Skydiving In Australia: Myths Related To Skydiving

Skydiving in Australia has gained popularity in recent years. However there are also various misconceptions surrounding this sport. This article deals with the myths related to Skydiving.


Sky diving is an electrifying and an exhilarating extreme sport which becomes all the more breathtaking and thrilling when performed in Australia, one of the most magically captivating continents of the world. Skydiving in Australia is the single most invigorating and a breathtaking sport there. Nothing can match the thrill and the excitement that you get while floating on a cushion of air over the striking landscapes and seascapes of Australia. Skydiving in Australia is also one of the most erroneously interpreted adventure sports which are packed with many misconceptions and fallacies. This is one of the reasons why most of the people hesitate to book skydive in Australia. Given below are some of the myths that are associated with skydiving in Australia.

1.Difficulty in breathing at the time of free fall

Skydiving in Australia is associated with the most common myth that the skydivers are unable to breathe at the time of free fall. Breathing is absolutely possible at the time of free fall. Otherwise how was it possible for a skydiver to open the parachute and prepare for landing? Without being able to breathe, he would be unconscious.
2.Possibility of striking up a conversation at the time of free fall.
It is very difficult to hear another skydiver while free falling. Though in some of the Hollywood movies like Point Break and Cutaway, it has been projected that, it is possible to strike a conversation at the time of free fall. This is not true in real life. While skydiving in Australia, if you scream in to the ear of your fellow skydiver, he may hear certain words, but having any sort of conversation is definitely not possible. This is because the wind traveling past your ear is more than 100mph which is too loud.
3.Inability of the parachute to open up at the right time during free fall
Many people hesitate to book skydive in Australia because of this common fear. Today, thanks to the advancement in technology, almost all modern parachute rigs are now fitted with a special device called Automatic Activation Device (or AAD), a skydiver does not have to worry about parachute not being able to open up at the right time. If you fail to open up your parachute, ADD will automatically deploy the reserve parachute that you carry with you at the time of skydiving.
4.Free fall is possible for five minutes
The most common misconception about skydiving in Australia is that a single skydive can go on for five minutes or more. Most of the skydives are carried out approximately at the height of around 4,000 m or roughly between 10,000 � 12,500ft, giving about 40-45 seconds of free fall time before deploying the parachute. In order to free fall for about five minutes, you would require to jump from the height of almost 60,000 ft. Jumping from such an altitude would require you to make use of an additional oxygen supply.
5.The speed of free fall is similar for everyone.
The speed of free fall is different for different skydivers. The speed with which a skydiver falls depends on his weight, position of his body and his clothing. Heavier skydivers fall faster. If the skydiver is wearing a baggy jumpsuit, the free fall would be slower as compared to those wearing tight fitting suits. If the skydiver is in the belly down position, the average terminal velocity is around 120mph.However with the advanced free flying positions such as 'Head down' or 'Sit fly', the average terminal velocity can be increased to over 200mph.
Most of the injuries and at times death related to skydiving in Australia are the result of poor judgment and incorrect technique. If skydivers follows the instructor’s advice and undertake the required safety precautions, then there is nothing to fear about skydiving. You can fearlessly book skydive in Australia and enjoy the thrill associated with it.