How does one learn to skydive?

Look in the telephone directory (Yellow Pages) under "Parachuting" to find a local parachuting operation - normally referred to as a "drop zone" (DZ).

A phone call will generally provide you with enough information to make arrangements to complete a tandem jump or attend the First Jump Course and/or how to reach the DZ. A friend or acquaintance who has jumped previously may also be able to give you a recommendation.

Most DZs will offer the First Jump Course at least once each weekend and tandem jumps are usually available by arrangement. Some will offer jumps or training during the week or some of the training during the week or starting at different times during the weekend. You will need to contact your local DZ to determine its scheduling. The First Jump Course consists of several hours of ground school followed by your jump - weather permitting.

There are three different types of training you can take: Static Line, Freefall, or Tandem. They are described below in greater detail. However, not all drop zones offer all these options, so you should ask the DZ which type(s) of training they provide. The services and facilities will also vary between DZs.

Some drop zones have promotional videos that describe the training and show you what it is all about. Almost every DZ these days uses videos for training aids and will be glad to let you view them (for free) if you stop by. They will mail you a brochure and other detailed information upon request as well.

It is YOUR safety at stake and YOUR responsibility to look after it. If you have reservations about making your first jump, make the effort to visit the DZ, check it out, meet the people and staff. They will be glad to see you, and you will be much more confident and comfortable having done so, and consequently have a much better time!

What does the training consist of?

The First Jump Course teaches you everything you need to know to safely make your first jump. There are several different programs available for first jumpers; the one you choose will depend on your personal preferences and circumstances. A video or DVD of your jumps may also be included (at extra cost) and the use of freefall video on student jumps greatly increases the learning potential.

Static Line (S/L)

This method has evolved over the last ~40 years from its military origins into a successful method for training sport parachutists. You get several hours of ground training and are then taken to an altitude of above 3500 feet for the jump. The jump itself consists of a simple "poised" exit usually from the strut of a single engine Cessna aircraft. As you fall away from the plane, the main canopy is deployed by a "static line" attached to the aircraft. You will experience about two to three seconds of falling as the parachute opens.

Subsequent S/L jumps require around half an hour or more of preparation, depending on how well you accomplished the previous jump. After 2 good static line jumps, you will be trained to pull a practice ripcord for yourself. You then do 3 more static line jumps where you demonstrate this ability by pulling the practice ripcord as you leave the plane (the static line is still initiating the deployment).

You are then cleared to do your first actual freefall. The first freefall is a "clear & pull", where you initiate the pull sequence immediately upon leaving the aircraft. Next is a 7 second delay jump, then 10 seconds, etc… Subsequent jumps go to progressively higher altitudes with longer delays. After completing the training table, and meeting certain other basic requirements (such as being cleared to pack a parachute for your own use), you receive an "A" license and are cleared off student status.

Freefall (AFF or TAF)

The Accelerated Freefall (AFF) program began in 1982 as an "accelerated" learning process as compared to the traditional static line way of training to skydive. The AFF program will give you a true taste of modern sport skydiving.

The ground training is a bit more extensive than S/L because the parachute student will be doing a 40 - 50 second freefall (that's right!) on his/her very first jump. You will exit the aircraft at 10,000 - 12,000 feet along with two AFF Instructors (jumpmasters) who are there to assist you during freefall. The jumpmasters maintain grips on you from the moment you all leave the aircraft together until opening, assisting as necessary to fall stable, perform practice ripcord pulls, monitor altitude, etc. You pull your own ripcord at about 4000 ft.

TAF (Tandem Assisted Freefall) is a more recent innovation than AFF but the end result should be the same - a trained skydiving novice. In this program the first three stages of freefall training may be completed as tandem jumps where you may fulfil the same aims of the freefall training table while falling with a Tandem Master. Due to the structure of the jumps and the higher opening required for tandem there are more jumps required to achieve the same aims as the AFF program.

The Freefall program is a 9 stage program. Stages 1, 2, & 3 require either two freefall Instructors to accompany the student, unless some of these are being done as tandem jumps. These skydives concentrate on teaching basic safety skills such as altitude awareness, body position, stability during freefall and most importantly - a stable and successful ripcord pull.

On stage 3 AFF, all being well (and only if all is well), the Instructors intend to release the student in freefall for the first time, to fly completely on your own.

Stages 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 require only one freefall Instructor (less $$ and these stages cannot be done tandem) and teach air skills such as turns, forward movement and linking with other people in freefall, back loops, dive exits from the plane, etc.

Stage 9 is a clear and pull from about 3000 feet to allow the student to experience a lower exit height.

