Skydiving is a starting aerial sport that many people use as the doorway into other extreme aerial sports like BASE jumping, paragliding, speed flying, SKI base and other spills.
Skydiving is a good starting point as you are usually jumping from 13,000 ft or higher and have quite a bit of time to react and recover if any gear malfunctions. You combine the thrill of freewill with the fun and swoops of floating under the parachute once you pull.
If you’re considering taking the leap and adding skydiving to your impossible list, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you get started in this adrenaline-pumping activity:
Note: this is an informational article on how to find out more information about skydiving and does not replace in-person instruction from certified instructors.
Understanding the Basics
Table of Contents
Before you can jump, it’s crucial to understand what skydiving entails:
Types of Skydiving:
Tandem Skydiving: Ideal for beginners, where you’re strapped to an experienced instructor. This method lets you experience skydiving with minimal training. You can probably do this at any dropzone near you.
Accelerated Free Fall (AFF): A more intensive course where you learn to skydive solo from the beginning, starting with instructors beside you in freefall. This usually costs $2-$3k to do all the required jumps.
Solo Jumps: Once you’re certified, you can jump solo without instructors at any drop zone near you.
The Experience
Freefall: This is the part where you jump from the plane and fall at speeds up to 120 mph, typically lasting around 60 seconds from a standard altitude.
Canopy Ride: After the parachute opens, you’ll descend gently back to earth, which takes about 5-7 minutes.
Getting USPA Certification
First Jump Course (FJC): Mandatory for solo jumps, this course includes ground training on equipment, body positioning, parachute deployment, and emergency procedures.
AFF Levels: You progress through levels, starting with basic stability in freefall to complex maneuvers and emergency scenarios. A course like this usually costs $2-3k to complete.
Choose a Dropzone:
Look for a reputable dropzone that’s USPA (United States Parachute Association) affiliated. Ensure they have good safety records, well-maintained gear, and experienced instructors. You can find a great reference map here to find one near you.
Health and Safety:
Before you jump, you should get a recent medical check-up – especially concerning heart conditions or other health issues that could be exacerbated by high stress or altitude.
Always follow safety instructions meticulously. Skydiving is statistically safer than other adventure sports, but human error is a primary risk factor and getting sloppy with safety requirements is one of the most common reasons for malfunctions.
Training and Equipment
To get started with skydiving, you’ll need some basic equipment. Here’s some of the gear & terms you’ll need to get familiar with.
Training Terms
Static Line: Often used in military training, where the parachute opens automatically.
Instructor-Assisted Deployment (IAD): Similar to AFF but with a static line for initial parachute deployment.
Equipment:
Parachute: Modern parachutes are highly reliable, but knowing your gear is crucial.
Altimeter, Automatic Activation Device (AAD): These are safety devices that automatically deploy your reserve parachute if you fall below a certain altitude without opening your main chute.
Reserve Chute: A secondary chute you can cut away from your main chute and use as a backup in case your primary malfunctions.
Preparing For Your First Jump
For your first jump, dress comfortably, something you can move well in, but othing that can snag on gear.
Listen carefully to your instructors. It can be repetitive, but practicing ahead of time will make it easier to know what to do when you’re falling 10,000 ft in the air.
When you get on the plane, you’ll probably feel nervous – that’s part of the deal. You’ll usually be in a smaller plane and moving slower than you would in a normal plane. You’ll feel the most nervous here.
If you go above 13,000 ft, your instructors may have oxygen for you to take as the air gets thinner.
On the exit – this might be where you see your heart rate peak. If you’re tandem, you’ll scooch your way to the plane door and sit on the edge with your instructor behind you. Your heart is probably in your throat at this point.
You’ll jump with your instructor and you’ll feel your stomach drop at first. The first time this happens, it all might be moving so fast that you don’t register what’s going on. Try to relax (as much as you can) and enjoy the fall (this is the fun part)!.
Once you reach a certain altitude, the instructor will pull the chute – you’ll feel this as a certain “jolt” – once this happens and the canopy is open – everything gets a lot more calm. You are basically just floating down to earth getting ready for the landing – your instructor might even let you steer the canopy.
Post-Jump
Once you’re on the ground, there’s a few important things to do
Debrief: Discuss your jump with instructors to learn from any errors or to understand what you did well.
Log The Jump: Every jump should be logged, detailing conditions, gear used, and any notable events.
Continuous Improvement
It’s important to stay current with skydiving as regular jumps can help build confidence & skill and keep you as safe as possible.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can consider advanced courses like free flying, canopy piloting, or formation skydiving. You may also consider other “more extreme” sports that
Skydiving Community and Culture
Skydiving has a fun and sometimes wild community.
You can meet up with others through local events are often called “boogies” and you can find other skydiving festivals to meet other skydivers and learn from the best. Sometimes certain places will have unique skydiving events – like this one I was able to jump in Wadi Rum, Jordan
Next steps: Many people use skydiving as the first step to more extreme sports. You can connect with other people BASE jumping, paragliding, speed flying, and more at events around the world.
Skydiving isn’t just about the jump – it’s about the journey, community, and personal growth. It’s also a great way to push your limits and find out what you’re capable of. Many people find that the skydiving experience & community are life changing.
If you end up taking the leap, bring an impossible shirt with you and enjoy the jump.
