Adventure sports have been on the wishlist for a long time for many of us, especially Skydiving.We, humans, love to experience the thrill that these sports have on them. Skydiving, river rafting, and zip lining are some examples of these adventure sports. Most of them need training before the initial trial, but Tandem Skydiving is ideal for beginners.
Skydiving has become more popular in the recent year due to its availability. For a certain amount of money, one can experience the sky and the view of the earth. It has both thrill and excitement.
In Skydiving a person has to use gravity to aid them in dive from the helicopter or plane. Then he/she uses a parachute to land on the base. Soldiers used them during the war but now it is a recreational activity. Through the years several forms of skydiving have come into play. This includes the Tandem Skydiving, Accelerated Freefall, Formation Skydiving, Freeflying etc.
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What is Tandem Skydiving?
A tandem jump means you’re attached to an expert instructor who will take care of everything, while you can just enjoy the ride, including a free fall before your instructor deploys the parachute and brings you in for a safe landing.
In Tandem Skydiving, the diver is attached to their instructor with the help of the harness. They are attached at 4 points in the shoulders and hips. This is good for amateur divers as the instructor knows the right way to land after a dive. The instructor is there to guide them through all the steps and ensures their safety. The diver does receive instructions on successful diving before beginning the adventure.
Generally, it is a rule that people need to be 18 or above to take part in Tandem Skydiving. Beginners throughout the world prefer to do Tandem Skydive because of the added aid; although it tends to be more expensive. Things taught include the operation of the parachute, proper diving, and maneuvering free falls. As the instructor is on the top of the diver, they can enjoy the view of the fall in an unhindered way. Several people choose to capture their skydiving experience in their cameras. The height of the fall can be anywhere between 2,500-4,000 feet.
What are the Basic Conditions for Tandem Skydiving?
Health Conditions for Skydiving :
There are no said rules but the diver needs to be healthy enough to undertake the diving. People with heart conditions should refrain from taking such a step. People who have severe anxiety may also face problems. The institution asks participants the needed question before one can actually step into the plane.
Weight Limit for Skydiving
Also, the weight can be an issue in case of tandem skydiving. It is important because the instructor and the harnesses need to bear the weight of the diver. So, make sure your weight is inside the perimeter of the said institution.Usually, 230pounds or 105kgs ~ is the maximum weight limit for being eligible to tandem skydive.
Age Limit for Skydiving
Minimum Age limit is generally from 18 and it varies from country to country. However, if you are 16+ years old and under 18, one of the two parents has to be present during your jump.
Weather Conditions for Skydiving
Skydiving is definitely based on the weather condition. 3 major weather conditions that restrict tandem skydiving are Rainfall, Turbulent Wind and Clouds. Clouds could hinder visibility, leading to trouble seeing the ground when they exit the plane and it can cause skydivers to land miles off course, and also risk encountering trees, or other aircraft on the way to the ground.
Equipment and Safety:
As a diver, a person puts all their trust in the instructor and the institution. Every Tandem skydiving institutions need to follow some rules. It would ensure the safety of the participant. That is the reason why re-checks are important in the industry. Every equipment and gear is made with utmost care.
In Tandem Skydiving, a drogue parachute is the most important factor. It is to ensure the safety of the person. The parachute also helps in lengthening the duration of fall. The main parachute is also bigger to aid the landing of two people. An Automatic Activation Device or AAD is there to the parachutes in the case of emergencies. The person who helps the participant is a diving instructor. He must have at least 3 years of experience in the field and should have a valid license.
What to Expect when Participating in Tandem Skydiving?
Every participant gets anxious and jittery about the experience that would take place on the day. They are nervous about the height and most of them are beginning. So, they can expect something like these things:
- Generally, people pre-book a skydiving appointment so the initial conversation is already over. On the day, the participant has to arrive quite early. They will need to sign some bonds as Tandem Skydiving is a risky affair. They will also let you know about the main clauses.
- A brief class of 15-20 minutes takes place to make all participants learn about the right things. This includes diving and the safety precaution. This is a must as it is quite risky. They teach you about the height, what to expect in the air and also the right way to fall and land. They also talk to you about the equipment.
- Now, will the time when you are ready and a thorough check-up of everything takes place. This is for the safety and perfection. Expert divers always accompany you. You will board an airplane and go into the sky. The experienced ones go first to give you a nice show. Then the instructor will attach the harness to the 4 points and you will take your dive. The moment of floating is definitely the best one in the whole experience. The whole experience including the flight is about 15-20 minutes. The actual fall depends on the height and is around 60-120 seconds. Then the instructor opens up the parachute and you have about 10 minutes. Make sure to live the feeling and take videos or enjoy the scenery.
- The last step is definitely landing in a safe manner and then taking off the gears and types of equipment.
Tandem Skydiving is definitely one of the most thrilling experiences in one’s life. Experiencing the fall from such a height is exhilarating. The instructors ensure that everyone will be safe during the experience. It is now getting popular in many places around the world and is getting more popular day by day. Tandem Skydiving is the start of getting into the sport of skydiving. After taking rigorous training people can move on to other types of skydiving.
That’s some great information. Thank you for sharing. Have you tried to skydive? How was your experience? I loved that info-graphic. You did a great job creating that.