Skydiving is a very exhilarating hobby for any thrill-seeker. For most people, their first skydiving experience is a tandem jump while attached to an experienced skydiving instructor. But those who wish to learn the skills to be qualified to skydive on their own may want to enroll in skydiving classes. Continue reading to learn more about what to expect during your skydiving classes:
Safety First
The biggest goal of skydiving classes is student safety. The first several classes will take place on the ground, where you will learn about the equipment used in skydiving, memorize the procedures involved, and master the skills needed in the event of a skydiving emergency. In most cases, students are not allowed to move on in the program until they are able to prove that they are completely proficient in all of the most important safety measures taught in class.
Technical Training
After learning the basics of skydiving safety, students in skydiving classes use that information during some hands-on training while still on the ground. During this time students will learn about each piece of skydiving equipment in extreme detail, and most skydiving schools will also use hanging harnesses to allow students to practice skills and what they would do in an emergency. In essence, this part of skydiving training can be compared to the training a person would get in drivers ed-- it is important to have some technical training before doing the real thing.
Initial Jump
When the hard work on the ground is completed, students in skydiving classes get to take their first solo jump, accompanied by two experienced instructors. During this initial solo jump, the student will need to show that he or she has the capability to safely deploy the parachute without assistance. Many skydiving schools will record a student's first solo jump since it is a very exciting accomplishment.
Additional Jumps
Skydiving classes do not end after a student successfully make his or her first solo jump. A student will do many other jumps during class, where they will learn skills such as right and left turns, tracking, barrel rolls, level changes, and the ability to move forward and backwards.
After successfully completing all of the jumps included in the skydiving classes, a student will be qualified to get the lowest level skydiver license. This license will allow the holder to be able to skydive all over the world without having to do a tandem jump. As a person accumulates more jumps, their license level can increase.
