Have you been anxiously waiting to decide if you want to go skydiving? Fear not, we’re here to tell you all there is to know before you make the big jump. That way when you do, you’re fully prepared to experience the thrill. Many think of skydiving as something you do once or maybe twice in your life, but this is an actual sport that many skydiving enthusiasts practice consistently. There are even skydiving competitions! But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s slow things down and figure out the basics. Keep reading and we'll fill you in on everything there is to know before skydiving!
What Skydiving Terms Should I Know?
Before you even get into the plane, it’s important to know a few terms that your instructor will most likely use. If you’re familiar with these terms, it’ll help your jump go smoother and leave you feeling confident!
Jumpsuit: The full body suit you wear over your clothes while skydiving
Drop Zone (DZ): This is where you’ll land; it will most likely look like a large field of nothing
Free fall: Hopefully you’ve heard this term before. You’ve probably experienced this while on a rollercoaster. Now imagine that feeling, but way, way, longer and without the stomach drop. This will be the most exciting part of your jump.
Accelerated Free Fall (AFF): A modern form of skydive training in which a beginner can jump all on their own by learning all the proper techniques and emergency procedures
Arch: This is the position you’ll be in while skydiving; also known as “belly to earth”, this position allows for a clean deployment of the parachute
Canopy: A fancy word for parachute that you’ll most likely hear your instructor use when you jump or are floating through the air
What Will Happen Before the Jump?
Before you actually jump out of the airplane, there will be a few steps that you’ll go through to get the process started. As a beginner, you’ll be able to decide if you want to jump and land by yourself, or go tandem. Most will go tandem, as it’s less scary when someone else is with you. Another thing you’ll do is watch videos and learn everything there is to know from your instructor. After this process is complete, you'll grab all your gear and head onto the plane!
What is the Anticipation Like?
Going up in the plane before you actually jump is arguably the worst part of it all. By the time you reach skydiving height, you’ll probably be pretty excited to get out of that tiny little plane and fall effortlessly through the sky. If you are too scared to jump once you get to skydiving height, there is the option to not jump and go back to the ground in the plane, but hopefully this doesn’t happen!
3, 2, 1 ...Jump!
Now it’s the moment you’ve been waiting so long for. The plane door opens and you feel a rush of cold air blowing against you. At this point, there’s only a few seconds before your instructor pushes both of you out of the plane and into the air. Once this part is over, many say that free falling through the sky is one of the most peaceful and relaxing experiences they’ve ever had. So, try not to think too much about it. Trust your instructor, because chances are they’ve done this hundreds, if not thousands of times.
Post-Skydive
Once you’ve hit the ground and admired the beautiful scenery surrounding you on the fall, you’ll already be craving more. Many people want to experience it again the second they’ve hit the ground. You may even be thinking about skydiving again before you’ve even hit the ground. This is the thrill that so many people talk about and can’t wait to do the day they turn 18.
What Now?
Now that you’ve experienced the thrill of skydiving, there are many different roads you can take. If it wasn’t for you, that’s okay! It’s definitely not for everyone, but at least you got to experience something that many people haven’t. If you’re already craving to go again, what are you waiting for? You may want to do the exact same jump again, or you can research other skydiving locations. The amazing part of the jump is seeing the world around you, so why not skydive somewhere else next time and see a different part of the world?
Whether you don’t know if you’re ready, or you’ve already decided to tackle the adventure, we hope these tips have helped you in your skydiving journey. Hopefully you’re on your way to crossing another item off your bucket list and becoming a part of a wonderful skydiving community!
