10 First Time Skydiving Safety Tips

By: Amanda Ferguson

Break Studios Contributing Writer

These 10 first time skydiving safety tips are all about precaution. Skydiving is a great time. It gives everyone an adrenaline rush. That rush comes from the high risk you take to have a good time.

  1. Jumpsuit. The jumpsuit will protect you from the cold air. When the cold air hits your body, you won't want to react to the wind and open up your body. Be sure your jumpsuit fits properly and has no open areas.
  2. The Altimeter. This piece of equipment is vitally important. The Altimeter measure the altitude at which you are diving. A good tip would be to make sure it is functioning properly before taking off.
  3. Harness. The harness is the piece that hold everything together. A properly fitting one is great to have. A good tip for first time skydiving would be to have one tailored to your body.
  4. Automatic Activation Device. For first time skydivers this device is great to have. This piece opens up the parachute for you. Sometimes as you fall, its easy to forget about opening the parachute until its too late.
  5. Wear a helmet. It may seem silly to wear a helmet while skydiving. However, once the parachute is open, the landing is the most precarious part. Wearing a helmet will help if the landing doesn't go as smoothly as possible.
  6. The Trainer. For first time skydiving, its important to jump with a trainer. Its very exciting to do, but the first time its important to jump with your instructions. That said, be sure that instructor is licensed to be doing so.
  7. Food. Its important to eat something relatively light before jumping. A bad meal to eat before the jump is anything greasy. Choose to eat a light salad with some grilled chicken on top.
  8. Deep Breaths. In any stressful situation, taking deep breaths is a great way to calm yourself down. However, in skydiving it will really help with the high altitude. The air is so thin, it can make breathing difficult. Practice breathing in and out before reaching your destination.
  9. Don't try to speak as you fall. The wind is incredibly loud during a free fall. Communicating by conversation is impossible. So, if there is something wrong and you need to communicate with the people you are with, using sign language is important.
  10. Be sure to understand procedure. Most accidents that happen with skydiving are because of procedural errors. As a beginning skydiver, you typically wouldn't know those issues. Make sure to peruse over the information on procedures before getting started.
Posted on: Jan. 31, 2011