Tandem Skydiving
Your Skydiving Questions Answered
First-time skydiving? Have a lot of questions? We’ve got you covered!
Our family has been skydiving the southern US for over 60 years. During that time, we’ve helped thousands of people experience the thrill of skydiving. We know making your first skydive is a big deal and we understand that you probably have some questions about what to expect and how to prepare for your first skydive.
Our skydiving FAQ page is designed to help you better prepare for your upcoming skydive so that you have the best experience possible. Our aim is to provide each of our guests with a world-class tandem skydiving experience. We want you to feel comfortable and confident so you can enjoy every second of this amazing adventure.
We invite you to take a moment and read through the frequently asked questions below. Should you have additional questions, please contact us – we’d love to hear from you!
GENERAL QUESTIONS AND POLICIES
How old do I have to be to skydive policy?
All participants must be 18 yrs of age and have a valid photo ID and sign a risk waiver in order to participate.
You must be 18 years old to skydive with The Skydiving Company. There are no exceptions to this rule. All tandem equipment manufacturers and our governing body (the USPA) require all participants to be 18 years or older. NO EXCEPTIONS.
How long will it take? Time at facility policy.
Skydiving is time intensive!
At The Skydiving Company, we don’t overbook! Your appointment time is the start of the process, not your jump time. Do not arrive early or late; show up at your scheduled time. Our goal is to have you in and out within about three hours of your appointment time. Our appointment calendar times are based on Central Standard Time.
Due to conditions beyond our control, such as unsafe or dangerous weather conditions or unplanned aircraft maintenance, you should set aside up to a half or full day to complete your skydiving experience. You may also be asked to reschedule, no refunds, a rain check will be issued, and you may reschedule at your own convenience. Aircraft boarding order decisions are not based on appointment times and are made for logistical purposes only. Please be patient! Unruly customers will be ejected without a refund. You are at an airport and federal laws apply!
Please keep in mind all these decisions are made with your safety as our main concern.
What about height weight & fitness to jump policy?
The Tandem System we use is rated to carry 500lbs combined weight. That means the weight of your instructor, your weight, and the weight of the gear must be under 500lbs combined.
All participants may be subject to on-site evaluation based on height/weight proportion ( Tall Enough To Match Your Weight). There are overweight fees applied for men starting at 220 lbs. and females starting at 200 lbs.
Women
- 200 – 219 lbs. $30
- 220 – 249 lbs. $50
Men
- 220 – 249 lbs. $30
- 250 – 269 lbs. $50
- 270 lbs. + $100 (only if approved by the tandem instructor)
You should be able to kneel, bend, stoop, and have a full range of motion in your extremities. You will be asked to sign a medical fitness statement. You must consult a doctor about any medical conditions that may preclude you from skydiving, and bring a doctors’ note clearing you for skydiving activities as may be required. We reserve the right and WILL refuse service. NO REFUNDS.
Please disclose serious medical conditions to us beforehand! We have had to turn away people who forgot to mention their medical conditions until the day of the jump and we do not refund. If you do have a condition but your physician is willing to clear you, just bring your doctor’s note along with his/her medical credential (name/practice/medical license number). Depending on your condition, we still reserve the right to turn you away if we believe it represents an unacceptable additional risk to yourself or our instructors. So again, make sure to disclose your condition to us beforehand!
Lastly, we like to make it clear that if we do not think you are adequately prepared to make your skydive (for example if you are hungover/intoxicated, or taking prescription medications, or not physically fit enough, etc.) we do reserve the right to turn you away without a refund. Jumping with us is easy since we do Tandem Skydiving and have instructors who do most of the work for you. However, if you are not physically fit enough to lift your legs for the landing or are hungover or otherwise intoxicated/impaired you could be putting OUR lives at jeopardy in addition to your own – and we always put safety first.
Questions Please Call 844 759 3483
What about bad weather and unplanned aircraft maintenance?
Skydiving is governed by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and is required to follow VFR (Visual Flight Rules) at all times. Under no circumstances will we break these guidelines, as safety is always our number one concern. Unsafe conditions may include but are not limited to high winds, rain, and cloud coverage.
The decision to reschedule a jump due to poor conditions is usually made on the day of your reservation since the weather is unpredictable. We try to make the best decision possible, with the latest information available. EVEN WITH ALL THE EFFORT INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, YOU MAY DRIVE ALL THE WAY THERE, AND STILL ENCOUNTER BAD WEATHER AND BE UNABLE TO JUMP. Please provide a valid cell phone number with your reservation. If we need to reschedule, we will ATTEMPT to text or call the morning of your jump. If you don’t hear from us, we are PLANNING to jump. In the event your jump is canceled due to weather, you will need to reschedule for the next available date within your voucher/ticket/deposit expiration. Refunds will not be issued because of inclement weather.
Do not pay attention to weather reports for more than 24 hours in advance of your reservation. Our airport is located in the 77864 zip code – check the weather for this area code. The weatherman is usually wrong!
Airplanes can and do break down. In the event of unscheduled aircraft maintenance, you will need to reschedule at the next available date within your voucher/ticket/deposit expiration. Refunds will not be issued because of unscheduled aircraft maintenance.
