Should you Compete?

One reason why people enroll in schools and skydiving training, other than for the sheer thrill of it, is because they are truly serious about skydiving as a sport and want to become advanced divers so that they can eventually go on to competitions. There are a few national and international competitions that are the most popular including the World Cup, which is an international event. The United States has become quite famous for its free-falling skydiving competitions while Europe is mostly known for competitions that involve more classic styles such as formation and canopy formation competitions. It’s also worthwhile to look into local groups and skydiving schools that may offer community or district competitions. It’s a great way to set a goal to strive for when practicing skydiving and also allows you to focus on one area of skydiving that you are most interested in.

The Benefits of Ram-air Inflated Canopies

When skydiving first moved from being something that was done as military action only to an exciting and extreme sport, those who were doing it for fun were restricted to using equipment and designs that were based on those of the military. However, as the sport has grown, new innovations have allowed better equipment for those who are using it for recreational purposes and one of these innovations is the Ram-air inflated canopy parachutes. These are much different than the heavy, round balloon parachutes that weigh almost forty pounds and have a much higher failure rate than the new designs. Novices may recognize the Ram-air canopies for their modern, rectangular design while experienced skydivers will tend to turn more towards these types of parachutes due to how easy they are to maneuver and how much safer and lighter they are than the old military-style chutes. Out of all the skydiving equipment that should be updated in anyone’s gear, this is certainly at the top of the list.

The Top 5 Things to Know about Skydiving

Skydiving can seem like a very intimidating sport to some but the thrill of adventure and excitement cannot be overlooked. While it’s easy to get caught up in the thrill of the sport, it’s important to know a few things before going full-throttle so that you can not only save time and money but also fully enjoy the skydiving experience!

1.) Speak to experienced skydivers and asked them where you can go for the best lessons and any other advice they can about the sport! This friendly bunch could be one of your greatest resources!

2.) Wait on buying the gear. For the first few jumps at least, you will be supplied with whatever you will need while in the air. And if you’re serious about jumping and taking training, it will be at least a few weeks before you get into the air.

3.) Find tutorial videos. Not Hollywood action films where the characters are doing stunts out of a plane but real educational videos that capture a real skydive experience on film. It will help you better understand what to expect.

4.) Don’t drink alcohol before you go. Although something impulsive sounds like a good idea, it’s not.

5.) Enjoy the jump. It’s important to get training but you’re here for enjoyment so fly through the air and remember why you love it so much!

How to Make the Skydiving Back Flip Transition

There are some skydiving tricks that should only be attempted by the advanced or expert diver and the back flip transition is one of them. This trick should only be tried after an experienced skydiver has been taught how to do it by a trained professional. However, to give you an idea of how the trick works or to fine-tune your own, here are the steps to make it happen!

1.) Be certain that you are extremely comfortable with all four of the starter positions: belly, back, sitting down, and head down.

2.) Just as you would while executing a front flip, begin to move upward to ensure that you do not drift, which could be especially bad if you are diving with others.

3.) Begin the flip by looking behind you. Focus on what is at the back of your head, rather than just what’s over your shoulder. Control your movement with your hands and your arms and use them to guide you through the flip.

If you realize that you will not be able to make the flip, make sure to pull out using your back. This will allow you to regain control and attempt something else.

Wear a Suitable Suit

Experienced jumpers that wish to perform many different (and difficult) tricks in the air generally prefer a freeflying suit due to their lightweight material that makes attempting such tricks much easier. They are made from a mixture of cotton and polyester. RW jumping suits are usually made from spandex and nylon, which not only provide for more drag and lift but also make the inexperienced jumper feel more secure as there are grips where the controls and chute will be attached.

It’s important to find the suit that’s right for you and to ensure that you have tried it on before jumping out of any plane! The right suit is just as important as the right chute when it comes to your safety!

What is that Chute Made of?

Before anyone attempts skydiving, they should first get well acquainted with their parachute as this is literally their lifeline as they are falling through the air. Not only must one know how to open their chute but they should also have a good idea of what it’s made of.

Silk was the first material that was used to make parachutes and with the arrival of World War II, the chutes changed to nylon, which made them more durable than the silk that was previously used. Today a substance known as Dacron is generally used in the making of parachutes. It’s interesting to know that food containers and the sails found on boats are also made from this synthetic material. This material is not only very strong but it has proven to be especially wind-resistant, which will keep you in relatively the same place as you feel the wind against your face and your chute. Spectra is another material that is used to make parachutes and this material is actually fifteen times stronger than steel…which can make you feel extremely secure when you’re up in the air! One more material that is used to make chutes is Vectran, which has a special capability of standing up against strong temperatures and moisture.

The needs of the skydiver are taken into consideration when selecting a material for parachutes. Techonology is always make advancements so there will be no end to the improvements and modifications that will be made to the chutes that are already so useful!

