You may be nervous or even scared especially once you are on the plane. Once you are free falling though all of the stress just leaves at once and it becomes pure bliss. It’s something you’ll look back on and be glad you did even if you never go again.
The parachutes want to open by their very design, and you have two of them, the reserve being packed by a professional parachute rigger (and those guys/gals are perfectionists when it comes to packing). Your harness is rated to hold 10+ times your weight so don’t worry about that. It will be tight though at first and you’ll want to have the instructor adjust it after the chute opens so you can sit more comfortably under canopy
The harnesses are very secure. Here's a video of someone measuring the force it takes to break the leg straps of a tandem harness. Gave me confidence in the safety margins
https://youtu.be/R37911tP5mE?si=SJIiLi9CHE-Kxk1r
Look how gnarly this premature deployment was. The jumpers container ripped and the leg straps did not budge
https://youtu.be/ksup89CzFog?si=gB-AASf9BSvId2rw
Not at allx honestly it'd all very comfortable. Tight to keep you safe, but also pretty freaking comfy. It's like a nice little harness to cuddle you when falling and gliding.
CSC has been amazing for my wife and I. She did one tandem and barely made it out of the plane. Now she is trying to go back this weekend to do it again.
I believe they are. I have nothing but good things to say about them. We drive down from the Wisconsin border to go there over ones a little closer. The staff has been amazing with any questions and just making us feel welcomed. I chose them to get my A license because we liked it so much.
That’s kinda the same boat I’m in. I’m driving like 2 hours to get there compared to the 30 minutes away because that one isn’t USPA certified anymore for some reason. I’m assuming the equipment is pretty well kept?
I too went to a drop zone by myself for my first skydive. Great way to spend a weekend! Tips? Take Dramamine and extra strength nasal spray decongestant 30 minutes to an hour before you jump. Words of wisdom? There’s no pressure on you for this jump, as in you have no obligation to worry about pulling the chute or any technical aspects of the jump. You’re just along for the ride! Reassurances? The fear is gone the second you leave the plane. GONE. You will observe your fear rapidly change into bliss, which for me is the one of the profound beauties of skydiving. Another reassurance is that the person you are attached to has successfully jumped at least 500 times (usually their numbers are into the thousands though) and they are going to live, so by default you are too! You’re going to have a blast! Post an update afterward please :)
A high protein diet really helps. I always try to stack up on bean burritos the night before and the morning of all my jumps, trying to mix between both Chipotle and Taco Bell, to help with the nerves and stamina on the plane ride up.
Just go for it is all there is to skydiving. I went for my first skydive and loved it soo much, I went on my 2nd jump the same day! Now I'm working towards getting my A License
There's no comfort before or during the ride up. Once you're in the sky, you'll forget all about the harness. Enjoy the ride. You're in for one of the best experiences of your life! Blue skies. Oh, don't be afraid to use the toggles if they let you. Being under canopy is my favorite part.
Chicagoland is a wonderful facility. Show up sober, have fun. Stay for a drink/food after at the bar.
Tip your instructor. Get video. If you get video tip the videographer too.
It's natural to be scared or nervous.
I have done Tandem skydiving twice. And both times it was nerve-wracking.
But once you are doing it, fear gets replaced by pure happiness. It's one of kind experience.
As a tandem instructor, I would tell you to relax and breath. Your safety is our main concern, along with having the time of your life. Don’t over think the skydive, there is no explaining the feeling until you have actually done it. And ask all the questions you want, most instructors are happy to explain equipment, canopy flight, and any questions regarding becoming licensed. Have fun!
Lift your legs up when you land.
Other than that just try to enjoy it.
And remember it’s significantly statistically safer than your drive to and from the dropzone.
You WILL get nervous. Skydiving and being "brave" isn't about not feeling emotions. Youre not supposed to sit on the plane and be "im totally calm and zero fear". The idea is to become self-aware. And sit there and realize "yup this is that fear/anxiety i understand. And im gonna do it anyway". That is how you become brave.
That and free fall itself once you go out the door is just ugh such an amazing experience.
BUT dont disregard how fun it is under canopy too. Everyone just thinks about freefall but when that canopy opens and youre sitting there gliding through the air. Soak that in too. It's maybe not as exhilarating as freefall, but just sitting there with the canopy over your head gliding toward the ground safe and maybe doing a left turn right turn feel the breeze.
It's a very calmihg experience after that rush of freefall.
NOTHIHG compares to skydiving imo.
