So, you want to get back into skydiving after an extended hiatus? Time to retrain to regain your skydiving currency.
There are many reasons why a certified skydiver stops jumping: injury or illness, lack of time, work and family commitments, travel, no dropzone close by, or a big one, money.
But more and more, we are hearing from dormant skydivers who want to get back into skydiving. Whether you were a student, novice, or experienced jumper on your last descent, we can help you get back in the air. Every skydiver is different, therefore, a recurrency package will be tailored especially to match your previous experience and current needs.
Here is a basic run-down of the steps to get back into skydiving and get current again.
1. Make a Booking with The Skydive School
It's important to contact us when you're ready to get back into skydiving. This way, we can do an initial assessment of your skydiving history and experience and book you in for your first recurrency jump. We'll also send you an online skydiving refresher course.
2. Complete Our Online Refresher Home-Study Guide
Once you've been in touch and you're ready to re-train as a skydiver, we'll send you our online refresher home-study guide. This online course will review the fundamentals of skydiving and most importantly, the emergency procedures, which you will demonstrate during your in-person assessment at the dropzone.
3. Attend In-Person Assessment at Hillman Farm Skydiving
When the big day comes, you'll arrive at Hillman Farm Skydiving Club ready for your in-person assessment with our Chief Instructor. How involved this face-to-face evaluation is depends on your previous skydiving experience and jump numbers. Regardless of your previous experience, you will be expected to seamlessly run through deployment sequences, emergency procedures, and landing patterns.
Getting Back into Skydiving
It's been awhile since Adam jumped from an airplane but he's keen as to get back into skydiving. When you see him at the DZ, say g'day. Adam, you're in good company at Hillman Farm Skydiving.
4. Renew Your Australian Parachute Federation Membership
In order to jump in Australia, you must be a member of the Australian Parachute Federation (APF). If you've completed your AFF Learn to Skydive course in Australia, you would've been a member in the past. We can help you renew your membership.
5. Do a Re-currency Jump with an Instructor
It's time! You've completed the online refresher course, you've demonstrated your skydiving knowledge to our Chief Instructor and you've become a member of the APF. If you do not have your own skydiving gear, you will be fitted with our top-of-the-range student parachute equipment. If you have your own rig, our CI will do a safety check on it, which includes assuring that the reserve parachute has been re-packed within the past six months.
Depending on your past experience, you will jump with one or two qualified skydiving instructors. Your instructor will plan a skydive where you will perform tasks during freefall. Check out Reuben's video* for a beautiful example of a recurrency jump.
Once your instructor-guided jump is complete, you'll have a chat with your instructor and if all goes well, you'll be signed off to jump solo (as a student parachutist).
*Reuben got back into skydiving with us after six years out of the sport. Well done, mate.
6. Maintain Your Skydiving Currency
Don't stop now! You've put in a lot of effort and skydiving training to get back in the air so keep going. To be considered a current skydiver and regain your former skydive license/certificate, you must perform six parachute jumps in a 12-month period. Until that point, you will skydive under student guidelines.
Consistency is key. If you can't get to the dropzone weekly, aim for monthly trips for skydiving at Hillman Farm to keep your skydiving currency and license.
7. Progress Your Skydiving Skills
So, you're current, now what? In skydiving, the learning never stops. If you're a student skydiver, work towards your certification. If you're an A class jumper, work towards your B cert, then C, then D, then E . By then, you're probably already working in skydiving (but the learning continues).
Set goals and be positive in the pursuit. Hire a coach to fine-tune your skills and help you achieve new certificates. Jump with others (once qualified) and most importantly, be safe and have heaps of fun!
Skydiving is Better with Mates
Do you have a mate who's interested in learning to skydive? We'd love to talk to them and help them get into skydiving.
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