Each Freefall stage is designed to take one jump, and requires about 45 minutes of training plus any refresher training required. After successfully performing the objectives of each stage, the student moves on to the next stage.

Details of the Freefall Training Table from the APF Operational Regulations

Appendix 4: Freefall Student Training Descent Table

Refer to Section 6.3. This table is shown in more detail in the APF Training Operations Manual

Note: Completion of the required aims and minimum manoeuvres may need more than the specified minimum number of jumps for each stage.

Tandem jumps

Tandem jumps are meant to offer an introduction to the sport. They allow the beginner to take a skydive with an experienced Tandem Master / Instructor.

A tandem jump requires from 15 to 45 minutes of ground preparation (it is NOT a First Jump Course. If you are doing Tandem Assisted Freefall training - see above - the course will have been adjusted to suit what you need to know).

The student and tandem master each wear a harness, however only the Tandem Master wears the parachutes. The student's harness attaches to the front of the master's harness and the two of them freefall together for 30 seconds or more, open together, and land together under one Really BIG Parachute.

Tandem jumping provides an obvious advantage for the adventurous spirit who wants to experience freefall before committing to a First-jump course or just wants to do a skydive. By relying on the Tandem Master's skills, you will be able to experience the thrill of skydiving without the pressure of having to "save yourself".

Tandem students may be as young as 12 years old and as old as they feel like. The oldest tandem student to date in Australia was 94 when she made the jump.

If you decide to continue in the sport after a tandem jump you will have to attend a First Jump Course in either the Freefall or Static Line curriculum and you will have a very good idea of what to expect.

All parachute courses...

In all of these training methods, parachute students are taught normal and emergency procedures for all aspects of the jump - climb to altitude, exit, opening, canopy control, and landing.

They are also shown the equipment and go over it so that they understand how it works.

All APF student training centres now utilise sport skydiving gear. No more military surplus stuff. Students have light-weight parachute systems in aesthetic colours and high performance canopies designed for students. No more big para-boots-- students use their own trainers/sport shoes. No more heavy motorcycle helmets-- students use lightweight sporting helmets. Ground-to-air radio for canopy control assistance are used at some centres, air-to-air video, on and on...

What are the physical requirements?

In general, the prospective parachute student should be in reasonably good physical shape; this is a sport after all. You will be required to wear about 12 kg of equipment, endure opening shock, manoeuvre the canopy, land, and possibly carry all your equipment all the way back to the club house.

But seriously, problems may arise where a prospect is too heavy (over ~250lbs/ 110kg) or excessively unfit or if they have medical conditions which may impair them during the activity. Someone who experiences fainting spells, blackouts or has a weak heart should not be jumping. Someone with respiratory illness may have a problem due to atmospheric changes at altitude. The better your physical condition, the more you will enjoy the experience. This being said, very few people have medical or physical conditions which actually preclude jumping.

One question without a clear-cut answer regards women jumping in early pregnancy. Certainly there is a reduction in available oxygen with altitude but whether this has any effect on a foetus is not determined. If asked, most DZs would advise the potential mother to consult her doctor. And of course, there is always a potential for a hard landing, however unlikely.

Most drop zones will try to work with you. If you have a question, ask them, and as always, ask your doctor. You may be surprised at the relatively few physical constraints involved.

What if your parachute doesn't open?

Clearly, this is the most Frequently-Asked-Question posed by all prospective jumpers.

By law (Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulations - this is the government body that regulates and oversees all aviation activity), all intentional parachute jumps must be made with a single harness, dual parachute system with both a main canopy AND a reserve canopy. In other words, you have a second (or spare) canopy in case the first one fails to open properly.

A large part of any First Jump Course is about how and when to use the reserve!

As an additional back-up ALL student freefall training jumps require an Automatic Activation Device (AAD) to be fitted to one of the parachutes.

From 1st December 2002 the APF rules were changed so that all jumpers who hold less than a "D" licence are required to have an AAD fitted to their gear. This will apply to visiting foreign jumpers.

However, it must be noted that the technology utilised in today's sport parachuting equipment is light years ahead of the old military surplus gear used in the '60s and '70s. The canopies are DRASTICALLY different from the classic army round parachutes. The materials are stronger, lighter, the packing procedures are simpler, the parachute opening sequence is much more refined, softer and reliable.

The reserve canopies are even more carefully designed and packed. The reserve parachute must be inspected and repacked every 6 months by an APF licensed parachute Packer or Rigger - even if it has not been used during that time.

The student's main canopy is always packed either by licensed packer or under a rigger's direct supervision by experienced packers. There are also additional safety features employed to aid canopy deployment such as Automatic Activation Devices (AAD) and Reserve Static Lines (RSL) which add still more layers of safety.

