TLDR: Tandem skydiving is the most popular way to be introduced to the world of skydiving. You are harnessed to an experienced, rated instructor who then freefalls together and flies the parachute to landing.
Tandem Skydiving is truly has become the gateway into the sport of skydiving. Innovators, Ted Strong of Strong Enterprises and Bill Booth of United Parachute Technologies were on the cutting edge in the early 1980’s to develop a method safe enough to conduct tandem skydives. It was on January 15th, 1983 that Ted Strong and passenger Ricky Meadows leapt from a plane with the first system. This was a revolution to the skydiving industry.
Simply put, tandem skydiving consists of a Tandem Instructor and a passenger that is harnessed to the instructor who is wearing the tandem parachute system.
I Want to Know More About My Tandem Instructor
Tandem Instructors love this sport! So much, they want to introduce people to how awesome it is by taking them into the skies. To become a Tandem Instructor in the United States, one must acquire the following:
- 500 skydives
- Attend a United States Parachute Association (the national organization aka USPA) training course conducted by an Examiner
- Have a USPA D-License (the achievable highest license)
- Have a minimum of 3 years in the sport
- Have an FAA Class III Medical
- Have already earned a USPA Coach Rating
Is Tandem Skydiving Safe?
According to USPA:
In 2021, the annual fatality count hit a record low of 10. Tandem skydiving—where you’re attached to an experienced skydiving instructor for your jump—has an even better safety rate, with one student fatality per 500,000 jumps on average over the past 10 years.
It is often heard that it is more likely to get struck by skydiving than to die in a tandem skydive. However, skydiving is still considered a dangerous sport.
Is Tandem Skydiving for Me?
There are many reasons people want to try skydiving – going with friends for a special occasion, a bucket list item, always dreamed of flying… whatever is your inspiration to experience this sport, tandem skydiving is a wonderful way to check it out! Tandem skydiving has a low cost investment, local (unless your traveling and looking to experience the area in a unique way), and it usually takes 1/2 day (weather depending of course).
Are you interested in making the leap? Contact us today to book your tandem skydive!
-
-
-
-
-