WHAT IS AFF SKYDIVING?

Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) is a method of learning to skydive. With this method you will skydive with your own parachute and will experience solo free fall from jump 1 assisted by 2 instructors and after a day of training.

The AFF skydiving course is designed to teach you to skydive quickly and safely using the latest training techniques.

There are 10 levels to your AFF skydiving course, level 1 to 3 you will be assisted by 2 instructors, level 4 to 7 you will have 1 instructor and levels 8, 9, and 10 you will jump on your own!

Level 1- 3:

The first day of your AFF course will be a day of training on the ground. You will be taught basic skydiving procedures, body position in free fall, canopy deployment, canopy control and safety routines. The instructors will use mannequins, a suspended harness and videos to try to, as realistically as possible, emulate on the ground what will happen in the air. Normally you will do your actual skydive the next day.

Your first 3 jumps you will be held by 2 instructors. During your jump your instructors, through hand signals, will check your free fall body position, your altimeter and practice deploying your parachute before doing the real thing! By level 3 you need to be able to deploy your parachute, to be altitude aware, to have basic body positions and to show general awareness. You also need to demonstrate safe canopy control including the landing.

After each jump your instructors will provide you with constructive feedback and if they are happy with your progress you will move on to level 4.

Level 4-7:

During Levels 4 -7 the emphasis is on the ‘solo’ skill of the student. You will only have 1 instructor and you will not be held by the instructor at all. You will be taught 90 degree turns and 360 degree turns, then back loops and front loops.

At the end of level 7 the students must show independence as well as safety skills. If the instructors are happy with your progress you will move to level 8.

Level 8: Putting it all together

At this level you are nearly at the end of your course. During this jump you will practice a little bit of everything you have learnt so far. On exiting the aircraft you will perform a back loop, turn 360 degrees to your left and to your right, then track away from your instructor and end the skydive.

If your progress is acceptable you will move to the level 9.

Level 9:

Level 9 is a solo skydive – spin test, the aim of which is to teach the student to regain control at any time and to clearly demonstrate safety and independence. If the instructors are happy with your performance you will move to the final level 10.

Level 10: Hop `n’ Pop!

This is a solo jump – entirely on your own from around 5000ft. You will exit the aircraft, wait a few second and then deploy your parachute.

CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED YOUR AFF COURSE!