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What to Ask Before Jumping Out of a Plane at 13,000 Feet
Before making your first jump, make sure you are ready by knowing what to expect.
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How does one learn
to skydive?
There are several different methods of training
you can take in order to learn to skydive.
They are: Static Line Accelerated Freefall,
or Tandem . They are described below in
greater detail. However, not all drop zones
offer all these options, so you should ask
the DZ which type(s) of training they provide.
It is your safety at stake and your responsibility
to look after it. If you have reservations
about making your first jump, make the effort
to visit the DZ, check it out, meet the
people and staff. They will be glad to see
you, and you will be much more confident
and comfortable having done so, and consequently
have a much better time!
What are the age requirements?
16 and up. On the other hand,
most Dropzones will require you to be 18
years of age to make a skydive. Some dropzones
in some states will allow 16 year olds to
jump with parental consent. So, if you are
under 16, you will just have to wait; take
up some odd jobs, and start saving your
money.
On the other side, there is no maximum
age. See the following question to determine
if skydiving is appropriate for you.
What are the physical
requirements?
In general, the prospective student should
be in reasonably good physical shape, this
is a sport after all. You will be required
wear around 25 lbs of equipment, endure
opening shock, maneuver the canopy, land,
and possibly trudge great distances on foot.
You will experience 30 degree swings in
temperature, atmospheric pressure changes,
4 hours of lecture, and lots of beer after
your jump! It's grueling (:-).
But seriously, problems may arise where
a prospect is too heavy (over ~250lbs/ 110kg,
see below) or if they have medical conditions
which may impair them during the activity.
Someone who experiences fainting spells,
blackouts, or has a weak heart should not
be jumping. Someone with respiratory illness
or sinus congestion may have a problem
due to atmospheric changes at altitude.
The better your physical condition, the
more you will enjoy the experience. This
being said, very few people have medical
or physical conditions which actually preclude
jumping.
Dropzones will try to work with you. If
you have a question, ask them. As always,
consult your physician. You may be surprised
at the relatively few physical constraints
involved!
Concerning Weight Restrictions,
there are two primary concerns.
First, does the drop zone have a parachute
system which you can both legally use and
safely land?
Second, if you are going to be at the top-end
of the safe weight range for a particular
parachute, are you in relatively good shape?
An imperfect landing will be much less likely
to injure an athletic person. If this is
unclear, consider the difference between
a 5'10" linebacker who weighs 240lbs,
and a 5'10" 240lb couch potato. If
the linebacker has a bad landing, he'll
probably brush himself off and get up. The
couch potato may very well injure himself
substantially, lacking both the strength
to withstand landing and coordination to
do a good Parachute Landing Fall(PLF). With
this in mind, use the following table as
a guide.
< 200lbs
Almost every DZ should be willing to let
you jump.
200-230lbs
The majority of DZ's should be willing to
let you jump. Being in relatively good shape
is a plus.
230-250lbs
Some DZ's may take you, but will likely
insist that you be in good shape, i.e. not
a couch-potato. You must recognize that
there is a greater chance of injury, particularly
if you are not somewhat athletic.
> 250lbs
A few DZ's will be able to let you skydive.
Without this type of equipment, you will
need to be in excellent physical condition,
and be willing to accept a greatly increased
chance of injury in case of a bad landing.
Please note that this table is only a guideline.
Call your local Drop Zone and discuss the
matter with them. Also, there are experienced
skydivers who are quite heavy -- however,
they likely learned when they were lighter
and had mastered landing before they gaining
the additional weight.
What does the training
consist of?
The FJC teaches the student every thing
they need to know to safely make their first
jump. There are several different programs
available for first jumpers; the one you
choose will depend on your personal preferences
and circumstances. The differences of each
are summarized below:
This method has evolved over the last ~30
years from its military origins into a successful
method for training sport parachutists.
The student gets hours of ground training
and is then taken to an altitude of about
3000 feet for the jump. The jump itself
consists of a simple "poised"
exit from the strut of a small single engine
Cessna aircraft. As the student falls away
from the plane, the main canopy is deployed
by a "static line" attached to
the aircraft. The student will experience
about two to three seconds of falling as
the parachute opens.
Subsequent S/L jumps require about 15 minutes
of preparation. After 2 good static line
jumps, the student will be trained to pull
their ripcord for themselves. The student
is then cleared to do their first actual
freefall.
The first freefall may be a "clear
& pull", where the student initiates
the pull sequence immediately upon leaving
the aircraft. Next is a 10 second delay
jump. Subsequent jumps go to progressively
higher altitudes with longer delays. After
20 freefalls, and meeting certain other
basic requirements, the student receives
their A license and is cleared off student
status.
Accelerated Free Fall (AFF)
The AFF program was instituted in 1982
as an "accelerated" learning process
as compared to the traditional static line
progression. The AFF program will give you
a true taste of modern sport skydiving.
