Archive for April, 2009

by Bobbie McKee

If you want to take sports to a whole new exciting level, maybe skydiving is what you are looking for. This extreme sport, along with bungee jumping, cliff diving, paragliding and many others that let you experience being up in mid air, is best for people who love heights and that exhilarating rush of adrenaline in the bloodstream.

Earlier forms of the parachute

It is believed that parachutes were used in Ancient China way back during the 1100s, and parachute-like sketches and devices were said to have conceived by Leonardo da Vinci. However, parachutists worldwide give the credit to French inventor Andre Jacques Garnerin as the one who made the first parachute. This had a support to keep the chute open and a basket to hold the diver. In 1979, he made the very first parachute jump from a balloon over Paris, later on followed by jumps in France and England.

The development of the flexible parachute followed, this time featuring a trapeze bar instead of a basket. Thomas Baldwin, an American inventor, became the first American to have descended from a balloon with a parachute in 1987. Leslie Irvin, another American, smartened up the design with his hand-operated chute, and made a free-fall jump in Ohio in 1919, revolutionized parachuting and paved the way for a new sport.

Valuable military contribution

When the Wright Brothers made the first aircraft flight in 1903, however, no developments were made on parachute designs. Barnstormers, who were aerial performers traveling throughout the US every year and whose specialty was jumping in parachutes, gave the aviators and parachutist during the World War I one of those light bulb moments. The military began using parachutes in their missions during World War I, serving as fast get away for observers on balloons, who drew enemy fire from up above enemy territories.

World War II used parachute-equipped soldiers – paratroopers. Paratroopers were employed on D-Day – the invasion of Normandy, France – on June 6, 1944, where more than 1,000 transports dropped them to secure the flanks and beach exits on the assault area.

The excess of unused nylon parachutes after World War II and military sport parachuting associations by the US Army paved the way for parachute diving in the United States as a form of leisure activity. Experimentation with aerodynamics, such as coming up with radical modifications and new designs and materials that improved steering and flight all together, led to enhanced parachutes suited for extreme sports use.

Modern developments

Apart from use of sport skydivers, various parachute designs – such as the military HAHO (high altitude, high opening) designs, smoke jumping designs, and other structures and equipment for two- and four-person tandem diving – were developed for different functions. The HAHO allows soldiers to fly over large areas stealthily, while the smoke jumping designs allows firefighters to reach into remote forest fires from low altitude.

From the 1980s onwards, the sport became more and more popular. This is also because with further technological developments, equipment used to skydive became more and more reliable, lightweight and easier to operate and maneuver. From there, sky’s the limit for people who wish to experience the adventure of free falling in mid air.

Appearing much safer, fun and accessible to almost anyone, skydiving has since established itself to be one of the most treasured leisure activity and extreme sport alike.

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When taking part in a sport such as sky diving, it is imperative to have the proper sky diving equipment. The thought of jumping out of a plan is scary but to be shot out of a plane without the proper equipment is asking for trouble. If serious about sky diving, a person must be willing to pay serious cash for sky diving equipment.  To insure they are totally fitted with up-to-date sky diving equipment, a person can expect to pay $10000 for sure. With this cost in mind, an individual must really enjoy the sport of sky diving.

Obviously the most important item regarding sky diving equipment is the parachute. This is one piece of equipment a person would definitely want to be working properly. There are several types of parachutes, made of different materials. Parachutes are a combination of light-weight materials, support tapes and suspension lines. These suspension lines are normally threaded through loops made of clothe or connector links made of metal. The loops or links are located at the ends of the risers which are the strong straps that are attached to the harness. Beginners in the sport of sky diving usually start with larger parachutes. This piece of sky diving equipment is essential and should be compared to the individual’s body weight. It is a good idea to try out several types of parachutes to learn which one is best suited and most comfortable for sky diving before buying a new one. As a person learns the skill of sky diving and becomes more at ease with the techniques, they usually begin using smaller and faster parachutes. Of course getting to this point may take quite awhile depending on the amount of time spent practicing sky diving. When a sky diver is really active in the sport, over the course of a few years, he/she may replace the canopy on their parachute several times.

