AFF Student Skydiver

Interview: Niels Steeman, 35 years old from the Netherlands

Introduction
Always attracted by whatever had to do with the sky. Started flying sailing planes when I was young, continued with bungee jumping and ended up with in 1996 my first static line jump. Totally hooked on it! Due to work and where I used to live (Bangkok, Thailand), limited time to pursue my AFF dream yet found the time in 2003 to travel to the USA/Perris Valley for my AFF and A-license. Since 2006, B-license holder (also obtained from Perris Valley).

Now living in Norway with my norwegian wife, work in the travel industry and help(ed) with organizing Thai Sky Festival and two World Teams in Thailand.

Help to provide information about the sport via my own website.

In which country do you skydive?
The Netherlands, Thailand, USA and Norway.
Have skydived over downtown Singapore (not allowed anymore)

What is the name of your home dropzone? Tønsberg (again, due to work, haven’t jumped that much)

What is the number of jumps you’ve done to date?: 201

Tell us about how you got into skydiving:
Saw it in a brochure of a local tourism office in The Netherlands in 1995 (Static Line) and since I feel more comfortable in the air than in water, this was just a next step. Did my first jump course at Paracentrum Texel in The Netherlands

What skills and techniques are you concentrating on now in your skydiving career?:
Relative Work/Formation skydiving and FUN jumps !!
(Raft, inflatable toys and Hybrid dives)

About your AFF and A license experience

What year did you complete your AFF course? 2003

Which dropzone did you complete your AFF course?
The best one (for me) in the USA - Perris Valley (ask for Uli, he’s really the best Jumpmaster - Team Perris Fury)

What was the most difficult aspect of completing the AFF course?
Trying to stay relaxed in the air…silly, but it was the most difficult thing

What was the most difficult aspect of obtaining your ‘A’ license?
The jumps you have to make between your AFF graduate status and your A license. You jump a lot alone and that was sometimes difficult.

What words of encouragement can you give a
student beginning their AFF course training?:
Stay relaxed, do not be afraid not to jump if you do not feel comfortable (it happened once with me) and forget thinking about how much money it all will cost in the end. If you start to think about this, you will lose ALL THE FUN!

Have you got a website address? www.nielsskydives.com

Can you suggest any website links that a student skydiver would find of interest? www.dropzone.com is really the best (besides www.nielsskydives.com…;-)