New BPA licenses

[skreamer 1]

Hi guys
I just found out the BPA license requirements : the A and B are pretty much the same as USPA, however for the C you need 200 jumps (plus some other requirements) and for the D license you now need a whopping 1000 jumps!
The C license will be the equivalent of the rest of the world's D licenses and you will be allowed to jump wingsuits, skysurfing etc. with the new C license.
Do you guys think 1000 jumps for a D license is a bit many? Or is 200 too few? Would 500 jumps for a D license be better? I read an interview with a Golden Knight who said that he thinks you are still a student until about 500 jumps.
Fact is, I will probably just get a USPA D license when I get to 200 jumps and I am in the states for a boogie.
I am interested to know what you guys think of this. Should the jumps requirement for licenses be standardized internationally? British skydivers who have D licenses but less than 1000 jumps can upgrade their license (ie keep their D). It is just a bit demoralizing for me to think that it could take me years and years to get 1000 jumps and get that Holy Grail - my very own D license.
/s
[drop till you party!]

[Hellian 0]

I personally think it's a pretty good idea. Makes firstly something to strive for and secondly, when you get it, you are very experienced, and know your shit a lot!
whereas "some" (please don't flame me ) people @ 250 jumps won't "know their shit"
Ed
Edited by hellian on 3/25/01 01:56 PM.

[miked10270 0]

Hi there,
I must admit I don't like the current "British standard" FAI Licenses. Or most other country's standards either. It seems to me that the "A", "B" & "C" licenses show some sort of achievement or progression, while the "D" only means a $h!tload of jumps. Personally I like the "sticker" endorsements that the British system uses, & I don't have an issue with Jump numbers (althrough I think that they should be eased, maybe 100 jumps for "C" & 200 for "D".
WHAT I DO WANT (!!!) is that as well as jump numbers, you should have achieved something to qualify for the next letter!
Just my $0.02,
Mike D10270.

[skyhawk 2]

um do u just have to get a certian number of jumps and thatas all over there

[FallDown 0]

i was under the impression thatr the bpa licences had beedn at those jump numbers for awhile now, could just be dilusional though.

[Geoff 0]

The change to BPA licenses occured a while ago - in early 1998 I think, so we're pretty much used to them now.
It's only a problem at non-UK drop zones that require a D license for some reason (wind conditions, night jumps, or whatever). Normally you can convince them that a BPA C license is roughly equivalent, but not always.
Geoff

[skreamer 1]

Thanks Geoff
You are right, I think it was more a case of me being new to the licensing structure. Only 967 jumps to go and I'll have my D!!! /s
[drop till you party!]

[Geoff 0]

"um do u just have to get a certian number of jumps and thatas all over there"
No, to get a C or D license, you need the 200 or 1000 jumps, plus IC1 - that's Individual Canopy Grade 1 and involves 5 landings within 10m of a target, packing, spotting and some other basic canopy control stuff.
You also need one further 'Grade 1'. The options are:
FS1 - Formation Skydiving - basically a 4 point 4 way. Most people do this one. It used to be called 'Category 10', and lots of people still call it that.
FF1 - Freeflying - a controlled relative sit-fly
IS1 - Individual Style
or CF1 - Canopy Formations.
There's also an SS1 (Sky Surfing) but you need the C license before starting that.
Lots more detail in the BPA operations manual at http://www.keme.co.uk/~tboughen/sections.html if anyone's interested.
Interestingly, there are no requirements for water jumps or night jumps for any of the licenses.
Cheers
Geoff