Skydiving can be an exhilarating way to make your next Las Vegas vacation more active. Strapping on a parachute and jumping out of an airplane provides excitement you cannot find at the casino gaming tables. Skydiving requires mental awareness, strong breathing capacity, flexibility and physical strength. Multiple skydiving outfitters call Las Vegas home, and if you're not comfortable jumping from thousands of feet above the earth but still want the same skydiving thrill, "Sin City" offers some of the nation's most famous indoor skydiving facilities.
Outfitters with Drop Zones
The U.S. Parachute Association (USPA) recognizes three Vegas group members, but other non-member drop zones exist. Vegas-area drop zones include Sin City Skydiving, Vegas Extreme Skydiving, Skydive Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Skydiving Center and Las Vegas Skydivers. Before choosing your outfitter, ensure your safety by asking about your outfitter's credible partnerships and endorsements, certified instructors, references and user reviews. Most outfitters disclose all important information including what to expect, the altitude from which you will jump and the type of airplane used. Some give special offers, such as skydiving weddings and bachelor parties, and they may offer free transportation from the Las Vegas Strip.
First-Time Divers
First-time jumpers must take a tandem dive attached to a certified and experienced instructor. Some initial training is required before you jump, but during the jump your tandem master controls the free-fall and parachute descent. First-timers are usually equipped with a jumpsuit, helmet, goggles and a harness. The entire process can take up to four hours. After taking your first tandem jump, you can take the next step toward jumping alone.
Certification
If you're an avid sky diver, you can get certified to jump on your own or to become an instructor. You can train to jump without instructor supervision at most Vegas outfitters by completing step-by-step certification programs, such as seven-level progression accelerated free-fall programs (AFP) and tandem progression programs. Certification programs require multiple jumps and hours of ground training.
Altitudes and Free-fall
Jump altitudes typically range from about 10,000 to 15,000 feet, leaving you in free-fall for about 30 to 60 seconds. You can reach speeds up to 140 mph, and the parachute is usually pulled at about 4,000 feet, providing about a five- to seven-minute parachute descent.
Indoor Sky Diving
For the less adventurous, indoor sky diving is typically both a safer and cheaper alternative to jumping out of an airplane. Vegas Indoor Skydiving, a skydiving simulator located in the Vegas Strip since 1982, is the country's first indoor skydiving facility. Here guests skydive in a vertical wind tunnel with foam-padded walls and a mesh trampoline floor, without the need of an airplane or parachute. The entire experience takes about an hour, and visitors attend a training class and suit up in the necessary flight gear before hurling themselves in the tunnel to fly. Minors must have a parent or guardian present to participate, and the minimum weight required is 40 lbs.
Member Comments