Besides the parachute there are other important pieces of sky diving equipment including the harness or container and peripheral equipment. These pieces are equally as essential as the parachute. However, a sky diver can use their first harness and peripheral equipment for many years. It is imperative to make sure a sky diver’s harness fits appropriately. This is not something a person would want to be too loose or sloppy. After all the harness keeps the sky diver anchored to the parachute. The individual can also expect to pay a nice chunk of change for these pieces or sky diving equipment.

For sky diving, an individual needs to be certain their sky diving equipment is safe and secure. Many people, especially starting out, buy used sky diving equipment. It is imperative to have any equipment used for this sport to be examined by a qualified parachute rigger. To find information about new or used sky diving equipment, a person can use the Internet. There are many websites related to sky diving and some include message boards. This would be an excellent place to buy or sell sky diving equipment.

There are plenty of people who consider sky diving but never take the plunge. There’s good news for these people, there are sky diving lessons available. These lessons are not only available for beginner sky divers but for individuals at different stages of the sport. There are many techniques to learn in terms of sky diving.

One of the methods taught in sky diving lessons is accelerated freefall. This method is taught by a sky diving instructor. It is also the fastest method to learn to become a qualified sky diver. In accelerated freefall sky diving lessons, jumps are usually taken from 15000 feet. This method has benefits as well such as time to practice techniques because the sky diver is freefalling for a long period of time. Another advantage is throughout the accelerated freefall sky diving lessons is the instructor is able to teach the student using hand signals. Taking sky diving lessons in accelerated freefall requires a seven step program. These stages take the student from learning stable body position and parachute activation while being harnessed to two instructors to, backloops and 180 degree turns with one instructor. Taking sky diving lessons is the best route to take if interested in this activity.

Sky diving lessons will teach an individual four basic skills which include safety, freefall techniques, parachute procedures and landing. The first freefall skill a person will usually learn in sky diving lessons is learning how to maintain a stable belly to earth position. For proper parachute operation, this skill is imperative. From here the student will continue to learn other skills used for freefall from their sky diving lessons.

Parachute operation and proper landing is taught in sky diving lessons. It is essential to learn exactly when the parachute is to be deployed. Sky diving lessons teaches people from what heights their parachute should be deployed in order to gain control before landing. There are different techniques taught for landing in sky diving lessons. However one of the main things a sky diver will learn is that landing shouldn’t cause any discomfort.

There are plenty of skills and techniques a person can learn from sky diving lessons. If an individual is interested in sky diving competitions, there are plenty of advanced skills to learn and practice. Pond swooping and swoop chug are examples of two competitive sky diving techniques. For the sky diving dummy, these terms are foreign but for people who sky dive regularly, they certainly have heard of these techniques.

Sky diving lessons are offered at many sky diving locations. If you are interested in learning how to sky dive, the Internet can put you in touch with many places to sign up for sky diving lessons. Visiting any of the sky diving related sites ought to direct you to sky diving lessons. You can visit sites such as www.Ask.com or www.About.com to ask questions about the sport, as well as how and where to enroll in sky diving lessons.

If you have never been skydiving before and are looking for some fun and excitement, you are going to need to go through some type of training first. As tempting as it may be to board your own private plane and jump out of it, you need to understand the concepts and receive extensive training in the thrill of skydiving. There are many excellent locations to receive your skydiving training, both local and abroad.

One of the most famous skydiving schools is the Jim Wallace Skydiving School located in California. Instructors from this school have been featured in several movies and television shows, including Navy Seals, Air Force Once, JAG, and The Golden Girls. This school specializes in accelerated freefall jumps and tandem jumps and teaches the students to how to execute their very first jump or perfect their skills if they’ve jumped before. This school tends to fill up very quickly and therefore reservations are required. For more information, visit their website at www.jimwallaceskydiving.com.

Another great school for skydiving instruction is the Alabama Skydive Center in Pell City, Alabama. This school provides instruction on tandem and AFF jumps as well as wonderful amenities for camping and recreation. Like most skydiving facilities, this school operates depending on the weather and you should call in advance to check on the forecast for the time you wish to attend. Right across the state line in Georgia is Skydive Atlanta located in Thomaston, Georgia. This facility also offers valuable training in tandem skydive in less than 30 minutes. Skydive Atlanta is the longest running skydive facility in Georgia and uses the same tandem equipment systems currently in use by the U.S. military. This facility boasts the largest and most open landing area in the entire state of Georgia. Also, you can watch your tandem skydiving experience on a big screen TV located on-site, as well as enjoy a discount meal at the Cutaway Café located right along the runway.

