How I Got My Solo Skydiving License - AFF
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- čas přidán 3. 06. 2024
- In this video I run through AFF Levels 1 to 8 and summarise the process of getting my British Skydiving A License last year. Is skydiving difficult / expensive / time consuming?
0:00 Intro
0:36 AFF Course Overview
2:38 Going Through The Levels
7:39 Consolidation Jumps
7:58 Summary
■ Subscribe and comment if you want to! It makes me happy.... / @adamradcliffe
■ My Instagram: / adamradclifts
#Skydive #AFF
Thanks for taking the time to explain and comment exactly on what was needed to be said. Perfect length, PACE, you should be an instructor.
finally, an AFF video from someone thats done it in the uk
Nice one mate glad you liked it! Any questions just let me know
@@AdamRadcliffe do you receive a physical licence, like a driving licence. Also how often do you have to jump now that you have an A licence
@@mtube1720 yes but it’s more like a passport (I flash it on the screen at the start of the video that’s what it looks like). As far as I am aware it’s still advised to leave a maximum of 6 weeks between jumps while you’re still new or some drop zones will make you prove yourself again depending on how long it’s been that could range from a quick refresh, a check out jump (1 instructor) or maybe even another ground school if it’s been a super long time. Then when you move on to B and C license it gets slightly less important to stay as current. Check with the drop zone you’ll be jumping at though, this is just a rough guide from my experience.
This summary is so clear with what to expect throughout each level especially about body positioning and where your instructors will be! Thanks so much and congratulations!! Starting my license next week in Durham!🙌🏻
Thank you Tiegan! Best of luck with it, enjoy! I’m going to get my B license this summer
I did 15,000ft Skydive. Loved it. Have so much respect for you guys. Would luv to get my licence
Awesome, glad you went for it! 🤩
Fantastic video. I did my first tandum jump a couple weeks ago from 15,00ft and have just booked in to the AFF next month. Hopefully I don't have to retake any levels but at the end of kf the day, I'll do them all as many times as necessary to ensure my safety. More worried about having the strength to maintain control etc and landing in the right area than anything.
Great video Adam, I’m hoping to get an AFF Course booked soon, this video has been a great watch, thanks for posting it!
Nice! 😎
this video made me learn the steps to become a skydiver thank you so much
Very welcome 👊🏼
I did my first tandem jump yesterday and now I'm hooked.
Hahahaha nice, welcome to the club. Hope you do your AFF
Hey hey! That’s hibaldstow skydive! I go there :)
It’s a really good drop zone. Anyway good work and video :)
Nice one man, great video. Can’t wait to get started! New subscriber ✌🏻
Cheers dude, welcome 👊🏼
Well done fella you nailed it. I hope to be doing my aff course in the new year once I have got a doctor to sigh medical forms because of my age. Once again congratulations on passing 👌
Thanks mate 🤙🏼 best of luck with yours hope you smash it! I’ve got some highlights from my Formation Skydiving badge on here as well which is a good vid if you want to check it out
Thanks mate 🤙🏼 best of luck with yours hope you smash it! I’ve got some highlights from my Formation Skydiving badge on here as well which is a good vid if you want to check it out
Thank you for putting this together. In February, I suffered a displaced trimalleoloar fracture that sidelined me for six months. 14 screws and 2 plates later, I am eager to get back in the air and finish my A license (19 jumps to go!). Watching this video and all of the good flares really helped because I flared too late because I landed short on the tarmac.
Sorry to hear that mate, best of luck with your license!!
Top content I'm going take the plunge I have found your video really helpful thank you
Enjoy mate 👊🏼
cool video, very informative, well done!!
Thank you mate
Respect to anyone jumping out of a plane. I desperately want my solo licence, money is the real object. Very helpful video.
Thanks my friend 🤙🏼
Adam! thanks for that video. May not seem much but that was so clear and informative, where other AFF videos have unnecessary footage. I hope to go to Thailand this month and do the same. Hope their equipment is safe.
