Learn to Skydive FAQs

Each dropzone will have its own set of rules, but in general students must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Produce valid, government-issued photo identification
• Not exceed the stated maximum weight (typically 240-260 lbs/109-118 kg)
• Be height and weight proportionate
• Speak and write in the required language
• Present a doctor’s note for specific medical conditions

It depends on the dropzone. Some require that you complete a traditional tandem before beginning the solo curriculum, and some let you jump right into the action. Others offer a “working tandem,” whereby the student wears an altimeter, is shown how to deploy the parachute, and receives an introductory lesson on how to fly and land the canopy. DZs that offer Tandem Progression (TP) particularly value this approach to learning how to skydive.

A First Jump Course usually encompasses four to eight hours of Ground School followed by written, oral and practical tests, and then your first jump and a debrief session with your instructor. Sometimes these curricular elements are accomplished in a single day, other times the jump and debrief happen on a different day. The first jump is most frequently delayed by weather or by the need for the student to demonstrate a firmer grasp of the curriculum before jumping.

Some DZs call the FJC by a different name, some fold the lessons into the broader curriculum, and some dropzones teach skydiving from a different angle. Tandem Progression (TP), for example, begins with a series of working tandems and then ground school.

The Ground School portion of the learning to skydive curriculum is intensive – a lot of important information comes at you all at once. The syllabus will differ from country to country, but typically Ground School serves as the student’s introduction to:

• Essential skydiving gear
• Correct freefall position
• Hand signals
• Deploying the canopy
• Canopy piloting basics
• Interpreting the wind
• Landing patterns
• Navigating landing hazards
• Parachute landing fall (PLF)
• Deploying the reserve canopy
• Decoding equipment issues
• Emergency procedures
• Aircraft protocols and emergency procedures
• Exit presentation and problem solving
• Understanding dive flow

Skydiving curriculum is designed to be completed at your own pace and on your own schedule.  Some get it done in a matter of days; others take months.

The one time-sensitive aspect of the training is currency – the student standard being at least one jump every 30 days. Go beyond the 30 day mark and you will most likely need to complete additional training and one or more recurrency jumps.

Costs of learning to skydive vary depending on the method and dropzone you choose. As a general rule, you’ll spend between $1,000 and $3,000 USD on training and licensure. Once you have your A License, the cost to skydive will decrease significantly. Lift tickets are typically less than $50 USD a pop.

It’s standard for the dropzone to provide students with the gear necessary to complete the initial training stages. Once the student achieves solo status or, as is the case with Instructor Assisted Deployment (IAD), their A License, gear can either be rented or purchased. Oftentimes, students can assemble a rig from both used and new gear.

If learning to skydive can be compared to driving a car, then student status is like driving with a learner’s permit, and A status is your license to drive. Earning your A License allows you to gain permissions and privileges not afforded to students, including:

• Jump with your own agenda
• Jump with other licensed skydivers
• Perform basic group jumps
• Pack your own parachute
• Experiment with water landings
• Skydive at other dropzones

Just as a learner’s permit is not recognized in every country and a driver’s license usually is, your skydiving training certificate might not be recognized everywhere but your A License likely will be. The standard minimum number of jumps required to earn your A License is 25. Some are considered proficient at 25, some need double that to achieve sign off. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Of course, check with your dropzone to confirm. And make sure you log all of your jumps – even your tandems – they all matter!

Yes! Your A License is just the beginning! In the US, there are four license levels – A, B, C and D. Other countries structure the levels of licensure differently, but the principles are the same. As you progress through the levels, you gain privileges and unlock opportunities for advancement, including but not limited to:

• Performing night jumps
• Jumping from other aircraft, including hot air balloons and helicopters
• Participating in HALO (High Altitude, Low Open) jumps
• Jumping with wearables (e.g. GoPro)
• Wingsuiting
• Performing demonstration and exhibition jumps
• Pursuing coach, tandem instructor (TI), and AFF instructor ratings
• Landing in tight or tricky areas