You can view the ocean from thousands of miles in the air by attending skydiving school in Zephyrhills, Florida. Skydive City offers some amazing deals on tandem skydiving, with packages starting at just $184. The tandem jump training at this facility is done in about 20 minutes with a jump concluding the training. Typically, a tandem jump with training takes about two to three hours. You can also enjoy great camping and other amenities at Skydive City. The facility provides 14 acres of camping and RV areas complete with an on-site restaurant, Sunset Bar, a full service laundry facility and hot showers. Make it a family adventure by planning your tandem jump and camping experience at Skydive City!

A simple search of the internet will provide you with a full list of skydiving schools and rates. With so many locations across the country and abroad, you are sure to find a school that fits your needs. So go ahead and live out your dream of skydiving today, while you still have a chance!

Indoor skydiving can be thought of as a safer, less scary alternative to jumping out of an airplane. This form of skydiving is every bit as adventurous and still fulfills the thrill of free-falling. It requires a lesser amount of time of training and is often used as a preparation course for those wanting to jump out of an airplane in the future. And just like actual skydiving, indoor skydiving provides you with instruction from a certified coach who ensures your safety every step of the way. There is a wonderful facility called Flyaway Indoor Skydiving that provides everything you need to get your free-fall rush.

There is no experience necessary to experience the excitement of indoor skydiving. The concept of flying and free-falling indoors is made possible by a vertical wind tunnel which provides the freedom of human flight. The training for this experience is not as lengthy as actual skydiving but isn’t any less valuable. Instructors provide students with body technique, landing skills, and equipment management training. Typically, training classes last about 25 minutes and then you are given 3 minutes of flight time. The powerful wind in the tunnel will shoot you up about 12 feet, which doesn’t compare to the thousands of feet of an actual skydive. However, you will forget you are indoors once you start free-falling in the tunnel, as the wind speed used (120 mph) is the same as that as real skydiving.  Safety remains a primary concern as instructors ensure that students are fully capable of free-falling before turning on the high-powered wind fans inside the tunnel.

Just like skydiving, indoor skydiving requires a consent form from your doctor and is prohibited for people with certain health conditions. Unfortunately, just because it is indoors does not mean that anyone can participate. You will be asked to sign a consent form and release waiver which releases reliability for the indoor skydiving facility in the event of an emergency during your free-fall adventure. While such an unfortunate event is unlikely, it is important to understand the risks and dangers associated with indoor skydiving.

Another downfall to indoor skydiving is the location. Experiencing actual skydiving is more readily available, with locations all over the United States. However, Flyaway Indoor Skydiving is only available at two locations nationwide; Las Vegas, Nevada and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. While you may not seek out a trip to these places specifically for the indoor skydiving, it is well worth your time if you are already at either of these two locations. It is highly recommended that you call these locations in advance and make reservations if you wish to participate in indoor skydiving, as spaces fill up quickly. You can take advantage of group discounts if you plan to experience the thrill with friends and family, or perhaps you know someone who would love to try indoor skydiving and you could purchase a gift package for them. Prices for a single flight start at $27 and go up depending on your needs.

Simulated sky diving is an excellent way to try out this adventurous sport without actually having to jump out of an airplane. In simulated sky diving is a man-made setup, inside a building that’s created to be similar to the actual sky diving experience. Wind tunnels are constructed which create winds resembling those a sky diver would jump in realistically.

A building which houses a sky diving simulator is five or six stories high. It would need to be to provide enough height for a simulated sky diving jump. Before entering a simulator, individuals are instructed as to what will take place regarding the wind, their speed, all things related to sky diving. The importance of body positioning is explained as well. When the guidelines and instructions have been laid out and all questions are answered, it’s off to get geared up. Individuals wear jumpsuits and goggles, a helmet, shoulder pads and knee pads. However, they won’t need a parachute for simulated sky diving.