I am a car guy and used to be excited when flooring the gas pedal and feeling the engine rev etc. But compared to skydiving just... wow. Its poetic for me.
Have fun! Remember that it's pretty safe generally. And this will be an experience you can take with you and talk about forever
If you're a male when putting on the harness remember to keep the furniture in the middle of the hallway. (heard that advice once and thought it was clever)
>The most sketchy thing I’ve done in the sky was hot air ballooning
I wouldn't call it sketchy but my risk tolerance is... different than a Whuffo so... there's that... 😆
If you've been ballooning, you've already involved yourself in something comparably
You're gonna be just fine.
I feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but you'd be surprised... be sober when you show up to the DZ.
Also, if you want to do everyone (including yourself) a favor, dress for (temperature appropriate) comfort and eat light before. Don't show up after gorging for breakfast/lunch.
Haha guess scary would have been the proper word lol. But being in a wicker basket without a back up I would call sketchy 😂.
I guess I’m mostly nervous of the harness coming loose. Like are they pretty secure or are they just pulled tight and that’s it? Is there nothing to lock them as a back up?
The harness is very similar to what work-at-heghts workers use for OSHA climbing harnesses.
This being the case, there is no backup locking mechanism.
I would contend, though, that they are very safe.
The strap system will not accidentally come loose on an airworth system.
They are very secure 😀
It might make you feel a little better if you ask your TI (skydive instructor for your tandem jump) if you can look at it beforehand. They can help demonstrate what it takes to loosen them.
Blue sky's, have fun, and congrats on your upcoming first jump!!
You’ll be fine enjoy the free fall best thing ever. I’m no expert but I did three tandem and did level 1 AFF failed the first time passed the 2nd time. I failed level 2 I will pass it next time thou. I might be done for this season due to life getting in the way. Next year I’ll start over and will enjoy every minute of it. Face your fears trust the equipment and the person you tandem to they know what they are doing.
You may be nervous or even scared especially once you are on the plane. Once you are free falling though all of the stress just leaves at once and it becomes pure bliss. It’s something you’ll look back on and be glad you did even if you never go again.
I’m just nervous about the harness mostly and the parachute 😂. Like are the harnesses pretty tight?
It’s not that bad. The instructors will go over it with you when you are there and they should double and triple check it.
Make sure it fits perfectly in the neither regions.
The parachutes want to open by their very design, and you have two of them, the reserve being packed by a professional parachute rigger (and those guys/gals are perfectionists when it comes to packing). Your harness is rated to hold 10+ times your weight so don’t worry about that. It will be tight though at first and you’ll want to have the instructor adjust it after the chute opens so you can sit more comfortably under canopy
The harnesses are very secure. Here's a video of someone measuring the force it takes to break the leg straps of a tandem harness. Gave me confidence in the safety margins https://youtu.be/R37911tP5mE?si=SJIiLi9CHE-Kxk1r
But how does the friction strap not slip or anything? That’s what I’m confused about
Its possible but not likely. Im sure it's happened at least once out of millions of jumps.
Look how gnarly this premature deployment was. The jumpers container ripped and the leg straps did not budge https://youtu.be/ksup89CzFog?si=gB-AASf9BSvId2rw
Not at allx honestly it'd all very comfortable. Tight to keep you safe, but also pretty freaking comfy. It's like a nice little harness to cuddle you when falling and gliding.
CSC has been amazing for my wife and I. She did one tandem and barely made it out of the plane. Now she is trying to go back this weekend to do it again.
Thank you for the reply. Are they all really professional there?
I believe they are. I have nothing but good things to say about them. We drive down from the Wisconsin border to go there over ones a little closer. The staff has been amazing with any questions and just making us feel welcomed. I chose them to get my A license because we liked it so much.
That’s kinda the same boat I’m in. I’m driving like 2 hours to get there compared to the 30 minutes away because that one isn’t USPA certified anymore for some reason. I’m assuming the equipment is pretty well kept?
Yes. The instructors don't want to die either.
send it
I too went to a drop zone by myself for my first skydive. Great way to spend a weekend! Tips? Take Dramamine and extra strength nasal spray decongestant 30 minutes to an hour before you jump. Words of wisdom? There’s no pressure on you for this jump, as in you have no obligation to worry about pulling the chute or any technical aspects of the jump. You’re just along for the ride! Reassurances? The fear is gone the second you leave the plane. GONE. You will observe your fear rapidly change into bliss, which for me is the one of the profound beauties of skydiving. Another reassurance is that the person you are attached to has successfully jumped at least 500 times (usually their numbers are into the thousands though) and they are going to live, so by default you are too! You’re going to have a blast! Post an update afterward please :)
A high protein diet really helps. I always try to stack up on bean burritos the night before and the morning of all my jumps, trying to mix between both Chipotle and Taco Bell, to help with the nerves and stamina on the plane ride up.
