Well this is an area you do not have to stress yourself out about so rather focus on the potential butterflies in your stomach.
Skydiving schools offer on-the-ground classes for first timers so that by the time you are up in the plane, all you need to concern yourself with is the amazing view and how soon you can make the next jump.
Learning to skydive might be easy to do on the ground – a very different scenario awaits you when you are leaning out of the aircraft. Here’s a look at some of the options you can consider before making that all-important first jump:
Tandem Skydive
- This is probably the most popular and easiest way to introduce yourself to that crazy rush to the ground experience.
- An experienced skydiver is attached to your back and all you need to worry about is the view as you fall to the ground.
- The deploying of the parachute is managed for you as well as the landing.
- Plus you can add on some perks and have the whole experience recorded for show and tell later.
Static Line Progression
- First up this required about 5-8 hours of schooling on the ground where all of the finer intricacies of skydiving are dealt with.
- What will also be included are practical examples of what you will have to do when it is time to jump.
- From there you head up into the sky and jump from the aircraft.
- Your parachute is attached to a line that is attached to the aircraft and it will automatically deploy after a certain period.
- Then you will need to manage the rest of your descent as you glide towards the ground and eventually land.
- This process will be repeated several times until you are comfortable to go out on your own, without the line.
Accelerated Free Fall
- The last section of how to prepare for your first skydive involved some initial support but is really a faster way to learn how to skydive.
- You will receive more extensive training on the ground, compared to that of the Static Line training.
- You will then go in an aircraft to a lower height above the earth, somewhere in the region of 11,000 ft.
- When you exit the aircraft, you will do so with 2 instructors holding onto you. These instructors will stay with you while you fall and make sure that you deploy your parachute safely.
- From here onwards to the ground you are on your own as you manage the glide towards the ground and the eventual landing.
Depending on how seriously you want to take the sport of skydiving will have a bearing on which choice you make in how to prepare for your first skydive.
If you want the thrill because you are on holiday, the best option would be the tandem. But if you are looking at jumping more regularly, then either the Static Line or Accelerated Free Fall are your best options.