At certain times of the year, due to low turnout, you may be asked to reschedule.
Reservation, Gift Certificate, and 3rd Party Voucher Policies
All reservations and gift certificates purchased with The Skydiving Company are good for two years and are fully transferable. Expired Gift Certificates can be redeemed for up to 5 years for $100. All reservations and gift certificates bought directly from The Skydiving Company are NOT refundable. ALL PRICES ARE FOR CASH ADD 3.5% FOR CREDIT CARDS.
72HR Cancellation in order to cancel and reschedule must be provided by the customer. NO SHOW NO CALL MAY RESULT IN FORFEITURE OF ALL PAYMENTS!
The Skydiving Company does not use any 3rd party vendors for our skydives. 3rd parties include Groupon. We encourage everyone not to buy a Groupon because the business’ that use them are cutting corners on gear Maintenance and Aircraft Maintenance, Is skydiving really something you want to penny-pinch? If these Groupon Business’ don’t care for their Gear and Aircraft and Instructors imagine how much they value your lives. Always make sure to read the fine print and check out those hidden fees they don’t tell you about. DON’T USE GROUPON!
Refund Policy
ALL SALES ARE FINAL, THERE ARE NO REFUNDS Purchases are valid for 2 years from the date of purchase. You may transfer the purchase to someone else as long as it is in the 2-year window.
What should I wear or bring?
Dress for the weather. Tennis shoes and sneakers, no boots. Bring a change of clothes after heavy rain as the ground can be quite wet.
Summer: Shorts and t-shirts – clothes you don’t mind getting grass-stained or dirty.
Spring/Fall: Jeans and sweatshirt – loose-fitting clothes, thin gloves as needed.
Winter: Lots of layers – loose-fitting clothes, Under Armor (if you have it), ski masks, face masks, and gloves. Winters are mostly very mild in Texas! We jump year-round!
You should bring: Bottled water, snack food, laptops, thumb drives, SD cards, frisbees, footballs, food for the grill, cameras, and a great attitude ready for the best time you ever had!
How should I prepare: Eat lightly before your jump, fresh fruit to snack on is recommended. An empty stomach is just as bad as a full stomach. Do not drink alcohol heavily the night before your jump.
Do not use alcohol or other intoxicants 12 hours prior to your jump. You will forfeit your deposit, gift certificate or prepaid voucher!
What training will I need?
You will be provided with about 30 minutes of instruction prior to your skydive. One of the reasons that Tandem Skydiving is such a popular form of first time skydiving is that your instructor will be controlling most of the jump from exit to opening to landing. You will receive introductory skydiving training in aircraft exit, body position, and equipment familiarization. Take it to the next level and learn to skydive with a TDS Program Tandem.
What type of aircraft will we jump from?
The Skydiving Company operates a Cessna 182 capable of holding 2 tandem pairs (4 people max).
Can I take my own camera with me?
NO! There are safety issues involved with this. Because this is your first time skydiving, it is very important that you are not distracted by a camera. We require our experienced jumpers to have 200 jumps before they are allowed to take a camera with them, even small cameras such as the GoPro. Additionally, cameras must be properly mounted so they do not get dropped causing property damage or injury. ALL JUMPS INCLUDE FREE REALITY VIDEO! Upgrade to “Ultimate Video” for the ultimate experience!
Our tandem instructors and videographers have had extensive training on how to correctly operate a camera in the air.
Have I called an actual skydiving center?
Make sure to do your due diligence before you book a tandem skydive. There are many third-party booking sites posing as dropzones who are only in it to make a profit. Their websites claim that they are skydiving in Houston or Dallas, however, most are boiler room telemarketing operations that will send you hours away to redeem your overpriced skydiving adventure.
Before booking a skydive, call the number and ask these questions:
- Where is the physical location of the skydiving center?
- Are you an instructor, or can I talk to an instructor?
Why would you want to do business with people who claim to be a legitimate dropzone and clearly are not!
The Skydiving Company is a USPA member dropzone with over 60 years in the skydiving industry. Book directly with our team and rest assured that you are in good hands.
What about unplanned aircraft maintenance?
Airplanes can and do break down. In the event of unscheduled aircraft maintenance, you will need to reschedule at the next available date within your voucher/ticket/deposit expiration. Refunds will not be issued because of unscheduled aircraft maintenance.
Advertised Altitude And Freefall Policy
Many factors may affect actual exit altitudes and total published freefall times. Aircraft, Clouds, Wind, Instructors Opening Altitude, Prudence, Air Traffic are all things that can affect actual freefall times. No Refunds.
Where are we located?
We are located in Madisonville Texas Located Between Houston and Dallas on Interstate 45 and 30 Minutes east of College Station Texas. You often have to travel outside of major cities because of strict air traffic control regulations. We are centrally located for everyone from every major Texas City to get to us!
Attitude Policy
What we are doing is meant to be fun and exciting! Please leave attitudes at Home, If you come in with an attitude you will be ejected from the premises without a refund and no amazing experience! LEAVE THE ATTITUDE AT HOME! We don’t care about your keyboard crusades! Thanks
