AFF Certification advice needed.

[LawnDart21 0]

Okay, so I have signed up for an AFF Cert course for end of July 2002. From reading the USPA training info and talking with AFF instructors, I can already tell the course is going to be insanely difficult. (one AFF instructor I talked to said that by the end of the course he attended, none of the jumpers would even talk to each other because they were so stressed/angry with each other). Okay, with that said, I'm writing this to ask for advice/tips on things that can make the AFF Cert course go smoothly. I'm studying all the material USPA sent, and have watched the video countless times, and have been doing practice jumps, but I want so see if anyone has any specific ideas and techniques to keep the course positive. Thanks in advance.
Blue Skies to All, and to ALL a Good Flight!
Tom

[freeflir29 0]

Bring strippers, beer, and lots of "extra" cash to the DZ.........maybe just leave an envelope lying around near the evaluators gear.........."I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"
Clay

[RemiAndKaren 0]

have a look in the training forum... there are some recent posts re. the AFF cert. course
Remi
Muff 914

[jlmiracle 7]

I went through the course last May. The course will be as stressful as you make it. What I found out was every Course Director has a different agenda. Rick Horn was my course director and he was great, but unfortunately, i had been practicing and training with someone who had been with a different course director so I basically went there knowing nothing but managed to pass with Rick's and Mark's help. Rick has a web site www.rickhorn.com that has information that the course material you get from the USPA does not necessarily include. Unless they have changed the video, its only good for a sleeping aid or paper weight. I can't tell you how to keep your cool and keep a good attitude, but allot of horror stories are hype.
Just try to remember (this is true in most cases), they (the evaluators) are there to help you. If you have a question, ask. Find out exactly what they want to see and hear and do it.
Best of luck to you.
Judy

[Sebazz1 2]

I just went through the course in November. Make sure you have the bottom end sequence down (example 4,500 = alti signal then pull signal then dock and pull - Make that sequence fluid) Make sure you and your partner are on the same page before dives. And don't let the evaluators stress you out. Thats their job. Even if you are a solid rocking skydiver the performance anxiety can nock you down a couple of notches - Relax.
Seb.

[Topcat 0]

Find out who your instructor will be and talk to other people who have taken the course from him. Find out what that course director looks for; find out what his quirks are.
Also: if a course director makes a suggestion, take it as gospel!
It also helps to get some coaching jumps from the course director, if at all possible.
-Sandy

[markbaur 0]

Quote

advice/tips on things that can make the AFF Cert course go smoothly

1. Practice with a current AFF Evaluator. "Current" means current at evaluating, not just current doing AFF at your DZ.
2. Practice the AFFCC eval dives, which are similar to Cat C (with a Cat A exit), and Cat D#2. Similar, but not exactly the same.
3. Practice the dives to AFFCC standards. You need to be able to give freeflown (not docked) freefall instruction, and you'll want lots of practice for the pull sequence at the bottom end.
4. Train with a partner. As an instructor, you'll need to be able to jump with a variety of other instructors, but the ground preps in particular will be easier if you've already rehearsed.
5. Use the AFFCC ground instruction checklist to help organize your ground prep. Have your ground prep (a full dress rehearsal, complete with demonstrator and stand-in student) critiqued by a current AFF Evaluator before going to the course, so you can be smooth when you get there.
6. Get the new (Lake Wales) video from USPA as soon as it becomes available. Toss the old (Yuma) video as soon as you get the new one.
7. Have your proficiency card completed before you get to the course. Bring your current USPA membership card, including proof you've completed the BIC or coach course. Bring proof (logbooks or freefall badge) of your 6 hours of freefall. If you bring logbooks, freefall times should be added up every 4 jumps or so if you have one of the Precision-style logbooks, in hours:minutes:seconds.
8. Get to the course site a day or two early, to make some practice jumps from the aircraft you'll be using, to get oriented to the DZ, and to scope out the training areas you'll be using for the ground stuff.
9. Get video of your dives at the AFFCC. If you can, get video of your practice jumps. Get video of your ground preps. (Okay, nobody does that, so you can be first. You'll appreciate what the Evaluators endure, and your ground preps will improve dramatically.)
10. If you have to travel, budget for a motel. You'll be mentally sharper if you can get a good night's sleep, and can take a shower for however long you like.
11. If you see a problem in your AFFCC, try to be part of the solution. Cooperate with your fellow candidates and the course staff. Dare to be great.
Good luck,
Mark

[ltdiver 3]

Yeah....what Markbaur said. Good points.
Stress reduction is a HUGE key! Here are some of what I did that might help...
1) I had the privilege of training with the course director before attending his course (thanks Rick!)....this took -some- of the pressure off. Knowledge IS power. There was pleanty of stress to go around, though! If you can't do that, at least do practice jumps with an Evaluator and get his feedback.
2) Bring donuts and coffee for everyone during the first 2 days of ground training lectures! Makes everyone happy! :^) (and earns you some support points with the gang to use during the stressed out times later)!
3) Bring beer for everyone for the end of the day. This earns you BIG points and lets everyone chill at the end of the day and share. I have friends still today from the course (and I flew from CA to IN for this).
4) Back massages go a long way too :^)
5) I brought music tapes and a Walkman to mind meld into my thoughts and concentrate during the times of stress. Some songs to soothe....some songs to pump me up for the beginning of the day and right before starting the 'student' gear check. Amazing what this did in controlling my level of arousal (referring to the book's definition, not after jump fun :^) I had actually copied ALL of the DZ's tandem/aff music selections from the school for this! All the songs were 'skydiving' songs and created great visualization.
6) To relax at the -very- end of the day I was able to talk on the phone with my boyfriend (who was also a skydiver) and release all the day's emotion and stress. I think they call this venting :^) Sleep followed soon after. Getting a good nights rest is so essential !
Hope this helps. Boy, does this bring back memories!
ltdiver

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