Jumping choices

[Acensky 0]

I have not jumped yet. Money and time are the big issues.
I was wondering the pros and cons of each way to do you first jump. i.e. Tandem, static, or AFF.

My dad used to jump and he would like me to do Static or AFF. I probly would enjoy a tandem better but I like being in control.

Please help.

Heather

Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

[GTAVercetti 0]

Do a tandem. If you like it, do AFF.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[AggieDave 6]

See if your DZ offers a tandem progression. Your first couple of jumps are tandems, but you are doing Cat A and Cat B skydives. You are responsible for deploying the canopy and are taught hands on how to fly the canopy safely.

From what I've seen students tend to learn faster through out the rest of their AFF progression by starting with the tandem progression. I can't speak for your DZ but I know with my DZ since you're not using 2 AFF instructors for your first two jumps but a tandem instructor students tend to save about $300.

However, the tandem progression is not for everyone. SL is great due to its usual lower cost. AFF is great for some folks as well, although it is more expensive initially.

All three progressions will end with the same results though, your A license.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[GTAVercetti 0]

I second that (its actually what I meant to say, but AggieDave said it more precisely )

I know quite a few people from my DZ who started in Tandem and slid into AFF. They were very happy with it.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[TALONSKY 0]

As everyone else has said do a tandem. The reason for it is you can concentrate on having fun and taking it all in. In AFF you have a curriculum you will be doing in freefall, which will distract from the first jumps enjoyment. Down in Creswell you should jump at Eugene Skydivers, the owners Urban and Whitney are really great people and their staff is great. If you happen to be up more towards Portland, definitely check out Skydive Oregon (that is my home DZ), I am biased since it is my home but they have the most incredible staff including me.
Kirk

[calledisrael 0]

I probly would enjoy a tandem better but I like being in control.

i think probably on your first jump, "not being in control" will be the last thing on your mind. there is plenty to see and plenty to do. do a tandem, have a good instructor if you want who will let you do a working one. it is a great way to get in, and then you can do AFF. it is much better to start AFF with some experience having been in the sky.

life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
(helen keller)

[Acensky 0]

I went to Eugene Skydivers to watch pleifer and Casch jump for the day. I live in Salem so Skydive Oregon is not that far away, and my dad used to jump there too.

Thanks guys

Heather

Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.

[Mixxit 0]

As a relatively new jumper, I can tell you that doing a tandem first would have it's benefits. My buddy and I did our AFF right out of the gate. In retrospect, there's a side of me that wishes I would have done a tandem first. Trying to remember everything you need to do in freefall, along with the shock of jumping out of that plane for the first time, made for a pretty intense first jump. Had I done a tandem first, I could have gotten over the shock of my first skydive without have to worry about hand signals, and practice pulls, and watching my alti, and circle of awareness, and.........you get the point.

Then again, if you know you're going to stay in the sport, then why waste the cash on a tandem.

I can see it either way. I've never done SL so I can't really comment.

I'm glad I could be of no help what-so-ever.

[dan_iv 0]

i just went straight to AFF, no real reason behind that decision other then I kinda thought tandems were lame before I jumped. But i think they make good points about being able to relax and take in the experience for your first two jumps. You probably won't be as stressed out when you do your first AFF after that like others said....

[Feeblemind 1]

I just completed TAFF 2 weeks ago and I am now on student status. I found it very beneficial to do the Cat A/B in the tandem setting. Your instructor is on your back teaching you canopy control, flight characteristics and landing setup. I found that I was much more comfortable knowing the landing pattern and canopy operation before I made my 1st AFF jump. I was lucky enough to have one instructor throughout my AFF that video taped every AFF jump. The information obtained during the video debrief was a valuable learning tool to myself. I saved up and did the whole Taff progrerssion in a 10 day time span. For me it was the best choice so all the mistakes I had made and been educated on were fresh in my mind. I was pretty fortunate and only had to repeat 2 jumps and I attribute that in large part to the video debriefs as well as performing all AFF dives in the 10 day time frame.

Good luck,

Phil

Fire Safety Tip: Don't fry bacon while naked

[packerboy 3]

Tandem. As a first time jumper you are sort of out of your own natural element in the sky and reactions are unpredictable. Although static line and AFF have proven themselves to be safe methods of learning, being in the air with someone who has thousands of jumps and is in control is safer and lends you the time to soak it in and have more fun.

--------------------------------------------------
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[selbbub78 0]

I did 3 tandems before moving onto IAF, and it was probably the greatest experience. You have someone in the sky to learn from, and I definitly wouldn't change that at all. My boyfriend is talking about wanting to get his license when the weather gets nicer and i've already got him convienced (although he did a lot of looking into it on his own) to go tandem as a first jump
CReW Skies,

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[chuckbrown 0]

I'd recommend a tandem if you just want to see what jumping is like and aren't sure if this sport is for you. If you're pretty sure you want to get into the sport, go with a training program, e.g., static line, AFF or tandem progression. They all get you to where you need to be (A licensed) and each have their pros & cons. Static line is probably the cheapest, especially if you have to repeat an AFF level. AFF and Tandem Progression get you to free fall faster (like in the first jump). No one method is "better" than another.

If you do decide to do a tandem, do a training program jump, if you just do a "ride along" tandem, chances are you're not going to get the comprehensive ground schooling you would in a training program (which you'll have to take if you want to get licensed).

But, hey, it's all good. Have fun.

[dragon2 2]

Maybe a tandem first is a good idea, but I have the same mentality as you: I wanna do it myself! And I did, SL progression. I have no idea if I could've handled the faster pace of AFF or not, I didn't have the money for it so I never tried. But I'm not sorry I didn't pay big bucks for a tandem. After 3 SL jumps I did do 2 tandems because there was a jump-in on a beach for a party and obviously I couldn't go otherwise (or I could've landed with the plane, NOT!) so I got 2 cheap tandem jumps to fill up the plane. I think these did help later on in freefall a bit maybe...
Here they do not offer working tandems though, only "fun rides". Very fun, my first tandem, with a fairly heavy guy for a TM, we still landed backwards on the beach!! Whoops...

But I loved the satisfaction of having jumped all by myself the first time

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[katiebear21 0]

Been discussed before... maybe there's helpful discussions here!

Katie
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