A bit rusty - have not jumped in 10yrs but want to start jumping again

Hi,

I have a A licence with about 50 jumps or so to my name. I took a break from Skydiving to pursue my career. Now I want to start jumping as I travel the world a lot of business I thought why not mix both. Dubai is my next place I will be visiting end of Aug/Sep.

I have a Talon 2 with a PD canopy and a Cyprus 1 AAD. All of this equipment will be checked by my local rigger this week - the batteries in the Cyprus for example have depleted. The Cypress is > 10 years old however.

My questions for this forum are:

1. Does my licence expire? or is it a simple case of renewing my BPA and USPA memberships?
2. Do you recommend a refresher jump with an instructor or shall I just jump - as I think Skydiving is like riding a bike, you never forget :)
3. How long does the Cyprus last for?

That is it for now I think.

Thanks for any pointers.
Simon

1) Your FAI "A" doesn't expire (whether provided by USPA or BPA), however your USPA/BPA membership(s) expire every 12 months and must be renewed.

2) At 50 jumps and a 10yr layoff; yes some refresher training is definitely advised.

3) Cypres (of prior years) expired at 12 years past date of manufacture; the 4 & 8 year service intervals had a +/- 6mo grace period. As you noted it was a Cypres 1, it is quite possibly expired and now a paperweight.

Take your logbook and all equipment to the DZ and have a chat with them; they'll get you back in the air.

RMK

2) At 50 jumps and a 10yr layoff; yes some refresher training is definitely advised.

I'm going to go with 'there's no dropzone that would let you jump again WITHOUT refresher training'.


Have fun back in the sky. It's much the same as it was 10 years ago.

Congratulations on getting back into the sport, first of all!

Regarding your questions -
I would first send the crew here at Skydive Dubai an email asking them directly, the form is here http://www.skydivedubai.ae/contact-us.html

However, I'll try and answer your questions as well...

There is jumping scheduled for the 31st and 1st September at the Desert Dropzone, one of the few weekends they are open during the summer off-season.

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1. Does my licence expire? or is it a simple case of renewing my BPA and USPA memberships?

Your license does not expire, you just become uncurrent. You will however, be required to have current USPA membership (or the equivalent)to jump here.

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2. Do you recommend a refresher jump with an instructor or shall I just jump - as I think Skydiving is like riding a bike, you never forget :)

You'll have to check with the school if you will be able just to do a briefing with an instructor and a check jump, or if they will require you do do a first jump course again (as you've been uncurrent for so long). I believe first jump courses are only scheduled for end of September again...
But you WILL do some sort of refresher training...

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3. How long does the Cyprus last for?

Your rig WILL be checked by one of the riggers here, if your Cypres is not serviceable, you can't jump. Same goes for your equipment. Cypres 1 had a lifespan of 12 years I believe.

Welcome back!

I had 8 years break also because of my career (working in a country with no Dropzone).. During this 8 years not jumping i was always thinking about jumping... and i knew one day i will jump again.

Got relocated begining of this year, and starting jumping again.. I can recommend some jumps with instructur to refresh.

The first jump i was very nerveus the ride up...once out of the plane... i suddenly got it, stable, not scarry at all!!

The issue for me was more that after jumping a couple of times after all these years... i was not that excited...

Now 50 jumps in, and jumping with friend its a better feeling, but somehow the feeling of "wanting to jump ever day" is not there anymore...

I wonder how you will feel after your first jump..

If you can find a DZ that will let you jump without a FJC refresh and at least one AFFI, do not jump there.
Yeah, with 50 jumps and a 10 year layoff, it’s like falling off a bike.....
A really BIG bike.

Thanks all for your insightful and valid views.

I will definitely get a refresher couple jumps with an instructor before jumping again as my first jump will likely be a shock to the system!

Can't wait to get back in the sky again!

On another note, I right now have a PD 210 main in a Talon 2 - the rig feels quite big and heavy and I'd prefer a smaller and lighter rig. I will have to buy a new Cyprus anyway because the Cyprus 1 is now older than 12 years. Any tips on what size main and potential container I should go for? I am 5ft 7in, 132lbs

Cheers
Simon

Use the old rig to get current. There’ll be lots of time at the dz to look, touch, discuss your next rig. Spend your money on jumps for now. You can move your new Cypres over to a different rig later.

Jon

You could also consider visiting a wind tunnel before you get back into the air. I know people who do that before the start of every season, never mind after a 10-year layoff.

It won't help you with the aspects of skydiving that are likely to kill you, but it will at least reassure you that you can still fly your body in freefall - and removing that worry might in turn allow you to focus better on the important stuff.

I second the wind tunnel idea. Two weekends ago I jumped for the first time in six years, having done 87 jumps previously. I was shocked as to how much my (admittedly very little) freefall skill had deteriorated. I've got time booked in a tunnel for next weekend, and we'll see how the jumps go after that.

The wind tunnel is a great idea. I think there is one in Milton Keynes in the UK. I always found the wind tunnel to be more difficult than the real thing.

simonh

The wind tunnel is a great idea. I think there is one in Milton Keynes in the UK.

For a small island, we've actually got quite a decent number of wind tunnels available.

There are iFly tunnels at Milton Keynes, Manchester and Basingstoke (with two more planned at Birmingham and Bristol). Any of the currently open iFly tunnels should serve your purpose, and obviously it depends on where you are, but my favourite UK tunnel is actually Bodyflight at Bedford.