Nice one Mr Tony, glad you found it useful! All the best with your AFF course
Any update? Would love to hear how it went and how much did it cost in theiland and how safe was it
@3:55 impressive arch by your instructor.
Also, please make a video about windtunneling, how important it is thruout AFF and later on
Nice information there fella. I wanted to start skydiving this year and get my licence possibly, but it turns out im too old to start. I hope you have a lifetime of fun doing this. 👍👌
Lovely comment mate. Thank you and all the best
His old is “too old to start?”
Wow that’s a lot easier than in the US! We have a 25 jump minimum. 14 of them are coach/ instructor jumps
Great video!
👊🏼👊🏼
Quality video adam
Thanks mate! Getting there bit by bit
Had my first tandem skydive in Siquijor, Philippines and now I'm obsessed on skydiving. HAHAHAHA
Haha nice
This video was actually really informative so thank you for that. I would give 5 stars if I could 👍
Thank you hahaha 👊🏼👊🏼
The explanation is so clear that it sounds easy, but I also know that the falling sensation is the most difficult for me when it comes to nausea. That would be a distraction from the hand signals and cord positions...
I actually didn't feel like I was falling. When we jumped out of the plane it was more of a roll. We rolled over completely once and by the time we were facing the ground we were going really fast. At that point it's just a lot of wind. To me, it felt like I was standing outside in a hurricane, instead of falling. The ground is so far away at first you don't get a perspective like you're falling towards it. Then when they pop the chute, you're going down AND forward at about 1 foot down for every 3 forward. There's no sense of falling at that point.
That was a great video. I do paramotoring, would you be able to launch a Parachute like a paraglider wing, and im in Nottingham, got Langar near me
thinking of getting my AFF here in the US looks like a blast
Best of luck with it mate 👊🏼👊🏼
Thanks for the vid mate, booking into an AFF course this year! How were the landings? Especially on the first jump not having done it before.. 🤙🏼
I’ve got my 1st tandem jump booked 17/3/23 can’t wait I can already see I’m going to want to do the aff corse after .🤘🏻
Nice mate enjoy 🤙🏼 check my most recent vid out it’s skydiving as well
Done the jump bro now booked in for aff in April any tips on landing bro?
@@Rivaboyz1987 congrats man! You'll get all the best advice in your ground training but biggest advice for the first jump is don't flare too early, and once you flare - hold it! Enjoy
@@AdamRadcliffe ok cheers mate have you got your own skydiving gear or once’s done the aff do you just hire the stuff when you wanna jump ?
With who and how much please ?
Great video
Cheers dude
Inspiring video! Do you plan to learn something like gliding suit next? I imagine it's pretty similar with skydiving but with more airtime
500 jumps are required to get a glide license
Hey Adam,
I love this video, straight to the point and you make it look easy! I have one question: I went for a tandem skydive the other day and my ears were popping and I ended up getting a bad headache afterwards. I was wondering if you got that too and if so, how did you deal/overcome it?
Hey mate, equalise your ears on the way up by holding your nose and blowing gently. Equalises the pressure
Congratulations I just got my class A July 22... Best thing I've ever spent money on Blue skies maybe one day we'll run into each other!
Nice one mate congrats, thanks for subscribing! Maybe see you at a drop zone one day
I like how you are replying to people, great Vid- quick question I live in west London so who can I do my tandem jump with? and where do I go for the AFF license?
Thanks mate glad you liked it, one of my first vids! For the tandem, Hinton and Headcorn are closest to you. But the 2 best in the country are Langar and Hibaldstow so I’d make the journey to either of them for your AFF if I were you.
just did a tandem at Hib, 100% doing my AFF!
Noiceee
Thanks for summarizing your experience! I am thinking about doing the AFF training. I am absolutely not athletic and I am not sure if I will be able to hold my balance in the air (I am really not good with balance). Would you say this could become a big problem? How fit does one have to be for the AFF training?