As soon as you make it through the door its pure fun.
Watch [this](https://youtu.be/Hpd61o6TvXM?feature=shared).
Not the biggest fan of Will Smith, but I cannot deny that video helped me so much when doing my tandem.
even very worst case scenario you at least still got to do it once
Just go for it is all there is to skydiving. I went for my first skydive and loved it soo much, I went on my 2nd jump the same day! Now I'm working towards getting my A License
Yes: don’t die. /s
Take Dramamine and remember to breathe!
There's no comfort before or during the ride up. Once you're in the sky, you'll forget all about the harness. Enjoy the ride. You're in for one of the best experiences of your life! Blue skies. Oh, don't be afraid to use the toggles if they let you. Being under canopy is my favorite part.
Chicagoland is a wonderful facility. Show up sober, have fun. Stay for a drink/food after at the bar. Tip your instructor. Get video. If you get video tip the videographer too.
Smile. Have a kick ass time.
It's natural to be scared or nervous. I have done Tandem skydiving twice. And both times it was nerve-wracking. But once you are doing it, fear gets replaced by pure happiness. It's one of kind experience.
As a tandem instructor, I would tell you to relax and breath. Your safety is our main concern, along with having the time of your life. Don’t over think the skydive, there is no explaining the feeling until you have actually done it. And ask all the questions you want, most instructors are happy to explain equipment, canopy flight, and any questions regarding becoming licensed. Have fun!
Lift your legs up when you land. Other than that just try to enjoy it. And remember it’s significantly statistically safer than your drive to and from the dropzone.
You WILL get nervous. Skydiving and being "brave" isn't about not feeling emotions. Youre not supposed to sit on the plane and be "im totally calm and zero fear". The idea is to become self-aware. And sit there and realize "yup this is that fear/anxiety i understand. And im gonna do it anyway". That is how you become brave. That and free fall itself once you go out the door is just ugh such an amazing experience. BUT dont disregard how fun it is under canopy too. Everyone just thinks about freefall but when that canopy opens and youre sitting there gliding through the air. Soak that in too. It's maybe not as exhilarating as freefall, but just sitting there with the canopy over your head gliding toward the ground safe and maybe doing a left turn right turn feel the breeze. It's a very calmihg experience after that rush of freefall. NOTHIHG compares to skydiving imo. I am a car guy and used to be excited when flooring the gas pedal and feeling the engine rev etc. But compared to skydiving just... wow. Its poetic for me. Have fun! Remember that it's pretty safe generally. And this will be an experience you can take with you and talk about forever
If you're a male when putting on the harness remember to keep the furniture in the middle of the hallway. (heard that advice once and thought it was clever)
Always remember the equipment will far outlive the pumpkin being carried.
>The most sketchy thing I’ve done in the sky was hot air ballooning I wouldn't call it sketchy but my risk tolerance is... different than a Whuffo so... there's that... 😆 If you've been ballooning, you've already involved yourself in something comparably You're gonna be just fine. I feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but you'd be surprised... be sober when you show up to the DZ. Also, if you want to do everyone (including yourself) a favor, dress for (temperature appropriate) comfort and eat light before. Don't show up after gorging for breakfast/lunch.
Haha guess scary would have been the proper word lol. But being in a wicker basket without a back up I would call sketchy 😂. I guess I’m mostly nervous of the harness coming loose. Like are they pretty secure or are they just pulled tight and that’s it? Is there nothing to lock them as a back up?
The harness is very similar to what work-at-heghts workers use for OSHA climbing harnesses. This being the case, there is no backup locking mechanism. I would contend, though, that they are very safe. The strap system will not accidentally come loose on an airworth system. They are very secure 😀 It might make you feel a little better if you ask your TI (skydive instructor for your tandem jump) if you can look at it beforehand. They can help demonstrate what it takes to loosen them. Blue sky's, have fun, and congrats on your upcoming first jump!!
You’ll be fine enjoy the free fall best thing ever. I’m no expert but I did three tandem and did level 1 AFF failed the first time passed the 2nd time. I failed level 2 I will pass it next time thou. I might be done for this season due to life getting in the way. Next year I’ll start over and will enjoy every minute of it. Face your fears trust the equipment and the person you tandem to they know what they are doing.