and it was amazing

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[boris_77 0]

damn you had to mention that didnt you because any chance of going to america i always take it, ok so far i have got a total of £1329 thats the AFF course and accomodation for 10 nights now i need to find how much flights are going to cost me, does anybody know how much they cost at around july time

[boris_77 0]

no its not worth it its costing me over £2000 which is taking alot out of my rig money

[Peej 0]

Quote

Absolutley amazing place, the views and people are second to none!

Tell everyone you know! SA loves tourists

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