Only one way to find out hahahaha 🤣 just kidding, it’s not really about balance more about symmetry and relaxing, & no you don’t have to be fit at all, just not obese or at cardiac risk, you just have to be able to bend at the hips in order to arch your body
Thank you!
"Just 8mins of freefall"? Which level did you have to repeat? 😉 (Joking of course) Blue skies, mate! 🤙🏻Hope to see you up there sometime 👊🏻
Im contemplating selling numerous things I own to pull the trigger on AFF and eventually my own rig. Im also expecting my first kid in about a month so my attention SHOULD be on that but after 2 tandems I think skydiving might save my life.
Glad you enjoyed your tandems mate! Definitely not recommended to get your own rig for the first year until you’ve done at least 50 jumps (because you will downsize). Of course you know your financial situation best and the kid needs to come first however it is a fantastic hobby. I would say, like all extreme sports ‘needing’ to do it might not be the healthiest mindset. You’re looking at around £2k for the AFF and £40 a jump ish after that
I'm booked in for my AFF licence this summer in the UK. Just a quick question, how often do you need to keep jumping to maintain your licence before having to take a refresher course.
Online what I can find is 1 every 60 days which seems abit much ??
Hey mate, good luck with it! & Enjoy!! No, you are correct, you need to do 1 every 60 days roughly to remain current otherwise most drop zones will require you to refresh
In regards to level 1. When the parachute is deployed you still need to know how to steer right? Does this happen beforehand or is this some different kind of parachute that you don't need to control.
Yes mate you do it all yourself - you learn it on the ground the day before
Did you do with Chris?? Looks like hibaldstaw skydive Lincolnshire. Doing my AFF as well…
Nice one Ben good luck with it! Yes it was at Hib! And no haven’t jumped with Chris before
Just done my first Tandem Skydive this weekend at skydive Hibaldstow. Is that where this video is filmed? Best thing I've ever done, really want to do the AFF.
Once you have your licence what are the prices of solo jumps? And do you need your own parachute etc?
Nice mate yea it was filmed there - check the websites for prices and you can kit hire 👊🏼
Great vid cheers 👍 once you have your A licence how much does it cost you per jump?
About £22 and the same again for kit hire. Depends where you jump tho mate
@@AdamRadcliffe not bad at all not long done a tandem jump now got the itch to jump again 🙈 so might as well bite the bullet and do the aff course haha. Thanks for the reply 👍
Hey mate. Just curious, did you do a tandem jump before hand or did you just go “I want to sky dive” and book your solo course??
Hey mate, nope I went straight to solo
Great video!! How much did the course cost?
Thank you :) says in the video
Where did you do it?
Hi
What is the best time of year to begin your AFF in UK. I am from Nottingham. Hoping to do the course at languar.
Also is it beneficial to do some tunnel time to practice manoeuvres?
Your help Adam would be greatly appreciated 🙏 xx
Hey Karen thanks for commenting! Summer is definitely most common as its warmer and more pleasant but there is no best time as long as the skies are clear and its not too windy for students. Best to check with Langar if they're doing AFF over the winter and go for it if you don't want to wait till summer. Also I would recommend doing AFF Levels 1-3 without tunnel time as they are super easy and require no skill. Then when you get to Level 4 you may find you get on with turns quite well and so no tunnel time required just keep smashing through it. Typically if people fail a level a couple of times then they look in to tunnel time. Its just about weighing up the costs for yourself, I wanted to do it as cheaply as possible so risked no tunnel time and was fine. Hope this all helps and all the best!
Spring is the best time because, although it is a bit colder, you can get your courser underway and be able to enjoy your license in the summer and start progressing onto different aspects of the sport starting with learning to fly with other people (search Fly4Life for inspiration). Take one jump at a time rather than trying to focus too far ahead and enjoy cos you only get your first times once! Langar is a great DZ, they should get you though your AFF in good time! Hope to see you in the skies :)
That's how I learned to swim.... that was almost 30 Yr ago. I'm just as silly now but want to live a hell of a lot more than I did then. Where did u do that mate
🐟
Been jumping at Hib over the last year but not seen you around. Have you quit?
