We look at the basics of the sport in this installment of our go skydiving guide.
Skydivers exit airplanes at heights of 10,000-18,000 feet (3050-5500 m) and freefall through the air before opening their parachutes to slow their descents to a safe speed before landing.
When a skydiver leaves the plane, the force of gravity is much stronger than the air resistance and the speed of descent rapidly accelerates. But within a few seconds, and a descent of a few hundred or a thousand feet, the two forces equalize and acceleration ceases. The jumper has reached terminal velocity and is now falling at roughly 120-180 mph (193-290 kph).
Your exact speed will be dependent on the shape and area taken up by your body as you fall. You’ll achieve a higher speed of free fall if you’re pointed nose down with your arms and legs together than the common position of arms out, face and belly down.
Once the jumper pulls the parachute cord, the main canopy is released. It fills with air, increasing the air resistance, which causes deceleration. The descent will slow down to a safe landing speed of about 10 mph.
The risks of skydiving (malfunctioning equipment, turbulence, mid-air collisions, etc.) are relatively low, with only about 1 jump in 100,000 leading to a fatality every year, but it’s important to be alert and safety conscious at all time.
Depending on the type of skydiving you want to do – Tandem, Static Line, AFF (accelerated free fall) – you may spend anywhere from an hour to eight hours training, which will cover: some basic physics about how the body and parachute work together; how to use a lot of complex gear safely; how to jump from the plane; the different falling / flying techniques; how to land safely.
Skydiving can be expensive. Jumps can cost from $50 to $200, depending on the type of skydive being undertaken and the skydiving school’s location and reputation. Jumpers also need to consider the costs of hiring or buying equipment if it is not provided by the skydiving school.