lauril 0 #1 October 16, 2002 I've noticed a while ago, that we have totally different licensing system here in finland, so can someone post a link or something about your licensing system in US, so I can learn about it. Here in finland we have only s/l courses. (except one aff in helsinki) When we pay the course fee, we can use the club's student gear for free for all of our student jumps, and all further training is free. When we have A-license, we're still students, and with B-license we can go to the plane without jumpmaster, but a jm still checks our gear. And then we get the C-license, so then we're 'ready', and have to by our own gear. It took me 43 jumps to complete that, but usually it takes about 50 to 60 jumps. And this costs about $ 400. Plus the gear and jumps of course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakshow 0 #2 October 16, 2002 http://www.uspa.org B.L. B.L. (the brain) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #3 October 16, 2002 Quote can someone post a link or something about your licensing system in US, so I can learn about it. Quote Try USPA.org, that's the home page for the United States Parachute Association. Explore the site and you will find tons of information about jumping here in the USA, and a list of every USPA DZ in the country with direct links to their web sites. License information is included in the Skydivers Information Manual, also called the SIM. The entire SIM ( a couple of hundred pages) is available as a FREE pdf download. On the left side of the home page (uspa.org) you will see a selection for "download docs and forms." Click on that, then click on "documents and manuals." The 2001 SIM is at the bottom of the list, soon to be replaced with a new version. Also of interest may be the Instructional Rating Manual (IRM), a package of material that covers training for all instructors in the USA. Happy reading... Tom BuchananTom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites MarkM 0 #4 October 16, 2002 The US licensing system is done by a private organization, the USPA. You aren't really legally required to have any sort of license to jump in the US. However most dropzones in the US are USPA dropzones, which means they recognize the licenses handed out by the USPA and require membership in that organization. The first basic license you can get is an A license. An A license means you can handle the basics for simple skydiving, you can spot, pack, land safely and so on. Student progression in the US can be something like: An extensive first jump course followed by AFF and SL. Upon graduation of AFF or SL you are cleared for solos at that dropzone. You then need to complete other certain qualifications to qualify for your A. Once you have your A you can jump at any other USPA dropzone without having to go through a student program. How students are handled, like when they start buying their own gear and so on, is handled differently by each dropzone. The AFF and SL courses themselves are pretty standardized, as are the A license requirements, but stuff like gear, gear checks, misc training and so on are left up to the DZ owner, instructors and the student. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites howardwhite 6 #5 October 16, 2002 There are other responses here with which I agree...But to simplify. The USPA (private) licensing organization requires for the A license a minimum of 20 freefalls with a set of requirements (including a three-way and a two-way check jump with instructor/coach.) In the U.S.,we don't have "cats" but we have "levels". We don't have "consols" but we have "level 8 jumps" which probably need a new name. Bottom line: a USPA "A" licensed jumper is entitled to jump solo or with any other licensed jumper. to pack gear, to jump without wind limitations or water gear, and a bunch of other stuff. It probably needs to be improved. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BMFin 0 #6 October 17, 2002 QuoteIt probably needs to be improved. Why ? Whats the biggest problem ? Do students have a lot of accidents in U.S ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites howardwhite 6 #7 October 21, 2002 "Why ? Whats the biggest problem ? Do students have a lot of accidents in U.S ? " It's hard to say, because there is no comprehensive reporting system other than fatalities. The current fatality reports seem dominated by experienced jumpers in landing accidents. Although the wind limit is "unlimited" for licensed skydivers (as few as 20 jumps), many DZs will impose 100 or 200 jump minimums when the winds are whistling. USPA will change its licensing requirements effective next September, increasing the number of jumps for each license. The requirement for the A license increases from 20 to 25, while that for the D goes from 200 to 500. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
MarkM 0 #4 October 16, 2002 The US licensing system is done by a private organization, the USPA. You aren't really legally required to have any sort of license to jump in the US. However most dropzones in the US are USPA dropzones, which means they recognize the licenses handed out by the USPA and require membership in that organization. The first basic license you can get is an A license. An A license means you can handle the basics for simple skydiving, you can spot, pack, land safely and so on. Student progression in the US can be something like: An extensive first jump course followed by AFF and SL. Upon graduation of AFF or SL you are cleared for solos at that dropzone. You then need to complete other certain qualifications to qualify for your A. Once you have your A you can jump at any other USPA dropzone without having to go through a student program. How students are handled, like when they start buying their own gear and so on, is handled differently by each dropzone. The AFF and SL courses themselves are pretty standardized, as are the A license requirements, but stuff like gear, gear checks, misc training and so on are left up to the DZ owner, instructors and the student. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #5 October 16, 2002 There are other responses here with which I agree...But to simplify. The USPA (private) licensing organization requires for the A license a minimum of 20 freefalls with a set of requirements (including a three-way and a two-way check jump with instructor/coach.) In the U.S.,we don't have "cats" but we have "levels". We don't have "consols" but we have "level 8 jumps" which probably need a new name. Bottom line: a USPA "A" licensed jumper is entitled to jump solo or with any other licensed jumper. to pack gear, to jump without wind limitations or water gear, and a bunch of other stuff. It probably needs to be improved. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #6 October 17, 2002 QuoteIt probably needs to be improved. Why ? Whats the biggest problem ? Do students have a lot of accidents in U.S ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #7 October 21, 2002 "Why ? Whats the biggest problem ? Do students have a lot of accidents in U.S ? " It's hard to say, because there is no comprehensive reporting system other than fatalities. The current fatality reports seem dominated by experienced jumpers in landing accidents. Although the wind limit is "unlimited" for licensed skydivers (as few as 20 jumps), many DZs will impose 100 or 200 jump minimums when the winds are whistling. USPA will change its licensing requirements effective next September, increasing the number of jumps for each license. The requirement for the A license increases from 20 to 25, while that for the D goes from 200 to 500. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
