uspa a-license program

Skydive Raleigh specializes in training new students how to safely skydive using the United States Parachute Association’s Integrated Student Program. The program starts with our First Jump Course (FJC), which typically takes 4-6 hours, during which you will learn about the equipment, the physics of flying a canopy, and how to do so safely. You will then make your first jump, typically the same day as your FJC, with two Accelerated Free-Fall instructors to help you meet your category A advancement criteria. Please see a description below of each category’s advancement criteria on your road to earning your USPA A-License.

aff syllabus

category a

Instructors: Two

Includes First Solo Skydive

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Reasonable arch and stability within ten seconds prior to 5,500ft
⦿ Reasonable altitude awareness
⦿ Initiate deployment procedures within 1,000ft of 5,500ft

Canopy

⦿ Plan/Execute canopy descent and landing pattern with assistance
⦿ Assisted flare for a safe landing withing 60 degrees of correct landing direction
⦿ Land with 330 ft of planned landing area

category b

Instructors: Two

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Stability within 10 seconds of exit
⦿ Maintain correct body position for stability throughout including leg awareness and control
⦿ Initiate deployment procedures within 500ft of 5,500ft

Canopy

⦿ Understand and plan descent strategy from opening to pattern entry including pattern principles
⦿ Steering with clearance procedures without prompting
⦿ Assisted flare for a safe landing within 30 degrees of heading into the wind

Equipment

⦿ Understanding of routine canopy problems and the correct responses

category c

Instructors: Two (C1), One (C2)

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Control with 5 seconds of exit
⦿ Stable, relaxed fall
⦿ Ability to dampen turns and heading drift using “altitude, arch, legs, relax”
⦿ Wave-off and pull at 5,500ft
⦿ Demonstrate the ability to freefall safely with one AFF instructor
⦿ Stable deployment without AFF Instructor contact

Canopy

⦿ Fly recognizable pattern with minimal assistance
⦿ Flare with minimal assistance

Spotting and Aircraft

⦿ Understanding of how to plan and adjust the landing pattern for wind speed and direction

category d

Instructors: One

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Stability within 5 seconds after an unassisted poised exit
⦿ Cumulative four 90-degree turns, 20-degree tolerance
⦿ Cumulative two 180-degree turns, 45-degree tolerance

Canopy

⦿ Cumulative two 90-degree rear riser turns with brakes set
⦿ Cumulative two 90-degree rear riser turns with brakes released
⦿ one 180-degree rear riser turn, and one 360-degree rear riser turns with brakes released
⦿ Two rear riser flares above 2,000 feet
⦿ Landing within 165 feet of the target with minimal assistance

Equipment

⦿ Operate the Automatic Activation Device

Spotting and Aircraft

⦿ Recognize and observe the airport and the spot from the aircraft door during jump run

category e

Instructors: One

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Cumulative two successive disorienting maneuvers with stability and altitude awareness recovered within 5 seconds
⦿• Cumulative one barrel roll, one back loop, and one front loop
⦿ One self-supervised freefall

Canopy

⦿ Unassisted landing within 165 feet of pre-planned target

Equipment

⦿ Complete open parachute system orientation
⦿ RSL orientation

Spotting and Aircraft

⦿ Correct calculation of the opening point given simple wind conditions
⦿ Active participation with spotting procedures on jump run

category f

Instructors: One

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Cumulative three tracking sequences: track for 5 seconds within 30 degrees of the planned heading, turn 180 degrees, and track back for 5 seconds
⦿ Two clear and pulls (See Solo jumps below for more details)

Canopy

⦿ Cumulative four 180-degree turns under canopy while flying in deep brakes
⦿ Braked approach and landing on a canopy that allows for a safe, braked landing
⦿ Cumulative two unassisted landings within 82 feet of the pre-planned target (jumps from previous categories count toward accuracy requirements)

Equipment

⦿ One complete pack job with assistance
⦿ Perform a pre-jump equipment check on another jumper fully rigged and ready to jump

Spotting and Aircraft

⦿ Spot the aircraft, including all procedures, with minimum assistance

category g

Instructors: One

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Two redocks from ten feet without assistance
⦿ Two redocks requiring an adjustment in fall rate
⦿ Break off at the planned altitude without prompting
⦿ Track 50 feet within 10 degrees of the planned heading

Canopy

⦿ Four maximum-performance reverse canopy turns
⦿ Two unassisted landings within 65 feet of the target (jumps from previous categories count toward accuracy requirements)

Equipment

⦿ One complete pack job without assistance

Spotting and Aircraft

⦿ Spot the aircraft, including all procedures, without assistance

category h

Instructors: One

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Two swoop and docks with minimum assistance
⦿ Break off at the planned altitude without prompting
⦿ Track 100 feet within 10 degrees of the planned heading

Canopy

⦿ Two cumulative 90-degree front-riser turns
⦿ Two cumulative 180-degree front-riser turns
⦿ Total of five unassisted landings within 65 feet of the target (A-license requirement)

Equipment

⦿ Disassemble, perform owner maintenance, and reassemble three-ring release system
⦿ Remove and replace or adjust a main container closing loop

Solo Jumps

Instructors: None

Advancement Criteria:

Exit and Freefall

⦿ Gear and spot will be verified by USPA instructor or coach
⦿ Perform one full altitude jump and pull at the planned altitude
⦿ Perform one clear and pull exit from 5,500 ft
⦿ Perform one clear and pull exit from 3,500 ft

Notes:

Clear and pull jumps are designed to help students orient themselves to the sight picture of potential emergency exits from lower than normal exit altitudes. Students will also experience the difference of deploying a parachute at non-terminal velocity speeds which results in a slower, longer deployment of their main

All prices above include all instruction needed for category, rental of equipment (Jumpsuit, Goggles, Gloves, Helmet, Parachute system) and a pack job to reset gear for next jump. Please see pricing summary below for first jump course, packing classes, USPA membership fees, coach jumps and check-dive pricing

coach jumps

Coach jumps begin after you have been cleared by your AFF instructor(s) for self-supervised skydiving. Your USPA Coach helps you refine and practice advanced techniques to safely skydive in group skydiving maneuvers. Additionally, a USPA coach can assist students in working on any skills still not accomplished on their A-License progression card to ensure that once a student is ready for their check-dive and licensing, they do not still need additional jumps to meet A-License criteria. Since every student’s capacity to learn and perform their advancement criteria in the AFF syllabus is different, a specific number of coach jumps is not required, but all students must successfully complete at least 25 jumps to be eligible for a USPA A-license. If a student doesn’t need to redo any AFF category jumps, the typical number of coach jumps in the program will be 12.

uspa a-license program

aff syllabus

category a

category b

category c

category d

category e

category f

category g

category h

Solo Jumps

coach jumps

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HOURS OF OPERATION - Fall/Winter

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