Information On Skydiving : A Sport For All
What to expect whilst skydiving is the focus of this installment of our go skydiving guide.
Skydiving is a popular form of extreme sport in which you exit a plane at anywhere from 10,000-18,000 feet (3,050-5,500 m) and fly / fall through the air.
When you first exit the plane, the force of gravity far outweighs that of air resistance and this causes you to rapidly accelerate downwards. After a few seconds, and a few hundred or a thousand feet, the two forces become equal and you’ll reach a speed of around 120-180 mph (193-290 kph).
The actual speed depends on the size of an individual’s body and the posture assumed. Most people position their bodies with the arms spread out and the face and belly pointing to the ground, but higher speeds can be achieved through a diving-like posture with head down, arms together or by the side and legs together.
Once the parachute cord is pulled, the main canopy is released and fills with air. This increases air resistance and the fall immediately begins to decelerate because of the sudden increase in air resistance. If the chute is opened at a safe height, the jumper will land at roughly 10 mph.
The chances of serious accidents are relatively low – about 1 jump in 100,000 leads to a fatality. But skydivers should remain safety conscious and alert at all times as mistakes, equipment malfunctions or turbulence could lead to disaster.
Static line, tandem and AFF (accelerated free fall) jumps require different levels of training and a jumper can spend anything from one to hours in preliminary training. This training will teach the skydiver how to jump from the plane and to land safely. It will also cover everything in between those points that he must know, including: basic physics on how the skydiver’s body and chute interact; how to safely and effectively use complex equipment; and various falling and flying techniques.
Skydiving can be expensive. Jumps can cost from $50 to $200, depending on the type of skydive being undertaken and the skydiving school’s location and reputation. Jumpers also need to consider the costs of hiring or buying equipment if it is not provided by the skydiving school.
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