how many jumps makes you a "current" skydiver?

[Newbie 0]

what is a "current" skydiver? Someone who jumps every day is obviously current, how about once a month, and makes say 2 or 3 jumps in that month in one day?
How about one jump in 2 months?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[skybytch 273]

Depends on how you define "current."

By USPA license standards, since I have a D license I can make one jump every six months and be "current." By my own standards (meaning that I'm jumping enough to be happy with my flying skills), 5-10 jumps a month is "current." If I wanted to get on a 100 way with certain organizers, 100 jumps in the last six months would probably be "current" enough.

[riggerrob 643]

At one point Transport Canada defined 50 hours per year as the minimu for a private pilot to stay current.
By the same logic, I feel uncomfortable if I make less than 50 jumps per year. Fifty jumps per year is a minimum if you are going to do complex skydives that include cameras, demos, large formations, students, etc.
I tell aspiring tandem instructors to not bother getting the rating if they plan on making less than 50 tandems per year.

[lummy 4]

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By USPA license standards, since I have a D license I can make one jump every six months and be "current."

did that change? I was under the impressionm that a D license didn't have a currency requirement

On my way to USPA :)

I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1

[Ron 10]

Living in FL...I feel that 20 jumps a mth is what I consider for me to be current. That comes to 240 a year.

I did 250 a year when I was at a Cessna DZ in ARK. for 3 years. 500 for 2 years in 97/98...Then slowed down a bit for Uncle Sam for 3 years. Last year I did a little over 300.
This year I am aiming for 600.

Ron

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[PhreeZone 20]

Living in a 9 month jumping season I'm happy at my 240 a year, I think that thats way more current then most people up here during the same months, but for the first month plus back I am uncurrent as heck and watch everything twice as hard. Personally.. I have issues with people that don't make at least 7 jumps a month. If you can't make the effort to get out to a DZ to do a weekends worth of jumps during a month, you really are'nt helping your self and if you start wanting to swoop or do anything else you are at greater risk of injury.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I would tend to agree with Phree here that people should try and target about 8 jumps/month to stay current. Of course time, weather and money sometimes get in the way. But 8 jumps/month is only 2 jumps/week.

BTW ... I'm hoping to do at least 10 jumps this weekend and I think that is doable what with the weather forecast.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[lummy 4]

Hmmmm... Seems the 2001 SIM is the same requirement. Seems I need to yell at a certain D license holder. :)

not that it matters since she's current now, but still....

I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. I promise not to TP Davis under canopy.. eat sushi, get smoochieTTK#1

[ScratchTX 0]

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Depends on how you define "current."

It also depends on how you answer "current enough for what?"

I waver on the edge of currency frequently. If I'm way behind in jump numbers, (1-4 jumps in the past 1-2 months) I'll figure I'm "current enough" for a solo or simple two-way with an experienced jumper. A little less behind, I'm "current enough" for a three-way with experienced jumpers I trust. To do a 4-5 way with a mixed group (experience-wise), opening at a usual 3k altitude, or to try some new equipment or a new kind of jump, I'll need to be feeling "current enough" to have my window of awareness opening up again, to feel confident in my ability to track for good separation on my own, and to be confident in my landing pattern since I won't have as much time during the skydive to think about it. Recent jump numbers are a big part of that, but other things affect my skill/awareness level and I try to take that into account, too.

I rehearse emergency procedures on the ground everytime I go to the dz. I'll go to the standing harness to do practice pulls if it's been more than two or three months, or if it crosses my mind that I might want to do that.

[JYorkster 0]

It's difficult to discuss currency without discussing experience. Even USPA recognizes this by setting different currency requirements for different experience levels. Basically, the less overall experience you have, the more jumps required to stay "current".

Also, the required skill level for the jump you are doing makes a difference. I.e., a conservative canopy pilot with a conservative wing loading may not require as many jumps to stay "current" as someone swooping under an extremely high wing loading.

Sorry I didn't really answer the question, but there are many things to consider when talking about currency. You should jump enough that you are comfortable with the type of jumps you are doing.

Rock

[diablopilot 2]

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you really are'nt helping your self and if you start wanting to swoop ...... you are at greater risk of injury.

I will not give coaching or high performance canopy advice to anyone at our DZ unless they commit to 300+ skydives per season. I think if you want to swoop you need to make the same type of commitment you would if you wanted to do competitive 4 way for example. If a person cannot make that commitment, then I will be happy to coach them in canopy flight, but not in the more "high performance" aspects.

Just my opinions....

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[PhreeZone 20]

In a year round environment 300+ jumps is very reasonable to expect, I'm looking at not a good weekend in the past 3 months to jump and the weather will be like this for 2 more at least (look at my sig ), for me to do 300 jumps in 6-7 months as a weekend skydiver is extremely hard. I was pushing hard to do 240 last year.

Do you think that there are differences based on jump season?

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[diablopilot 2]

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Do you think that there are differences based on jump season?

Yes, and no. Here is my take on it.
300 jumps at a year round (12 month) DZ = aprox 6-7 jumps per weekend.

300 jumps at a 9 month DZ = aprox 8-9 jumps per weekend

300 jumps at a 6 month DZ = aprox 12-13 jumps per weekend

The last one is hard to do, but can be done. In my opinion someone who has done 300 jumps in 6 months is reasonably "current" and has a good "feel" for their canopy and the way it flies. Someone who has done 150 in twelve months needs to become more familiar, before diving into high performance canopy flight. The comparison is the person who wants to do 4way. 150 jumps in a year will not bring your skills to a competitive level. The same applies to high performance canopy flight. Someone who only makes 10 jumps per month should think twice, and then maybe a third time about the effects pulling a 270 over the top of the landing area.

I'm not sure if I can put the relationship between time under a canopy and the ability to fly that canopy closer to the edge of its performance envelope, into words but we have seen the results of people crossing the boundaries of that envelope in the last year. Look at the number of jumps the competitors on the ProTour are making every year to stay at that "level of currency". I fly at 2.1 to 2.5 wing loadings, made about 950 jumps last year, and if I don't make a jump for 3 weeks, I feel down right uncurrent.

To sum up and try to answer the question, more jumps in a short time = higher level of currency. There are two qualifiers - prior experience level (got to start from something), and after a long lay off, a cautious start to your "season" if advisable.

Just my 2 nickels worth....

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.