4 Steps To Earn Your Skydiving License
Let’s break this down! To earn a skydiving license, you’ll need to complete four steps: doing a “taster” tandem, completing your AFF course, performing some solo jumps and making a personal commitment to continuing education. Great news: You can usually knock out that skydiving license in just twenty-five jumps. Our students learn under the USPA (United States Parachute Association) guidelines and your new license will enable you to jump at any USPA affiliate dropzone worldwide. So let’s get you off on the right foot!
Step One: Check Out the Scene
Y’know how it’s a great idea to go out for at least one date with somebody before you ask them to marry you? Yeah. That’s kinda like it is with skydiving. Let’s go grab some coffee before we hit the jewelry store, shall we?
For absolutely anybody, the first jump is a total blur. You can expect your heretofore-ground-bound body to be overloaded by the new feelings, so it’s nice to dodge the sensory overload by doing a tandem skydive just before the beginning of your course. You’ll get an idea of the landing area, the pattern, the way things look from the air — and you’ll be much better prepared to handle the job of getting down under your own parachute.
Step Two: Get your AFF (Accelerated Freefall) On
Did that date go well? Awesome. Let’s get to know each other a little more.
Before you get to jump without hooking up your harness to an instructor, you’ll need to get behind a desk and get some book learnin’ in ground school. It’s in that classroom, not in the air, that you’ll learn all about the skydiving equipment we use when jumping solo, how to operate it and what to do when things don’t go quite according to plan. It’ll last for 4-6 hours, and will cover every aspect of skydiving and prepare you to make an assisted jump under the direct supervision of certified USPA AFF/IAD instructors.
From there, you’ll start jumping. Our program uses the most modern methodology to introduce new skydivers to the procedures, maneuvers and skills they’ll need to become great skydivers, and you’ll be accompanied by top-notch instructors throughout the journey. It’s also during your AFF that you’ll learn other skills to increase your independence as a sport skydiver — such as the packing of your own parachute, and the procedures for jumping out of a plane at lower altitudes, so you’re prepared for any aircraft issues that might arise during your long, globe-trotting solo skydiving career.
Step Three: Skydive Solo
Speaking of independence: With your instructor-assisted freefalls complete, it’s time to take the next big step to jumping completely unaided. That means completing the remainder of your 25 student jumps without your instructors. During this stage, you’ll practice the skills you’ve learned so far. We’ll have carefully prepared you to be responsible for yourself and to be able to plan your own jumps, and you’ll enjoy doing just that! Once you have your license, you’ll be qualified to jump without any instructor supervision and to jump safely with other skydivers.
Step Four: Keep Learning & Practice Skydiving
Staying current in the sport is vital to making the most out of earning your skydiving license. You’ll have it peachy if you learn with us because the coaches and mentors here at Skydive California will keep you surfing that learning curve into skydiving greatness.
Whatcha waitin’ for? Learn to skydive today!
