Tandem Skydiving
Frequently Asked Questions about Tandem Skydives.
- What is a Tandem Skydive
- Tandem skydiving refers to a method of skydiving where a student skydiver is connected via a harness to the tandem instructor. The tandem instructor wears a larger than normal parachute capable of supporting two skydivers. The instructor guides the student through the jump from exit through freefall, piloting the canopy, and landing. The student needs only minimal instruction before making a tandem jump.
- How hard will I land?
- Under most circumstances, no. With modern parachutes landing are most often light and injuries rare. Skydiving is a sport that has inherent risks but those risk are minimized through awareness and through training and certification from the United States Parachute Association.
- What kind of parachuted do you use?
- What about if I wear glasses or contacts?
- We provide goggle that cover eyes and glasses.
- Do I have to sign a waiver?
- Yes. Liability waivers are common in any sport where there is a level of risk.
- Do you offer video or photo services?
- Yes. We have professional videographers who are available to capture your the entire skydiving experience.
- What kind of clothes should I wear?
- Comfortable clothes and sneakers (no shoes with heals or hooks). In the warmers months, shorts and t-shirts work well. In colder months pants and long-sleave shirts to keep warm. We provide jumpsuits and goggles.
- What if I am too old or in poor physical condition?
- Most people are able to make a tandem skydive. We will assist each person in evaluatating their physical limitations. We may not be able to take you if your weight exceeds 220 pounds or you are in poor health. We have taken people as old as 90+ years of age. Each skydiver assumes the personal risk of skydiving.
- What is the training for Tandem?
- We provide a short training session for all tandem skydivers. Items covered include; safety, plane exits, freefall body position, parachute deployment, and landing. Instructors and staff are available to answer additional questions
- After I have completed my tandem skydive what’s next?
- If you would like to work toward becoming a licensed skydiver, we offer training via Accelerated Freefall (AFF) method of skydiving. Many of today’s licensed skydivers started with one or more tandem skydive before transitioning to the AFF program.
- Do I have to do a tandem skydive for my first jump?
- No. You can make your first jump as a tandem or AFF. Many people chose a tandem since it less training and the instructors do most of the work.
- Will I get sick?
- Unlikely. If you get motion sickness, tell your instructor before boarding the plane. We can fly the parachute in a smooth glide. For the more adventurous, we can spin in tight turns that enhance the felling of motion.
- What if the parachute does not open?
- Our parachute systems contain two parachutes, a main and reserve. The Tandem Instructor is trained on the use of the system and while a parachute malfunction is very rare, it can and does happen. The reserve parachute flies and lands similar to the main parachute. Each of our parachutes containers are equipped with an auto activation device (AAD) that will deploy the parachute if a parachute has not been deployed at a preset altitude.
