How to Train for Sky Diving
Few sports can claim to be as exhilarating as sky diving. It can be a frightening prospect the first time you do it, but once you're out of the plane and falling through the sky, the view is incredible and almost everyone becomes a life-long enthusiast. You can't just step to the door and jump out, however! You need to train in order to go sky diving.
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Instructions
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Start with a tandem jump. A tandem jump is one in which instructor and student are harnessed to one another and jump using the same parachute. This is done to expose the student to the sensations of free fall without placing them in control of their descent.
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Use the wind tunnel. A wind tunnel is important for training students how to keep their body stable through buffeting winds. Students can expect to train for an hour or more in the wind tunnel.
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Proceed to solo free fall, in which (on the first jump) one or more instructors will hold you during free fall to help you control your descent, but you will be responsible for opening your own chute and piloting yourself to the drop zone.
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Head to the USPA (United States Parachute Association) website and click the "Drop Zones" link on the menu bar (see Resources below). The "Drop Zones" link provides access to contact information for all of the USPA recognized sky diving training facilities in the country, as well as links to some international schools.
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Visit DropZone.com to get access to initial safety tips, statistics and a general overview of the sport (see Resources below). You can also visit the forums and talk with other sky divers about potential sky diving locations.
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Tips & Warnings
Always try to find the most reputable and respected sky diving instructors when you begin to train. There are tons of sky diving facilities in the country, but only a few could be categorized as the best in the country. Talk to friends, family or acquaintances that have already jumped to find out where they went to train.
Talk to your doctor before you train for sky diving. Your general health will dictate whether or not you should even attempt to dive.
The possibility of injury or death is present, but it should be noted that in 2006 there were 2.2 million registered jumps and only 21 reported fatalities (according to the United States Parachute Association).
