Accelerated Freefall Course: 7 Tips From the Pros

So you have your eyes set on the skies? Congratulations!

Completing your Accelerated Freefall Course is one of the most satisfying, exciting and life-changing experiences you’ll ever have. We know it’s a challenge and we want to help you succeed, so we’ve put together our very best tips to smooth the way.

1. Jump Often.

Get to the drop zone as often as possible. To build skills and feel confident, you’ll need to jump much more than the minimum of once every 30 days. Ideally, you’ll do a couple of jumps a day, at least twice a week.

2. Get Comfortable In The Tunnel.

If you want to fast-track your way to success in an AFF program, be sure to spend as much time in the wind tunnel as humanly possible. At Skydive Perris we include wind tunnel time as part of our ground training for AFF-1 so you’ll already have the basics down by the time you’re crouching in the aircraft door.

3. Review Your AFF Jump Prior To Arriving At The DZ.

Each AFF jump is a little different. To help our students prepare, we made all of our AFF training videos and dive flows available on our website which explains the procedure for each level. We highly recommend that you spend a few minutes of your morning reviewing this information and using it to pre-visualise a successful jump.

4. Don’t Expect Perfection.

Getting your skydiving certification is hard. What you’re asked to do isn’t easy, and there’s a lot of pressure on. If it turns out that you have to repeat an AFF level, don’t beat yourself up. Some of today’s world champions have repeated AFF levels. Just work on it in the tunnel, if you need to, and try again with a smile.

5. Scared? That’s Normal–and Totally Okay.

Every new skydiver is scared, whether it shows or not. This isn’t skee ball, after all–this is a couple miles’ worth of high-speed descent from a flying airplane. The more you do it, the more you’ll learn to take control of the fears you experience. Not acknowledging your fear is a waste, anyway–the bravery lies in the fact that you’re terrified, but work diligently despite your fears.

6. Be Patient.

You’ll experience delays. Weather holds will keep you on the ground. You’ll hang tight for a slow-turning load or two. Remember to keep your sense of humor.

7. Remember To Have Fun!

Along those lines: a smile and a sense of humor will go far to helping you along your path to your A-license stamp. Don’t forget to reach out to the community for encouragement; we’re here for you. Talk to people, ask questions and enjoy the journey!
Learn more about our Accelerated Freefall Course or contact a member of our team with questions about how to become a certified skydiver.