Should I buy this experience?
Who it's for
Skydiving is one of those classic 'bucket list' experiences. Not much can beat the adrenaline rush of a parachute jump. Of course, you'll need to have a head for heights and a whole lot of guts, but those who have done a jump tell us it's one of the best things they've ever done. Definitely top 10 of crazy extreme sports!
Who it's not for
The instructors are all very good at being encouraging and a few pre-jump nerves are normal. But if you're going to be frozen rigid with absolute fear, parachute jumping from high in the air probably isn't for you. You can still get that freefall sensation without the altitude on an
indoor skydiving experience!
Skydiving and parachute jumping FAQs
What’s the difference between skydiving and parachute jumping?
For the sake of argument, the words skydiving and parachuting are interchangeable. They mean the same thing. Only the most pedantic of parachute jumper would point out that not every parachute jump is a skydive, as a skydive means freefall and not every parachute jump involves freefall...
What is a drop zone?
The drop zone is what skydivers call their skydive centre and where you land. We bet our bottom dollar that by the time you’ve landed back on terra firma after your parachute jump you’ll also be calling it the drop zone like a seasoned jumper!
Can I do a skydive for charity?
Yes. Skydiving is a really popular sponsored activity to do. Whilst we don’t get involved in the fund raising side of things, many of our customers buy their skydive voucher from us with the intention of doing it to raise money for a good cause. Simply buy your voucher, set up your fundraising page and away you go!
How fit do I need to be to do a parachute jump?
Health and fitness advice and regulations are pretty in-depth when it comes to parachute jumping. Our operators all provide you with a information pack that goes through everything you need to be aware of when it comes to your state of health. For example, those with certain respiratory and heart conditions wouldn’t be able to jump. And if you’ve dislocated your shoulder in previous years, that also might restrict you from doing a skydive. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need anything clarifying regarding health and fitness.
Do I need a medical certificate to jump?
Normally no, but you do need to be aware of all the advice, rules and regulations regarding any health or medical conditions. If there are any doubts on your fitness, you will be asked to provide a valid medical certificate from a doctor specifying that you are OK to jump.
Do I need to be insured for this?
There’s no legal obligation to be insured when you do a parachute jump. Having said that, many skydive centres do offer personal injury insurance as an option. You can opt for this when booking your date or when you register on the day and it’s payable locally.
What are the weight limits for parachuting?
Maximum weights vary according to the type of parachute jump you will be doing. For a tandem parachute jump, for example, the max weight for men is 17 stone (107kgs) and for women it’s 15.7 stone (99kgs). Please check in the full details section of each product page for all the info on their weight restrictions.
What are the age restrictions?
The lower age limit for tandem parachute jumping is generally 16 years (with authorisation from a parent or guardian). There are also upper age limits in force. For example, anyone wanting to join an accelerated freefall course needs to be under 50 years of age.
Can I skydive whilst pregnant?
All of our parachuting schools decline jumpers from taking part if you are or think you are pregnant.
What do I wear for the skydive?
You’ll be given an all-in-one jumpsuit with googles for your foray into parachuting, so we’d advise you to wear casual or sports clothing underneath.
How do I get up there?
You and your instructors will be taken up to the jump height in an aeroplane, which means when you go parachuting you get two adrenaline experiences in one - the jump and flight up there! Operators use aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan, which is a popular transport plane for skydive centres.
How long does the plane flight take?
Depending on the height you’ll be jumping out of the plane at, you can expect the flight to take around 15 minutes from take-off. If you’re on a tandem skydive, you’ll be attached to your instructor whilst you’re in the plane.
What has air space got to do with parachuting?
If you hear skydivers talking about airspace, they are referring to whether the dropzone is located in restricted air space, that’s to say whether it’s in a flight zone governed by air traffic control regulations. The best locations are in unrestricted airspace.
What height will I be jumping out at?
For tandem skydives and accelerated freefall courses, it’s anywhere between 12,000 and 15,000ft (that’s two miles up in the sky!) depending in conditions. Static line jumps are done at between 3500 and 5000ft, as your canopy is deployed more or less as soon as you exit the aircraft.
How long will I be in the air for after jumping out of the plane?
On tandem jumps and accelerated freefall courses it’s all about the freefall. You will be falling through the air without the canopy open for between 40 and 50 seconds. When you reach around 5000ft the canopy will deploy and there’s a four to five-minute float back down to solid ground.
How fast will I go?
A skydiver adopting the usual ‘belly to the ground’ freefall position will reach terminal velocity at around 120mph. That’s to the say the maximum speed of you, as a falling object! That's face-distortingly fast!
Can you skydive solo when it’s your first time?
Yes you can. By booking onto a static line parachute jump, you will spend around six hours on the ground learning your craft, before making your solo jump. The canopy deploys automatically and you’re in communication with instructors at all times by radio, but you will be jumping solo! On the accelerated freefall, it’s a full day of training and then a jump from 10,000-15,000ft with two instructors literally holding on to you.
Will my skydive be cancelled if it's raining?
Invariably, yes. When it rains it’s usually cloudy which means the plane won’t be taking off and that means rescheduling your jump.
How much teaching will I need for a tandem parachute jump?
Tandem jumps are the most accessible way to go skydiving. You’ll have a pre-jump briefing and training session that’ll last around 20-minutes. You’ll get kitted up, meet your instructor and then you’ll be hopping onboard the plane for the flight to your jump height.
What is an accelerated freefall course?
An accelerated freefall course (or AFF) is ideal for those who are serious about skydiving. It’s an intense one or two-day course, which culminates in you jumping out the plane from up to 15000ft, with two instructors by your side to hold and assist, but you won’t be attached to them. This means you’re doing all the work from the moment you jump out to carrying out your textbook landing.
Is it called accelerated freefall because you go faster?
No, sadly not! The accelerated bit refers to the fact that it’s a fast-track way to make your own parachute jump (albeit with assistance) within a very short space of time.
What is static line parachuting?
On a static line parachute, the canopy is attached to the aircraft by a line and released automatically once you exit the plane. You get the total thrill of doing a solo jump, but the without the freefall sensations, as you’ll be jumping from around 4000ft. As soon as the canopy deploys, you will be literally pulling the strings to control where you go and conducting your landing too, whilst being in radio contact with instructors the whole time.
Where can I do a parachute jump near me?
We work with the very best drop zones in the UK to bring you thrilling and safe parachuting from the most renowned skydive centres in the country including:
- Peterborough
- Honiton
- Durham
- Norwich
- St Agnes
- Cambridge
- Lancaster
- Headcorn
- Lincoln
- Perth
- Salisbury
- Swindon
- Bridlington
