A First Jump Course presentation for AFF training. Some things to keep in mind: we do not teach how to alter a landing pattern by modifying the base leg until the Category C jump, we use 2500' for a decision altitude for malfunctions and alternate landing area, we teach emergency procedures using the one hand/one handle method, and we differ slightly from the SIM with our treatment of two canopies out.

1. AFF First Jump CourseAFF First Jump Course

2. Introductions
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Your name
What do you do during the week?
Have you skydived before?
Why do you want to get certified?

3. Course Objectives:
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Equipment
AltitudeAwareness
Freefall Body Position
Pull Priorities
Canopy Control
Landing
Landing Hazards
Equipment Problems
Emergency Procedures
Dive Flow
Written Exam

4. United States Parachute
Association (USPA)
Official organization recognized by the FAA to
oversee skydiving activities in the U.S. according
to FAR 105.
USPA develops:
Standardized Instruction
Safety Standards
Licensing and Ratings
Membership: provides 3rd
party liability insurance
and monthly magazine
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5. Equipment Overview
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Harness/Container, including leg straps and chest strap
Reserve parachute and closing pin
Main parachute and closing pin
Deployment handle
3 ring release
Cutaway handle (RED)
Reserve ripcord handle (SILVERSILVER)
RSL – Reserve Static Line
AAD – Automatic Activation Device

6. Equipment Overview
Main Deployment handle/pilot chute (activation)
Main closing pin
Deployment bag (begin deployment phase)
Lines
Slider (begin inflation phase)
Main Canopy
Risers
Toggles/Brakes

7. Personal Equipment
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 Helmet
 Altimeter – reads in thousands of feet
 Jumpsuit
 Goggles
 Radio (one way)
 Shoes (no boots with hooks or sandals)

8. Altitude Awareness
Skydivers fall 1000 ft every 5.5 seconds!
Check your altimeter:
After every maneuver
When encountering difficulty
When uncertain of altitude
Every 3 – 5 seconds
If you don’t know your altitude – PULL!PULL!
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9. Equipment Checks
 All equipment will be checked 3 times
1. Before putting the equipment on
2. Before boarding aircraft
3. Before exiting the aircraft
Ask if you do not receive them!

10. Freefall Position
Belly-to-Earth or Arch position:
1. Most stable position to learn
Leaf versus badminton birdie
1. Best (but not the only) position for deployment

11. Freefall Position: “Arch”
Pelvis forward
Legs shoulder width apart
Legs 45o
at the knees with
toes pointed towards the
sky
Arms 90o
/90o
with relaxed,
floppy hands
Chin up
Relaxed
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12. Hand Signals
Pelvis Forward/Arch
Extend Legs until you see a
thumbs up
Circle of Awareness (Heading,
Altitude, Reserve side, Main
side)
Toe Taps/Bring knees together
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Practice Touch
Check Arm Position
Relax – show floppy
hands in response
Pull – Arch, Reach,
Throw, immediately!
***finger can be
pointing in any direction

13. Other Signals
Shaking on exit – ARCH!
Instructor is slapping your wrist (either side) – check
altitude
Instructor is tapping your chin – get your chin up
Thumbs up – you are doing well

14. Main Deployment/Pull Sequence
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Wave off
 “Arch! Reach!Throw!”
As the right hand reaches for deployment handle the left
hand stretches in front of your head to maintain balance.
Deploy the pilot chute and return to neutral position
“Check Right! Check Left!”
Time to practice!Time to practice!

15. Pull Priorities
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In the following order:
1. Pull
2. Pull at appropriate altitude
3. Pull with stability at appropriate altitude
Most importantlyMost importantly: PULL!!!

16. Loss of Instructors
If you lose one instructor: keep going with the dive flow
If neither instructor is in physical contact with you: PULL!

17. Controlling the Parachute
Half–brake setting requires you to “release your brakes”
Toggles up = full speed
Pulling one toggle will cause the canopy to turn
Look first
Parachute continues to turn while the toggle is held down
Speed of the turn is directly proportional to how far down the
toggle is pulled
Pull both toggles = flare
Time to Practice!

