Newcomers to the skydiving world may be eager to get the opportunity to perform their first skydive, but, it is very important to be properly informed about all of the different aspects of skydiving prior to jumping out the plane, such as safety, risks, etc..  In order ensure that new skydivers are properly prepared, there are many skydiving schools all around the United States and Internationally that will provide proper training to people who sign up.  Here is a brief overview of skydiving schools.

What can be learned at skydiving school?

Since skydiving school isn’t like going to regular school, there aren’t a bunch of textbooks to mull through or difficult tests to take.  However, there are many competent and certified instructors that make sure their students leave with as much information possible for a safe skydiving experience.

Typically, those who are new to skydiving will first complete some on the ground training that will go over many important factors like what to do the first 50 seconds or so after jumping out the plane, how to land, and emergency procedures.   This is then followed by a jump with their instructor (tandem skydive).  During the first tandem dive, the student doesn’t have to do anything, just get a feel for how the whole skydiving process works.

How much do skydiving schools cost?

The price to attend skydiving school varies, but can range anywhere from as little as $125 upwards to several hundred dollars.  Within the cost to attend skydiving school, the fee usually covers instruction, a minimum of one jump, and rental of required equipment.

It is not a requirement to attend a skydiving school in order to skydive, however, for a safe experience; it is definitely something that should be considered.

What is skydiving?

Skydiving, also known as parachuting is performed by jumping out of an aircraft.  Then, acrobatics are performed during a freefall, followed by the deployment of a parachute prior to landing on the ground.

Who can skydive?

According to laws in the United States, skydivers must be the “age of legal majority” in their state.  Although that age can vary from state to state, this usually indicates that skydivers must be a minimum of 18 years old in order to participate.

Also, physical condition plays a part in who is allowed to skydive.   Although there are no laws to say that someone that is not in pristine health cannot skydive, people suffering with conditions such as epilepsy, obesity, and heart problems should proceed with caution and check with their physician prior to skydiving.

How much does skydiving cost?

The price of skydiving can range based off of many factors, such as experience, location, and altitude that the jump will be performed from.  First-time static jumpers can expect to pay anywhere from $85-$125, and tandem jumps usually cost about $100-$200.

Is skydiving safe?

Skydiving may not seem like a safe sport due to its extreme nature, but, it actually holds no greater risk than basic tasks that we do every day, like riding in a car, walking down the street, or riding a bike.  Every year, there are approximately 20 to 30 deaths caused by skydiving each year.  This represents a death rate of less than one percent.

Even though death while skydiving is uncommon, there still are certain risks that skydivers may face. This can include injuries such as sprains, fractures, and broken bones, which are usually caused as a result of problems during landing.

These are just a few basic facts about skydiving, however, before skydiving, it is important to do as much research as possible to ensure a safe and enjoyable skydiving experience.

Risks of Skydiving

There are many reasons why people choose to skydive, it could be for the adrenaline rush or to check an item off their “bucket list”, the reasons are endless.  Nevertheless, regardless of why a person chooses to skydive, it is important that they remember that although skydiving can be a lot of fun and can be a safe extreme-sport, there also are many risks involved that should not be forgotten.

Equipment failure

Equipment failure is pretty rare in skydiving, but it does happen.  This is usually the result of a faulty parachute which does not open up.  To help prevent and unopened parachute being an issue, regulation in most places around the world states that each skydiver is required to wear two parachutes, that are inspected periodically.  Skydivers also are required to wear a visual altimeter to alert them when they are at a safe altitude to open their parachute.

Unpredictable weather

Most skydiving accidents are due to climate conditions in which a strong wind may come through and sweep the skydiver away causing them to crash into other skydivers or objects.

As a way of preventing these accidents from happening, expert skydivers may be able to predict the wind patterns based off of the movement of the clouds, or they can also use the winds aloft forecast, which is provided by the National Weather Service.

Landing Injuries

Going in for a landing while skydiving can be pretty risky.  Injuries caused by landing usually happen when the intended landing zone is missed, or by pure inexperience on the part of the skydiver.  Though injuries are rarely fatal, the possibility of a sprain, dislocated or broken body part is a possibility.

Overall, skydiving is a relatively safe sport, but it is very important to keep the risks of skydiving in mind before jumping out that plane.