The Time & Cost to Become a Skydiver

In life, commitments will often require two primary investments: your time and money. Skydiving is no different. 

At Skydive Paraclete, we offer one of the most comprehensive skydiving programs to help get you off the ground from neo-flyer to licensed skydiver.  The Paraclete Student Program is a specially designed skydiving course to help you to become an able, adept skydiver and fully integrate you into our amazing skydiving community. Before embarking on this journey, here’s what you can expect for the time and cost needed to become a skydiver. 

Time

Clear Calendar Space

The time it takes to fulfill your A-License requirements, in part, depends on your schedule and availability. If you’re able to open up space in your calendar, you’re much more likely to achieve licensure in a timely manner. If your schedule is jam packed with a host of activities, it might be more difficult to carve out the time necessary to receive your A-License. 

Embrace The Weather

Battling with the weather can definitely affect your student progression. The sky is our playground, and as such, we are fully subject to the whims of Mother Nature. If the weather cooperates, you can knock out the required jumps and coursework in a few short weeks. By the same token, a slew of bad weather can definitely put a hamper on your progression. However, through the Paraclete Skydiving Program and with access to the indoor wind tunnel, even when the weather refuses to cooperate, you can continue to work on body flight skills that will benefit you throughout your entire skydiving career. 

Use Your Pocketbook

Having funds readily available can make a big difference in your skydiving timeline. If you have enough cash saved to move swiftly through the program, finances won’t be a hindrance. A ‘sunny day fund’ — set aside specifically for skydiving — means you won’t have to experience any unfortunate lapses in your skydiving progression or lack of currency.

What is currency? In skydiving, it is important to condition your body through experience to build muscle memory. This in turn helps ensure you have a good, strong and stable body position in freefall, improving your ability to perform the required skydiving maneuvers needed to achieve your skydiving license. 

Additionally, psychologists have discovered a mental anomaly called the “recency effect”: the information you most recently encounter is the first information you will recall. Letting too much time pass between skydives will affect your ability to immediately recall important information. With skydiving funds ready and waiting, you can help move swiftly through the program and avoid becoming out of touch. 

Costs

Tandem Progression

If you’re not ready to tackle the sky solo, you can first complete a tandem skydive. At Skydive Paraclete XP, that runs about $209. With small- and large-group discounts, you can cut the cost of your tandem skydive by 10-20 dollars. Additionally, the tandem skydive counts toward the 25 total jumps you will need to achieve your A-License. 

Paraclete Skydiving Program (PSP)

We offer several options for the Paraclete Skydiving Program. The complete PSP program — which contains levels 1-18 and your A-License jumps — costs $3,496 if paid as you go.  On the other hand, if you can scrounge the dough together to pay for the program and A-License jumps in full, the cost is $3,100, saving you a whopping $396. This cost includes the prerequisite indoor wind tunnel training as well as your required skydives.

Licensing and After-Licensing Costs

In order to obtain your A-License, you will also need to obtain a one-year membership to the United States Parachute Association and pay licensure processing fees. This total cost is $108. Additionally, in order to be signed off on your A-License, you are required to learn how to pack your own parachute, which can be covered by a class that teaches you the invaluable skydiving skill for $60.

After licensure, your cost diminishes drastically: each skydive costs a mere $27. 

Renting Versus Buying Gear

Once a licensed skydiver, the only costs you will encounter are the cost of your lift ticket ($27) and gear rental, if you do not have your own equipment. The cost for gear rental, which includes the packing of the parachute, is $38 per jump. Over time, this can add up and you may decide it’s time to purchase your very own gear. At that point, contact one of our dedicated parachute riggers or the skydiving school, and we will help you make sure the gear purchased is best suited for you.

How it’s all worth it!

Joining the wonderful world of skydiving is well worth the cost. 

In addition to exploring the wild blue yonder and developing impressive body flight skills, receiving your A-License introduces you to a community the likes of which you’ve never seen. The camaraderie, general support, and beyond-familial bond shared by skydivers is something truly special. When you enter our community, you enter a group of friends to learn, grow and challenge yourself with. Truly, the friends you make skydiving are unlike any you’ve had before.

Now that you have the facts, are you ready to join our ranks? Schedule your first skydive with Skydive Paraclete XP today.