1st Jump

There are two ways you can make your first jump, either a tandem or an AFF Category A jump. Each method has advantages, but if you are not sure you want to become licensed, a tandem is probably the best option.

As a tandem student you will be ‘wearing’ a highly experienced and specifically trained skydiver with a special parachute system on your back. You leave the plane at 12,500 feet and enjoy a minute of freefall and a few minutes canopy ride. You’ll be assisting in freefall, deployment, and canopy descent. You’ll most likely be absolutely exhilarated once you land, and you’ll definitely know whether you want to go on and get licensed.

Accelerated Freefall (AFF) is the training method that allows you to jump with your own parachute, even on your first jump. During this jump (category A), you first go through a classroom section, learning about the equipment you will be using, freefall body positioning, canopy control, aircraft procedures and malfunctions. After completing the course, which can last anywhere from 4-6 hours, you will make your skydive with 2 instructors holding on to you until you deploy your chute. During the freefall, you will be accomplishing the dive flow tasks you learned in class. The AFF program is the way students ultimately get licensed!

Chris exits on his tandem jump

Brian throws a thumbs up on his Cat A AFF jump