Charity Skydive

A charity skydive is where you can skydive, and persuade family and friends to sponsor it, with a minimum amount going to a selected charity. The charity then pays the cost of the skydive.

There are several types of skyjumps, and generally the more daring the jump, the higher the minimum funds you have to raise. It ranges from around Read more

Indoor Skydiving

Indoor skydiving is an exciting new’ish sport where you are in an atmosphere which enables you to float and move around in the air, giving a sensation of real skydiving. A vertical wind tunnel, often shortened and called a VWT is a tunnel which forces air up vertically. The wind is forced upwards at around 120 miles per hour, which is about the right speed to keep a human being, belly-downwards, afloat.

You can therefore fly in this tunnel without the help of a plane or parachute, in what is called bodyflight. It is particularly appealing to those who would enjoy skydiving, but feel safer having their feet on the ground. In this simulated atmosphere, you are never more than a few feet above the ground.

Jack Tiffany was the first human to fly in a VWT at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base, in 1964. But it wasn’t until 1979 that the first recreational facility was built. It was built by a company called Aerodium in Canada. The sport came to greater fame when a “wind machine” was built especially for the closing ceremony of the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006. Recently, there have been many centers opening up around the world, and the sport is becoming more popular.

To enjoy the thrill of free-falling in a controlled environment, a bodyflight ‘pilot’ will usually have a 30 minute training session with an instructor at the Recreational Center, and is then kitted out with a special flight suit, goggles, specialist headgear, earplugs and knee and elbow pads. These are worn over regular clothes and sneakers which should be comfortable and unrestrictive. Entry through the door of the flight tunnel is with the help of the door a personal flight instructor. Most flights are of a minute’s duration, during which you can just spread out for the feeling of a free fall, do acrobatics including turns, lateral movements and rolls, or just enjoy being kept aloft and overpowering the force of gravity. The flight is accompanied at all times by a flight instructor.

No experience or training is necessary before arriving at the recreational center, and the sport is safe for all ages, including children. For anyone who has dreamed of flying, this is the ultimate experience!

Base Jumping

If you are interested in the very extreme sport of base jumping, then you love to live on the edge.  Since you may be thinking about giving it a try, you should know as much as possible about the sport along with the high risk it carries, even for the most skilled jumpers.

Base jumping is basically parachuting from a very tall fixed object. Since there is no airplane from which to launch, the amount of time spent midair is very short and therefore very dangerous. BASE stands for the categories of fixed objects from which you would jump. Building, Antenna, Span, and Earth. The only legal category, and only in a few places, is Earth.

Although history has alluded to some form of base jumping since the 12th century in China, the modern form was invented, and the acronym coined, by Carl Boenish in 1978. That was when he filmed the first jumps from El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. Although Boenish used a traditional sky-diving parachute, it is recommended that base jumpers use specially made ram-air parachutes. They cost around $1500. Boenish eventually was killed during a jump in Norway in 1984.

Base jumpers fall at lower speeds than skydivers due to the lack of time to fully accelerate. And therein is the core of the danger. There are many ways to make mistakes which can be fatal. Base jumpers have little aerodynamic control and may tumble during the jump. If the parachute opens during a tumble, the jumper may get caught in the chute or it could fail to open properly. There is no time for correction.
If the jumper is not facing in the right direction, he could hit an object on the way down. It is believed that was what happened to Boenish and that has been the cause of many serious injuries and deaths.

Base jumping off of tall buildings and other urban structures often makes the news but it is illegal. Police are usually waiting at the bottom to arrest the jumper. One of the legal spots for base jumping is Lysefojord in Norway. Other natural formations in Europe are also legal locations to jump. However, that does not include the Eiffel Tower, despite its popularity. Another popular spot is Angel Falls in Venezuela.
Base jumpers consider themselves to be outlaws and are secretive about their jumping locations. So accurate numbers about injuries and fatalities are difficult to assess.

So if you are serious about learning base jumping, you should have at least 100 skydives under your belt, a good mentor, and even better health and life insurance policies. And an understanding family.

Should You Take Skydiving Lessons?

Skydiving can either be a once-in-a-lifetime experience or it can be a hobby for those die-hard adventure seekers. Whatever your reason for trying skydiving, you are definitely going to want to talk to someone who has been in the air before prior to taking the plunge yourself! What type of lesson you will need will depend on how far you want to go with skydiving.

If you find yourself in a reality TV show or just coming across a skydiving location and decide that you want to jump just this once, then tandem jumping is all you need. This training takes five to twenty minutes and once completed, you will jump with a qualified instructor. Student training is for those who are a bit more serious about the sport and begins with about ten hours of ground training until you then fly again with a qualified instructor. No flying solo until you have gotten through the training with flying colors but any jumping is a feeling of freedom like you just don’t know until you get up there!

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