A, B, C, D. WHICH DO YOU NEED?

A, B, C, D are experience levels in the FAI/USPA standard — not ENAC licenses (in Italy the skydiving license is a single document). Here we look at progression from a student's point of view: where to stop, to do what.

Important note

In Italy ENAC issues a single skydiving license, with ratings annotated on it (CS, Instructor, Senior Instructor, Examiner, Tandem Master). "A/B/C/D license" is community language derived from the FAI/USPA standard — useful to talk about experience and internationally, but not the formal name of an Italian document. Regulation detail →

Tl;dr — which level is yours

  • Occasional jumps, weekend hobby: A level is enough.
  • Want formations or freefly: aim for B.
  • Competition, demos, instructor-bound: target C.
  • Tandem Master, senior instructor, extreme disciplines: D-area experience is required.

A

~25 jumps

2–6 months

A Level

What opens up (practice)

  • +Obtain the ENAC skydiving license (single in Italy — not A/B/C/D)
  • +Jump solo at the DZ, manage basic stability and landing
  • +Start small freefall work with a coach

What NOT yet

  • Disciplines requiring an ENAC CS rating (freefly, wingsuit, canopy formation, etc.)
  • Teach or perform tandems (requires ENAC Instructor / Tandem Master rating)

For whom

Realistic goal for anyone doing the AFF course as a hobby. Most Italian skydivers stop here or just beyond.

B

~50–100 jumps

3–12 months after A

B Level

What opens up (practice)

  • +Consolidate freefall and canopy flying
  • +Join more complex formations per DZ rules
  • +Start discipline paths (e.g. 4-way FS) with a coach

What NOT yet

  • Special disciplines without the relevant ENAC CS rating
  • Teach or act as structured load organizer

For whom

For those who want to specialize in a technical discipline. Freefly or 4-way FS paths open up here at Italian schools.

C

~200 jumps

1–3 years after B

C Level

What opens up (practice)

  • +Join larger formations and more structured sport events
  • +Start the path toward the ENAC Instructor rating
  • +Access — with the relevant CS — advanced disciplines (wingsuit, canopy piloting)

What NOT yet

  • Teach without an ENAC Instructor rating
  • Special disciplines without the specific CS rating

For whom

The point where skydiving becomes serious passion and the Instructor path becomes realistic.

D

~500+ jumps

3–7 years after C

D Level

What opens up (practice)

  • +Meet the experience thresholds for advanced ENAC ratings (Instructor, IPS) and Tandem Master
  • +High-responsibility community roles (load organizer, tandem camera flyer)
  • +Senior or competition disciplines within a competitive path

What NOT yet

  • No restriction from "D level" itself: limits come from each ENAC rating and from DZ procedures

For whom

Senior level. Relevant if you aim to become a Tandem Master, Instructor, or high-level competitor.

PROGRESSION — WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS

From A to B: average 1 year (requires weekend consistency). B to C: 2–3 years. C to D: often never, because it requires 300+ additional jumps, about €12,000 in jumps and 5+ years of weekly commitment. In Italy most skydivers sit between A and B; a minority reach C, very few reach D.

Moral: if your goal is "jumping when I want with friends," A is the real finish line. No pressure to continue — a well-consolidated A (50–70 total jumps) is safer than a rushed B. Also note: the ENAC license is kept active through activity recency, not a bureaucratic 2-year renewal.

START WITH THE AFF COURSE

Every experience level starts from the AFF course + consolidation jumps toward A level.

AFF course guide →

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