18. Effect of Wind Speed on Ground Speed
Assume your canopy has a forward speed of 28 mph.
What is your ground speed when you are traveling
with a 9 mph wind?
18 mph9 mph
Ground speed?
9 mph + 28 mph = 37 mph = Ground speed
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19. Effect of Wind Speed on Ground Speed
Assume your canopy has a forward speed of 28 mph.
What is your ground speed when you are traveling
against a 9 mph wind?
18 mph9 mph
Ground speed?
28 mph – 9 mph = 19 mph = Ground speed
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20. Left Hand Landing Pattern
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600’
Base
leg
Downwind leg
1000’
Remain upwind before
entering pattern
(Holding Area)
Flare at 15 ft.
(wind sock height)
300’ Final leg
Straight In
Approach

21. DZ orientation from 13,000 ft
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22. Time toTime to
practice!practice! 22
Downwindleg
Finalleg
600’
Base leg
300’
Holding Area
1000’

23. Time toTime to
practice!practice! 23
Downwind leg
Final leg
600’
Baseleg
300’
HoldingArea
1000’

24. Final Approach <200’
Fly straight, only small corrections
Canopy seems to fly slowly…until near the ground on final
approach
Look at 45˚ angle
Put feet and knees together, prepare for PLF
3 second canopy flare at ~15 ft.
Flare converts forward speed into lift
Letting the toggles up after a flare causes a steep dive.
If flaring too high, hold the toggles where they are and finish flare at
appropriate height

25. Parachute Landing Fall (PLF)
 Before landing
1. Look ahead, 45o
to the horizon.
2. Feet and knees together (slightly bent)
3. Flare the canopy, both hands together in the front of your body
 Upon ground contact
1. Feet First
2. Lay onto the side of one calf
3. Roll onto your thigh
4. Roll onto your hip (side of butt)
5. Roll diagonally across your back to the opposite shoulder (throw
legs overhead if necessary)
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26. Landing Priorities
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1. Land withWing Level
2. Land in a clear and open area
3. Flare to at least half brakes
4. Always be prepared for a PLF
ONLY SMALL CORRECTIONS WHEN <200’ONLY SMALL CORRECTIONS WHEN <200’
 Landing into the wind is NEVER a priority

27. Landing Obstacles
AVOID THEM!
“Only fly over things that you would want to land on”
1000’ and below
Gently steer away, give slight corrections
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28. DZ from 13,000 ft – identify landing hazards
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29. You did not avoid the obstacle
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30. You did not avoid the obstacle
 Trees: protect your face while flaring, aim for the
strongest part (generally the trunk)
 Water: loosen chest strap, land close to something if
possible
 Power lines: drop anything metal, do not touch more
than one wire at a time
 Buildings:
 Landing into the side: Protect your face while flaring
 Landing on top: Disconnect RSL.After landing, may need
to cutaway

31. Off Field Landings
 “Half way down, half way back”
 Decide if you can make it back by 2,500 ft.2,500 ft.
 Find clear area to land
 Look for and avoid obstacles – small correctionssmall corrections
below 200 feet!below 200 feet!
 Transpose landing pattern to new spot, if possible
 Prepare to PLF
 Wait for assistance or further instructions
 Respect property and be polite to property owners
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32. High Winds
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Once safely landed, pull in one toggle hand over hand
Stand up and run towards back of canopy
If you are still being dragged, disconnect RSL and pull REDRED

33. Normal Canopy
Safe Canopy Criteria:
 Square (symmetric)
 Stable
 Straight lines
 Slider completely down
 Steerable
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34. Steerability/Controllability
Check
1. Unstow Toggles/Release Your Brakes.
2. Look Left, Turn Left. Look Right, Turn Right.
3. Practice Flare.
Head for the airport and your holding area.Head for the airport and your holding area.
Time to practice!Time to practice!

35. Equipment Problems
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If the parachute fails criteria you must make the decision to
initiate emergency procedures by:
Decision Altitude = 2,500 ft.2,500 ft.
IS IT THERE?
IS IT SQUARE?
IS IT STEERABLE?
There is a parachute out.
Parachute is inflated, rectangular, and regular in shape.
You can turn left and right and flare.

