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Below is an explanation of the 8 levels of AFF including the objectives and tasks the Instructors are looking for in the skydive. The skydives below used by Infinite Skydiving Solutions Ltd may not necessarily be the plan used by other skydiving schools. Most skydives are from an altitude of 13,000ft (2.46 miles) falling at approximately 120 mph that gives a student pulling at 5,000ft approximately 47 seconds exposure to freefall.
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Levels explained
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Exposure to continuous free fall (positive exit and freefall, approx 40 seconds)
Altitude and heading awareness (Heading and Altitude check)
Focused attention and communication (communication with instructors and response to hand signals)
Coordinated body movements (Three practice toggle touches)
Deploy main parachute by 5000ft (Attempt to locate and pull main canopy)Canopy control and flared landing with radio assistance (Basic canopy control with radio assistance)
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See Video of AFF Level 1 here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
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Positive exit (Student leads exit count to ensure team leave with good timing)
Altitude awareness throughout (Heading and Altitude check, communication with instructors and response to hand signals)
Practice touches as required (Two practice touches)
Heading awareness
90 degree team turns (Student turns whilst instructors fly holding students harness allowing free movement)
Solo deployment of main parachute by 5000ft (locate and pull main canopy)
Canopy control and safe landing with radio assistance (Basic canopy control with radio assistance) |
See Video of AFF Level 2 here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
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Positive exit (Student leads exit count to ensure team leave with good timing)
Altitude awareness (Heading and Altitude check, communication with instructors and response to hand signals)
Practice touches as required (One practice touch)
Heading control (holding a solid body position on heading)
Hover control while unassisted (maintain heading and body position whilst instructors release grips and fly next to student)
Solo deployment of main parachute by 5000ft (Instructors re-grips student for solo un-assisted pull of main canopy)
Canopy control and safe landing with radio assistance (Good general canopy control, good flight pattern and set up for landing, flared landing) |
See Video of AFF Level 3 here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
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Positive exit (Student leads exit count to ensure team leave with good timing)
Altitude awareness (Heading and Altitude check, communication with instructor and response to hand signals)
Heading control (Instructor release, maintain heading as in level three)
Starting and stopping 90° turns (Upon signal, slow, smooth 90° turn towards Instructor, 90° turn back to original heading upon signal)
Solo deployment of main parachute by 5000ft (Instructor re-grips student for solo un-assisted pull of main canopy)
Canopy control and safe landing (Good general canopy control, good flight pattern and set up for landing, flared landing with minimal or no assistance on radio, as required) |
See Video of AFF Level 4 here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
Positive exit (Student leads exit count to ensure team leave with good timing)
Altitude awareness (Heading and Altitude check, communication with instructor and response to hand signals. Instructor moves in front of student in the slipstream)
Heading control (Instructor release, maintain heading as in previous levels)
360° turns (Upon signal, slow, smooth 360° turn left back to face Instructor, Upon signal, slow, smooth 360° turn right back to face Instructor)
Solo deployment of main parachute by 5000ft (Instructor re-grips student for solo un-assisted pull of main canopy)
Canopy control and safe landing (Good general canopy control, good flight pattern and set up for landing, flared landing with minimal or no assistance on radio, as required)
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See Video of AFF Level 5 here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
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Solo dive exit (un-linked exit with Instructor alongside)
Sub terminal control (maintaining position throughout dive exit until flat and stable on airflow)
Altitude awareness (Heading and Altitude check, communication with instructor and response to hand signals. Instructor flies in front of student in freefall)
Back loops (Attempt at backloop to show un-assisted return to stable belly to earth on heading position)
Tracking (Attempt at forward movement in track position, returning to stable belly to earth on heading position)
Solo deployment of main parachute by 5000ft (Instructor re-grips student for solo un-assisted pull of main canopy)
Canopy control and safe landing (Good general canopy control, good flight pattern and set up for landing, flared landing with minimal or no assistance on radio, as required)
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See Video of AFF Level 6
here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
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Solo dive exit (un-linked exit with Instructor following)
Sub terminal control (maintaining position throughout dive exit until flat and stable on airflow)
Altitude awareness (Heading and Altitude check, Instructor video's student for de-brief)
Back loops (Backloop to show un-assisted return to stable belly to earth on heading position)
Left and right 360° turn ( Smooth, controlled 360° turn left back to original heading, smooth, controlled 360° turn right back to original heading)
Tracking (Forward movement in track position for 5 seconds, returning to stable belly to earth on heading position)
Solo deployment of main parachute by 5000ft (Instructor in front of student grinning throughout)
Canopy control and safe landing (Good general canopy control, good flight pattern and set up for landing, flared landing with minimal or no assistance on radio, as required)
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See Video of AFF Level 7
here, or view on MetaCafe.com |
Solo dive exit at 5,000ft (maintaining position throughout dive exit until flat and stable on airflow)
Pull within 10 seconds (Deploy main canopy within 10 seconds whilst flat, stable and maintaining heading)
Canopy control and safe landing (Good general canopy control, good flight pattern and set up for landing, flared landing)
Upon completing the Eight AFF levels you will move on to the ten consolidation descents, Still under the  guidance of our instructors you will be briefed and checked as in the main course. An instructor will be on the aircraft to give you a pre-jump equipment check and a thumbs up to go... Into freefall on your own to practice the newly found skills learnt on the eight levels of AFF.
Upon completion of the consolidation descents you are only a few briefings away from your BPA ‘A’ license.
We have evolved our AFF courses through experience over time to include vertical wind tunnel training as part of our package. Flying a 10 minute session prior to level one has drastically reduced the need for our students to repeat costly levels. This makes the whole AFF level one experience far less stressful having been exposed to the freefall sensation in the relative calm of the wind tunnel. Some of our students have not only learnt a good basic body position but also mastered 360 degree turns, a huge bonus for later in the course. Apart from anything else the tunnel environment is great fun for skydivers from AFF to world champions training for competition.
As well as courses in the UK Infinite Skydiving also run AFF courses in Spain and the sunny skies of California. With the same training package as the AFF course at home, working to the BPA regulations we spend a week in the sun jumping every day to get the 8 levels, consolidation jumps and all the brief’s required for A license certification.
Come back to the UK a fully qualified skydiver and be welcomed at any drop zone with all the required ticks in the box.
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