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USPA currently issues licenses to skydivers at four levels (A,B,C,D), and each level requires a knowledge test. Many jumpers are unsure what is included on the tests, what material should be studied, or who can administer the various tests. A brief outline of requirements is listed below, and is included in the 2004 Skydivers Information Manual (SIM) , pages 12-13. A license exam study guide is listed on page 215. |
The "A" level test is an oral exam of at least 20 questions that can be administered by any USPA Instructor or a Safety and Training Advisor (S&TA). After completing the oral exam an instructor will make note of the success on a yellow License Proficiency Card and Application. An "A" license also requires a practical exam conducted on a skydive by an instructor, often integrated into the regular training program.
The "B" and "C" exams are each 20 question multiple choice written tests, the "D" exam includes 40 multiple choice questions. Each exam can be administered by any USPA Instructor or S&TA. All written tests are regularly updated and are based on the 2004 SIM. The "D" level license application requires the signature of an S&TA prior to processing by USPA. All other license applications can be approved by any USPA Instructor.
Most of the material on each test can be found in the 2004 SIM, a 200 page compilation of rules, policies, and suggestions published by USPA. The SIM is available as a loan from the school office, but it may not be taken off the dropzone. The entire manual can be downloaded as a free Acrobat file from the USPA web site in the "doc and forms" area. The SIM is also available for sale as a spiral bound printed version for about $23.50, either through the USPA web site, or from the USPA store at (703) 836-3495. Some parachute dealers and equipment stores also sell the 2004 SIM. You can find a free interactive version of the 2003 SIM (an older edition) with a search engine to assist in finding specific topics at www.makeithappen.com/sim/ . This site also offers a computer assisted license exam study guide for a small fee.
Most of the material that needs to be studied for the "A" test can be found in the 2004 SIM, and the remainder of the material should be presented by a USPA Instructor during the training process. The SIM includes a detailed outline for the USPA Integrated Student Program (ISP) , beginning on page 17. The ISP is a program designed as a complete training outline to meet "A" level licensing requirements. Each category (level) of the ISP is clearly outlined, and each outline is followed by a set of oral questions related to the presented material. Each oral question in the SIM is ether followed by the correct answer, or a reference indicating where the answer can be found. Exams for ISP categories a-h can be found on pages 35, 43, 53, 61, 70, 79, 88, and 97. The Ranch student program is based on the ISP requirements, but the material is presented in a different order. However, by the end of The Ranch student program, all the material in the ISP will be covered.
The final exam for the "A" license is simply a collection of at least 20 of the questions selected by an instructor from the published ISP oral exams. A student studying for the "A" level exam should obtain a SIM and review all the questions for each category. If a subject is unclear a student should speak with an instructor for clarification. Since a student has access to all questions in advance, the oral exam should be pretty easy. The test will generally be conducted in a conversational manner to both probe a students knowledge, and provide an opportunity for additional learning
The "B" and "C" exams feature 20 multiple choice questions, the "D" exam features 40 questions, each exam question has four possible answers. A minimum of 75 percent is required to pass. If an applicant fails a test it can be retaken seven days later.
All the study material for these tests is included in the 2004 SIM. Be sure you are reading and studying the 2004 version of the SIM, and not an older version that contains outdated information.
When studying for any license exam it is important to pay special attention to the requirements, privileges, and limitations of that license. For example, the "B" test includes questions about minimum opening altitudes for the "B" license, but does not ask any questions about minimums for any other license. The "D" level test will include material about exhibition jumps, because a "D" licensed skydiver is permitted to make exhibition jumps (see section 7), while those questions will not be included on a "C" license exam. High Altitude Jumps will be included on a "C" license exam but not a "B" exam, because a "B" licensed skydiver is not authorized to make high altitude jumps. Most exams include specific questions about opening altitudes, landing area hazards, Canopy Relative Work, cloud clearance and visibility, seat belt use, equipment requirements (USPA and FAA), and experience/currency.
The specific material covered on each license exam is listed in a study guide on page 215 of the 2004 SIM.
| Basic Safety Requirements | |
| Classification of Skydivers (license requirements) | |
| General Recommendations | |
| Advanced Progression | |
| FAA Documents (including FAR parts 91, 105) |