Belly must be second nature. You must be able to fly precisely and with control. You need an intuitive understanding of the wind so you can stay with your student and intervene if necessary. Formation Skydiving (FS) skills, such as LSD, matching fall rates, maintaining proximity, are all very essential. Without them, you can\u2019t fly effectively or help students when they\u2019re in trouble. You don\u2019t need the skills of a 4-way open class competitor; you don\u2019t even need to enjoy belly to be an AFFI. But to become one, you need a strong skill base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You need focus and judgment on every single jump. Every AFF jump is different. You must stay composed to recognize what\u2019s needed in the moment, make the best decision, and act decisively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You also need to be prepared for sudden problems, like a student flipping over while reaching back for the pilot chute at pull time. On top of that you must stay altitude-aware and remember the jump for debrief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Most jumps go as planned, but when they don\u2019t, the instructor is responsible for both their safety and the student\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good flying isn\u2019t enough. You need to teach well, and teaching is a skill. Everyone learns differently, which means explaining things in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This requires a thorough understanding of bodyflight and how basic canopy piloting works. Teaching is more than dumping information on students – it\u2019s making sure they understand. Then, there is the human element – building trust and instilling confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A big part of a student\u2019s success boils down to how the instructor works with the student. The more comfortable and confident a student feels on the ground with you, the better their performance in the air. Even though it\u2019s just another jump for instructors, for students, each jump matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So how does one prepare to become an AFF instructor? There are many roads to the same destination. Here are the things that helped me most on my journey to becoming one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coach Jumps<\/strong> 4-way<\/strong> Big-way<\/strong> Tag<\/strong> Tunnel Time<\/strong> Mental Preparation<\/strong> Physical Preparation<\/strong> Becoming an AFF Instructor was one of the most rewarding things I\u2019ve ever done. It tested my skills, taught me more about myself, and gave me a way to give back to the sport. If you put in the work, you\u2019ll not only earn your AFF rating, you could be the kind of instructor students remember for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/08-09-2025-11-1-1024x683.jpg\")
Mental Skills: Focus and Judgment<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Teaching Skills – Communicating Clearly<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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How to prepare?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
These sharpen your flying, hone your teaching skills, and build your sense of responsibility. You\u2019ll quickly learn to adapt your flying to a student\u2019s limitations. When you verbalize concepts and skills to students, you also become a better flyer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4-way teaches you agility, anticipation, and precision – it naturally develops FS skills and confidence as a flyer. Each slot (Point, Tail, Inside Center, Outside Center) has unique features that build your overall skill set. 4-way also trains mental attributes, such as focus and concentration, because you never want to let your teammates down on a 4-way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Big-way applies FS skills on a much larger scale. It builds situational awareness, spatial awareness, flying control, decision making, confidence, along with many other things. When you combine 4-way and big-way, you streamline your progression and become a more complete belly flyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tag is a great way to prepare for the AFF course. Chasing friends around the sky is a low-pressure and fun way to build leg awareness. This becomes relevant when you have to chase students across the sky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/08-09-2025-215-1024x971.jpg\")
Tunnel time builds a solid foundation and lets you correct bad habits without altitude pressure. It also expands your fall rate range. However, body position can only go so far without eventually sacrificing flying efficiency. Dressing for success is very important when it comes to AFF. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daily meditation taught me how to focus under pressure, perform on demand, set distractions aside, and stay in the moment. You don\u2019t have to meditate, but you must perform on every AFF jump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I notice that many people overlook physical fitness in skydiving. Build a strong, mobile, and functional body. Core strength, scapular stability, and shoulder mobility are very important for controlling students and preventing injury. Activities like swimming, yoga, Pilates, calisthenics, are excellent for cross-training. <\/p>\n\n\n\nClosing Thoughts<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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