Skydiving News

Tandem skydiving is an excellent way to experience this popular extreme sport. People, though, have a number of fears about skydiving. One myth is that you can’t breathe while you’re free falling. That is certainly not true, otherwise jumpers wouldn’t be conscious when they reached the ground. Another concern is that your chute won’t open. Because student chutes are typically safer than other chutes, this isn’t a realistic concern. Moreover, most chutes now are rigged with automatic opening devices, so not opening your chute on time shouldn’t really be a worry. Despite these reassurances, though, people still worry about the safety of skydiving. To that end, tandem skydiving is an excellent way to experience the sport without worrying about the nagging doubts that plague people’s minds.

Tandem is one of the most popular ways of experiencing jumping for first time skydivers. Students are subjected to about thirty minutes of instruction. During those thirty minutes, they meet the instructors they will be jumping with. They also view instructional videos about the jump, go over safety procedures, and get fitted to the equipment they’ll be using. Additionally, students learn how to leave the aircraft, how to free fall, and what to do in terms of body position during the landing cycle.

Welcome Aboard

After the training session, tandem students and instructors board the plane for the fifteen to twenty minute flight to the drop zone. While waiting to approach the area where exiting will take place, instructors make final reviews about procedures with students. When the time comes, instructors and students leave the plane at about fourteen thousand feet. Free fall lasts only a few minutes. Once the chute finally opens, the gentle glide back to earth lasts anywhere from five to ten minutes.

Occasionally, instructors will allow students to help steer the chute to the landing zone. This helps students get the feel of the chute. It also helps students who wish to continue their skydiving training and become certified divers themselves. Skydiving is a fairly dangerous sport. However, tandem skydiving is a great way for novices to experience the sport without the worry and danger.

About the author:

John Ewing is the author of many articles published at http://www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.comJohn used to add interesting skydiving equipment reviews on powered parachutes as well as tips for first time jumpers. Read further information on tandem skydiving at http://www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.com/tandem-skydiving.html

Written By: John Ewing

A Four Part Series:

*1 Arrival & Sign-up

*2 Preparation

*3 The Plane

*4 Freefall & Landing

Part Three: The Skydiving Plane

When it is time to load the plane with skydivers, you will stay next to your instructor. Do not walk away from your instructor. The loading area has moving aircraft. The plane’s propellers will be spinning and are difficult to see. The human body will loose any battle with a spinning airplane propeller.

After you get into the plane your instructor will have you put on a seat belt. After the plane is in the air your instructor will tell you when to take off your seat belt. You are now on your way to making your first skydive! As you are flying to altitude you may experience some pressure in your ears. If you do, take your thumb and index finger and squeeze gently on your nose, closing off the passages in your nose, and then blow out gently. This should relieve the pressure in your ears.

Oh by the way, the most Important Thing To Remember is “Have Fun”. You are going to make a tandem skydive – this is supposed to be fun!! You can have fun on the plane – laugh, geek the cameraperson, whatever, or just sit there quietly and wait for your instructor to tell you what to do next. Either is cool. Jump altitude is usually 10,000 feet to 13,500 feet. When it is time to jump, your instructor will hook up your harness and tell you what to do. Jump run is when the approaching the point where you will jump from the airplane. When you are on jump run someone will open the door, it will get loud and noisy to you.

About the author:

Jeff Wark has over 30 years of skydiving experience. His skydiving experience includes being a tandem instructor, RW flying, free flying and videography. http://www.tandemskydivinginfo.com

This article may be freely distributed provided the author’s bio and website link remain in tact and active.

Written By: Jeff Wark