Winter appears to be starting early here in the Midwest with snow already on the ground. Just think, only 6 more months of this!
If you're skydiving, you're probably just looking for a quick ride in an airplane. Typically, jumpers are focused on the freefall ahead, but rarely give much thought to the person in the cockpit. At many dropzones, few jumpers even know the pilot's name.
Some say jump pilots are the unsung heroes of skydiving. I'm not sure about that, but we certainly have to manage a lot of variables from the lonely front seat.
What are the strongest winds you will jump in? Most skydivers claim they know their limits. But, do we stay within them? How strong is your conviction when the door light comes on and your friends are ready to go?
Everybody who hasn't jumped out of a perfectly good airplane wonders the same thing: what does it feel like to skydive? There are both physical and emotional answers to this question.
It's such an unfamiliar concept, falling through the air at 120+ mph. Most people who have jumped say things like "the feeling is indescribable" or "unlike anything else" when talking about the sensation of freefall. Not exactly helpful. So, how is a first-time skydiver to know what to expect?
Many people wonder: is there a weight limit for tandem skydiving? The answer is yes.
But why? Well, there are a few answers to that question, and we will explain them here.
Most skydiving centers will say their weight limit for a tandem passenger is approximately 200-220 pounds for women and 230-250 pounds for men. There is typically no minimum weight, only a minimum age (18 years old in the US). But there's more to it than the number on the scale.
