1.4 Accelerated Freefall (AFF) to Cat 8
Description
This article is from the Skydiving FAQ, by Barry Brumitt with numerous contributions by others.
1.4 Accelerated Freefall (AFF) to Cat 8
AFF or Accelerated Free Fall takes the student to Cat. 8
in just eight training jumps plus ten consolidation jumps
if all goes well. The equipment used is a ripcord
deployed ram air parachute with AAD like the RAPS kit.
All training jumps except the last are from at least
10000 feet, and the first three are with two instructors
holding the student and performing in-air coaching. A
major part of AFF is the pre jump briefing, and the post
jump debrief, many centres use air to air video to
supplement the training and to review the jump.
The seventh training jump is the same half series that
the category jumpers perform. The final jump in the
training is a hop and pop from around 5000ft to simulate
aircraft emergency bale out and give experience of
subterminal deployment. NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN AFF
REQUIREMENT IN THE USA.
Following the hop and pop, ten consolidation jumps must
be made at an approved AFF club before Cat 8 is awarded.
NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN AFF REQUIREMENT IN THE USA.
Conversion to throw away pilot chute deployment may be
carried out during the consolidation.
This is the most likely cause for problems with UK
students going to the USA to do AFF courses. Unless they
use BPA approved instructors they may have problems when
returning to the UK. I don't have any general guidelines,
but I am aware of cases where the student has had to
repeat the half series jump. As far as I am aware, the
student will always have to do the hop and pop and the
ten consolidation jumps.
I remember one case (a few years ago) where someone
returned after doing AFF in Florida and a number of FS
jumps, and they were asked to return to the category
system by their home DZ!
The UK student should also be careful of cheap AFF
courses offered at boogies and DZs in continental Europe
- their rules may be different and you may have to repeat
some of the course back in the UK.
[This is an area in which I need more information and
case histories. I will also try to tie down a few CCIs].
Of course, there will be no problems with AFFs achieved
outside the UK if the instructors are current BPA AFF
instructors. This is the case in Skydive Sebastian in
Florida, and many UK instructors offer AFF courses in
France and Spain.
The minimum number of jumps is 18 including
consolidation and conversion, and is unlikely to be much
more.
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