Skydiving is an exhilarating but dangerous sport. Before you are able to complete a solo skydive, you will have to undergo training to ensure you are prepared to handle any possible scenario. Your first solo dive will likely be a static line dive, in which your chute is connected to a line that automatically opens your canopy after you exit the plane. You can also look for a skydiving center that offers accelerated free-fall training, in which you will jump from a greater altitude alongside two instructors who will hold on to your harness and assist you.
Step 1
Skydiving centers, or drop zones, typically require several hours of training before you can skydive solo. According to Dropzon.com, static line training typically lasts four to five hours. Your class may begin with an instructional video and general instruction on how your canopy works, followed by information on the specific types of malfunctions that may occur and how to respond to them.
Step 2
Learn the difference between minor and major malfunctions. Minor malfunctions are those that you can correct or that will not adversely affect the performance of the canopy such as twisted or broken lines or end cells that don't completely inflate. Major malfunctions require you to cut away your main canopy and deploy your reserve. Major malfunctions include canopies that completely fail to inflate or a line that has become caught over the top of the canopy, resulting in a violent spin.
Step 3
Practice safety drills. Before jumping, you must be prepared to respond quickly to any possible scenario. Your safety instructor will guide you through numerous safety drills in which he will present a potential malfunction to you. You must demonstrate that you know the proper course of action for the malfunction and can act quickly. In the air, you may only have seconds to decide how to react to a dangerous situation.
Step 4
Practice climbouts. Depending on the type of plane your drop zone uses, you may need to practice climbing out of the fuselage. If your drop zone uses a small plane such as a Cessna, you will need to exit the plane by holding onto the strut below the wing, and work your way away from the fuselage before letting go. Practice climbouts repeatedly until you are comfortable with them. They may seem easy on the ground, but are much harder in the air when you have to content with a prop blast, the wind created by the propeller.
Step 5
Know your decision altitude. By 2,500 feet, you must decide if you are going to keep your main chute and attempt to resolve any malfunctions or cut away and deploy your reserve. If you attempt to cut away your main canopy below the decision altitude, you run the risk of not having enough time to resolve any issues you may encounter with your reserve chute.
Step 6
Practice landings. Skydivers can injure themselves by landing incorrectly. For your first several dives, do not attempt a standing landing. Practice jumping off a chair, bending your knees and rolling to one side to reduce the impact.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider doing a tandem jump before going solo. In a tandem jump, you will be strapped to an instructor, who wears one large canopy that will support you both. Tandem dives require less training and allow you to enjoy the experience without worrying about how to respond to malfunctions.
- Skydiving can result in serious injury or death. Be aware of the risks before you jump. The United States Parachute Association reports that more fatalities occur from human error than equipment failure.
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