A B C D Levels in Skydiving: FAI/USPA Standards and How Italy's System Works

Wondering whether Italy actually has a 'A license,' a 'B license,' and so on — like you've read on international forums or heard mentioned at the dropzone? It's a fair question, and the answer is more nuanced than it might seem. The letters A, B, C, D do exist as an internationally recognized experience convention, but they don't correspond to any category defined by ENAC regulations. Understanding this distinction will save you confusion when talking to Italian instructors, reading foreign material, and — most importantly — when planning your own path to a license.

Where the Letters A B C D Come From

The A/B/C/D standard originated within the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) and the USPA (United States Parachute Association), the American skydiving governing body. The logic is straightforward: define experience thresholds that are recognizable at any dropzone in the world, so that an instructor in Dubai immediately knows who they're dealing with when a skydiver arrives with a 'C license' from Milano.

In Italy, this framework has become part of everyday language in schools and among skydivers — but, importantly, it has never been directly incorporated into ENAC regulations. When your instructor says 'you're at A level,' they're using a community reference, not a legal category.

What Each Level Means: The Reference Table

Here's an overview of the four levels according to the FAI/USPA convention, including typical requirements and the activities they generally unlock. Keep in mind: exact thresholds can vary from school to school, and they carry no regulatory weight in Italy.

| Level | Approximate Jumps | What It Represents | Typically Associated Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ~25 jumps | Basic solo skydiver | Independent jumps at the DZ, simple formations (2-way) |
| B | ~50 jumps (indicative USPA threshold; thresholds vary between organizations and schools) | Intermediate | More complex formations, introductory freefly, night jumps where permitted |
| C | ~200 jumps (indicative USPA threshold; thresholds vary between organizations and schools) | Experienced | Advanced disciplines, organizational roles, load organizing |
| D | 500+ jumps | Senior | High-responsibility roles, tandem cameraman, official coach |

A practical example: Mario is 28 years old, weighs 80 kg, has completed his AFF course, and has logged around 30 solo jumps after the course (as an illustration, not a regulatory threshold). In the language of the school and the FAI/USPA standard, Mario is at A level. On his ENAC document, however, it simply reads 'Parachutist License.' No letter.

How the Italian System Really Works: ENAC

In Italy, the authority that regulates skydiving is ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile). The ENAC regulation 'Parachuting Licenses' (Ed. 3) establishes a system that differs from the A/B/C/D model: there is a single Parachutist License, to which specific endorsements are added as the skydiver gains experience and passes the required examinations.

The endorsements that ENAC records on the license are:

1. **CS — Certification of Suitability for Special Techniques**: required for specific disciplines such as freefly (flight in non-standard body positions relative to the boxman), wingsuit (a suit that increases body surface area to generate glide), canopy formation (formations with open canopies), and others. Each CS has its own requirements in terms of recent jump numbers and specific training.
2. **Parachuting Instructor**: authorizes teaching. Requires high experience thresholds (on the order of hundreds of jumps with documented freefall time) and completion of an ENAC training process.
3. **IPS — Senior Parachuting Instructor**: the higher tier of the instructor endorsement.
4. **Parachuting Examiner**: the highest level, authorizing the holder to conduct official examinations and assessments.

As you can see, ENAC works through functional endorsements, not progressive letters. The system is designed to ensure that anyone who teaches or practices high-risk disciplines genuinely has the competence to do so — not just a jump count in their logbook.

Keeping Your ENAC License Current: Recency Requirements. In the context of skydiving, the ENAC license is the operational prerequisite; AeCI membership adds the sporting and competitive dimension.

One thing many aspiring skydivers don't know: the ENAC license doesn't 'expire' like a driving license, but it remains active only if you meet recent activity requirements — known in technical terms as recency. If you fall outside those parameters, the license enters an 'out of currency' status, and reactivating it requires check jumps with an instructor.

The recency requirements set out in ENAC regulations are:

1. At least **15 jumps in the last 12 months**
2. Of which at least **1 jump in the last 3 months**
3. At least **10 minutes of freefall in the last 12 months**
4. A valid **ENAC Class 2 medical certificate**, issued by an authorized ENAC-certified medical examiner (not your family doctor, and not a standard sports medical examination)

None of this has anything to do with the letters A/B/C/D. ENAC doesn't say 'you hold a B license for two years': it says 'if you don't jump enough, your license is no longer operational.' It's a logic based on continuous practice — far closer to real-world safety than a fixed-level system.

The Practical Path: From Your First Jump to Your License

If you're planning to get your license, here is the typical sequence at an ENAC-certified skydiving school:

**Step 1 — Choose Your Training Path**
The two main routes are:
- **AFF (Accelerated Freefall)**: exits from altitude from the very first level, with one or two AFF instructors in freefall alongside you. This is now the standard method at most Italian schools.
- **SL (Static Line)**: automatic opening connected to the aircraft on the first jumps, with a more gradual progression. Still available at some schools.

**Step 2 — ENAC Class 2 Medical Certificate**
Before starting the licensing course you must obtain a Class 2 medical certificate from an authorized ENAC-certified medical examiner. Your family doctor is not sufficient. The school will point you to the right person.

**Step 3 — AFF Course (typically 7–9 levels)**
Each level has specific freefall and landing objectives. If a level is not passed, it is repeated. This is not a fixed-stage process: it depends on your actual progress.

**Step 4 — Consolidation Jumps**
After the course, before the licensing examination, you complete a number of solo jumps to consolidate your skills. At this stage, in the school's language, you are 'approaching A level' of the FAI/USPA standard.

**Step 5 — ENAC Examination and License**
You pass the theoretical and practical test required by ENAC regulations. You receive your Parachutist License. From this point you are cleared to jump independently at the DZ.

**Step 6 — AeCI Membership**
To take part in official competitions, FAI records, or organized competitive activity, you join an aero club affiliated with Aero Club d'Italia (AeCI), the Italian aeronautical federation recognized by CONI.

When the Letters A/B/C/D Are Useful: The International Language

With all that said, the letters A/B/C/D are not useless — they're a practical communication tool in the skydiving world. If you go jumping at a foreign dropzone — in Spain, the United States, Thailand — and you say 'I have a C license, 350 jumps,' the local instructor immediately understands who they're dealing with without having to decode your ENAC document.

Use the letters A/B/C/D as a shared language of experience. Use them to make sense of international articles, videos, and forums. But when you're talking about Italian regulations, legal requirements, what you need to fly a wingsuit in Italy, or how to become an instructor, always come back to the correct reference: the ENAC regulation and the endorsements it defines.

In Summary: The Checklist to Keep in Mind

Before we wrap up, here are the key points to remember:

✅ The letters A/B/C/D are a FAI/USPA convention, not ENAC licenses
✅ In Italy there is ONE ENAC Parachutist License, with endorsements recorded on it (CS, Instructor, IPS, Examiner)
✅ The ENAC license stays current through recency: 15 jumps/12 months, 1 jump/3 months, 10 min freefall/12 months
✅ The required medical certificate is the ENAC Class 2 — not a standard sports medical exam
✅ For special disciplines (freefly, wingsuit, etc.) you need ENAC CS endorsements, not 'having a B or C license'
✅ For competitions and FAI records you need membership in an AeCI-affiliated aero club
✅ Use A/B/C/D to communicate with the international community; use ENAC when discussing Italian regulations

If you're planning your journey, the first concrete step is to contact an ENAC-certified skydiving school in your area: they are the most up-to-date source on costs, timelines, and the specific requirements for your situation.