Now is the perfect time to encourage our family and friends to finally make that tandem skydive! Soon restrictions from our world wide lockdown will allow for us to return to skydiving. With the warm summer weather and renewed sense of freedom, this is a perfect opportunity to share the experience of skydiving with our family and friends. Lets encourage our peers to celebrate their freedom with a tandem skydive. Not only will it be an amazing experience for them, but it will really help our skydive community. After the unexpected shut down, our dropzones and the staff have really been hit hard. Our dropzones will benefit from our help in generating as much business as possible! Bringing out our friends and family for a tandem is a win for everyone!

Share this article with anyone you know who has been considering taking the leap with a tandem skydive. Remember a co-worker mentioning wanting to come out and jump? We want this article to talk potential jumpers through the experience, and get that excitement building to come out and make a tandem. And who knows, maybe after that we will see who wants to continue on the path and get their skydiving solo license this summer!

Tandem Skydiving

If you are interested in trying skydiving for the first time, generally you will complete a tandem skydive first. This way you will know if you enjoy freefall. (I haven’t met anyone who didn’t like freefall!) While also having no responsibility other than being along for the ride. Meaning, the instructor will ensure the parachute is deployed, fly the canopy, and complete the safe landing. After your first tandem jump, if you want more airtime, you can learn about getting your solo license!

What is a tandem skydive?

Alright, so what is a tandem skydive? This is the most common way people are going to complete a skydive in their lives. It requires little responsibility on you, the passengers, part. Aside from listening to your tandem instructors instructions, of course. The tandem instructor does the dirty work, and you get to enjoy the free fall and canopy ride. Perhaps you have decided to purchase videos of your jump, and you may be introduced to your camera person. As well, at some dropzones, video is done by your tandem instructor with a camera attached to his wrist. Now, let me describe the general process of a tandem skydive.

Tandem Skydive in the Maldives with girlfriend

What to expect in your tandem experience

Preparation on the ground

After checking in with the lovely manifest, and signing your waivers, you will get to meet your tandem instructor. Remember to be pleasant, because this person will soon have your life in their hands! Your friendly instructor will equip you with the proper gear. The harness which you will be attached to your instructor with. Goggles to protect your eyes, perhaps an altimeter to read the altitude and maybe even a suit if necessary. The instructor will brief you on what you are expected to do. For example, the body position they want you to maintain during the jump. Listen to the instructions, and respect what they tell you. If you purchased video, you will have some sort of interview with the camera. Which makes for  great documentation later, of how nervous you may be! Or stoked of course.

The plane ride

Once its time to go to the plane, your instructor will lead the way. During the plane ride the instructor will likely ask you how you feel, and show you the height (altitude) on the altimeter. More video and some pictures with the camera, if you chose this option. When its time, your instructor will begin the process of attaching your harness to theirs. The instructor and the student (you), are attached to the same parachute system. Which as you will notice, the parachute is worn on your instructors back! You will be securely attached by the instructor clipping you to the system at four separate attachment points. Prior to your turn to skydive, you will fasten your goggles, and now your set to go!

Inside the plane before skydiving

Now you are out of the plane and skydiving

Upon exit of the aircraft, you will freefall for approximately 1 minute. Please note, the amount of freefall time will also depend on what altitude you purchased for your skydive. If a camera person is jumping with you. They will exit the plane at the same time as you, and film your jump. Actually, this is a really cool to be able to see someone flying with you and your instructor. While you are attached to the frontside of your instructor, you do not get to see them as you are flying. Enjoy the amazing sensation of freefall. Depending on your instructor they may manipulate the wind with body position, and turn you for some fun spins!

How is the feeling of jumping out of an airplane

Under the canopy

Before you know it, it will be time to deploy the parachute and be under canopy. The instructor will deploy the parachute. However, under their discretion you may have the opportunity to deploy the parachute yourself. (This would have been discussed on the ground, prior to jumping) After deployment, a single large parachute will open above.

Now you get more opportunity to experience the view from way up high. As well as the amazing feeling of being under a canopy. Under canopy, you are able to speak with your instructor. If you are lucky, the instructor may let you fly the canopy for some time! Its quite the ride, steering and gently turning up in the sky, under a canopy. When its time, the instructor will initiate the proper path for landing. Remember it is very important to listen to your instructor. So if they tell you on landing to raise your feet, for example, please do as they request.

After your tandem skydive

Once you and your instructor have safely made it back to the ground, you will be disconnected from the instructors harness. Feel free to jump for joy, scream, cry – whatever! Be sure to thank the tandem instructor for the safe and amazing experience. If video was purchased, you will wait for the footage, which will likely be provided by the manifest office.

As well, if you really enjoyed the experience and want to learn more about skydiving solo. Now is the time to ask manifest more about how you can start the journey to jumping on your own!

What do you feel after skydiving for the first time

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  1. Pingback: Different Jobs in Skydiving – Skydiving Blog by Augusto Bartelle

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