Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!sei.cmu.edu!fs7.ece.cmu.edu!o.gp.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!bb1v+ From: bb1v+@andrew.cmu.edu (Barry Lowell Brumitt) Newsgroups: rec.skydiving Subject: Re: AFF training Message-ID: Date: 15 Apr 91 15:08:00 GMT Organization: Class of '91, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 40 > Like the round parachute, traditional S/L training is basically dead. (Paraphrased) I think dropzones are losing a potentially big section of the market without thetraditional S/L training. (Particularly those with less $$, such as students) From talking to peope about skydiving, it seems that they would be far more willing to do the many jumps required of S/L at cheaper prices, (spread more out over time) than to cough up the ~$1000 to go through AFF. Even though the price may work out to be roughly equivalent, for someone with limited cash-flow, being able to go jumping every couple weekends, spend only $35 on a couple jumps, it makes for a better deal. Most people don't take more than, say, 40 S/L-series jumps to complete training,at, again estimate, $20 ave. a pop after the first one, that ends up being $800 for 40/3 weeks. Given some bad weather, and adding a little bit to cover incidental extras, we're looking at $900 for 15 weeks = $60 a week. Now, yes, you could do 1 AFF every two weeks and spend about the same, but you don't get as much time under canopy, or time at the DZ. Plus, the Up-front commitment is far less. Though I learned AFF, it makes too much sense to keep the traditional methods around for those who want to "ease" into skydiving, getting several jumps under their belt for what their first AFF would cost them. I suspect the really appropriate compromise is ASL, where the student can switchto AFF from S/L whenever desired/appropraite. So, to conclude, I still think both methods (incl. compromises), have their financially viable places within the market, and keeping both around will maximize the number of people that a dropzone can introduce into the sport. Comments? Barry A-12249 (and learning...) Disclaimer: Yes, I know I'm a novice, and therefore everything I say has a 98% chance of being wrong. Actually, everything I say is wrong, some things are merely less wrong than others. I request tolerance: you were a zoomie once too, and flaming on novices is hardly a positve action.