What is it like to skydive?

Answer 1

You'll get to the drop zone and talk to someone in the office (known to skydivers as manifest), who will get you started on some paperwork. There will be a lengthy waiver that you have to sign before you can jump, which reminds you that skydiving is an extreme sport and is not a terribly safe activity, so the drop zone is not liable if you get hurt or killed during your skydive. While you're looking over this reassuring bit of paperwork, you'll probably notice all the people around you--experienced skydivers and first-time tandem jumpers alike. If you take a minute to really look, you'll likely notice that they all seem to be wearing huge smiles. This will make sense to you in a little while.

After you sign the paperwork and watch a short introductory video, you'll meet your instructor and your videographer, if you opted to get video of your jump (it's expensive, but if this is your first time, you will absolutely kick yourself later if you choose not to get video). Your instructor is your best friend for the next few hours. He will give you a short safety briefing and explain to you what to do during the skydive. It's in your best interest to listen to him--it's his job to save your life, and you have the potential to really mess him up if you don't do what you're told.

After all that is done, it's time to get suited up. You'll wear a specially made harness that straps to your instructor's parachute harness. You'll also wear a pair of goggles to keep the wind out of your eyes, and, depending on the temperature, you may wear a jumpsuit. After your gear has been checked out, you'll head toward the plane. If your nerves haven't kicked in yet, get ready, because they're about to. If you're expecting a fancy first-class seat on an airliner, prepare to be disappointed. Most jump planes are tiny, cramped, and uncomfortable. You'll probably be sitting on the floor, in your instructor's lap, with somebody else sitting in your lap. If you're lucky, you may be in a larger plane with actual seats, or benches. If you're unlucky, you'll be crammed into a tiny Cessna with 4 other people and barely enough room to scratch your nose. Either way, the plane ride is a necessary evil, but it's worth it. You'll see.

After everybody's strapped in, the plane will taxi to the runway. It's normal to be scared at this point. You'll begin your climb to altitude, which can take anywhere from fifteen minutes to a half hour. On the way up, your instructor will go over some more things with you, and will probably joke around to try to loosen you up, if he can tell you're nervous (and let's face it--who wouldn't be? You're about to jump out of an airplane!). If you're jumping in the summer, the jumpmaster will usually open the door for a few minutes on the way to altitude, just to cool everybody off (there's no air conditioning on a jump plane). This is an interesting experience in itself, and can be a bit scary if you're near the door. But don't worry, you won't fall out--at least, not until you're ready to!

So after a long, uncomfortable ride to altitude, you'll feel the plane level off. Someone will yell "Door!", and the door will open. The sound of the wind rushing by at 100mph is deafening, even from inside the plane. Your instructor will get you up and slide you closer to the door. The adrenaline will have your heart racing in a mixture of fear and excitement. The anticipation grows as you move closer to the door, and watch other jumpers exit the plane. By the time you get to the door, you'll be able to see the ground below you. The view from up here is spectacular. You're way too high to see people, or cars, or even houses, and you can clearly see the curvature of the earth. Your instructor will position you in the door, and at this point, it's do or die. No going back now. Your videographer will step outside and hold on from outside the door to get a good view as you get ready to go. Your instructor will give the signal... and then you're flying.

There are no words to describe the feeling of freefall. It's absolute freedom. There is no sensation of falling; it's much more like flying. It's an experience like nothing else in the world. Your senses may feel overloaded; it is really a lot to take in, especially on your first time. But for most people, by the time they exit the plane, the fear is gone. It's replaced by a feeling of ecstasy that the majority of the population will never dream of. You'll fly for about a minute, until it's time to deploy the parachute. At about 5000 feet above the ground, your instructor will pull the ripcord and your parachute will open, slowing you from 120mph to about 15mph in around 5 seconds.

Once your parachute is open, you'll be able to talk to your instructor (the wind is much too loud to talk in freefall). It's also your chance to enjoy the scenery, and really relax and take in the experience. It's very quiet under canopy, especially compared to the deafening wind noise of freefall. Your instructor may let you steer the canopy. After about a five minute canopy ride, you'll come in for your landing. Your instructor will flare the canopy, and you'll either land standing up, or come sliding in on your butt. Once you reach the ground and fully realize what you've just done, you'll understand all those grins on the faces of the other skydivers, and probably have one of your own.

Skydiving has its risks, and can result in injury or death, even if you do everything right. It's rare, but it happens. If you're okay with this, and you still choose to do it, it can be an absolutely life-changing experience. A word of warning, though--this sport is highly addictive, and I think Leonardo da Vinci said it best: "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will long to return."

Answer 2

Sky diving is a pretty intense feeling but the worse bit is waiting in the plane, usually you are standing in a line and you jump out of the plane one by one.

At first you feel the rush of the free fall but once you a bit away from the plane the ground doesn't seem to get any closer and therefore the feeling of freefalling isn't so bad. The jump will usually go for about 5-7 minutes.

Answer 3

A jump usually starts with a tandem jump. You will be harnessed to an instructor, be checked for safety and then climb aboard the aircraft to an average height of 13000ft.

The door will open and other qualified jumpers will start to exit. There will defiantely be an element of fear involved, but it is managed and it is combined with a great deal of excitement.

The moment you leave the aircraft, your heart will race as you rapidly accelerate to terminal velocity of around 120mph in the space of 10 seconds. Enjoy the countryside and views, smile at the cameraman (if you have one) and try to remember the experience. Its not a stomach in mouth feeling as you might imagine from a rollercoaster, but a simple floating sensation.

Answer 4

For more information on what it feels like, you can check out this article by clicking on the link below.

Answer 5

freefall