No mate - I don’t live in England at the moment
im interested in starting an aff course and really nervous that i might fail one of the levels. can you retake them or is that you basically over
You can re take as many times as you need, it’s very normal to fail! I failed twice taking doing my FS1 badge
@@AdamRadcliffe omg thank you so much. Also another thing I forgot to ask is that what time frame do you have to do everything in. I get paid monthly and can afford to do 1 level a month.
@@miaclarke6859 you are very welcome. Then I wouldn't recommend skydiving for you. You should be in a position to pay for the whole course up front in my opinion. You need to jump regularly to pass, a couple of levels per month minimum
@@AdamRadcliffe you are so helpful. I have no idea why I can’t find this stuff online. Im hoping to be able to do 2 per month and where I’m looking they get cheaper as you progress. Just need to pass my driving test in 2 weeks then I can book my first AFF level. I’m super excited! Thank you so much
Hello, I am very interested in the sport of skydiving, however I often find written tests difficult. I have searched for it on the internet, but I find very little to nothing on this subject. I would like to get the USPA A License. Can you give me some info about the test? Is it recommended to practice for it beforehand? If so, where can I find information about it?
Hey mate, it is barely any writing from what I remember, mainly multiple choice and few word answers. (This was for the British Skydiving license not USPA). I would recommend learning basic hand signals before your course - otherwise everything I mentioned in this video is enough to know going into the course
Thanks for letting me know@@AdamRadcliffe
How much does the gear cost ?
Parachute/harness/etc.
Parachutes are a few thousand pounds. Harness is part of the parachute 🤙🏼
Did you managemake all the jumps the first time? If yes, did you have any special preparation for the aff course? Was it difficult ?
Both those answers are in the video my friend
Just wondering like now you can jump on your own, how much does it cost to jump on your own because I know a tandem jump is about £250
About £20 jump ticket and £20 kit hire mate per jump
@@AdamRadcliffe oh that's OK I got the course booked for June the 7th - so it's good to hear its not ridiculous amounts to jump solo after that
Was this in one day or spread out over a few weeks?
Many weeks
What’s the landing like? And controlling the parachute?
You’ll have to try it for yourself mate 😅😅👀
@@AdamRadcliffe haha might bloody have too😅 have you done much solo since earning the license?
After you get your A license how much roughly does all the gear cost?
Varies hugely mate depending on what you want. Main cost is the rig they tend to be a few thousand dollars second hand from what I can see
@@AdamRadcliffe when you jump do you rent yours or do you own your own, thanks
@@Rapid0808 I rent mine still mate can't afford that haha. Only have my own altimeter and gloves etc
@AdamRadcliffe
I was curious where else in the world i can do AFF?
Most developed countries mate
Definitely correct, their skydiving is very expensive ,especially if you ifly as well.
For sure, I don’t ifly do it keeps the costs down 🫡
which country or which school is best for AFF course?
Impossible to answer dude. I did mine at Hibaldstow in the UK. They have two planes and the biggest facilities
How long did it take the entire process to get a license?
Depends entirely how often you jump, can be done in a couple of weeks
Got my A license this year. Total cost was around $3,500. Start saving and reading up now
where did you get the license?
where did you get your AFF done?
Hibaldstow mate
So how expensive is it approximately?
£1800 in total
5k pull altitude? In my day it was 2.5k?
5k, correct
Ok thanks that altitude safer for sure. As we always said, altitude is your friend!@@AdamRadcliffe
how much is the cost
In the video
Hi buddy
Which school is this can u share it with me please?
Hibaldstow
Can you share the institute's details?
Skydive Hibaldstow
Thank you
You told us all this but didn’t tell us the cost
01:56
Kudos but you definitely cannot jump anywhere in the world lol. Many places require a C license.
Thanks mate glad you liked it - BSL has credibility internationally and most countries round the world allow you to jump with it. Of course drop zone dependent for the license level they ask for 🤙🏼