🚀 go-pugleaf

Paul Koning (koning@koning.enet.dec.com) wrote:
: In article <5062@svin09.info.win.tue.nl>, javhar@wsinfo01.win.tue.nl (Jack v Rijswijck) writes:
: |>Could anyone give me more info about the AFF method? I've read the FAQ but I've
: |>also been told that this is a very dangerous method and outlawed in most
: |>states. Is it? At which sites can I do this AFF method if it isn't?
: |>I'm looking for dropzones in the Fargo (ND) area, specifically Sauk Centre.
: |>
: Yikes!  Who gave you that sort of nonsense misinformation?
: 
: The safety record of AFF is extremely good, and as a training method it
: seems to work quite well.  I've never heard of it being outlawed anywhere
: (except perhaps Britain, but then again don't they still require first
: jumps to be made with rounds there?).  Having gone through it myself
: 1.5 years ago, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.

Well, I didn't do the AFF course, but I do jump here in the UK. In short, No
- they don't require you to do the first jump on a round. But the vast
majority do, I certainly did. Yes, they do have AFF courses here. The
problem is that a round static line course costs about $(pound)80, whereas
AFF is presented as a complete package (unless you need more than 10 jumps!)
costing $1400. As most first-timers are students on a grant, or other
lower-class ( :-) people, not a lot of people go for the AFF course. So why
do they still jump rounds here? Well, I was told that a lot of clubs bought
loadsa round canopies early in the eighties, and that they don't want to
throw away all that money. My local dropzone isn't pushing their RAPS
(square) course at all, even though they do do it.
Somebody else mentioned a retention rate of 3 in 10 for static line course.
Well, you're lucky. I happen to be chairperson of the university skydiving
club (The university insists we spell it sky-diving, by the way!). Last term
we trained about 25 people. What with the weather being the way it usually
is here in Britain, less than half of these have actually done their first
jump. And we do go down to the local dropzone each weekend. My experience
from previous years is that we'll have a retention rate of about 1 in 15.
Sigh.

Incidentally, just to make the Yanks feel even happier;
a 10,000' feet costs me $17.5 (that's ~26? in US$). And I'm C-license with
my own kit, spotting, jumpmastering etc.

Anyway, somebody is apparently paying thousands of money (insert your
favourite currency) for me to post this, so I'd better be brief. Oops. Too
late?

If any other UK students are reading this, see you at Langar 6-7th Feb!

Radar