So you’re about to make your first tandem skydive, are you? Fantastic. We’re stoked to introduce you to the wild world of freefall! Before you turn up at the dropzone door, there are a few things we want to make sure you know. Here’s the rundown.
You need to meet the weight requirements.
You’ve probably heard that skydiving has strict weight restrictions–and you heard right. Because parachuting equipment is weight-rated and nobody wants to be under a stressed-out parachute, all tandem students must fit specific weight criteria. Men must come in under 220 lbs and women under 200 (and be height/weight proportionate). We can accept students who weigh up to 270 lbs. With an additional fee (as the jump is quite hard on the tandem instructor).
You need to be reasonably fit.
For your safety and ours, you must be able to kneel, bend, stoop, and demonstrate a full range of motion in your extremities when asked. Our top-flight instructors will do most of the work for you, but you’ll have some basic responsibilities as a tandem student that you must fulfill for your safety and ours: lifting your legs for the landing, for instance.
You will be asked to sign a medical fitness statement, which you should not take lightly. Seriously–if you have any doubts, 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 if you have such a condition. We reserve the right to refuse service, and we can not refund if you arrive medically unfit and uncleared by a medical professional. (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. It breaks our hearts to do it.)
You need to be stone-cold sober.
If you arrive with a hangover, on prescription medications or–horror of horrors–currently intoxicated, sorry. You’re not going to be making a skydive. You’ll be turned away without a refund.
You need to wear the right clothing.
As a rule, you should dress for the weather. Wear tight-lacing athletic shoes. (Leave the boots at home.) In the summer, you’ll be comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt, as long as you don’t mind getting it grass-stained or dirty. In the spring and fall, jeans and sweatshirt work fine. Aim for non-constrictive clothes, and wear thin gloves if your hands tend to get chilly. (Bring a change of clothes after heavy rain, as the ground can be quite wet.) In Texas’ lovely, mild winters, you don’t need to pile on the down; instead, wear lots of non-constrictive layers (such as Under Armor) to trap the heat close to your body. Face masks and gloves are helpful, too.
You need a good weather day.
Skydiving is governed by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). Our sport is required to follow Visual Flight Rules–“VFR”–at all times. Aside from the FAA’s hard-and-fast rules on visibility, unsafe conditions for skydiving may include (but are not limited to): high winds, rain, and cloud coverage.
Because the weatherman has a tendency to be forehead-slappingly wrong, the decision to reschedule due to dangerous conditons is usually made on the day of your reservation. You’ll give us your mobile number when you reserve, and we’ll let you know via that method if we need to reschedule. (If you don’t hear from us, your jump is on.)
Oh, and a word to the wise: Don’t pay attention to weather reports more than 24 hours in advance of your reservation. They’re almost certainly incorrect.
You need a sense of adventure!
Sure, you need to rock up with some courage, but remember: It’s okay to be scared! Everybody is when they’re doing their first tandem skydive. You’ll soon be joining the ranks of thousands upon thousands of people who have successfully faced down the challenge of a skydive and emerged overjoyed on the other side. If you’ve checked off all these boxes, you’re properly prepared for the experience–and you’re gonna do just fine.
Contact The Skydiving Company or book your skydiving reservation online today!
