Skydiving

Parachuting, or Skydiving, is the action sport of exiting an aircraft and returning to Earth with the aid of gravity, then slowing down during the last part of the descent by using a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal velocity. Parachuting is performed as a recreational activity and a competitive sport, as well as for the deployment of military personnel Airborne forces and occasionally forest firefighters. By manipulating the shape of the body in freefall, a skydiver can generate turns, forward motion, backwards motion, and even lift (relative to other jumpers, not the ground).

Tips Skydiving :

• umping from an aircraft with a big piece of material strapped to your back to help you to a safe landing isn’t everyone’s idea of having a good time, but if you’re considering having a go at skydiving there are some good sky diving safety tips you should be aware of in order to minimise any possible risks while doing it.
• Be Health Wise – And Be Honest
• You might be desperate to do a skydive, but when you read the form you are required to sign in order to take part in a jump you notice you have a medical condition which means you cannot sign the form honestly.
• This does not necessarily mean you won’t be able to make the jump, but the sky diving safety tips you will be given are there for your own protection, and you should always be completely honest about any medical conditions which may prove to be a problem. For certain conditions you may be required to obtain your doctor’s approval.
• Other Sky Diving Safety Advice To Consider
• In other cases your instructors should be able to give you sky diving safety advice on what to expect during the jump itself. Landing back on solid ground makes many people nervous, although you probably won’t need to worry about having to tuck and roll as you land. Most people touch the ground and walk away without incident.
• It’s quite understandable to be nervous for your first skydive, even if you are doing a tandem dive and letting your instructor do the hard work. Fear of the unknown is responsible for a lot of this, so it’s always a good idea to talk to your instructor and ask any questions you may have before you jump.
• Good Advice For Beginners And Pros Alike
• Your frame of mind is an important sky diving safety factor to consider when jumping. However experienced you may be, and however eager you are to make your next jump, you should always go through the procedure of checking your equipment.
• Make sure your helmet, goggles and jumpsuit are all in good condition and are comfortable to wear. It might sound like a small thing to consider, but even an itchy chinstrap can be a distraction – and that’s the last thing you need when you are about to deploy your parachute on the way down.

The equipment :

A full set of brand-new equipment can easily cost as much as a new motorcycle or half a small car. The market is not large enough to permit the steady lowering of prices that is seen with some other equipment like computers.

In many countries, the sport supports a used-equipment market. For beginners that is the preferred way to acquire "gear", and has two advantages because users can:

• Try types of parachutes (there are many) to learn which style they prefer, before paying the price for new equipment.
• Acquire a complete system and all the peripheral items in a short time and at reduced cost.

Novices generally start with parachutes that are large and docile relative to the jumper's body-weight. As they improve in skill and confidence, they can graduate to smaller, faster, more responsive parachutes. An active jumper might change parachute canopies several times in the space of a few years, while retaining his or her first harness/container and peripheral equipment.

Older jumpers, especially those who jump only on weekends in summer, sometimes tend in the other direction, selecting slightly larger, more gentle parachutes that do not demand youthful intensity and reflexes on each jump. They may be adhering to the maxim that: "There are old jumpers and there are bold jumpers, but there are no old, bold jumpers." (Pilots have much the same saying.)

Most parachuting equipment is ruggedly designed and is enjoyed by several owners before being retired. Purchasers are always advised to have any potential purchases examined by a qualified parachute rigger. A rigger is trained to spot signs of damage or misuse. Riggers also keep track of industry product and safety bulletins, and can therefore determine if a piece of equipment is up-to-date and serviceable.