In order to go skydiving on your own, you need a corresponding licence. To obtain a German parachuting licence, you need to perform at least 25 free fall jumps (including 2 exam jumps) and pass a theoretical test. You may obtain a licence from us by passing an AFF course (i.e. a basic course) and subsequently “completing” the course. During the AFF course, you learn to move safely during free fall. This training is followed by the “completion” part in order to perform the required number of training jumps. The AFF training method is currently the most advanced and most effective free fall training method available.

AFF stands for Accelerated Free Fall, i.e. an AFF course is an accelerated free fall training. In this context, “accelerated” does not refer to the speed of falling but rather to your learning progress, starting from the first free jump that you perform from an altitude of 4000 meters in a controlled environment and accompanied by two specially schooled trainers. Before your first jump however, you need to complete a ground schooling which will give you a theoretical and practical basis for parachuting and will prepare you for your first jump (level 1). The jumps to be performed during the course are divided into seven levels of learning. During each level jump, you will gradually train certain free fall tasks which are studied on the ground beforehand. During each jump, the accompanying trainers will secure and correct your movements during the ca. 50 seconds of free fall. In addition, they may interfere in emergency situations. If the respective level targets are performed to the satisfaction of the trainers, you advance to the next training level. If a substantial level target is missed, you may have to repeat the jump. Starting from level 4, you will be accompanied by only one trainer. The AFF course ends as soon as you pass level 7 of the training. You are now capable to perform jumps from 4000 meters on your own, and you can now start the “completion” of your AFF course.

As the name implies, the completion phase amends and completes your free fall training. After the initial AFF course, you are able to perform controlled free fall jumps on your own, but you still lack substantial skills for secure parachuting. Therefore, you will still be a student during the completion phase, i.e. you will be monitored, supervised and schooled by our trainers until you pass your practical exam. The completion of your course includes all training contents after your AFF course until your 25th jump (including 2 exam jumps).

An introductory course gives you the opportunity to get a first real-life impression of this fascinating sport. Introductory courses include all essential elements of the preparatory ground schooling, but only one level 1 jump of the AFF course, just to get a first impression. If afterwards you find that air is not just for breathing, but also for flying, then you have the chance to continue the full AFF course until level 7. In that case, the price of the introductory course will be deducted from the full course price.

The ground schooling takes two full days, starting around 9:00 h and ending around 18:00 h on the respective AFF schooling date. You find a list of scheduled schooling dates in the courses/training section of www.fsz-saar.de

In most cases, completing the entire course takes 4-6 weeks. However, the actual duration strongly depends on how much time you can invest to perform the required number of jumps. Training jumps can be performed from April to the end of October, Friday to Sunday every week, plus on several extra dates on weekdays published under www.fsz-saar.de/en and Facebook. As we depend on decent weather conditions, bad weather can make it impossible to jump on some days, possibly resulting in a longer period of time required to complete the training.

The entire training comprises the “AFF course” and the “completion” phase. You find detailed price information in the prices/training section of www.fsz-saar.de. In addition, a full training course is only open to members of the Saarland parachuting association (FSV Saar e.V.), as the membership offers additional insurance cover. Membership is subject to a one-time admission fee. Payment of the admission fee grants a three-month membership, ensuring that you will be an insured member at least for the duration of your training. Afterwards, you may choose to stay a member – which we highly recommend, as the association offers many benefits (e.g. free usage of their jump gears, additional insurance benefits and more). In addition, a separate fee becomes payable for the issuance of the parachuting licence under the rules of the German parachuting association (Deutscher Fallschirmsportverband e.V., DFV).

During the training phase, we will provide you with a jumpsuit, altimeter, jump helmet and goggles as well as the complete jump gear. However, if you plan to complete a full training, we recommend buying your own basic equipment (altimeter and goggles), which is available in our shop.

Yes, you need to pass a theoretical and a practical exam. The practical exam consists of 2 jumps during which certain tasks must be performed. It can be taken as soon as the following freefall elements have been mastered to the satisfaction of your trainers: • Turns (left/right) • Somersault (forward/backward) • Tracking (horizontal move) The time when a student is ready and the number of required jumps can vary considerably from student to student. The theoretical exam consists of 100 multiple choice questions covering 7 different fields of knowledge (air law, free fall, meteorology, technique/technology, behaviour in exceptional situations, aerodynamics and human achievement potential). In order to prepare for the exam, we will provide you with a special interactive learning programme designed by the German parachuting association (DFV).

No, not directly. You do not need to be a competitive athlete to go skydiving, but a robust physique is beneficial. However, there are certain restrictions with regard to maximum weight, i.e. you must not weigh more than 105 kilos.

Your application must contain a medical certificate of fitness, which can be issued by any general or sports physician. The respective form can be found in the download section of our website.

In the unlikely event that you get injured, your health insurance will pay all related costs. Sporting injuries fall under regular insurance cover. You might want to check with your insurance representative whether your accident or disability insurance covers aviation-sports-related risks. In addition, we provide the following insurance cover for training jumps:

Depending on your individual progress and the duration of the interruption, we offer so called “refresher courses” at the beginning of each season. After successfully completing a refresher course, you can continue your initial training.

You must be at least 14 years old in order to start the practical training and at least 16 years old to receive a licence. If you are under 18 years of age, you need to present a written permission signed by your legal guardian(s).

During the AFF course, the packing will be done by specially schooled riggers. The later phase of the course includes an intensive packing training. After that, every student should pack their own parachute. However, the individual steps of the packing process will still be checked by the trainers.

After completing the full training course and successfully passing the exam, your licence will be issued by the German parachuting association (DFV). It does not expire and is valid worldwide. Normally, licences do not have to be adapted for skydiving activities abroad. However, you might want to check the individual requirements in each individual case.