Once all dressed, it’s off to the simulator. The simulator’s walls will likely be made from glass. This is great since it allows people to watch others doing their simulated sky dive. This is good for people who are skeptical about the idea of simulated sky diving. It gives them a first-hand look at what it’s all about. Of course they can only see a person diving. They can’t actually feel what the experience is actually like.  And with those 120 km/hr winds, it can sure seem realistic. These simulated sky diving adventures normally last about one minute and the individual is guided by a trainer.

Simulated sky diving is something that the entire family can take part in (minus toddlers of course). There are some restrictions regarding weight. If a person has health concerns, perhaps they should discuss using a sky diving simulator with their physician and also relate their health matters to those in charge of the simulated sky diving. It’s probably not a great place to find yourself if prone to panic attacks.<br><br>Where would someone find simulated sky diving? There are sky diving simulators in the US. To find out where they’re located and anything else you’d like to know, the Internet is a great resource. The Internet is world’s best yellow pages. Anything you want or need to know can be found on the worldwide web. There are many websites which deal with sky diving, both actual parachute ski diving as well as simulated sky diving. If this is something you’ve dreamt of doing or have been considering, why not take advantage of the simulated sky diving. The Internet provides many searching options including search engines such as Google and Yahoo. It also offers beneficial sites such as www.Ask.com and www.About.com where you can go to ask questions about subjects such as simulated sky diving. There’s no excuse for an inability to locate a sky diving simulator. The Internet is equipped to put you in touch, within minutes, of the ultimate sky diving experience.

For people who are active sky divers, no doubt they like exploring new areas and dropzones. Fortunately there are sky diving centers worldwide. These are great getaway destinations for sky diving lovers. A sky diving center is usually equipped to meet the needs of visiting sky divers. A sky dive center provides such things as onsite accommodations, a restaurant/bar, café/snack bar, a sky diving shop, showers, parking, multilingual staff and many other conveniences. If deciding, out of the blue to go sky diving in Italy, a person or people could make reservations at a sky diving center realizing they’ll be well looked after. Sky diving centers can also arrange for a person’s pick-up at the airport. How much better can life be for the enthusiastic sky diver?

A sky diving center has it all. It is equipped to meet the personal needs of visitors such as food and lodging. A sky diving center is also decked out with regards to sky diving. It’s a sky diver’s paradise. With up-to-date equipment and the best aircrafts, a sky diving center is well-prepared for either one sky diver or a group. Because sky diving is a popular sport and many people visit sky diving centers, they are also able to offer customers deals and discounts on sky diving packages. Not only are people getting to jump in some beautiful places, they get to do it great rates.

For people who aren’t familiar with sky diving, researching this sport on the Internet can make a person see just how popular this sky diving is throughout the world. For many it’s probably difficult to understand why people would fly half way around the world to jump out of a plane. For a sky diving lover, they probably can’t understand why everyone wouldn’t want to jump. No matter if you are curious about sky diving or searching for a sky diving center, the Internet is a great data base. The Internet hosts many sites which are dedicated to sky diving. If visiting the site http://www.skydiveworldwide.com , people will soon see just how much sky diving is appreciated throughout the world. With sky diving centers in Czech Republic, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland, Indonesia, Italy, South Africa and many others, it is easy to see that there are thousands of active sky divers in the world today. Having these opportunities to sky dive all over the world would certainly make the sport more interesting.

Is sky diving something you’ve considered? Have you always dreamt of taking that one freefall from thousands of feet in the air? Visiting a sky diving center can help you make this dream come true. With lessons and hands on instruction by certified individuals, a sky diving center may be the best place to take your first jump. Who knows, perhaps that first jump, with the thrill and adrenaline rush, may turn into an addiction. After taking that initial leap, realizing how exciting it is, you may be searching for similar sky diving centers to visit and practice your newfound hobby.

So what exactly is a tandem skydive? Simply put, it means that you (the student) perform a skydive jump while attached to a tandem instructor. The instructor handles every single aspect of the jump, from training, to exiting the aircraft, to deploying the parachute, to landing. While you will be trained in jumping techniques and how to land, the instructor handles everything for you. This method of skydiving is ideal for someone who has no experience with skydiving or is scared of heights. The training required to complete a tandem jump is minimal, and is an excellent way to ease your fears of skydiving.

