Currency

[The111 1]

My first poll. Got your right here. Edited to remove redundant "poll" in subject.

I've seen similar polls (out of date reserves comes to mind) relating to what could arguably be called safety "ethics", i.e. "is it ok to break this rule?"

Unlike reserve packing data, currency doesn't seem to be too strictly policed at the several DZ's I've jumped at. In fact, I've never been asked if I'm current and I've gone more than 90 days between visits to the same DZ I think (although I was current from jumping at other places, from the DZ in question's perspective I should have at least looked uncurrent and been asked for logbook).

I'm not by any means asking if it's "ok" to break the currency rules, I'm just curious if its done often. I've often talked to experienced jumpers (1000+ jumps) who talk about taking a 1 year break and then coming back... I always wonder whether or not they actually went up with an instructor. If I'm not mistaken the most lenient currency requirement is 6 months, for a D, correct? And I don't mean to imply by my poll options that 1000 is a magic number... I just had a limited numer of choices and wanted to draw a line somewhere.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[NeedToJump 0]

No option for "Never been uncurrent since I started jumping"

Wind Tunnel and Skydiving Coach http://www.ariperelman.com

[The111 1]

I tried making an option "my name is Ari the big bi-atch who skydives all day every day and flies in the tunnel when you're sleeping" but it didn't work.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[Casch 0]

around 30 jumps or so I went about 2 months I believe without jumping. I was expecting to do a PRCP on static line, but I was allowed to just do a hop n pop. I had been practicing emergency procedures and did several practice pulls on the ground. The jump felt the same as it would have been my 4th jump of the day. It was nice to be able to just jump and not pay for an instructor. I had also never had any problems during student progression with stability, and no major accuracy problems.

[headoverheels 333]

Are there official requirements for license holders? I went 18 months one time without jumping, and just went back to skydiving. Probably started with a two-way. I had maybe 800 jumps at the time. RB shows up maybe 3-4 times a year for a day of jumping, we go up and do 8 to 14-ways with him.

[The111 1]

Under "General Recommendations", not sure if it is a RULE or not.

A license - 60 days.
B license - 90 days.
C& D license - 120 days.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[DrewEckhardt 0]

In 9 years of skydiving I haven't gone more than a month between jumps since starting AFF.

[riddler 0]

Quote

not sure if it is a RULE or not.

Hmm - good point. I always took this as a rule for USPA dropzones. But now that you mention it, it's not actually in the BSRs. Maybe the point is that the S&TA at the DZ has the final say about currency? They can choose to follow the recommendations or not?

This would make sense, in say, Alaska, where most jumpers probably go six months or more without a jump.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[riddler 0]

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In 9 years of skydiving I haven't gone more than a month between jumps since starting AFF.

Drew, you are my hero.

Edit: Yep. Only three years, but never more than about three weeks between skydives.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[skypuppy 1]

I went several months a couple of years ago without a jumping, and so as not to scare myself I just did a hop and pop from 485 ft. Then I had to wait a few more months due to an injury, so when I came back it was for a couple of demos before my rating expired.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[The111 1]

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I went several months a couple of years ago without a jumping, and so as not to scare myself I just did a hop and pop from 485 ft.

Umm, is this a typo or are you bringing BASE into my skydiving thread?

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

[ChileRelleno 0]

As y'all will see I've 400 odd jumps and ten years in the sport.
I did 50+ jumps right off the bat (6 months) and then fell on hard times (I got married and hence broke). I spent a good 6.5 - 7 years barely staying current, like one or two jumps every other month and I lost currency a couple of times due to non-skydiving related injuries. Times got better and aprox 2 years ago I bought gear and have been jumping any freakin chance I get .

Anyway's..............
Three times while a B license and very un-current, instructors went over procedures on the ground and then let me hop-n-pop. In every instance the instructors made the call according to their judgment of my knowledge and attitude, they told me as much.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[DutchSkyCam 0]

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Under "General Recommendations", not sure if it is a RULE or not.

A license - 60 days.
B license - 90 days.
C& D license - 120 days.

I have 2500 jumps, 12 years in the sport and cannot jump in the winter (OK, maybe I can but I don't like freezing my hands, balls, and other bodyparts off)...

My first jump in the season should obviously not be a fifty way on a tight landing area, but do you really expect me to do a jump with an instructor? (Maybe a linked exit so he can check my alti-awareness and pull for me when I forget?)

For students: (maybe upto around 50 jumps) something special has to be arranged. what exactly depends on the time out of the air.
More jumps: Review of procedures (including, but not limited to emergency procedures) and no complex jumps for a while.
What is complex? Differs from person to person.
How much time should you spend on the reviews? Differs from person to person.

Who is responsible?
You, yourself, and until you get a C licence (in The Netyherlands) your Instructor...

Barry.
USPA D22224.
KNVvL D65607, T158.

[jas8472 0]

Quote

Under "General Recommendations", not sure if it is a RULE or not.

A license - 60 days.
B license - 90 days.
C& D license - 120 days.

This is all the BPA op's manual has to say about it:

11. RESTRICTIONS FOLLOWING A LAY-OFF

Where a Student or Intermediate Parachutist has had a lay-off of two months or more, approval of the CCI must be obtained as to the type of descent to be made next.

[Tonto 1]

I don't know...

I missed a Calender month in March 1987, having bust my femur in Feb, but was jumping in April. Never missed a month since then.
t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Ron 10]

From the USPA:

Quote

D. Long lay-offs

Back to Section 5-2


1. Jumpers should receive refresher training appropriate for their skydiving history and time since their last skydive.


a. Jumpers who were very experienced and current but became inactive for a year or more should undergo thorough training upon returning to the sport.

b. Skydivers who historically jump infrequently should review training after layoffs of even less than a year.

Longest I have gone was three mths (Thanks US Army).

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

[DanG 1]

I went uncurrent for about a year (also due to the US Army) and I did the proper recurrency thing coming back. Of course, it helped that most of my friends and teammates are instructors, so we could go turn 14 points on a 4-way and be "legal", but I did make sure to get in the hanging harness, and I jumped a larger canopy (150 instead of 135).

- Dan G

[danebert 0]

Went 32 years before getting back in the breeze. Did two SL and a hop and pop. They then turn me loose. Plan on during working my way up by doing hop and pops, 5's,10' etc.

Dan Ebert
SOS #833

[steve1 5]

I made about 300 jumps in the 70's and quit. About ten years later I came out to jump with my B-12 container, belly reserve, and frenchies. I went right up with my Pals and started doing RW with them. I was rusty, but you don't forget how to fall stable. On about the 6th jump I had a mally and had to cut my par-commander away. Landed in the middle of a rock pile and sprained both ankles under an oscillating 24 ft. reserve. After I healed up I made one demo jump into a school.

Since I was broke and had little kids I took another 15 years off. A few years ago I went to a reunion boogie and ended up on another load with old friends. I fell base for them and we did a five way.
I spent about 15 minutes in a suspended harness prior to the jump. The gear had changed a lot since the old days. This was my first square jump. That is if you don't count the para-plane I jumped 27 years earlier. I know this sounds reckless, but jumping is a lot like riding a bike, and you don't really forget that much. I doubt if I would have been allowed to this at any other DZ. An old friend was our Safety and Training Officer, and he gave me the go ahead. Everything worked out fine and I'm glad I could jump. I doubt if I would have coughed up the money to completely retrain as most drop zones would mandate in this scenario. I'm just glad to be back....Steve1