36. Emergency Procedures
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1. Look RED
2. Grab RED
3. Look SILVERSILVER
4. Grab SILVERSILVER
5. Peel, Pull RED (down), clear
6. Peel, Pull SILVERSILVER (down), clear
7. Arch
IF BELOW 1,000 ft.WITHOUTA LANDABLE
PARACHUTE, IMMEDIATELY PULL SILVERSILVER

37. Problem: Pilot Chute Hesitation
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Pilot chute stays within the burble created by your body
traveling in free fall
Check over each shoulder to change airflow, allowing pilot
chute to clear burble and initiate activation

38. Canopy is Not There
Missing or Stuck Deployment Handle:
Slide hand across the bottom of the pack from one side to other and
feel for the handle
Two attempts, Two seconds, then execute Emergency Procedures
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39. Canopy is Not There
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• If you can see the bag, an
inflated pilot chute, and/or
lines, but no canopy, execute
Emergency Procedures

40. Canopy is Not There
Two tries, Two seconds to
deploy main parachute
If you cannot locate the
deployment handle, execute
Emergency Procedures
If deployment results in a
malfunction initiate
emergency procedures
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41. Canopy is Not Square
Wait two seconds to see
if it is a normal
deployment
If not initiate emergency
procedures
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42. Canopy is Not Square
Asymmetric
Canopy may begin to turn
on its own
Initiate emergency
procedures
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43. Canopy is Not Controllable
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More than two broken lines:
Initiate emergency procedures
Hole as large as your head:
Initiate emergency procedures
Broken steering line (lost toggle):
Initiate emergency procedures
Broken riser:
Initiate emergency procedures

44. Problem: Line Twists
Very common
Pull risers apart and bicycle
kick to correct
If not corrected by 2,5002,500
ft.ft. initiate Emergency
Procedures
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45. Problem: End Cell Closure
Common – especially for
smaller people under large
canopies
While releasing brakes, hold
toggles at waist a few seconds
then return toggles to full up
position.
May require several attempts
to inflate end cells
If canopy is not controllable
by 2500’, execute Emergency
Procedures
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46. Problem: Stuck Slider
Smoothly pump toggles
(after releasing brakes).
Repeat as necessary until
the slider works its way
down
If canopy is not
controllable by 2500’,
execute Emergency
Procedures
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47. Problem: Good canopy, but turning
Try releasing the brakes
If canopy is not controllable
by 2500’, execute
Emergency Procedures

48. Both Parachutes Deployed
Bi-plane
1. Do not cut away
2. Gently steer front canopy with rear risers
3. Do not flare and perform a PLF
Side-by-Side
 If two canopies are not entangled: Cut away
the main
 If main canopy is not clear of the reserve:
1. Gently steer the larger canopy using
the rear risers
2. Perform a PLF
Downplane
 Cut away the main canopy immediately
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49. Canopy Collision
Avoid!
Look before you turn
If approaching a head-on collision:
Both jumpers turn RIGHT
If below 1000ft and canopies are entangled:
Both jumpers should deploy their reserves
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“Keep your
head on a
swivel”

50. Aircraft Procedures
1. Approach, enter, and move about the aircraft, engine
running or not, only when accompanied by your instructor.
2. To avoid contact with the propeller, always approach fixed-
wing aircraft from the rear.
3. Be mindful of the size of the parachute equipment and
location of handles when moving about the aircraft.
4. The pilot and the jumper are jointly responsible that seat
belts are worn during taxi, takeoff, and landing (if landing
with aircraft).

51. Aircraft Emergencies
Listen to your instructor
If you see anything that you think is odd (pilot chute or
canopy is out), tell your instructor loudly and immediately.

52. Dive Flow
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Set up in the door
Check in – get O.K. from instructor
Check Prop, up, down, arch
COA (Heading,Altimeter, Reserve side, Main side)
3 practice touches (Arch, Reach,Touch)
COA (HARM)
“Short” circles (Heading,Altitude,Arch, Legs, Relax)
6,000 ft. = Lock on
5,500 ft. = wave off, arch, reach, throw, check, check

53. Relative Wind
You should exit the aircraft in your arch position, hips
pointing into the “relative wind.”
Expect to feel like you are standing up for a bit
You will transition to belly to earth orientation within a few
seconds.

54. Exit Cadence/Exit Count
No matter which aircraft you are exiting, the exit cadence is
important for both you and your instructors.
Your exit cadence establishes the tone of the entire skydive.

55. How to pass the Cat A skydive
1. Be stable during at least the second half of the jump
2. Be aware – respond to hand signals
3. Have at least an assisted pull

56. Important Altitudes
6,000 ft = Lock on
5,500 ft = wave off, arch, reach, pull
2,500 ft = Decision altitude for emergency procedures and
finding an alternate landing area
1,000 ft = Do not cut away
1,000, 600, 300 ft – landing pattern
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57. Questions? Time to take the
test.
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