The ground training is a bit more extensive
than S/L (~5 hours) because the student
will be doing a 50 second freefall (that's
right!) on his/her very first jump. The
student will exit the aircraft at 10,000-12,000
feet along with two AFF Jumpmasters (JM)
who will assist the student during freefall.
The jumpmasters maintain grips on the student
from the moment they leave the aircraft
until opening, assisting the student as
necessary to fall stable, perform practice
ripcord pulls, monitor altitude, etc. The
student then pulls his/her own ripcord at
about 4500 ft.
The AFF program is a 7 level program. Levels
1, 2, & 3 require two freefall Jumpmasters
to accompany the student. These dives concentrate
on teaching basic safety skills such as
altitude awareness, body position, stability
during freefall and during the pull sequence,
and most importantly- successful ripcord
pull. On level 3, the JMs will release the
student in freefall for the first time,
to fly completely on their own.
Levels 4, 5, 6, & 7 require only one
freefall JM (less $$) and teach the student
air skills such as turns, forward movement
and docking on other people, frontloops,
backloops, "superman" exits from
the plane, etc.
Each AFF level is designed to take one
jump, and requires about 45 minutes of training.
After successfully performing the objectives
of each level, the student moves on to the
next level.
After graduating Level 7, the student enters
a more free format stage called "Level
8" where they practice and hone their
skills by themselves and in small groups
until they qualify for a license.
Tandem Freefall
Tandem jumps are meant to offer an introduction
to the sport. They allow the neophyte to
"take a ride" with an experienced
jumper. A tandem jump requires from 15 to
45 minutes of ground preparation (it is
not a First Jump Course). It consists of
an experienced jumper called a "tandemmaster"
and the passenger. The passenger and tandem
master each wear a harness, however only
the master wears the parachutes. The passengers's
harness attaches to the front of the master's
harness and the two of them freefall together
for 30 seconds, open together, and land
together under one Really_BIG_Parachute.
Tandem jumping provides an obvious advantage
for the adventurous spirit who cannot adequately
meet the physical or proficiency requirements
for the Static Line or AFF jumps. By relying
on Tandem Master's skills, they will still
be able to experience the thrill of skydiving.
Because the tandem training is not a First
Jump Course, if you decide to pursue the
sport, you will still have to attend a Jump
Course in either the AFF or Static Line
curriculum, or do several "working
tandem jumps" to learn solo jumping
skills.
In all of these training methods, students
are taught normal and emergency procedures
for all aspects of the jump - climb to altitude,
exit, opening, canopy control, and landing.
They are also shown the equipment and go
over it so that they understand how it works.
Students have light-weight harness/container
systems in aesthetically coordinated colors,
as well as high performance canopies designed
for students. No more paraboots -- students
use their own tennis shoes. No more heavy
motorcycle helmets -- students use lightweight
sporting helmets. Ground-to-air radio for
canopy control assistance, air-to-air video,
on and on...
How do I tell a good
Drop Zone from poor one?
Most dropzones that provide regular student
training are "USPA Affiliated".
The United
States Parachute Association (USPA)
is the representative body for sport parachuting
within the US, and a member of the FAI (the
international equivalent). The USPA defends
the sport's interests before the FAA and
other regulating/lawmaking bodies at all
levels of government. It also develops and
monitors safety and training doctrine for
the sport. Other benefits include liability
insurance for students and DZs in the case
of damage to property, the monthly magazine
Parachutist, etc.
The USPA has had tremendous success instituting
rating programs for Jumpmasters, Instructors,
and Instructor-Examiners to ensure that
only properly trained and qualified personnel
work with students. You should insist on
USPA Instructors and Jumpmasters.
Some USPA-affiliated DZ's have not been
diligent in using only Currently-rated Instructors
and Jumpmasters. Do not be afraid to ask
to see your Instructor or Jumpmaster's rating
card. It should show the appropriate rating
and expiration date. Also note that currently,
Tandem Jumpmasters are certified by the
equipment manufacturer, not USPA.
USPA affiliation is not required, and does
not guarantee a DZ to be a "good"
DZ, and non-affiliation does not mean the
DZ is "bad". However, the USPA,
through their diligence and caution, has
compiled an excellent safety record over
the years. Other affiliating organizations
include Skydive University and Parachute
Industry Assn.
These are just guidelines. You should always
check it out before you jump.
What if your parachute
doesn't open?
Clearly, this is the most Frequently-Asked-Question
posed by all prospective jumpers.
By law (FAA regulations), all intentional
parachute jumps must be made with a single
harness, dual parachute system with both
a main canopy AND a reserve canopy. In other
words, you have a second (or spare) canopy
in case the first one fails to open properly.
