From: hakana@isy.liu.se (Hakan Andersson)
Subject: Re: Q: AFF safety
Reply-To: hakana@isy.liu.se
Organization: Linkoping University
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 17:45:27 GMT

In article 16452@engage.pko.dec.com, koning@koning.enet.dec.com (Paul Koning) writes:
>
>In article <5062@svin09.info.win.tue.nl>, javhar@wsinfo01.win.tue.nl (Jack v Rijswijck) writes:
>|>Could anyone give me more info about the AFF method? I've read the FAQ but I've
>|>also been told that this is a very dangerous method and outlawed in most
>|>states. Is it? At which sites can I do this AFF method if it isn't?
>|>I'm looking for dropzones in the Fargo (ND) area, specifically Sauk Centre.
>|>
>|>Please email me if you can give me any information. Thanx!
>|>
>|>+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
>|>|         Jack van Rijswijck                javhar@win.tue.nl          |
>|>|         Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands          |
>
>Yikes!  Who gave you that sort of nonsense misinformation?
>
>The safety record of AFF is extremely good, and as a training method it
>seems to work quite well.  I've never heard of it being outlawed anywhere
>(except perhaps Britain, but then again don't they still require first
>jumps to be made with rounds there?).  Having gone through it myself
>1.5 years ago, I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.
>

Yep, I agree! AFF is as safe an introduction to the wonderful world of skydiving
as you can get, in my opinion. It costs more but I would definitely argue that it's
worth it. You get the true taste of free falling immediately and thus a feeling
of what this is all about. While doing static line jumps to start with all you
do is being scared of jumping out of that plane and then you find yourself all
of a sudden under canopy, no time to experience the free fall `cause there isn't
really any to experience! 
I learned doing static line jumps and I would say that
you get "air-worthy" a lot quicker through the AFF program. And because of this
the percentage of people that stay in the sport, i e get their licences as opposed
to dropping the whole thing, is a lot higher among AFF students. 
Honestly, doing a whole bunch of static line jumps, going through the process of
learning to pack your chute and all this other training can be quite boring if you
don't get the big kicks from a good free fall. In my group 3 out of ten static
liners actually graduated (we didn't have AFF at my DZ then) and we've had AFF
for about a year now and I have yet to see a student drop out.

In short: go for the AFF if available, if not, well you've got to learn doing
SL jumps then but it's worth the effort once you're through.

I would also argue that AFF is probably safer but it's hard to compare without
any statistics around, and even then you wouldn't know the circumstances in
the separate cases. 

>!-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>! Paul Koning, NI1D, A-13683
>! Digital Equipment Co., LKG1-2/A19, Littleton, MA 01460, USA
>! (508) 486-7313 or (508) 952-3344, koning@koning.enet.dec.com
>!-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>! "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over 
>!  any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent
>!  harm to others.  His own good, either physical or moral, is not
>!  a sufficient warrant."    -- John Stuart Mill, "On Liberty" 1859

/Hokie

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hakan Andersson                               E-mail:     hakana@isy.liu.se
Division of Information Theory                Telephone:   (+46) 13 28 2570
Department of Electrical Engineering          Telefax:     (+46) 13 13 9282
Linkoping University   
S-581 83  LINKOPING                          
SWEDEN                                        "Skydiving -- gravity powered adventure"
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