Tandem Skydiving Jumps

The most obvious difference between normal skydiving and tandem parachuting is with tandem style two people are attached together. One person is the passenger, the other the tandem-master. The passenger is simply along for the ride while the tandem-master has all the jump responsibilities.

Beyond the obvious difference of two people skydiving together, in the tandem option a larger parachute is used to accommodate the extra weight. The reason tandem jumps are such a large percentage of annual jumps is because many first time parachutist choose this form of skydiving.

Jumping as a tandem is the safest way a person can be introduced to all the thrills of parachuting. Tandem-masters are highly skilled skydivers with hundreds of jumps in experience behind them. With a rookie skydiver there is a possibility of panic attack, disorientation and passing out. If this happens in tandem skydiving, the tandem-master can safely return both skydivers to earth on his own. Besides being the safest way for a novice parachutist to skydive, it is also the fastest way to skydive. If a person decides they want to skydive Monday morning they can have their first skydive by Monday afternoon through tandem skydiving.

Tandem Skydiving Expectations

If you are wishing to skydive and choose tandem-skydiving for your first jump this is what you can expect. You will go to the airport, meet your tandem-master and sign release forms. After this, your tandem-master will explain basic aircraft exit techniques, free-fall, and landing procedures and positions. You will watch a video of two people tandem-skydiving. Then you are ready to go. You will take everything out of your pockets, put on a jumpsuit, helmet and goggles and head toward the plane. After about 15 minutes or so of climbing, depending on how high you are going to jump, the aircraft door will be opened. You will be met with a strong rush of wind.

Then you and the tandem master will get into a crouching position and both of you will simply roll out of the airplane. After 30 seconds or so of freefall, again depending on how high you are jumping, the canopy will open and you will slide to earth with the tandem-master. If you do decide to go tandem skydiving, it will be a thrill you will never forget.

The Ins and Outs of The Tandem Parachute Jump

Possibly the most tried and true way for beginners to learn how to skydive is the tandem parachute jump. It is the most popular way, in fact, for beginners to take their first parachute jump and makes skydiving attractive for a whole bunch people who would otherwise be frightened off by the extreme sport.

Tandem jump skydiving involves training of an hour or less, usually just an average of 30 minutes. In total, students may only spend at most a half of a day with their tandem skydiving specialists. That’s another attractive quality of a tandem parachute jump, the short time commitment.

Other Great Ways To Learn

The tandem jump skydiving, though, does not come up short with thrills, however. Typically, tandems involve a jump at an altitude of anywhere from 10,000 to 13,000 feet, and the freefall can last from 30 seconds to a full minute. The catch is that the student and the tandem skydiving specialists are attached to the same parachute system, with the instructor harnessed to the student from behind, controlling the flight. Don’t worry, though. The student is so enamored with freefall that they never even notice that the instructor is there.

Still, despite these positives, some people choose not to do tandem parachuting their first time. They choose from other options, such as straight solo freefall. This is for the beginner who wants to experience an extreme sport firsthand, and usually expects to continue with the sport. With these program, you get a fuller training program, to cover climbing out of the aircraft, managing freefall, and directing your canopy. Like tandem, it involves a jump at 10,000 to 13,000 feet, but unlike tandem, your instructors jump separate. At least two of them have to freefall near you, so close in fact that they hold onto your harness.

Freefall training can be too much for some people, and can cost a bit more than tandem. These people may try an instant-open jump, or static-line jumping. This is similar to what you’ve probably seen in old war movies, when parachuters leap out of a plane and their parachute cord is automatically pulled. In training sessions, this occurs at a soothing 3,500 feet level. Or if this is too high for you, you can even learn to skydive on the ground. Wind tunnel technology has progressed to the point to make indoor skydiving a fun, and realistic, experience.

USA Tandem Skydiving Team

One of the most popular, and least expensive, ways to introduce a virgin skydiver into the sport is through tandem skydiving, USA or diving sky tandem, USA.It is easy, fun, and literally one of the most exciting things you will ever do.

Few other experiences can even come close to the excitement of stepping out of an airplane while it is still thousands of feet in the air.Then there is the 60 second free fall, the closest you will ever come to knowing how it truly feels to be a bird in flight.After the ripcord is pulled and the canopy catches air, then there is a four minute glide to earth.

Diving sky tandem, USA, jumps begin with the jumper showing up at the drop zone and reporting to the Tandem Master.

It should be noted, in the United States, Tandem Masters are both manufacturer-rated and certified by the USPA, more info at http://www.uspa.org .

So to say that these folks know their business is an understatement.Once you get set up with a Tandem Master, you will then be guided through roughly thirty minutes of ground prep.This will consist of quick training on safety and equipment.Then it is time to climb aboard the aircraft that will ferry you to the correct altitude while your Tandem Master continues to go over last minute instructions.

The plane is at altitude and on course.With tandem skydiving, USA, the pilot gives you the first warning… you are approaching the jump point.

Your heart drops while your stomach leaps to your throat as your Tandem Master signals you to stand up and turn around.A few quick clicks and some tightening of straps and you have another human being strapped securely to your back.The pilot gives you the green light.

You step to the edge of the door and look out… then down.“HOLY…” is about all you have time to think as you are thrust into the wild blue yonder with the ground suddenly rushing up to meet you.The feeling of floating on a blanket of air washes over you and you just begin to relax as the crazy person strapped to your back pulls the ripcord.

A few seconds later you feel as though you have been stopped in mid air… didn’t remember those straps being that tight on the ground.

The four minute glide under canopy back to mother earth will truly be one of the most breathtaking experiences of your life.The view is unlike any you can experience from any other location on earth…

Hey, I can see my house from here! And then, as a result of the tremendous skills of your Tandem Master, you step back to earth as light as a feather.

Pretty cool day, huh?