Skydiving Tips to Make Your First Adventure a Good One
If your friends or family members have finally convinced you to go skydiving with them, you are probably experiencing a range of emotions: excitement, trepidation, exhilaration, anticipation, or even downright fear! All this is pretty normal, especially when you consider you’ve just agreed to jump from a plane and free fall at 120 mph through the air. If this is your first adventure, here is a synopsis of what you can expect and some tips on how to make your experience a good one.
A Few Tips Before You Go
–Make sure that you are old enough to jump! You must be 18 to skydive, and not even a parent’s presence or permission will be sufficient for the outfitters to allow you to jump if you are a minor. You also ought to be in good overall health and able to handle the high degrees of exertion that you will go through. If you have any questions about whether or not you are physically qualified and able to jump, ask your doctor before you go. You don’t want to be disappointed once you get there.
–Dress appropriately for this activity. You will not want to wear sandals or other types of inappropriate footwear: you do not want to risk injury when you touch down, so wear good gym shoes when you go. Non-restrictive clothing is a must: you don’t want to wear a tight belt, for instance. Wear whatever you feel most comfortable in: the skydiving center will be able to give you details ahead of time if you call them.
— Don’t worry: you won’t have to jump “blind.” The skydiving center will provide you with goggles that you can comfortably wear over your glasses or contact lenses. But for extra safety and security, attach straps if you wear glasses.
What To Expect
Most first-timers choose to skydive in tandem with an instructor, and it is the most stress-free, worry-free way to go for your first time. You will fill out the requisite paperwork and watch an instructional video that will give you a feeling about what to expect during your jump. Your flight instructor will give you a pre-jump briefing, answer all of your questions, and then make sure you are equipped with everything you need.
Once you near jump altitude in the plane, you will be attached to your instructor’s tandem harness system and all equipment will undergo a final safety check. When in the air, you will free fall together for the first few minutes, and then your instructor will deploy the parachute at about 5,000 feet. The rest of your journey is peaceful and quiet until you touch ground.
Skydiving is a thrill sport that many consider to be the experience of a lifetime: are you ready?
