Doing my first skydive next month

So I'm taking the plunge (literally) next month. Doing it for charity, but if I enjoy it I'll do the first few parts of the AFF in the summer.

I've been advised to go away and do the AFF but I doubt I'd get off work so it'd have to be a weekend thing.

Anyway, just postin this and I'm sure I'll let anyone who's interested know how I get on with it!

wreckless

pretty jealous right now mate!!!

ive done 2 before, amazing. you will love it. good advice to do the jump as part of the course, cause you will love it so much, youll want to go back up straight away. like a good rollercoaster, again again again!!!

to get away to a nicer climate to do the course would be sweet alright, but like you say, time and holidays, other committments make the decisions for us eh?

lemd

did a tandem jump a few years ago, amazing! ears were a bit sore for a day after though.

Dan Sanchez

Yeh sure post up how you get on. And use the goggles...

PeakOutput

welcome to the club.......almost

you will love it post up any video you get after

Thanks guys. Was watchin a movie the other night and the camera panned a big aerial shot and was lloking down from the roof of a skyscraper! 1st time since I signed up to do it that I though "Feck, what the hell am I doin"!!

I'm sure I'll be so pumped up on the day that I'll be fine!! But it was funny!! I'll post anything I get for it yea for sure!!

Odysseus

Deleted User wrote: »

So I'm taking the plunge (literally) next month. Doing it for charity, but if I enjoy it I'll do the first few parts of the AFF in the summer.

I've been advised to go away and do the AFF but I doubt I'd get off work so it'd have to be a weekend thing.

Anyway, just postin this and I'm sure I'll let anyone who's interested know how I get on with it!

Just a thought if your doing a charity jump, would you consider a static line as oppossed to the tadem jump. Whereas with the tadem you get a taste of freefall with the static line you get a lot more experience around canopy control, dealing with malfunctions, and landing etc. With say that now my experience of jumping is static line. Then again if your considering AFF maybe that's where your interests lie. Best of luck with it.

TestTransmission

Odysseus wrote: »

Just a thought if your doing a charity jump, would you consider a static line as oppossed to the tadem jump. Whereas with the tadem you get a taste of freefall with the static line you get a lot more experience around canopy control, dealing with malfunctions, and landing etc. With say that now my experience of jumping is static line. Then again if your considering AFF maybe that's where your interests lie. Best of luck with it.

the freefall is the fun part

Steve.N

You'll love every minute - The adrenaline rush is amazing!!
I loved the WHOLE experience:- the anticipation on the way up - Shi**ing a brick waiting to jump - the complete senses overload of the jump itself - and the relief you make it in one piece.
I've done 16 jumps (before the AFF courses started) - had to start off with 3000ft statics and worked up to 14000ft-55 second delay freefall.

My license has expired so thinking of going back to do the AFF course - Where are you Jumping - In Ireland??
Was looking at courses in Spain - At least the weather will be good enough to guarantee a jump over there

iceage

Get in there Neill1984!!! you won't regret it. When and where you doing it?

Odysseus

Odysseus wrote: »

Just a thought if your doing a charity jump, would you consider a static line as oppossed to the tadem jump. Whereas with the tadem you get a taste of freefall with the static line you get a lot more experience around canopy control, dealing with malfunctions, and landing etc. With say that now my experience of jumping is static line. Then again if your considering AFF maybe that's where your interests lie. Best of luck with it.

Thanks man, I'd rather get a freefall in and go the full way with it! Let me get an insight into what's required for the AFF. Both have their merits I guess.

jackncoke wrote: »

the freefall is the fun part

QFT (so I hear!:cool:)

iceage wrote: »

Get in there Neill1984!!! you won't regret it. When and where you doing it?

Offaly sometime in March.


I have the minimum money raised, just need to wait for my bro to follow suit. He's only about 50 quid off it.

Booked eventually for April 12th....thich is Easter Sunday!! Can't wait!

kaimera

result! Enjoy.

Trying to get a few mates to go do it this summer in Tipp

iceage

PM Kaimera.

kaimera

kaimera wrote: »

result! Enjoy.

Trying to get a few mates to go do it this summer in Tipp

I can't wait! If I enjoy this I'll definitely be doing the first part of the AFF in the summer.

kraggy

I've looked into doing the AFF abroad before and couldn't get a price cheaper than IPC.

When you consider flights and accommodation on top of the actuall course, it's def not worth it.

Unless there are cheaper out there but I couldn't find any.

PeakOutput

kraggy wrote: »

I've looked into doing the AFF abroad before and couldn't get a price cheaper than IPC.

When you consider flights and accommodation on top of the actuall course, it's def not worth it.

