Top 5 Reasons to Try AFF Skydiving: Learn How to Skydive Solo
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In Summary
AFF skydiving offers true independence while centering safety culture with instructor guidance. Training is structured and efficient, combining ground school, hands-on practice, and progressive solo jumps. Students gain confidence quickly, working toward their A license with 25 total jumps. Skydiving opens the door to community and lifestyle benefits that go far beyond the thrill of freefall.
If you’ve caught the skydiving bug and are looking for the ultimate skydiving how-to, AFF (Accelerated Freefall) training programs are where it’s at. An AFF program teaches students how to “do” skydiving solo, from gear and freefall to parachute landings and emergency procedures.
But just how hard is AFF skydiving? Jumping out of an airplane solo is an intimidating prospect! The wonderful thing about AFF skydiving is that you have instructors with you every step of the way – on the ground, in the airplane, and in the air. The process makes AFF skydiving the kind of challenge that motivates, not discourages!
Read on for tips about how to go solo skydiving and why AFF is the way to go if you’re looking to get your skydiving license!
1. Experience the Thrill of True Independence
Many people try skydiving for the freedom and rush it’s known for. But tandem skydives include an element of restriction because you’re jumping with an instructor strapped to your back. The AFF training program is where real solo skydiving starts.
It’s true that AFF instructors still accompany you on your jumps, but their role is quite a bit different than a tandem instructor’s. After initial training, AFF instructors act more like the bumpers at a bowling alley – they’re there to save the day if needed, but the student skydiver is capable of completing the jump on their own.
This results in a feeling of independence that is unmatched on tandem skydives, and builds confidence and proficiency unlike any other hobby. You are truly in charge of your own destiny on an AFF skydive, and you can feel the difference!
2. Accelerated Learning and Progression
AFF programs are broken down into compartmentalized learning blocks that build on each other. Students in AFF train with instructors to acquire all the skills and knowledge they need to responsibly complete solo skydives. This education starts in ground school, before the jumps even begin, and covers topics like:
- Airplane exits
- Body positions
- Parachute flight
- Landings
- Emergency procedures
Each AFF category focuses on a different set of skills that naturally progress to more advanced information. And ground school, the practical learning components, and in-air instruction are all instructor-led – the only thing you have to do is show up ready to learn!
3. Builds Confidence and Skill Quickly
AFF courses are specifically designed with efficiency in mind, all the while ensuring students have a complete understanding of important skills. You learn with increasing independence as the course progresses, giving you confidence and allowing you to learn at your own pace.
So, how many jumps are required to complete an AFF? The AFF portion of skydiver training includes seven jumps with hands-on instruction. Students then tackle the A license requirements, much of which is accomplished with a coach and solo. All told, students must log 25 skydives – including the seven AFF jumps – to earn their skydiving license.
4. Join a Thriving Skydiving Community
Skydiving goes far beyond individual experience. People who jump – whether it’s once or thousands of times – find that the skydiving community is more like a family. The love of our sport brings together an incredible number and variety of people under one mission: to enjoy the freedom of the sky.
By going through AFF, you’ll be walking into the open arms of hundreds of thousands of extraordinary adventurers worldwide who want to share the sky with you. It’s not just about freefall, either: skydivers stick around the dropzone after the last plane has landed to socialize and tell stories of the day.
No matter where you go, you’ll feel the welcoming familiarity of your skydiving family waiting to jump with you.
5. AFF as a Gateway to a New Lifestyle
Life is full of stress, responsibilities, and to-do lists. It’s easy to get bogged down in routine and expectations. Skydiving as a hobby is a wonderful release from all of that. Ask any skydiver if they’ve ever thought about their worries while zooming through the sky. Spoiler alert: they haven’t!
Life after AFF is really, really good. Skydiving is a sport that encourages endless learning, self-improvement, fun, and positivity – all of which begin with AFF.
Once you’ve completed your AFF training, you’ll see just how far you can go in learning to fly your body, jump with your friends – even compete on a national (or even global!) level if that’s your aim. And you’ll find that the benefits extend far beyond skydiving. The confidence, stress management, motivation, and physical aptitude will help you in all areas of your life. Learning how to skydive will change your brain, your body, and your future!
Reserve your spot in the AFF program today, and let’s make your dream of flight a reality together! Blue skies!
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