Leap to Australia

Making the Leap: Converting Your British Skydiving License to Australian

If you're a British skydiver making the move to Australia, you're probably wondering what the process is to keep jumping in your new home. As a seasoned skydiver with a B license and FS1 rating, you're likely eager to get back in the air as soon as possible. Fortunately, the Australian Parachute Federation (APF) has a relatively straightforward process for converting your British Skydiving license.

The first step is to contact the APF and provide them with your British Skydiving license and any relevant ratings, such as your FS1. They'll review your qualifications and let you know what additional requirements you need to meet to jump in Australia. In most cases, you'll need to complete a conversion course, which covers the specific regulations and procedures used in Australia. This course typically includes a ground school component, where you'll learn about Australian aviation law, weather, and emergency procedures.

• Review of Australian aviation law and regulations
• Weather briefing and interpretation
• Emergency procedures, including pull altitude and opening shock protocols
• Familiarization with Australian skydiving equipment, including d-bag and BOC systems

Once you've completed the conversion course, you'll be issued an Australian skydiving license, which will be separate from your British license. This means that any new ratings or qualifications you earn in Australia will be added to your Australian license, not your British one. However, your British license will still be valid, and you can use it to jump in the UK or other countries that recognize British Skydiving licenses.

It's worth noting that the APF has reciprocal agreements with several other countries, including the US, Canada, and New Zealand. This means that if you have a license from one of these countries, you may be able to convert it to an Australian license more easily. However, if you're coming from the UK, you'll still need to complete the conversion course to ensure you're familiar with Australian regulations and procedures.

What About My Ratings?

If you've earned specialized ratings, such as your FS1 or TR1, you'll need to have these validated by the APF. In most cases, you'll need to provide documentation of your rating, including your certification card and any relevant jump logs. The APF will review your qualifications and let you know if you need to complete any additional training or assessments to have your rating recognized in Australia.

For example, if you're an AFF instructor, you'll need to complete a conversion course to become certified as an Australian instructor. This will involve a combination of ground school and in-air training, where you'll learn about Australian teaching methods and protocols.

• Review of Australian teaching methods and protocols
• In-air training and assessments
• Familiarization with Australian PC and student equipment

Overall, converting your British Skydiving license to an Australian one is a relatively straightforward process. By completing the conversion course and having your ratings validated, you'll be able to continue skydiving in Australia with minimal disruption. Just remember to keep your British license up to date, as it will still be valid for jumping in the UK and other countries that recognize British Skydiving licenses.