Beginners Guide

You're in a perfectly good aeroplane. It's not on fire and you don't have to jump - but you do. Sky Diving or parachuting is one of the most exciting sports out there. You don't even get a choice. You're lined up inside the vast hull, like you waiting to be served in a canteen. Just put one foot in front of the other and the other and then........ ahhhhharggahhhhhhhh.....

The best news is that you can't hear the people in front scream. If you look up all you can see is the instructor pushing them out of the door. To watch it, it must look like cattle being herded towards the abattoir door. It's certainly fun, exhilarating and breathtaking. It's also dynamic and colourful; it offers a sense of freedom and control to even the absolute beginner. Then you are a human glider swing on the air - until the moment when the chute opens and you the world suddenly slows down. Now from you're in a perfect position to relax and enjoy a bird’s eye view of this beautiful world we live in. Don't relax for too long though because you'll need to prepare from your ankle crunching landing. It has to be experienced to be believed.

[ Hold on for your life! There's no thrill greater than jumping from an aircraft with a parachute attached to your back and free falling at unbelievable speeds to the on-coming ground below. When the chute opens, your world transforms from extreme to divine as you float through the silent sky. Discover the best way to get started and prepare yourself for a true extreme sport that sends you hurtling through the air! ]

Physical Requirements >

Skydiving is a sport and as such requires students to be in a reasonable physical shape especially those with an aim to get qualified. The equipment you wear weighs approx 12kg and you will need to be able to endure the shock on opening, be able to manoeuvre yourself under canopy, land and if that didn’t go so well walk back to the drop zone!

The main restriction on Skydiving is weight most drop zones will not allow anyone over 110kg to jump for safety reasons. It is also advisable not to jump if you experience fainting/blackouts/weak heart. If you are at all concerned it is best to check with your doctor before jumping, surprisingly there are few people who can’t jump, at least in tandem. You will be required to complete and sign a 'Declaration of Fitness to Parachute' before training commences this will be provided when we confirm your booking. The following is a guide only and an up to date copy of the declaration can be downloaded from the documents section of the British Parachute Association web site at www.bpa.org.uk

Age Restrictions >

The minimum age for sport parachuting is 16 years. For those less than 18 years of age a separate signed letter of consent from a Parent or Guardian will be required before training commences. If you are 40 years of age or over, or you have suffered from any of the following, you must obtain written approval from your Doctor on the 'Declaration of Fitness to Parachute' form before commencing training: Previous fractures, back strain, arthritis and severe joint sprains. Chronic bronchitis. Asthma. Rheumatic fever. Pneumothorax. Liver or kidney disease. Thyroid, adrenal or other glandular disorder. Chronic ear or sinus disease. Any condition which requires the regular use of drugs. Anaemia. Recent blood donation.

N.B: Some applicants who are excluded using the above criteria may still be fit to make a Tandem Skydive - contact British Parachute Schools for details. No person over the age of 55 years will normally be accepted for novice parachute training, other than for Tandem Skydives, where high ages may be acceptable.

Tandem Skydives >

Do you want to experience freefall from about 12,000ft. After a short ground based briefing you will be attached to your highly qualified instructor who is wearing a two man parachute. After you jump (or are pushed) out of the aeroplane you will experience an intense 30/40 seconds of freefall and a speed of around 120 miles per hour before your canopy opens and you can help to steer yourself down.

You will be provided with a Jumpsuit, but should wear comfortable clothing (tracksuit and trainers) Mostly enjoy the full experience of skydiving with none of the responsibility.

Getting Qualified

RAPS

So you want to do it yourself…..This Basic skydiving course which uses the British Parachute Association Ram Air Progression System ( RAPS), takes place over two days ( weather permitting) teaching you to jump solo from 3,000 feet. On your first Jump the parachute will open automatically as you exit the plane and we can guide you through your descent by instructing you via a radio mounted on your harness. You could be pulling the ripcord yourself by your sixth jump! Using this training system you could become a fully qualified solo skydiver in as little as 16 jumps (Category 8 qualified solo skydiver). You will learn both the theory and practical skills necessary to make the most of your jump. All procedures will be practised on the ground and then transferred to the air as and when you are ready. The progression you will follow to gain your CAT 8:

Category 1
Simply requires you to undertake a Basic Training Course.

Category 2
1 or 2 automatically opened jumps as per your course. Exit altitude is such that student parachutes will be open by 3000 feet. On all early jumps (up to 5 second freefalls), you fall 'upright' - with your chest towards the air that is going past the aircraft.