Unless there are cheaper out there but I couldn't find any.

did you factor in the time it might take you to go from your first jump to solo's / a licence at the ipc?

to me that is the big thing irish weather is a load of bull**** for jumping

you are virtually(anything could go wrong but practically) guaranteed great weather at skydive spain gap in france or empuriabrava

when i was in the states two guys went from one jump and no jumps respectively to a licence in 14 days with 5 days of bad weather thrown in i do not see that happening anywhere in ireland at the moment mainly because of the weather

it would be very very possible in any of the places i listed above

ftr i have never jumped at ipc

kraggy

Yeah I see your point but from a purely financial point of view, it makes more sense to do it here.

I was just making the point that for some reason some people seem to think that Ireland is expensive for things in general and thus must be more expensive for skydiving too. But this is not the case, as far as I can make out anyway.

niamh4626

Hi neil1984!!

best of luck with tthe jump, it really is an experience you will never forget!!

I did a tandem for charity in Clonbullogue last June and absolutly LOVED IT!! I kept meaning to book in for a course but eventually forgot about until I watched a video of my friend doing one in Australia!! Now i'm all up for it again and am planning to do a course on 23rd May. I jsut ahve to decide whether to fo the static line (cheaper but longer to get a licence) or the AFF (expensive bu faster to get a licence)!!

Any advise guys would be greatly appreciated!!:D

Skuxx

How did it go?

I'm planning one for during the summer!

alan1990

alan1990 wrote: »

How did it go?

I'm planning one for during the summer!

It was amazing, that's all I can say. Truly unreal. I will DEFINITELY be doing AFF now. Gonna save like a fiend so I can go and do it in the summer.


You should do it this summer man, the feeling is so hard to describe, but it's phenomenal!

cabla

Deleted User wrote: »

It was amazing, that's all I can say. Truly unreal. I will DEFINITELY be doing AFF now. Gonna save like a fiend so I can go and do it in the summer.


You should do it this summer man, the feeling is so hard to describe, but it's phenomenal!

Haha good man. Well done. Any video?

ALso how much is the AFF?

Kersmash

I'd love to do the AFF so much. Are there age requirements? And roughly how much does it cost does anyone know? Cheers.

iceage

Peakoutput is your man here as well as others, its not cheap but the biggest hurdle is the weather here in Ireland. I believe figures for an AFF course range about the 1600.00 yoyo mark, give or take depending on the DZ. But as I said your biggest challenge here at home will be the weather.

You could always work your way up though through S/L and so on, once you get over the initial training and first jump the S/L jump fees drop drastically if you can keep them up that is. A licience in about 25 jumps or so if you don't fek it up! Its all about keeping it up and keep jumping.

PeakOutput

Kersmash wrote: »

I'd love to do the AFF so much. Are there age requirements? And roughly how much does it cost does anyone know? Cheers.

hey man

check out www.skydiveireland.ie or http://www.skydive.ie/

i started at the former and have never jumped at the latter

if you are going to do it in ireland i would advise static line as you can jump as long as the clouds are above 3000ft wereas with aff its more expensive and you need clear sky

i believe skydive ireland had a 16 yr old student last year with parental permission i am pretty sure he is a licenced skydiver now

only 4/5 weeks and i get to go back to the sunny east coast of america to jump all summer just gotta get threw these damn college exams grrrrrrr

FestivalFox

I'm just back from a 2 week skydiving trip to Empuria. Its my 4th trip there and this one might be my last. This is the best dropzone in europe but the weather there is terrible. Its always windy there, the dz is just situated in the wrong part of spain!

I met a lot of frustrated aff students out there for weeks at a time trying to get there AFF finished. Also at empuria they dont teach you how to track during your AFF! (tracking is fast forward movement in freefall) As I said before I recommend doing a SL course in Ireland or you could try one of the other spanish dropzones. As peak said skydive spain. Skydive Lillio or freefall university near Madrid. The weather for skydiving in Madrid I hear is better than empuira.

Ciaran500

PeakOutput wrote: »

if you are going to do it in ireland i would advise static line as you can jump as long as the clouds are above 3000ft wereas with aff its more expensive and you need clear sky

€1880 to get a license from solo line. (€320 + (24x€65))
€1300 for the AFF


How many jumps do you normally get in if you were doing the AFF on a clear day?

Also does anyone recommend any companies doing the AFF over seas?

PeakOutput

Ciaran500 wrote: »

€1880 to get a license from solo line. (€320 + (24x€65))
€1300 for the AFF

you had me there for a second but then i realised were your thinking is gone wrong

aff is a day long course and 6 jumps(assuming you pass them all straight away. thats what the 1300 euro costs. if you fail a level(which is likely) you have to repeat it and pay for it(probably 150/200euro). then when you graduate form aff you still have the rest of your jumps to go till you get your a licence so say you pass in 6 jumps you still have 19 jumps to go to get your licence so thats what?? 1235euro?

