There is nothing like flying to earth at 200 km / h after jumping out of an airplane. Skydiving is an experience that gives you such an intense and exciting adrenaline rush that it cannot be described, it can only be experienced. Here are some tips on how to properly tackle your first jump, and all those that follow.
Steps
Step 1. Search the internet to find the closest skydiving school to you
Step 2. Call the school, ask for their schedules, and schedule a training launch
Step 3. Ask any questions that come to your mind before paying for the jump
Don't be afraid to ask anything, as someone has probably asked before you.
Step 4. Choose the method for your first jump
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The great majority of people choose to jump in tandem. This method involves jumping from the attached airplane with a harness to an instructor who is carrying a parachute large enough for both of you. Very little training is required and you can simply relax and enjoy the ride as the instructor handles all the technical components of the launch.
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A type of jump called AFF Level 1 is also offered in most schools. The training for this jump includes a ground course lasting about 5-6 hours followed by a jump with your parachute. As you jump, you will be held by two experienced instructors during the exit from the airplane and the consequent free fall, to help you position your body correctly and open the parachute. In addition, you will also have the assistance of a ground instructor who will communicate with you via radio to help you land.
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A further possibility is the jump to "static line". It involves the same training as AFF Level 1 jump, but upon exiting the plane, your parachute will automatically open from a line attached to the airplane. Static line jumps have lost popularity in recent years, as the other two methods are often preferred.
Skydive for the First Time Step 4Bullet3 - The remainder of this article describes the steps required to perform a pair jump, the most common of the first jumps.
Step 5. On the day of the jump, dress according to the weather on the ground and wear sneakers
Bring an extra layer with you if you want, but feeling the pull of the air is part of the fun, and even though it will be cold at high altitudes, you probably won't notice the difference thanks to the adrenaline effect.
Step 6. Show up early, but be prepared to wait for the instructor to arrive or, if necessary, for weather conditions to improve and other conditions as well
Even if you will only be in free fall for a minute, dedicate the whole day to this activity.
Step 7. Pay attention
Before the jump, you will receive instructions and meet your instructor. These will allow you to enjoy your jump a lot more. He will help you put on the harness that will keep you connected to him and the parachute.
Step 8. Get on the plane and enjoy the experience
Before you reach the altitude from which you will launch, which is equivalent to 3000-5500 meters in height, the instructor will tie your harness to his. At this point you will be literally attacked.
Step 9. Get out of the airplane
Listen to the instructions given by the instructor regarding this operation, because every airplane and every student-instructor combination is different.
Step 10. Enjoy the jump
Savor the thrill of falling at 200 per hour and feeling free as a bird. The feeling is not comparable to any other. You will feel like you are floating, but the thrust of the air will let you know that you are falling.
Step 11. Enjoy the view
When the instructor opens the parachute, you will have a 360 ° view of our beautiful land from about 2000 meters high. Your instructor may loosen the harness to make you more comfortable. Don't worry, it won't drop you!
Step 12. Land safely
Again, listen to the instructor to figure out how to land. In some cases you will have to stand upright, in others you will have to slide smoothly. It will depend on many factors.
Step 13. Be proud
You just did something that many people don't dare to do. Enjoy your business.
Step 14. Obtain the patent
If you enjoyed your first jump and want to do it again, talk to the instructors and owners of the school to get your certification. It takes a lot of time, money and effort, but you will find that skydivers are some of the happiest people on the face of the earth.
Advice
- Always follow the instructor's orders - consider him your boss. Skydivers are wonderful, fun-loving people who love to teach and are very safety conscious. They will tell you everything you need to know.
- Ask for a video of your first jump. It will cost up to € 100, but it will be worth watching together with friends and family. More than one person regretted not asking for the video of his first jump. Don't be afraid to have ugly expressions on your face while shooting! You can relive the excitement of your first jump whenever you want (and show it to your friends too!).
- Keep in mind that there is no "100% safe parachute jump" and anyone who says otherwise is wrong. It happens that someone dies during a throw, so you will have to accept this possibility before jumping. That said, however, tandem deaths are extremely rare for several reasons - most people estimate a 1 in 250,000-500,000 chance of jumps. On average each year, there are 30 deaths from skydiving compared to more than two million jumps and the vast majority of those who die are solo skydivers. A saying of the paratroopers is that "parachuting is safer than crossing the road".
- Skydiving is very much constrained by weather conditions. Generally you need a clear blue sky without precipitation and not too much wind. Regardless of where you jump, you should budget for a fallback date or two in case the weather conditions aren't favorable.
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Here are some questions and myths about skydiving:
- When you are in free fall you can still breathe. However, you cannot absorb oxygen from your skin no matter what people say.
- If the main parachute does not open, there is a reserve one. If the backup doesn't work, you're done for. No one competes for who opens the parachute last like in Point Break and there is no one who can make a jump to five people the first time he jumps.
- Also, unlike Point Break, you CAN'T talk in free fall. You may be able to signal with your hands, but you will not be able to hear (unless the other skydiver is yelling next to your ear) or speak, unless you are standing next to another person and yelling.
- Approximately 5-6 parachute accidents occur to an experienced skydiver following risky maneuvers which, although he recognizes the danger, he nevertheless tries because he thinks he is able to perform them. In your first jump, all efforts are aimed at making it as safe as possible. Skydiving is a rather quiet experience, but like in any other field, there are always people who push the boundaries.
Warnings
- Skydiving has been made much safer over the years thanks to the production of better equipment and increased safety measures, but if even a small chance of an accident is more important to you than the excitement you might get from it, don't.
- Don't let friends or family influence you. If you've always wanted to parachute, perfect! Otherwise, the costs and risks are not worth it.
