What does skydiving feel like?
In short, it will probably be completely different to what you were expecting. In freefall the sensation is similar to the floating sensation you get in a swimming pool. People expect it to be similar to that of riding a rollercoaster. This is not the case. Skydiving is relaxing and most exhilaration you can imagine.
How safe is skydiving?
Skydiving is a highly regulated sport. There is a strict set of safety practices in place to make it as safe as possible. Skydiving has far less injuries proportionally compared to other adventure sports such as skiing, snow boarding, white water rafting, rock climbing, etc.
What happens if my parachute does not open?
This is a very common question and is quite simple to answer. In the unlikely event that your main parachute fails to open correctly, there is a reserve parachute that acts as a backup. The reserve parachute is only allowed to be packed by a qualified rigger. There is also an Automatic Activation Device (AAD) which is a backup device that will open your reserve at a lower altitude.
Can I breathe in freefall?
Yes, of course you can. Even though you will be falling at up to 120mph. We skydive at a maximum height of 15000ft which means there will also be plenty of oxygen.
I am scared of heights, will I still be able to skydive?
Lots of people who start skydiving are frightened by heights. This has not stopped them from enjoying their skydive, or from progressing to becoming a licensed skydiver. Your instructor will put you at ease so as to ensure you get the most from your skydiving experience.
What happens if the weather is bad?
If the weather is not within limits for a safe skydive, then I’m afraid you will have to jump a different day. This can be disappointing, however its for your safety.
Where can I go skydiving?
There are quite a few locations around the Uk where you can participate in a skydive. To see a map of available Drop Zones visit Skydiving locations or alternatively ask at JustSkydivers.com
If you are serious about taking skydiving up as a sport then this is the option for you. After an intensive training course you get to jump from approximately 12,000 ft with the assistance of 2 qualified instructors. You will soon be progressing through the 8 levels en route to becoming a qualified skydiver.
This vide shows Five of the first 7 jumps when doing an AFF course at Langar, Nottinghamshire, UK. Instructors Ian ‘Milko’ Hodgkinson and Chris ‘Can Can’ McCann. Filmed by Milko.
AFF is an intensive course, more expensive but allowing rapid progression in skydiving. Your first descent is from 12,000 feet accompanied by two highly specialised instructors who will guide you in freefall by way of hand signals and under canopy with radio communication. You will experience 40-45 seconds of freefall before you open your own, ram-air canopy at 5,000 feet. This is the real sport!
Your first AFF jump is part of a week’s course of 8-10 jumps which will qualify you as a skydiver in your own right. If you know you want to take up skydiving, this is probably the quickest and most motivating method by which to do it – although of course it is not cheap.
This is good for a one of experience if you wish to have full control yourself or if you wish to get taster en route to qualifying as a skydiver. In short you will jump from approximately 3,500ft with a static line attached to the aircraft which will deploy your parachute for you.
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A static line jump can be done just as a one off experience or as part of a course to progress on to freefall and skydiving. If you have time but want to spread the cost of learning to skydive over a longer period of time then the RAPS course may be just for you.
It is also a good way of seeing if parachuting is something that you would like to carry on with without the expense of an accelerated freefall course. A single static line jump can also be done as a sponsored event for charity.
The Ram Air Progression static line (RAPS SL) course requires a minimum of 6 hours instruction. Courses normally last a full day allowing for coffee, lunch & tea breaks and normally take place on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month, although other dates can be arranged for group bookings, with the jump normally taking place the next day weather permitting. Occasionally during the lighter summer evenings jumps may be undertaken on the day of the course.
Courses can be run on other days for groups of 5 or more if arranged in advance. With the RAPS SL method the parachute is deployed by a static line secured to a strong point within the aircraft. Progression is possible to freefall on later jumps.
Your first freefall can be as early as your sixth jump and will usually be a five second delay. The time you spend in freefall will be gradually increased and you will start to learn body flying skills such as turns and forward movement. About 30 jumps and you can qualify as a fully fledged skydiver. From here, all the different avenues of the sport are open!
This is perfect as a one of experience. You get the maximum thrills with the least amount of training and is therefore the quickest way to get you in the air. For this jump you will be attached to a fully qualified instructor. In freefall you will attain a speed of approximately 120 mph. Once under canopy the instructor will get you safely back to the ground, landing at the DZ.
Get more info at JustSkydivers.com.
There are a wide range of Drop Zones around the UK where you do a Tandem Skydive.
For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a tandem skydive is unlikely to be forgotten! Many do tandem jumps for charity or simply just for the thrill of falling at speeds in the order of 120 mph.
A minimum of 10 minutes instruction is required before a freefall descent attached to an instructor, however with Documentation, Orientation and a Video/DVD presentation the preparation for the jump normally lasts 40-90 minutes.
JustSkydiving.co.uk is a skydiving resource for all UK Skydivers and potential Skydivers. Find out where you can jump and see some of the frequently asked questions..
