Throughout the year, we’ve been celebrating new skydiving licences by posting photos of our jumpers with large letters A, B, C and D on our Instagram story.
But what do those licences mean? And why the big letters? Allow us to tell all!
Skydiving A licence
The A licence is the first licence a skydiver achieves after passing their initial skydiving course.
Anyone learning to skydive can choose to do so via one of two methods – AFF or Category Systems. In both cases, it is possible to achieve the skydiving licence in as few as 18 jumps.
With an A licence, skydivers become qualified to skydive solo without supervision from an instructor. They can travel to skydive and can also learn new skills as an experienced skydiver.
Following achievement of their A licence, the next qualification skydivers will aim for is FS1 – or formation skydiving 1 – which is the qualification needed to jump with other people.
Skydiving B licence
A B licence is achieved only when a skydiver has met the following conditions:
- Has an A licence
- Has made at least 50 jumps
- Has achieved CT1 – further canopy training to improve their parachute control skills
- Has achieved JM1 – the qualification needed to take responsibility for a plane load of skydivers
The B licence also requires the skydiver to learn to pack their own parachute, which is part of JM1 and which requires a packing course and examination.
Once they have a B licence, skydivers can wear ‘full face helmets’ which have visors and can be more comfortable especially in the colder winter months.
Skydiving C licence
A C licence is a more advanced level of skydive qualification, requiring a minimum of 200 jumps to be completed and for the skydiver to have a B licence already.
C licenced skydivers must also have achieved CT2 (further canopy training) plus a written exam and one other grade 1 qualification. A C licenced skydiver is therefore considered to be knowledgeable but it must still be noted that they have a lot more experience to gain.
Gaining a C licence allows the skydiver to jump with a camera which is usually attached to the helmet or worn on a chest strap. Wearing a camera opens up lots of new opportunities to capture some great footage and photos – always good to share on social media too! – and requires the jumper to first receive a full brief to ensure they understand how to use them safely.
Skydivers with a C licence can also learn to be skydiving instructors and coaches, helping others progress in the sport.
Skydiving D licence
A D licence is achieved once the skydiver has completed 1000 jumps and has a C licence already.
While there are no further licences to achieve, it is expected and usual for skydivers to continue to invest in their skills through additional courses, coaching and practice.
So… what’s with the big wooden letters?
We love celebrating with our fellow skydivers and what better reason than a new licence?
It’s a great way for us to recognise their hard work and at Langar, we made the big wooden letters and wings for everyone to stand next to as a nice ritual for us to share in together. We also use the wings to celebrate other achievements such as new ratings, new stickers and anything else we want to cheer about!
Are you ready to start your skydiving journey? Find out more about learning to skydive with us and book now at https://www.skydivelangar.co.uk/learn-to-skydive/