Ohio is famous as being one of the best skydiving states with the most facilities. One of the best tandem skydive locations is found in Columbus, Ohio. Skydive Columbus Ohio provides students with one-on-one instruction on tandem skydiving, and goes over every little detail of the jump. You will learn how to manage your equipment, how to pull the ripcord, and hand signals used between you and the instructor during your free-fall. You will go through an extensive safety course and you will only board the aircraft when you are confident that you understand the entire process.

Skydive Columbus does not perform tandem jumps year-round. Because of the weather changes in that area of the United States, the jumps are contingent on the weather and if the runway is dry enough to safely perform a jump. As you can imagine, attempting a skydive from a wet runway could be disastrous. Before planning a trip to this facility, it is recommended that you call in advance and obtain a current weather schedule. And while the actual jump equipment is provided for you, it is a good idea to speak with someone at the facility to ensure there is nothing extra you need to bring depending on the weather.

As with other skydive facilities, Skydive Columbus has its own rate schedule that can be viewed online or by calling for information. For a complete tandem jump which includes training and all equipment, you are looking at $219 for a single person. You can choose to purchase a video of your tandem skydive for an extra $95. Unfortunately, Skydive Columbus does not offer any group discounts, but they do offer specific group rates. If you feel comfortable with tandem skydiving, the facility offers the chance to jump as individual (known as an accelerated free-fall) after three tandem jumps for $150. The facility offers various jumps and lessons in order to obtain your skydiving license, but you should call in advance with those questions and to obtain the rates.

Skydive Columbus offers a safe facility and environment for those wishing to experience the thrill of tandem skydiving. With top-notch instructors and detailed training, you are to sure to experience a safe jump and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Is there really any other greater thrill than skydiving? If you really think about it, the answer is definitely no. Some people jump at the chance to skydive, while others break out into a panic attack at the thought of meeting their fear of heights. Skydiving is something everyone should do if given the chance, and once you experience it, you will never regret your decision.

Adventure skydiving always starts out as a nice idea, and usually doesn’t develop past that. In fact you may not even realize what you’re doing until you actually step out of that plane and feel yourself fall with the wind. Standing in the doorway, you feel secure as your feet seem firmly planted on the ground. The equipment on your back weighs you down and it seems like free falling into sky isn’t something that could realistically happen. Then you lower your goggles, the instructor gives you the signal to jump, you take a deep breath, then you jump into a world of heart-racing free-falling adventure and rely on nothing but your parachute to land you safely on the ground.

Once you start falling at a constant speed (about ten seconds after jumping), you’ll experience a sense of relaxation as you take in all the beautiful colors circling on the ground beneath you. You could almost reach out and touch the clouds, and this is probably as close to heaven as you are going to get. You feel the wind blow through your hair and for a second, you think that there is no greater experience in the world. You realize that adventure skydiving isn’t so bad – in fact, you can’t wait to do it again!

No matter if you’ve never stepped in a plane before or you’re a pro when it comes to jumping out of planes, there are locations available all over the United States for adventure skydiving. You will undergo many hours of extensive training if you’re new to the world of skydiving, and your instructors will ensure you are absolutely prepared to make the jump before you even take off into the sky. You will have to receive medical clearance from your doctor, and those with certain heart and blood pressure conditions, neurological disorders, or diabetes will not be allowed to skydive. Keep in mind that most skydive facilities reserve the right to refuse service to anyone if they believe a medical or mental condition will impair your safety. For those who have braved the free-falling adventure before, you will have to go through some refresher courses with a certified instructor prior to your jump.

Nearly every state in the country has an adventure skydiving center, as well as several foreign countries. Depending on the location, prices for a single jump range from $15 and up, but often you can receive a significant group discount if you jump with other people. Most first-time jumps are performed Tandem, meaning you will jump attached to your instructor and the handling of the parachute, steering in the wind, and landing are all handled for you.

If you have ever thought about adventure skydiving, then chances are there’s no reason why you can’t experience this ultimate thrill. Don’t spend your whole life wishing you would have done it – instead, show off those pictures of you flying through the air for years to come!