Extreme Sports
Beginner adventure

Skydiving Supplies What You Need To Know

When you attend a skydiving certification course you will be able to hire all the skydiving supplies you need for the duration. However if you are serious about the sport you are going to need to equip yourself for action. Your basic equipment needs to begin with are a jump suit, goggles, and helmet. You may also like to buy your own altimeter and gloves.

Some of the equipment you will come across when shopping for skydiving supplies explained:

Altimeter – This is a device used by skydivers to measure the altitude above a landing area.This lets the diver known when its time to release the canopy.

Audible Altimeter – This sounds an alarm when the diver reaches a pre-set altitude

Canopy – This is the major component of a parachute.It is the material that is connected by lines to the harness that provides wind resistance and makes deceleration possible.

Pilot Chute – This is a small chute that works in conjunction with the main chute to speed up or initiate deployment.

Harness – What connects the diver to the chute and restrains the diver in position.

Automatic Activation Device – An Electro-mechanical devise that automatically deploys the reserve chute at a pre set time or velocity.

Containers – This is the bag that holds the chute until deployment.

Depending on your level of experience you can look into varying types of canopies and other devices that will affect the speed and control of your jumps. Some of the major suppliers of canopies include Icarus, Precision Aerodynamics and Aerodyne. You might also use other equipment such as knives, creepers, drag mats and windsocks. Skydiving supplies range from beginner products to professional and custom designs.

There are other components that you will come across when learning about equipment that are more advanced. Components such as rigging and static lines will effect your ability to control and maneuver your parachute. You will also be using toggles these are the mechanisms that are attached to the lines that allow you to slow your speed when you are about to land. They act as a break mechanism so that you can cont-rol your descent.

Tandem skydiving is an excellent way to experience this popular extreme sport. People, though, have a number of fears about skydiving. One myth is that you can’t breathe while you’re free falling. That is certainly not true, otherwise jumpers wouldn’t be conscious when they reached the ground. Another concern is that your chute won’t open. Because student chutes are typically safer than other chutes, this isn’t a realistic concern. Moreover, most chutes now are rigged with automatic opening devices, so not opening your chute on time shouldn’t really be a worry. Despite these reassurances, though, people still worry about the safety of skydiving. To that end, tandem skydiving is an excellent way to experience the sport without worrying about the nagging doubts that plague people’s minds.

Tandem is one of the most popular ways of experiencing jumping for first time skydivers. Students are subjected to about thirty minutes of instruction. During those thirty minutes, they meet the instructors they will be jumping with. They also view instructional videos about the jump, go over safety procedures, and get fitted to the equipment they’ll be using. Additionally, students learn how to leave the aircraft, how to free fall, and what to do in terms of body position during the landing cycle.

Welcome Aboard

After the training session, tandem students and instructors board the plane for the fifteen to twenty minute flight to the drop zone. While waiting to approach the area where exiting will take place, instructors make final reviews about procedures with students. When the time comes, instructors and students leave the plane at about fourteen thousand feet. Free fall lasts only a few minutes. Once the chute finally opens, the gentle glide back to earth lasts anywhere from five to ten minutes.

Occasionally, instructors will allow students to help steer the chute to the landing zone. This helps students get the feel of the chute. It also helps students who wish to continue their skydiving training and become certified divers themselves. Skydiving is a fairly dangerous sport. However, tandem skydiving is a great way for novices to experience the sport without the worry and danger.