The sport of skydiving never fails to impress, in one way or another. A mistake, regrettably a common one, made by most is to assume skydiving as an unsafe and unsound means to experience pure thrill. Look at the facts people. How good are the odds of success? About two in one million that you’ll die on a tandem jump. Incidentally, this statistic proves that skydiving is becoming safer per year. According to the National Safety Council (let’s assume they’re a credible source), an individual is more likely, much more in fact, to be killed getting struck by lightning or stung by bees.

Not so scary after all see? These factual safety statistics are proof of strict safety requirements, developments in training policies, as well as skydiving program and equipment improvements the past few decades.

Look, skydiving is intrinsically risky. But hey, you are consciously deciding to throw yourself out of a plane. Yet most skydiving accidents are the direct result of human error or improper practices, i.e. failing to react quickly, failing to stick to protocol, executing dangerous stunts, etc.

Practice Makes Perfect in Anything, and Skydiving is no Exception

With the right training, mindset and some sense, skydivers can ultimately minimize any risk involved. Modern equipment, better training, guided staffs and good practices are the reason, the only reason, that skydiving continuously becomes a safer sport for everyone.
Give us a call at 615-933-4588 to learn more about how safe skydiving actually is or to book you skydive!

A plane is a plane just as apples are apples right?

Assuming you haven’t yet experienced your first tandem skydive, it is safe to also assume you haven’t looked into the aircraft that you will be in. In all likelihood, the first time you see the plane will be when you first see it on the runway, which is just about the time the nervousness starts to kick in.

As a word of advice, it is a good thing when you know something about the plane you will jump out of, because it is directly correlated with the overall awesomeness of your skydive. Below are the aircraft you will likely find yourself in and the information you will need to know, if not for education than just for smart shopping.

Cessna 182

The majority of dropzones around the United States have adopted the Cessna. There are several different versions of the Cessna aircraft, but the model most likely seen at a skydive center is the Cessna 182. What the Cessna lacks, under certain aspects, in comparison to the Otter and King Air; it makes up for in convenience, reliability and cost.

There is a common comparison used with skydiving in relation to the aircraft being used: size of the aircraft and the cost of your skydive. If the dropzone you are trusting with your jump happens to have a Cessna, let’s just say you’re in luck.

The Cessna is a fine aircraft to say the least; it’s easy to use, more reliable than virtually any aircraft in business, and costs lest to operate. General rule of thumb: the smaller a dropzone’s operating costs, the less you pay for your jump. That’s the same with any business, and skydiving is no exception. I will not say a Cessna is better or even on par with the King Air or Otter in terms of speed and cabin size, but you aren’t going skydiving for the experience of riding in a plane. No, you’re going skydiving for the experience and memory of jumping from one.

Once you leave the plane, the experience is the same regardless of the aircraft. If your main concerns are with the size and speed of the aircraft, I recommend purchasing a commercial flight. However, if you are looking for an exhilarating experience for a reduction in price, finding a dropzone flying a Cessna might not be a bad idea.

DeHavilland Twin Otter

Here we are, the Twin Otter. The Otter is considered by every experienced jumper in the industry as the crown jewel of skydiving aircraft. This machine, crafted by the gods themselves, can carry 22 jumpers from 10,000 to 14,000 feet in a mere 10 minute trip (depending on the altitude you’re jumping at).

Arguably the most reliable, safe, yet adaptable aircraft in the skydiving industry, the Otter possesses a consistently smooth flight, a spacious cabin and engine redundancy, meaning if worst comes to worst and one of the engine is blown, the Otter can still fly on the single engine. It is by far, one of the safest, if not the most, aircraft in the business. The Otter is already out-of-your-mind fast, yet most of the planes we utilize are outfitted for a faster flight time. Each aircraft is outfitted to meet the needs of a skydiving aircraft, making the already spacious otter the most luxurious aircraft for skydiving. It is outfitted with windows at every angles, comfortable seating along both sides of the aircraft, and the always welcomed, extra-large exit door for smooth departures.

Bottom line, the Otter, both the plane and the animal, are a nice touch in any relevant scenario.

Beechcraft King Air

The Beechcraft King Air is the, what’s the word, ‘rocket ship’ of the skydiving industry given its astounding speed and, consequently, lift times. With a full load of 14 jumpers, this aircraft can get to an altitude of 10,000 – 14,000 feet in only seven to ten minutes. Not only does this help you in terms of the flight up, but in terms of waiting around at the dropzone. The faster the plane can get to altitude and back, the faster each load goes up, which means less time waiting around for your load to go up.

Our instructors love the King Air because of its quick and efficient climb to altitude. Our pilots love it because it is an enjoyable plane to improve flight hours. And our customers love it because they get to jump out of a plane in less time. It’s a win, win, win scenario.

Keep in mind that the aircraft used in the skydiving world can differ depending on what a dropzone has in their hangar, what is currently running and personal preference. That said, any dropzone partnered with Skydiving.com is sure to have an aircraft that fits your needs and delivers an awesome experience.

Skydiving.com offers beginner and experienced jumpers a broad array of opportunities with our selective fleet of aircraft and a large network. Give us a call at 615-933-4588 to learn more about the aircraft at your dropzone or when to book your jump. All skydiving is fun, we just do it better.

Tandem skydiving isn’t just for the young and robust. Irene O’Shea spent her 100th birthday by becoming the oldest woman to jump in South Australia, Tandem skydiving at 12,000 feet. It wasn’t just for the thrill: she did it to raise money for research into Motor Neurone Disease, which took her daughter’s life in 2008.

Verdun Hayes, from Somerton, England is another centenarian who made his first jump on his big birthday, Tandem skydiving at 10,000 feet. When asked afterwards, he said he wasn’t scared in the least. The current Guinness Book of World Records holder for oldest parachute jump belongs to Armand Gendreau, who busted his Tandem skydiving cherry at the ripe age of 101 and three days old.

But don’t YOU wait until your 100th birthday, if you’re even lucky enough to live that long! Tandem skydiving is the ultimate bucket list entry that you can check off right now.

After all, if those folks have the courage and stamina to do it, so do you. Book your reservation right now via phone or online form!

Maximum altitude: 14,000 feet
Plane flight: 10 minutes
Freefall duration: 60 seconds
Maximum speed: 130 mph
Parachute deployed: 5,000 feet
Drift time: 8 minutes

Plan on spending about 4 hours at the drop zone. Relax, bring a picnic and watch the sky filled with the chutes of other skydivers. Then, when it’s your turn just follow simple instructions, keep your eyes wide open, and enjoy! Your capable instructor will do all the hard stuff like steering and landing. Join the fun – call 1-800-617-7948 to make a reservation.

Tandem skydiving is certainly a big hit with your favorite celebrities. Like heartthrob Benedict Cumberbatch, who said the second he touched the ground after his first skydive he wanted to jump again. (He also said he felt “incredibly horny.”)

Will and Jada Pinkett Smith got hooked on skydiving together in Dubai in 2014 and now have their whole family on board. Other famous hardcore skydiving enthusiasts include Michael Fassbender, Ryan Reynolds, Paris Hilton, Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus, Tony Hawk, Liam Hemsworth, and Tiger Woods.

The truth is you don’t need to be a billionaire or famous person to enjoy the same life changing experience. Who knows, maybe the jumper next to you is a famous athlete or rock star. But the point is, up in the air we are all equal, subject to the same laws… of gravity, at least!

Join your celeb brothers and sisters and reserve a space on our exciting Tandem skydiving adventure. Call us to book your trip right now!