so to compare like with like its 1880 to go from no jumps to 25 and your a licence if you pass every step first time on static line and its 2550 odd to go from no jumps to a licence if you pass every step with aff. budget to fail maybe one or two levels for either method

advantage of aff is you get onto freefall straight away
disadvantage is its dear

advantage of aff is its not as big a financial commitment at the the start
your going to be having a blast jumping out of a plane either way weather you have freefall or not because its still new to you
being ' connected' to something that will pull the chute for you on your first jump is a big safety blanket mentally when your stepping out onto that step

if i was doing it all again id do aff again but if it wasnt for static line id never have gotten into the sport in the first place

How many jumps do you normally get in if you were doing the AFF on a clear day?

in ireland i would say 3 max i havnt jumped at the dz in offaly but i doubt they have had many people get 4 aff jumps in one day

Also does anyone recommend any companies doing the AFF over seas?

in no order other than iv jumped at the first one

http://www.skydivespain.com/Beginners.htm

http://www.skydiveempuriabrava.com/

http://www.parachutismegap.com/index-eng.html

the last one there gap is a club dropzone and is open and run jsut for its club members so i hear they really look after their students. not that the others dont but obviously the atmospheres/ethos of a business vs a club will be different

Ciaran500

PeakOutput wrote: »

aff is a day long course and 6 jumps(assuming you pass them all straight away. thats what the 1300 euro costs. if you fail a level(which is likely) you have to repeat it and pay for it(probably 150/200euro). then when you graduate form aff you still have the rest of your jumps to go till you get your a licence so say you pass in 6 jumps you still have 19 jumps to go to get your licence so thats what?? 1235euro?

So what can I do with an AFF but no license?

PeakOutput wrote: »

if i was doing it all again id do aff

You had me convinced of static line till this. Why?

PeakOutput wrote: »

in no order other than iv jumped at the first one

http://www.skydivespain.com/Beginners.htm

http://www.skydiveempuriabrava.com/

http://www.parachutismegap.com/index-eng.html

the last one there gap is a club dropzone and is open and run jsut for its club members so i hear they really look after their students. not that the others dont but obviously the atmospheres/ethos of a business vs a club will be different

Thanks, I'll have to do some research.

PeakOutput

Ciaran500 wrote: »

So what can I do with an AFF but no license?

you can jump on your own or with a coach until you get the recquired number of jumps and complete the various excersises needed to get your first licence. aff qualifies you to be able to jump out of a plane on your own safely in 6 jumps. static line does the same but the prgression and learning is spread out over alot more jumps

You had me convinced of static line till this. Why?

i wasnt the most commited person but in ireland between september and may i got only 6 static line jumps in and i still wasnt on freefall. when i went to america two days of nice weather in a row and i had graduated aff and could jump on my own. now the main reason for that is i started in the winter and not the summer and i was working for the dropzone in america so i got some extra help. id still reccomend static line if your doing it ireland.

Thanks, I'll have to do some research.

if you have the money to travel abroad to do it then you probably have the money to do aff and thats what i would recommend doing

Ciaran500

Pretty sure I've decided on doing an AFF level 1 with IPC then take it from there.

Anyone any experience with this club?
How busy are they? I was going to get this organised after my exams, but should I get in there ASAP?

PeakOutput

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Pretty sure I've decided on doing an AFF level 1 with IPC then take it from there.

cool man go for it you will have a blast

rustynutz

Ciaran500 wrote: »

Pretty sure I've decided on doing an AFF level 1 with IPC then take it from there.

Anyone any experience with this club?
How busy are they? I was going to get this organised after my exams, but should I get in there ASAP?

I done my static line course with the IPC a few years ago,they have a lot of new AAF instructers over the last year so just turn up every fine weekend and you should be licensed in no time,it's all down to luck but I've heard of students getting 3 or 4 jumps on a good weekend.it took me a year to get my licence,I live a 2 hours from the club though so if you live closer you are more likely to be there every weekend and progress faster.There are pros and cons to AAF and static line but if I was going again I'd do AAF,at least you get to freefall from the start which is the fun part:D Whatever route you go you will not regret it,just be prepared to become addicted!You will not meet a sounder bunch of people than skydivers no matter where you go in the world:o

Ciaran500

rustynutz wrote: »

I done my static line course with the IPC a few years ago,they have a lot of new AAF instructers over the last year so just turn up every fine weekend and you should be licensed in no time,it's all down to luck but I've heard of students getting 3 or 4 jumps on a good weekend.it took me a year to get my licence,I live a 2 hours from the club though so if you live closer you are more likely to be there every weekend and progress faster.There are pros and cons to AAF and static line but if I was going again I'd do AAF,at least you get to freefall from the start which is the fun part:D Whatever route you go you will not regret it,just be prepared to become addicted!You will not meet a sounder bunch of people than skydivers no matter where you go in the world:o

Great, just what I wanted to hear. Was worried I'd spend most of the summer waiting for appointments.

I'm only an hour away from the club so getting down for jump will be no problem, getting money to go every weekend will be a problem though

iceage

Guys apologies for this sidestep on the thread but its so funny, May I introduce Skydiving Bear.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8373165428322827115

funcycle21

HA! nice little video! reminds me of a girl I used to know.