If you’ve ever thought about whether to go skydiving, you know even contemplating it can be a challenge!
It’s a big decision to make. After all, you’ll be jumping from a perfectly good airplane, and it’s not a decision to be taken lightly. That said, hundreds of thousands of people take to the air every year and love it. Here are a few tips to make your decision easier.
Who Can Go Skydiving?
Anyone over the age of 18 and in good physical health can skydive. It’s not uncommon for us to welcome skydivers well into their 90s!
It’s a physical sport, so you do need to participate, which is why we ask you to be of good physical health. That’s not to say you can’t jump if you have a physical disability. If this applies to you, simply get in touch to discuss your specific condition and we’ll do everything we can to get you safely in the air.
Is It Safe?
One of the most common questions we get asked about skydiving is, ‘is it safe?’. The answer is, like the majority of things we do in our lives, there is always an element of risk – after all, you’re jumping from an airplane!
That said, our sport is governed by the United States Parachute Association (USPA) who provides rules and regulations to negate the risks as much as possible.
In 2014, the USPA recorded 24 fatal skydiving accidents in the U.S. out of roughly 3.2 million jumps. That’s 0.0075 fatalities per 1,000 jumps – among the lowest rate in the sport’s history.
Skydivers are also inherently very safety conscious. We’re all fully trained on how to care for our equipment and check it before every jump. As a tandem skydiver, you’ll receive a brief from our highly experienced instructors, telling you everything you need to know to negate the risks for yourself too.
Is It Like Riding A Roller Coaster?
If you’ve ever ridden a roller coaster, you know the sensation you get where your heart jumps into your throat as you tip over the peak.
Many people think the same will be true of skydiving. But that’s not the case.
So, what is skydiving like? Skydiving is far less like a roller coaster and far more like being cushioned by the air as you fall. Most people describe their skydiving experience as feeling like they’re flying, not falling. It’s difficult to describe until you’ve tried it but, once you have, you’ll want to do it again and again!
Should I Skydive If I’m Scared?
Like any new experience, you’re likely to feel nervous before your skydive. That’s perfectly natural! Even after thousands of jumps, we all get that adrenaline rush before we jump.
The trick is to embrace it. With fear comes heightened senses and an alertness that makes it feel like time is standing still. If you’re really scared and want to find out more before skydiving in TN, feel free to stop by the drop zone to watch the parachutes, or check out our skydiving videos.
