Training to Skydive
Casual thrill seekers and serious extreme sport enthusiasts alike need training in order to skydive. Aspiring skydivers must consider the risks involved. Once that has been done, it is necessary to select a training method, instructor and location for skydiving training.
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Significance
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Proper training is critical in order to impart the "knowledge, skill and attitude" necessary for safe jumps, according to Dropzone.com, a skydiving website. Skydivers who stay calm and use the techniques they are taught are able to jump safely and enjoy the sport.
Types
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Aspiring skydivers can select from tandem, static line or accelerated free fall training methods. Tandem jumping consists of a "Tandem Master," who is a seasoned skydiver, riding on the back of the student skydiver. The two are attached by a harness, and after 45 to 60 seconds of free falling, the parachute is deployed, and it takes about four minutes to reach the ground.
Static line jumping originated as a method of training military parachutists, but has gained popularity in recent years as a method of civilian training, according to Dropzone.com. Students jump from the plane, and the static line, which is attached to the plane, opens the canopy. In subsequent jumps, students pull the ripcord themselves and jump from increasingly higher altitudes.
The accelerated free fall (AFF) method is the most challenging of the three methods. It involves a student jumping with two instructors and experiencing a 50-second free fall. The student pulls his own ripcord from an altitude of about 4,000 feet. On subsequent AFF jumps, students learn how to turn and move forward in the air.
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Requirements
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Dropzone.com notes that most countries require skydivers to meet minimum fitness requirements. In the United States, fitness guidelines are established by the United States Parachute Association (USPA). Skydiving students should be in good health, (i.e., no heart conditions) and should not be taking any medication that might affect judgment. Age requirements vary depending on country, but the requirement is 16 in the United States.
Most skydiving instructors will give written tests to students after completing on-the-ground training, as a prerequisite for making the first jump. Aspiring skydivers can use websites such as Dropzone.com to find qualified instructors and jump locations in their areas.
Certification
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Licensing requirements vary by country; however, in the United States it takes about 20 jumps before a student is ready to make jumps on his own, according to Dropzone.com. Students who use the AFF training method can perform solo jumps after seven jumps with instructors. A class "A" license is awarded by the USPA after 25 jumps. Experience divers who have completed 500 jumps or more are eligible for a class "D" license.
Considerations
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Some 35 fatalities involving skydivers are reported annually by the USPA, according to Dropzone.com. However, those risks can be mitigated by proper training. Dropzone.com notes that fatalities rarely involve students, and this is largely due to the high quality of equipment and instruction.
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References
- Photo Credit skydive 1 image by Jim Parkin from Fotolia.com
