What to Know Before Your First Tandem Skydive

It’s an exciting thought, isn’t it? Taking flight with your first tandem skydive. Maybe the idea of skydiving was mentioned by a buddy in passing, but now your wheels are really turning. Perhaps the date is set and you want to make sure you’re equipped with all the knowledge you need. Or perhaps,  the thrilling thought of skydiving just occurred to you this morning!

No matter the motivator for your current interest in tasting a little altitude, there’s some information you need. It just so happens we want nothing more than to help you soar. Here is what you should know before your first tandem skydive. Let’s start at the top, shall we?

What is tandem skydiving?

As the name suggests, a tandem skydive involves two people. In this instance, the two people happen to share one parachute system. On a tandem skydive, the instructor wears the parachute container. In front of him or her, is the student. The student wears a harness that is fastened to the instructor and parachute container at four connection points, two at the shoulders, and two at the hips. On a tandem skydive, the instructor takes the lead, but as the tandem student, you still have an important role to play. Before your jump, you will receive a briefing that covers the proper position for exit and freefall. On the jump, emulate what you learned in the briefing, and pay close attention to any additional input from your instructor.

Fun fact: tandem skydiving was invented in 1983 by a man named Ted Strong. Because of Ted’s innovation skydiving became far more accessible. 

There Are Other Ways To Fly

If you dream of feeling what it’s like to fly, but the thought of exiting a plane in flight gets your stomach churning, there is another option: indoor skydiving! At Paraclete XP you can get a feel for the experience and build up confidence in our 16-foot indoor skydiving wind tunnel. Not only is the wind tunnel a great tool to prepare you for your outdoor skydiving experience, but it is also a fun time in its own right. Oh, and did we mention, our wind tunnel is the largest around?

A Taste Is All It Takes

We should warn you, this flying stuff is addictive. Once you’ve gotten a taste of flight in the wind tunnel, you’ll be itching to get out and experience the real thing. Capitalize on the confidence you gained from flying in the wind tunnel to face the challenge of your first tandem skydive. 

You Can Be The Star Of The Show 

Your tandem skydiving video is, hands down, one of the most epic productions around. In your video, you’re the star of the show.  Even if you’re camera-shy, there’s no need to be bashful. You’re doing something pretty spectacular. Why not get the proof? Who knows, maybe showing your video can finally help someone you love to strike up the nerve to make their first jump.

You Can Bring A Posse

You don’t have to come to skydive alone. At Skydive Paraclete, friends and family are welcome to tag along! Honestly, in our experience, there’s no better ground crew to get you hyped up before a jump than the people you love. We have your guests covered..literally!  There is a shaded area for guests where they can wait and watch jumpers landing and a restaurant on-site where they can grab a cold drink or a bite to eat.

It’s Important To Make the Right Choice

There are plenty of tandem mills out there. Facilities that operate just to pump out numbers. It’s important to be sure you’re scheduling with a facility that has your back. At Skydive Paraclete XP, we don’t treat our customers as dollar signs,  we treat them like future skydivers. We take pride in our ability to provide a service unlike any other and aim to leave a lasting impression of customer services that exceeds even the nearly two-mile high experience of a first skydive! As an added level of assurance, Skydive Paraclete XP is also a proud member of the United States Parachute Association.  

You Can Fly Solo

That first tandem skydive can feel like seeing clearly for the first time. All of a sudden it comes into focus that this is an experience you need more of in your life. If you (free)fall in love with the sky after your first jump, we invite you to try it solo. Utilizing a combination of tunnel and sky, we can prepare you to spread your wings and take flight. Achieving your basic skydiving license is a process, but with the Paraclete Student Program, we can help facilitate your success.