Humble Beginnings: How I got my Skydiving License

S K Y D I V I N G

As my first love was really all about Figure Skating, after a few years, it seemed inevitable that I look for something so much more.

That being said, I took lessons in various sports from fencing to free diving in search for the feeling that would make my heart skip a beat. And next thing I knew, I was about to jump out of an airplane in Skydive Cebu way back 2018. 

That very moment, I fell in love in an instant. I've began to research on how I could be able to jump without the need to be attached to a professional. Eventually ending up discussing this with my family, I expressed how blissful it was and how amazing it made me feel. But after doing so, it was no surprise that they were still not a big fan of me jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. Although the argument was a tough battle to win, given the fact that skydiving was considered an extreme sport and comes with a hefty price, they still supported me as long as I was happy and I'll forever be grateful to them.

During that time, I was mainly preparing for my college graduation and afterwards ended up on a flight to Dubai (Thanks to my Aunt Lai who convinced me to come see the Emirate) and eventually booked myself for another Tandem jump in Skydive Dubai Palm. There, I met Adrian, a fellow Filipino who was such an amazing person and convinced me to get my license in Dubai.

By the time I got back in the Philippines, I was fixated on the fact that I will work for and get my license soon. As I was very keen and determined towards this goal, a year after, I went back to Skydive Dubai to finally take a step further towards my goal alongside the occasional fun bonding with my Aunt Sue and family, as well as my Aunt Lai and Uncle Simon.❤️ I really thank my UAE family as they've helped me so much in all aspects from having a place to stay and food to eat.

Now, here is a summary of what you basically NEED TO KNOW when getting a license in Dubai which takes place in their Desert campus (Based from my experience).

1. Pass the online test

Once you apply online, the camp will give you a PDF that you need to review for the test. You can only book a date for your ground school after you've successfully passed the online test.

2. Attend the ground school

First is a classroom discussion regarding all you need to know about Skydiving.

They will cover everything, and I literally mean EVERYTHING. They will be giving a book with over 130 pages regarding the discussion (I think we lasted around 6 hrs). Below are some examples:

• Parts of your Rig (The bag that contains your primary and reserve parachute along with alot of other things you need to survive...)
• Parts of your Parachute
• Your Auxiliary Equipment
• What to check when jumping (equipment, wind direction/speed on multiple altitudes, etc)
• Aircraft Procedures, Aircraft flight path, Air traffic, Spotting, and Dive Flow
• Body Stability, Basic Body Positioning, and Hand signals for communicating in the sky
• Canopy Flight Procedures and Landing patterns
• Equipment malfunctions and emergency procedures (Trust me, they are ALOT)

Second, you'll be having an indoor skydiving session. You and your classmates will be coached one by one in a flight chamber in Inflight Dubai to familiarize your body position on how to be stable during free fall. Lastly, you must take and pass the Ground School written exam before you can book your AFF Course.

3. Take the Accelerated Free Fall course (AFF).

This course normally consists of 8 jumps at an altitude of 13000FT (Giving you approx 55 seconds of free fall per jump). If the weather is nice and if your body can handle the stress well, you can finish this within a few days/weeks. However, in my experience, the weather was not always in my favor, as well as my body ended up having multiple bruises and extreme fatigue. Just imagine that when you're free falling at a rate of approx. 193kph and upon deployment of your parachute, this significantly reduces to 30kph in just 0-3 seconds. THUS eventually having  my shoulders/neck snap sometimes, especially if I do not have a proper position... also considering that my rig (YES...the bag at my back that carries my parachutes etc) weighed around 13kg 😐 

Note that each "jump" has a briefing, the jump itself, and a debriefing. So basically, you have to "Plan the Dive and Dive the Plan"

• You will be with 2 coaches per jump in the first few jumps, and then with only 1 coach for the remaining ones.
• In each jump, you will need to perform a set of maneuvers discussed in your briefing around 10-15 mins before you jump. If you are unable to perform said requirements, you will need to repeat the jump (which will cost you more money)

 

Now, let me tell you about the landing. THIS IS THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER DONE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE besides the fact that it was the most DANGEROUS part of the dive. I got most of my bruises here and I sometimes land so far away from the landing area that the staff occasionally drives all the way out in the Dessert to pick me up and bring me back 😅. I've landed on my butt, my face, my arm, on a bush, near the bush, you name it. At this point, my tailbone hurt so much, I literally wish I could just keep jumping and never have to land. 😭

 

Once you pass all the jump tests, you are now a solo student under indirect supervision. This means that an instructor will always be there to check you while in the boarding area and before the exit.

4. After passing your AFF, you will need to do your coaching jumps

This is basically further learning and executing more jumps with new skills like tracking to advance yourself in getting your A-License. THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING PART!! Yet the most expensive 😅 But it was sooooooooo worth it. The Adrenaline will just make you wish free falling would never end 😅

5. Learn how to pack your own Parachute and Jump it.

THIS WAS A TOTAL NIGHTMARE FOR ME AS I DID NOT REALLY TRUST MYSELF. MY GOSH.  

Knowing parts of your rig is one thing, also knowing how to pack it properly to ensure you'd have a NORMAL deployment of your parachute is another, BUT TO ACTUALLY JUMP USING THE SAME PARACHUTE YOU'VE PACKED DEFINITELY LED ME TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF ULTIMATE FEAR... EVENTUALLY HAVING MYSELF RETHINK MY DECISIONS IN LIFE AND WHY I EVEN BOTHERED MAKING THIS ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE. But of course this was my first time so yeah.. I was thinking too much...

MY FACE SUMMONING THE WILL TO LIVE.

...AND AGAIN

6. You will need to do 2 low altitude jumps (Hop&Pop)

ANOTHER NIGHTMARE FOR ME AS IT TOOK ME 2 DAYS JUST TO HAVE THE GUTS TO DO A 5500FT AND 3500FT JUMP. At this point, I was used to jumping at around 13000FT which gives me enough time to think about life... and death 😅. 

Jumping from 3500FT doesn't even give you enough time to count to 10. Knowing this fact seriously boggled my mind. I mean ARE YOU SERIOUS?! I previously thought jumping from a lower altitude would be less scary as its closer to the ground... but okay, I figured I have to do this either way cause everything has already been paid for and I've actually already scheduled myself a couple of times for the jumps and eventually backed out when I was in line to board the plane.

SO YES, the altitude for a Hop&Pop for me was too low and I was so afraid that there was not enough time for me to deploy my parachute before I completely crash and enter a quantum realm of despair lol.

7. Continue jumping until you have around 25 jumps in total to take and pass an exam in getting a Category A-License.

As I have successfully survived so far, I now faced "SOLO" jumps. This is now literally jumping on your own with nobody around, not even a coach. This felt so weird and uncomfortable for me as my whole experience was jumping  with people!! But as I was looking down the dropzone, I felt that all the hard work was for "THIS" moment.

I eventually ended up having to stay for 1 month in UAE to get my license and all I can say is that it was worth every bruise, moment, and money spent. Happy to be one of the very few Female Filipino members of the United States Parachuting Association (USPA). 😃

Also, during this time, my "Filipino family" in the Desert campus really helped me alot. Thank you Mary, Adrian, Dave, Gil, Veejay, Mari, and Kuya Jun; Also to Andy, Mason, Laura, Yuri, and Mishka from Skydive Dubai. You guys are the best!

So that basically summarizes my little Adventure in Dubai. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks! ❤️