Skydiving In Spain

Learning to Skydive.The AFF course (Accelerated FreeFall) is the most modern way of learning to skydive, and is geared towards complete beginners who have no prior skydiving experience. Students work through eight different levels (each level is a skydive), and are able to learn to skydive with just a few days of instruction to become a qualified skydiver. Most people like to book about a week to complete their AFF course and ten solo skydives, although the AFF course is usually completed with three or four days- depending on how many skydives the student wishes to make per day!.The AFF System.

The course starts with a ground school that usually takes about six hours long. This ground training is split into manageable lessons that cover everything the first time skydiver needs to know. When they are ready for their first skydive, AFF level 1, the student will be skydiving with two AFF instructors holding onto either side of them.

Throughout levels 1 to 3, the two instructors work on perfecting the student's body position, teach the student how to turn left and right, altitude awareness and hover control (being able to fly without turning involuntarily left or right). When the student reaches AFF level 4, they will be skydiving with one AFF instructor and the subsequent AFF skydives will teach the student how to regain stability (being in a belly to earth position), turns and tracking (horizontal movement across the sky).Before each skydive there is a detailed 'brief' that the instructor and student will spend time over, ensuring that the necessary skills are taught and learnt on the ground, ready to practice in the air on the skydive.

On every AFF skydive the instructor wears a special camera helmet that holds a small, but powerful, video camera. After each skydive, the instructor will 'debrief' the student using this video that is an invaluable teaching tool. Once the student has completed their course, the videos of each skydive are compiled into a DVD, complete with titles and music to present to the student as a fun memento.

Do Static Line jumps count towards my AFF course?.Static line jumps are when the parachute is automatically opened when the skydiver exits the aircraft. This method of learning is slower than the AFF system, as more jumps are required to pass the course. However, if you have started learning to skydive on the static line system, you may be able to convert your training to the AFF system.

I'd like to try skydiving but I don't want to do a full course ? what are my options?.Of course you could try skydiving by doing the more traditional tandem skydive. This is a parachute jump in which you are strapped onto a tandem instructor, and after a short brief, are ready to go! However, now you also have the option of doing the AFF level 1, without needing to book onto the full AFF course.This alternative really gives a more in depth introduction to skydiving.

You would complete the ground part of the training, exactly as per the full AFF course ? learning more about body position, equipment, canopy flight etc. Then, you would make you parachute jump with the two instructors holding onto you, before gently floating down to the ground, steering your own parachute and assisted by one of your instructors through a radio that you will be wearing. Should you decide that you would like to keep skydiving, you can then progress straight away to the second AFF level.What are the benefits of skydiving in Spain?.Many people choose to come to Spain because of the fantastic weather ? which means that they can skydive constantly throughout their trip.

The centre in Seville also boasts great non skydiving activities as well, whether you would like to go to the beach, discover the rich culture that the city has to offer, or explore the diverse bars and restaurants. The Cathedral of Seville is famed for being Spain's largest church, and was built over 400 years ago. The streets of Seville are lined with orange trees, and in the evenings there is no better way to enjoy the city than sat outside a typical Spanish bar, with a cool drink, some Tapas, and the scent of the orange blossom. It's a great place to explore by foot, along the cobbled streets ? whether you are looking for souvenirs or just shopping.For those that are interested in more of a lively evening, Seville's bars and clubs have to be experienced! Whether you end up in Triana ? a district of bars and clubs right next to the river, or the centre of Seville, it has to be said that the Spanish know how to have a good time!.The beach is only a 45 minute drive, and the most direct route also takes you through the National Park, where an abundance of wildlife can be found.

Skydiving in Spain is also much cheaper than learning in the UK, and this allows people to make the experience into more of a holiday. The cost of living in Spain is also much less than the UK, which makes it a pleasure to go out to eat when the average cost of a meal with drinks is only 15 euros! Often, people like to take a day out to visit Cadiz, Huelva, or even Tarifa which is famous for being one of the best kitesurfing, windsurfing and surfing sites in Europe.Who can I train with in Seville?.The parachute centre is a British Parachute Association (the governing body for skydiving and parachuting in the UK) Associated dropzone, so all operations are carried out to the highest safety standards.

One of the most popular skydiving destinations for British jumpers, the aircraft here fly to 15,000ft, the highest altitude in Spain. What does this mean? Well, each skydive will have an extra 15 seconds of freefall time. This may not sound like very much, but on the AFF course, the freefall time is your main learning time.

You will have more teaching time in the air, and therefore progress more quickly on each skydive. Over the whole AFF course, this equates to about 2 extra skydives!.How can I keep my friends and family updated on my skydiving progress and where can I find more information?.The internet is a great way of keeping your family and friends updated, and photos and news are posted on a daily basis on the Freefall Addicts website.