Don’t Just Book The Lowest-Priced Skydive

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Skydiving is an awesome experience. There’s nothing like it! It’s not the cheapest thing you’ll ever do, but it’s totally worth it – believe us! Here, we’ll explain skydiving costs, and why you shouldn’t just book the lowest-priced skydive you can find.

“How Much Should I Be Paying For A Skydive?”

The price of a tandem skydive at Skydive Paraclete XP is $209 for the first jump and $150 for a second which is fairly typical for skydiving in North Carolina. 

Find out more about our tandem skydive packages here.

“What Do I Get For My Money?”

The price of your skydive with us includes:

  • 20-minute instructional class learning basic freefall and canopy skills
  • One skydive harnessed with a professional Tandem Instructor
  • Approximately one minute of freefall from 13,500 feet
  • A peaceful 5-7 minute canopy descent from 5,500 feet
  • A first jump certificate, logbook and discount coupons

But…

This isn’t all you’re paying. You know that parachute you’re relying on to save your life? Those cost around several thousand dollars to buy. Then, there’s the container they sit in. That’s another few thousand. And we don’t just jump with one parachute, so there’s another few thousand to boot!

Plus, there’s all the safety equipment beyond the parachute and container. We jump with a device called an AAD, or automatic activation device. This operates on a pressure sensor that automatically deploys our parachutes for us if we’re still in freefall by a certain height and have for some reason been unable to deploy our own.

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Then there’s all of the training your instructor has completed to be able to jump with you. As a member of the USPA (United States Parachute Association, the governing body for the sport of skydiving in the US), we only employ USPA-qualified instructors. This means all of our instructors have completed a specified number of jumps and then a further course of training jumps plus examination in order to become qualified.

Finally, there’s the aircraft. Our aircraft fleet includes an Otter, a Pac750, a Caravan, and a CASA212. All of these are high-quality skydiving airplanes that are regularly maintained and require fuel to fly us to altitude.

The cost of skydiving all builds up, and that’s why we have to charge what we do. However, by charging these prices, we ensure we jump with the highest quality equipment and negate the risks involved with skydiving as much as possible through USPA approved procedures.

“But I’ve Found Cheaper Skydives Elsewhere…”

It’s true. There are cheaper skydives elsewhere. You might find a special deal or an agency that offers a discount.

The thing is, you get what you pay for. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Usually, low price operators are rough around the edges, especially with their facilities. They tend to pay their instructors less, which isn’t great for morale and may not be USPA accredited.

If you’re looking to make a skydive, whether it’s a once in a lifetime experience or the start of a new hobby, it’s important to jump at a skydiving center you like and trust.

If you’re thinking of skydiving NC for the first time, we welcome you to come and view our facilities in Raeford to watch proceedings before you commit to a booking. Have questions about our skydiving costs or skydiving in general? Get in touch or stop by. We look forward to sharing what we’re all about.

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This is where I got my start, and roughly 4800 jumps later, I continue to send people there from all over the place...the facilities a great, the people are Fab. and the STAFF...Top Notch!! The Grounds are the best kept in the sport.

Marc Owens