The Golden Rules of Skydiving
If you want to go skydiving for the very first time, there are some things you should know before you book your excursion. Remember, skydiving is an extreme sport, and it certainly has its own share of risks associated with it.
To help guide you when you go skydive in Houston for the first time, you should learn these golden rules of skydiving.
As a novice skydiver, your first jump will be a tandem skydive with an experienced instructor. You will be dropped strapped together and use a single parachute to safely guide you both to the ground. While this means fewer responsibilities for you, it doesn’t mean that you can completely zone out and not learn the basics.
First, you need to learn about skydiving safety. You need to understand how to check and operate the parachute and harness, how to properly exit the plane, mistakes to avoid during your freefall, how to land safely, and what to do in the event of an emergency, such as a failure of the main parachute to open.
One of the most important parts Is knowing how and when to deploy the parachute. If you deploy it at the wrong time, it could jeopardize the outcome of your jump. You want to deploy it when you’re still high enough to make adjustments if the chute doesn’t deploy properly. In general, you never want to deploy your chute at 2,000 feet or less of altitude. In many cases, skydivers will deploy their parachute at elevations up to 5,000 feet.
Of course, the landing is an important part of any dive. You’ll have a targeted landing zone in which you want to aim for. However, there may be cases where you can’t hit your target. In this case, you’ll want to instead try to find the safest possible alternative landing spot.
To sum it up, here are some short, simple rules to remember.
First, don’t jump unless you’re absolutely ready. Never rush into a jump, and don’t make your jump unless the situation is right.
Second, make sure you’re always ready for any situation to happen. Know what to do if your chute doesn’t deploy properly or you miss your landing zone.
Third, always make sure you’re very aware throughout your dive. You need to pay attention to the elements, your altitude, the location of your landing zone, and other key factors.
Fourth, achieving a safe landing is a must. Even if you miss your target landing area, try to find the safest possible alternative spot to land.
Finally, always listen to your instructor. Your instructor has extensive skydiving experience and can guide you through your first jump to ensure a smooth experience.
Stick to these rules of skydiving, and you’ll have a great first jump.