How much does it cost?

Costs vary widely between operations. Check what you are being offered for the price - such as altitude (freefall time), video/DVD, stills, first jump certificate, location (city or country), free "T" shirt, etc?

With Freefall and S/L, after the first jump, the cost of each successive jump decreases in stages as less supervision is required. Once off student status, and owning and packing your own gear, jumps will cost about $32 - $37 to altitude.

Equipment can run from $2000 to $10,000 depending on what you want to spend. There is a used equipment market (much like the used car market) which can SAVE you loads of money, or you can custom order everything brand-spanking-new with your own personalised colours and sizes, which will COST you a lot more money (although parachute equipment does hold its value when well cared for).

You can buy it all at once or a piece at a time as finances allow. Generally, you shouldn't worry about buying gear until you are off student status or close to your first ("A") licence.

Get advice from an instructor before buying gear, you don't want to end up with an expensive or unsafe lemon.

How hard is the landing?

The canopies used today bear little resemblance to the classic round canopies of years gone by. Today, all student jumpers and jump schools use "square" canopies for parachuting. These canopies are actually rectangular in shape, and when open, act like an aeroplane wing (or an aerofoil).

They are more like gliders than umbrellas. The aerodynamics of the square canopy provide it with exceptional manoeuvrability, allowing the jumpers to land almost anywhere they wish. This wing shape also provides tippy-toe soft landings for even the novice jumper if landed correctly.

Tandem students must listen to the Tandem master on landing and keep their feet up to avoid interfering with the TM's landing. The days of always landing like a sack of flour are history. Most parachute students land standing up on their first jump.

Where can I try skysurfing?

It a nutshell, you can't -- unless you're already a very experienced skydiver. "Skysurfing" or "Skyboarding" refers to skydiving with a surfboard, or snowboard, attached to your feet. This allows for some radical manoeuvres in freefall. However, such jumps should only be attempted by expert skydivers, and preferably after long discussion with one of the few skysurfers who have experience. This is currently at the development stage in the skydiving world. You may see it on TV in programs like "Extreme Games".

What about the things i see in movies?

Otherwise entitled, "Movie Myths"!

Myth #1: Freefall conversation. Conversation in freefall is virtually impossible. The wind is too loud.

Myth #2: 4 minute freefalls. Without taking oxygen on the plane with you and getting into the stratosphere, freefall time is limited to about 80 seconds on a single jump. The world record highest jump was in 1960 from 102,800 ft (about 19.5 miles) using a spacesuit from a balloon. The jumper, Col. Joe Kittinger experienced about 4 and a half minutes of freefall!

Myth #3: First-jump freefall acrobatics. Learning to fall stable and to fly while in freefall takes practice -- it's not realistic to do this on your first jump.

Myth #4: Low-pull contests. This virtually never happens. Everyone tends to deploy around 2000-2500 feet above the ground, (tandems over 4000ft) this is why we wear altimeters (and remember to look at them!). Skydivers fall at about 5.5 sec/thousand feet when face-to-earth. This is the real Terminal Velocity - about 120 mph or 200 kph.

Myth #5: Leaving an aircraft without a parachute. Although it is quite easy to catch another skydiver in freefall it is not possible to hang on to them during opening at terminal velocity. So do not ever leave a aircraft without at least one parachute strapped on (and preferably two). Or in the case of a tandem - with a parachutist strapped on!

Myth #6: Putting on a parachute harness in freefall and in the time you have available (after you have taken it off someone else or caught it in freefall) is virtually impossible.

Myth #7: When the parachute opens the parachutist goes back up. This is a common misconception and comes about because the freefall camera flyer is still falling as everyone else opens - so it looks like everyone goes up out of the top of the screen. Really they are just slowing down to the parachute's speed of descent.

Is there a list of skydiving-related magazines and periodicals?

Australian Skydiving Magazine

Australian Skydiver Magazine (ASM)

Australian Skydiver Magazine is the Flagship Publication of the Australian Parachute Federation. submissions and subscriptions to ASM please email editor Susie McLachlan susie@skydiver.com.au

Published five times a year. skydiver.com.au

Parachutist

USPA magazine, US$12/yr, back issues $3. USPA, 1440 Duke St, Alexandra, VA, 22314. 0011 703-836-3495. http://www.uspa.org/

Skydive, The Mag:

(Publication of the British Parachuting Association) £30 for overseas airmail. BPA, Wharf Way, Glen Parva, Leicester LE2 9TF, UK - http://www.skydivemag.com

What is the APF waiver?

(usually called the Pink Card)

Anyone wishing to jump at an APF parachute operation will be presented with the following statement to read and sign: