Your First AFF (Accelerated Freefall) Jump

A practical guide to navigating the drop zone after successful completion of Ground School and a Training Tandem jump at Skydive Utah

Before you get the the drop zone:

Check Skydive Utah’s Calendar for opening times and weather related closures. You can also call the Front Desk for more information at 435-833-9999.

Read and complete quizzes for each jump you plan on doing. Access the SIM online, and navigate through the book using the “hamburger menu” in the top left corner. Select “Chapter 1: Integrated Student Program” and then choose which Category you’d like to read. Read everything in the section, making sure to memorize the freefall and canopy Dive Flows at the end of each section. Before taking the quiz, make sure you’re logged in to your own USPA account to get credit. Access the quiz by clicking the “Quiz” link at the top of the section or “Take the Quiz” link at the bottom of the section. You can also access the Dive Flows and quizzes here.

When you get to the drop zone:

Check in with the Gear Store to get your rental gear (altimeter, helmet, jumpsuit, and belly band, if needed) and to get a logbook and goggles.

Head to the Manifest window to get on a load. You will then be put into the queue for the next available instructor.

Wait for your Instructor in the Skydive School. This is a good time to review your Emergency Procedures, canopy malfunctions, and catch up on any SIM reading or quizzes you may have missed. Use the monitor in the Skydive School to check your load number and call time. Be ready to skydive by the 20-minute call, meaning, you have eaten, hydrated, used the bathroom, and completed any other tasks. Once you are in the 20-minute call window, there may not be time for anything else.

The 20-minute call:

With assistance from your Instructor, pick out a rental rig and parachute appropriate for your height and weight. Take note of the parachute size as you will be expected to know this for future jumps.

Your Instructor will perform a ground briefing, and they will expect you to be able to tell them the freefall and canopy dive flows. “Mock-up” or practice your entire skydive from door-to-ground with your Instructor to create muscle memory for your actual skydive. Visualization and repetition are keys to success in skydiving!

Gear up for your skydive by the 10-minute call. Your Instructor will assist with putting on your rig if you need help. After putting your gear on, touch your operational handles in the order you would use them.

Wait in the loading area for the plane and only approach the plane with your Instructor. Before boarding the plane, touch your handles to make sure they are still in place and protect them as you enter the plane.

Perform your skydive just as you practiced it on the ground during the “mock-up”, including flying and landing your canopy.

After landing, gather up your gear and meet your Instructor back in the hangar to debrief.

*Note: This guide is applicable only to students who have successfully completed Ground School training and successfully passed a Training Tandem jump at Skydive Utah.