There are many places now that offer skydiving near me. This activity is typically on the bucket lists of many people, including me.
However, this type of activity does not need to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Rather, it is regarded as a whole sport.
Many individuals are jumping every week. Either it is their hobby or a lifestyle, skydiving is a regular activity.
The number of people engaging in this activity has grown steadily. And if you are an advanced jumper, you can do all forms of skydiving competitions.
But you need to be careful who will be supervising your jump if you are skydiving for the first time.
Skydiving Near Me That Does Not Disappoint
If it is your first time you choose a skydiving center, you must ensure that you pick the one that does not disappoint. That is, you would want to be in good hands with professional people.
What Kind of Certification to Look for when Finding the Right Skydiving Center Near Me?
You are putting your life in someone else’s hands. Thus, you must only sign up with a center that has qualified and experienced instructors.
Preferably, the instructions must be certified by the US Parachute Association.
Before they can get a certification, they must first complete a thorough training. And to maintain their rating, they have to complete certain requirements per year.
A reputable dropzone ensures that its instructors’ qualifications are updated. And if you are not sure, you can go ahead and ask your instructor about his experience level. It is perfectly all right.
What Age You can Skydive?
If you are over 18 years old, you are qualified for this activity. However, if you are pregnant or with heart conditions, you must not go skydive with your friends. Some drop zones have certain restrictions.
However, if you are perfectly healthy, you can be sure that you can do this activity.
On the other hand, some drop zones allow people with disability, paralysis and lost their limbs could still go skydiving.
What is Good Skydiving Aircraft?
It is another consideration when looking for the right skydiving center near me. Apart from the gears, you would want the plane to be comfortable and properly maintained.
Unfortunately, not all skydiving centers in the Philippines can afford to purchase fast and spacious planes. For that reason, most centers are operating a small plan that can take around 20 minutes to take you up.
Some drop zones are using turbine aircraft to make sure you are comfortable before and during the activity.
What are the Types of Skydiving?
You can pick from two types of skydiving. The first one is an accelerated free fall. Here, you will open the parachute yourself and you will land by yourself. However, before you can do so, you must complete a ground course first.
This course can last for a few hours. When you are in the air, two instructors will hold onto your harness to instruct you. They will also help your stability before deploying the parachute.
The second type of skydiving is tandem freefall. It is the more common type and most beginners would pick this type.
In this type of skydiving, you will be strapped to an instructor. Your instructor will open the parachute. There is no need to undergo extensive preparation in this type of skydiving.
The best thing about it is that you are enjoying the view while you are up in the air. With this type, you are jumping without a parachute because you are attached to an instructor who has the parachute.
Is It Possible to Get Hurt During Skydiving?
It is not likely to get hurt when you skydive. One of the horror stories you might have heard or seen is the parachute not opening. It is typically what some people are afraid of and not considering skydiving.
However, such a scenario is rare. In fact, out of 4 million jumps in 2015, only 21 of them resulted in fatalities. The rate is even lower if you are in tandem skydiving.
Each skydiver has two parachutes. In that case, if one fails, there is always a backup. Furthermore, skydivers will have to go through comprehensive training to know how to deal with emergency scenes.
Most of the skydiving accidents are human error. That is, it is not always an equipment failure but it has something to do with skydiver’s doing something wrong during the dive.
Tandem instructors underwent extensive training to provide the safes ride of your life. In that case, the chances of you getting hurt are higher when you drive to the drop zone than when you jump out of a plane.
How Much Does Skydiving Near Me Cost?
It can vary from one drop zone to another. However, tandem skydiving can run between $200 and $275. For AFF, you will have to pay around $300. Then, you will need to pay for photo and video packages. And you definitely should consider them.
Some drop zones offer huge discounts on weekdays. Or if you are opting for a morning jump, you may get a discount as well.
You can also get discounts if you are in a group. Furthermore, you need to schedule jumps in advance to lower the price. Also, if you schedule it in advance, you will have a guaranteed spot on the plane.
What is the Most Horrifying Part of Skydiving?
It is not a free fall. Rather, what is terrifying about this activity is the few seconds sitting on the edge of the plane. But it is just a few seconds.
However, when you jump out of the plane, your nervousness would slowly disappear as you enjoy the view. It can be terrifying but you will surely enjoy the ride and the jump.
Skydiving is not like a roller coaster. You will not experience any stomach drop. It feels like a cold wind that hits your face while the ground gets bigger.
Depending on where you live, it is easy to find skydiving near me. However, you must only choose a skydiving center that offers great packages. And of course, the instructors must be certified.