Additionally, it must be noted that the
technology utilized in today's sport parachuting
equipment is light years ahead of the old
military surplus gear used in the '60s and
'70s. The canopies are drastically different
from the classic "G.I. Joe" round
parachutes. The materials are stronger,
lighter and last longer. Modern packing
procedures are simpler, and the deployment
sequence is much more refined, providing
smoother openings and softer landings.
The reserve canopies are even more carefully
designed and packed. The reserve parachute
must be inspected and repacked every 120
days by an FAA rated parachute Rigger -
even if it has not been used during that
time.
The student's main canopy is always packed
either by a rigger or under a rigger's direct
supervision by experienced packers.
There are also additional safety features
employed to ensure canopy deployment such
as Automatic Activation Devices (AAD) and
Reserve Static Lines (RSL) which exponentially
increase the level of safety.
How fast do you fall?
When you leave the aircraft, you are moving
horizontally at the same speed as the aircraft,
typically 90-110MPH. During the first 10
seconds, a skydiver accelerates up to about
115-130MPH straight down. (A tandem jump
pair uses a drogue chute to keep them from
falling much faster than this). It is possible
to change your body position to vary your
rate of fall. In a standard face-to-earth
position, you can change your fall rate
up or down a few (10-20) miles per hour.
However, by diving or "standing up"
in freefall, an experienced skydiver can
learn to reach speeds of over 160-180MPH.
Speeds of over 200MPH require significant
practice to achieve. The record freefall
speed, done without any special equipment,
is 321MPH. For obvious reason, it is desirable
to slow back down to 110MPH before parachute
opening.
Once under canopy, descent rates of 1000ft./min.
are typical. A lighter student with a bigger
canopy may come down much more slowly, and,
obviously, a heavier person may have a faster
descent. Experienced jumpers' canopies descend
(in normal glide) at up to 1500ft./min.
During radical turns, the descent rate can
exceed 2000ft./min.
How hard is the landing?
The canopies used today bear little resemblance
to the classic round canopies of years gone
by. Today, nearly all jumpers and jump schools
use "square" canopies for parachuting.
These canopies are actually rectangular
in shape, and when open, act like an airplane
wing (or an airfoil). They are more like
gliders than umbrellas.
The aerodynamics of the square canopy provide
it with exceptional maneuverability, allowing
the jumpers to land almost anywhere they
wish. This wing shape also provides tip-toe
soft landings for even the novice jumper.
The days of landing like a sand bag are
history. Most first jump students land standing
up.
How much does it cost?
See our pricing
schedule
Where can I try Skysurfing
or BASE jumping?
In a nutshell, you can't -- unless you're
already a very experienced skydiver.
"Skysurfing" or "Skyboarding"
refers to skydiving with a small board,
similar to a snowboard, attached to your
feet. This allows for some radical maneauvers
in freefall. However, such jumps should
only be attempted by expert skydivers, and
preferably after long discussion with one
of the many skysurfers who have experience.
Some board manufacturers and experienced
skydsurfers offer instructional classes
or videotapes.
BASE jumping involves jumping off of fixed
objects (like Buildings, Antennas, Spans
(bridges), or Earth (cliffs)), and landing
under a parachute. While being an expert
skydiver isn't an absolute requirement,
you need a great deal of experience in parachute
packing, canopy control, quick reflexes,
and body position awareness before this
can be attempted with any real safety. Start
with skydiving, and then go from there.
Furthermore, there are very few places where
one may BASE jump legally, as most locations
are private property.
Movie Myths
Myth #1: Freefall conversation.
Talking in Freefall is virtually impossible.
The wind is too loud.
Myth #2: 4 minute freefalls.
Without taking Oxygen on the plane with
you, freefall time is limited to about 80
seconds on a single jump.
Myth #3: First-jump freefall acrobatics
Learning to fall stable and to fly while
in freefall takes practice -- it's not realistic
to do this on your first jump.
Myth #4: Low-pull contests
This virtually never happens. Everyone tends
to deploy around 2000-2500. Skydivers fall
at about 5.5 sec/thousand feet.
Myth #5: Diving out and catching someone
without a parachute
Stunts similar to this have been done, however,
it's almost impossible to hold onto someone
during the opening shock of the parachute
when at terminal velocity... would you trust
your buddy?
Appendix of Skydiving
Abbreviations, Terms, and Colloquialisms
AAD
Abbrev. n, "Automatic Activation Device".
A altitude sensing device used to automatically
activate the opening sequence for a parachute.
Most commonly refers to their application
to sport reserve parachutes, but also used
in other non-sport scenarios such as ejection
seats, etc.
AFF
Abbrev. n, "Accelerated FreeFall".
