So You Want To Learn Skydiving?

[I:1:J]For the extreme sports fan, there is nothing more extreme and exhilarating than jumping from a plane thousands of feet up in the sky. Many people would love to learn how to skydive, but may not know how to begin or where to go. The best way to learn is to go to a skydiving school. Here is some information that will help you select the ideal school for you.

Check the credentials

Sky diving is a very dangerous sport, and so it is important to choose a reliable and certified sky diving school. First and foremost, you should check up on the credentials of the instructors and the programs a school teaches. You should also look up the certifications offered by national and international sky diving schools and associations, and check if your potential school has these. You should also check out the school's equipment and make sure that they are in good shape and of decent quality.

Get in good shape

Sky diving is an extremely physical activity, and so you will need to pass a physical examination first. If you are in good shape, then this should be fairly easy, but if you have certain conditions, then you may want to consult with your doctor first to see if you are fit to sky dive. You should always have open communication with you sky diving school and let them know about any illnesses or conditions that you might have. You may also need to disclose other pieces of information such as if you have recently donated blood or have gone scuba diving.

Know the federal restrictions

Besides health restrictions, there are also age restrictions for sky diving. Many countries and states have a minimum sky diving age - in the US, you must be at least 16. However, parents or guardians may sign a waiver to give their consent. In this case, the parent or guardian will need to be present to observe the sky diving session. Other stricter schools have a minimum age requirement of 18.

Learn the basics

If you are a beginner, then it would be a good idea to start with the absolute basics. You should choose a school that offers the most basic courses such as practice jumping with the use of wind tunnels, and practice free falls with the use of sky diving simulators. Once you have mastered these skills, then it is time to move on to tandem sky diving, which involves the student being strapped to an instructor who will control the entire jump, freefall, and landing process. This method is offered at all sky diving schools for beginners, so that they may get a feel of the routine.

Demonstrate your sky diving knowledge

Finally, you will have to study a bit and take a short oral and written test to demonstrate your knowledge. You will also have to take a practical test to show your capability. These are relatively easy though, as long as you have been paying attention to your instructor.

You are now ready to seek out and pick a skydiving school. Learning how to sky dive will most certainly be one of the most exiting and memorable experiences of your life. Just always keep in mind that safety always comes first.