| The Basics For Beginners | | | | about 30 minutes, you will then jump out of an airplane |
| First and foremost, you may want to find a truly and | | | | while strapped to the chest of a professional Tandem |
| reliable skydiving school. It can be a good idea to ask | | | | Instructor. After three or four of these jumps and |
| for a good reputation one. This is a quite easy task to | | | | completion of the approved First Jump Course (ground |
| do. The best places to start seeking on them are local | | | | school), a student may then move on to the next level. |
| airports, internet and phone books. Since skydiving is | | | | Tandem jumping, however, does provide an |
| one of the more expensive sports to learn, you must | | | | opportunity for the adventurous spirit who may not |
| decide how you want to learn and then you to check | | | | quite meet the physical or proficiency requirements for |
| your pocket book. | | | | the static line or accelerated free fall jumps. By relying |
| There are three methods of training: | | | | on tandem instructor's skills, it may still be possible to |
| - Tandem | | | | experience the extreme thrill of skydiving. |
| - Static line | | | | Static Line |
| - Accelerated Free Fall (AFF). | | | | Static line skydiving was developed by the military as a |
| All of these methods have their benefits and | | | | safety measure for paratroopers. It is used for instant |
| drawbacks, but we will touch more on those a little | | | | and reliable deployment of parachutes at a relatively |
| later. | | | | low altitude, about 2000 - 3000 feet. Basically what |
| What to do First? Safety and Heath tips. | | | | happens is a specially designed cord is attached to the |
| The first thing to do is to consider health and safety. | | | | plane and to your parachute. As you step away from |
| Know the risks involved before you get involved. | | | | the plane, the cord immediately deploys your |
| Skydiving is not chess; you will not be sitting on an | | | | parachute for you. No fuss - no muss. After about |
| uncomfortable concrete bench moving your pieces | | | | two of these jumps the student begins demonstrating |
| around a game board. You are going to step out of an | | | | mock-pulls of a dummy ripcord. After about three of |
| airplane and, in freefall, will reach speeds of up to 250 | | | | these jumps the student is then ready for their first |
| feet per second... that is 110 miles per hour!! If you have | | | | free fall. |
| a bad ticker, unregulated high blood pressure, or any | | | | Accelerated Free Fall |
| number of other health problems, speak to an | | | | This is the way to go for the adrenalin junky out there. |
| instructor and discuss your options in detail. Also keep | | | | Why? You get to free fall from jump one!! Of course |
| in mind, even the best of the best in this sport | | | | this method is a little more expensive due to the fact |
| sometimes hit the ground a little harder then they | | | | that you will have two instructors jumping with you, |
| intend to. So, bad knees may also be a consideration. | | | | and, although you will be in free fall, the instructors will |
| DO NOT be afraid or embarrassed to discuss these | | | | maintain hands-on contact at all times during free fall. |
| things with your instructor before making that first | | | | After a few jumps like this, you will begin doing it on |
| jump. It is always preferable to hit the ground safely | | | | your own with a single instructor giving more advice |
| then to plant yourself in it. Truthfully though, with the | | | | and training. This method will get you your class a |
| proper preparations and instruction you would be more | | | | license a little faster. |
| likely to develop cataracts from reading this article then | | | | When my first jump is completed? What to do after |
| suffer a serious injury from skydiving. Listen to your | | | | the first class |
| instructors, know your equipment, and never assume | | | | After you have completed 4 to 5 hours of ground |
| you know how to do something just because you | | | | school training and have made 25 jumps, you are |
| saw it in a movie. | | | | qualified for a license and can keep going all the way |
| Training Methods. Which Training Method To Use? | | | | to your D license, requiring 500 jumps. But once you |
| As I researched information, I discovered that there | | | | have your license, are you really done? The answer to |
| are three approved methods of training to become a | | | | that question is no. As with any skill, you never learn |
| licensed skydiver, the Tandem jump, the Static jump, | | | | everything. There is always going to be that next skill |
| and the Accelerated Free Fall (AFF). | | | | level to work towards. New equipment and techniques |
| Tandem | | | | are being developed every day. So the only thing left |
| The tandem jump is the easiest and quickest method | | | | to do now is to get started! Have fun and good |
| to get into the air. With ground training typically lasting | | | | jumping! |