A training program for first jump students
where the skydiving skills development rate
is accelerated over that of the older static
line program.
boogie
n, A gathering of jumpers for the purposes
of jumping and socializing. Typically, boogies
will have large aircraft, unusual aircraft
(balloons, helicopters), special events
(record attempts), or some sort of competition
as a focal point to attract jumpers from
widely diverse regions.
bounce
Colloquialism v, term for landing, after
freefall, without the aid of a parachute.
Also: hammer in, frappe, go in.
canopy
n, parachute.
CFS
Abbrev., "Canopy Formation Skydiving".
The new "official" term for a
discipline of skydinvg in which jumpers
under canopy fly their parachutes together
to form various formations. However, most
skydivers still refer to it as "CRW".
(See CRW.)
CRW
Abbrev., "Canopy Relative Work".
Describes the maneuvering done by jumpers
under canopy to fly their parachutes together
to form various formations. Sometimes referred
to as CReW (Crew). See CFS.
DZ
Abbrev. n, "Drop Zone". A place
where parachuting operations take place.
This is may be a designated area, or frequently,
a commercial business which supplies aircraft,
instruction, gear sales and services.
flare
v, to pull down on both of the canopy's
steering toggles in order to lower decent
rate and forward speed just prior to landing.
The forward speed is converted to lift.
A flare performed too late has no effect;
a flare performed too early can result in
a stall in which the canopy looses forward
speed and drops straight down. A correctly
performed flare results in an exceptionally
soft landing.
FS
Abbrev., "Formation Skydiving".
The new "official" term for a
dicipline of skydiving in which two or more
jumpers fly relative to each other in freefall
in order to form various formations. However,
most skydivers refer to it as Relative Work,
or "RW." (See RW.)
hook turn
n, A high-speed turn with either the steering
toggles or the front risers performed at
very low altitude in order to build up speed
before landing. See "turf surf."
An inherently dangerous maneuver that is
still the leading cause of injury and/or
death to skydivers.
JM
Abbrev. n, "JumpMaster". A jumper
trained and certified to supervise students
and/or novices during their jump.
main
n, the primary parachute.
opening shock
n, The force experienced by the jumper due
to the sudden deceleration from terminal
velocity due to the deployment of a parachute.
RW
Abbrev., "Relative Work". Describes
the freefall maneuvering whereby two or
more jumpers fly relative to each other
in freefall in order to form various formations.
See FS.
reserve
n, the secondary, or backup, parachute.
round
n, a class of parachutes designed to simply
decelerate a body in a fluid medium. The
classic parachute.
square
n, a class of parachutes designed to inflate
and take the shape of an airfoil. These
are more accurately rectangular in shape
and are semi-rigid wings.
turf surf
v, (also, to "surf it", or swoop)
a high-speed style of landing. The jumper
builds up speed (see Hook Turn) and then
flares just before touchdown, resulting
in a spectacular landing in which the jumper
skims mere inches above the ground at 30-40mph,
for up to 100 yards. Or, if the jumper flares
too late, resulting in a spectacular landing
in which the jumper impacts the ground,
leading to medical bills, orthopedic surgery,
and/or death. Attempt this maneuver at your
own risk!
USPA
Abbrev. n, "United States Parachute
Association".
whuffo
Colloquialism, n, A person who is not a
skydiver (from the often-asked phrase "Whuffo
you jump out of dem perfekly good airplanes?").
Information about learning
to jump outside of the USA
Admittedly, this FAQ is directed primarily
at the United States. Since jumping takes
place all over the world, it seems appropriate
to list contact information for the national
skydiving organization for other countries.
I encourage jumpers outside of the USA to
submit information which can be added to
the file.
List of Skydiving-related
magazines and periodicals
Parachutist
Free w/ USPA Membership, $12/yr, back issues
$3. USPA, 1440 Duke St, Alexandra, VA, 22314.
703-836-3495.
Skydiving
$16/yr. Skydiving, 1725 N. Lexington Ave.
DeLand FL USA 32724 tel: (904) 736-4793
(9 am - 5 pm, Mon.-Fri.) fax: (904) 736-9786
(anytime) e-mail: skydivng@interserv.com
Sport Parachutist
Magazine
(Publication of the British Parachuting
Association), sp@postlin.demon.co.uk
CANPARA: Canadian
Parachuting Association Magazine
CSPA, 4185
Dunning Rd. Rural Rt 3. Navan, ON. K4B 1J1
Canada, 613-835-3731
Rambling On
A$30, A$55 overseas. Published Quarterly.
(07)399-6400 15 Wynnum Rd, Norman Park,
Queensland 4170, Australia.
Fallschrim Sportmagazin
DM70/yr, Europe. (43)316-846589 Friedrich
Wegerer, C.v.Hoetzendorfstrasse 29, A-810
GRAZ, Austria
Fritt Fall
NOK 100/year. Norwegian Parachuting Assoc.
Magazine PO Box 3869, Ulleval Hageby, 0805
Oslo, Norway
Email: frittfall@online.no
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