Category 3
3 or 4 consecutive Dummy Ripcord Pulls (DRPs). That is, learning how to pull a ripcord while still using automatically opened equipment. All such jumps are done from about the same exit altitude as your initial jump.

Category 4:
2 freefall descents of 3 to 5 seconds. The exit altitude will be about 1000 feet higher than your earlier Jumps. You may only be cleared for freefall after a minimum of 5 jumps using an automatically opened parachute, the last three of those being Dummy Ripcord Pulls. Your first freefall must take place by the end of the day following your last DRP (or another DRP must be undertaken) and you must join the BPA as a full member beforehand.

Category 5:
2 freefall descents of 10 seconds. These take place from the same altitude as 3 and 5 second freefall descents. After about 6-7 seconds of falling, you start to fall 'face-to-earth' - the air seems to be coming up from the ground by this time!

Category 6:
2 freefall descents of 15 seconds, reading an altimeter in freefall, with the 'relaxed' body position. Exit altitude is another 1000 feet up.

Category 7:
Freefall descents of at least 20 seconds demonstrating precise 360° turns in both directions. Exit Altitude is a minimum of 6000 feet.

Category 8:
Freefall descents, leaving the aircraft from a minimum of 7000 feet, demonstrating the following maneuvers:
An Unstable Exit (and recovery of stability);
A Dive exit;
Back loops;
Tracking (fast forward movement) including controlled turning while tracking;
A final qualifying descent involving: A backloop; 360° left turn; 360° right turn; straight track and end-of-dive 'wave off', from a minimum exit altitude of 8000 feet.

AFF

So you are really serious about learning to skydive and learning from 3,000ft with an automatic parachute just isn’t quite enough for you? Accelerated Freefall (AFF) looks like it could be for you. It is a fast track to gaining your Category 8 qualified solo skydiver license. The AFF course has 8 levels which tend to equate to about 8 jumps. On each jump you will be accompanied by two qualified skydivers who will provide direct tuition as you fall.

You will start with a full day of ground training where you will learn theory of skydiving, safety procedures, how to operate your equipment, correct exit position, how to maintain control in freefall and steer the parachute to the ground safely. Once you can demonstrate this knowledge you will be ready to climb up to approx. 12,000 ft for your first jump.

If you are serious about becoming a skydiver then this is the course for you.

Where to Go? >

There are Drop Zones all over the world, but it is important to find out about the differences between your new drop zones and where you were trained. Check out local rules, and conditions, the aircraft. Be careful when you jump abroad, there are many small drop zones all over the world where safety rules and guidelines are non – existent or not enforced. Whilst it may seem like fun to jump with no helmet on…Remember why you wear one at home, if you knocked yourself out on exiting the plane it wouldn’t be so fun. Be safe and most of all enjoy skydiving over some beautiful places all over the world.

When to Go? >

The largest limiting factor for skydiving is the weather if the wind is to strong or it is too cold (remember if it is 1 degree on the ground it will be a lot colder at 12,000ft!) Otherwise there are no real restrictions on when you can skydive, if you are lucky enough to live somewhere with the right weather conditions then you can jump all year round although most of us will find the need to travel slightly further afield during the dark cold windy winter months!

Equipment >

All Equipment that you need for Skydiving is provided at the drop zone especially if you are taking a beginner course. So there is no need to buy anything until you start to get more qualified.

Frequently Asked Questions >

What if my parachute doesn't open?

Of all questions that are asked about skydiving, unsurprisingly this is the most common. All parachutes are packed with a dual parachute system, a main canopy and a Reserve canopy. Before you jump for the first time you will be given extensive training about how to pull your reserve parachute.

If your main canopy malfunctions for any reason then the diver will cutaway the main canopy releasing it into the sky and will pull the reserve chute. As an additional backup there is an automated system installed in the reserve parachute that will automatically deploy the reserve chute at a specific altitude if for any reason the diver has been unable to open the canopy themselves. These reserve canopies are highly regulated, carefully designed and packed by experienced packers.

Biggest myth in skydiving?

You cannot breathe in freefall unless you have genetically developed gills.

This falls into the realm of urban folklore. One CAN breathe in freefall - if it were necessary. However, due to the high speed of terminal freefall (and much higher speeds in vertical freefall dives), the jumper's body is exposed to O2 molecules at a much higher rate than someone walking around on the ground. The body is able to absorb the necessary O2 through the skin. This is why jumpers flap their cheeks in freefall; it presents a larger surface area to the airstreams for oxygen osmosis. Once under canopy, the jumper resumes breathing normally.