Jumping out of a plane may sound like a crazy idea, but the endorphins and ear-to-ear grin you'll get when you land will tell you otherwise. It probably won't be the last time you jump. And you want to know everything before your first jump? That's why we've put together a comprehensive article that will take you through tandem jumping from start to landing.
Article content:
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWhat is a tandem skydive
Tandem skydiving is a relatively young branch of skydiving that allows almost anyone to experience a jump from an airplane and a free fall, without any parachute training. Its easy accessibility also makes it one of the most popular adrenaline experiences in the world. Moreover, the price of a tandem jump ranges from 3 999 CZK (depending on the chosen airport and perhaps the jump height), making this experience accessible to the general public.
How it looks like
And how does such a jump take place? Together with an instructor, you ascend by plane, helicopter or hot air balloon to a sufficient height, where an experienced skydiver attaches you to himself using a special harness. This sightseeing flight usually lasts 15-30 minutes, depending on the chosen altitude and weather conditions.
Once you have gained the desired altitude, you wait for permission to jump. When it is sounded, you jump together and plummet to the ground at a speed of about 200 km/h for about 1 minute. Then the instructor will open the parachute and glide you safely to the ground. The flight takes approximately another 10 minutes. The whole experience then ends with a smooth landing and a good load of endorphins.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enThe history of skydiving
Tandem skydiving as we know it today has come a long way. Across the world there have been more or less (the more common) successful attempts at skydiving, the first dated ones are recorded in Chinese historical archives and date back to the 12th century. Much more famous is the design by the Italian inventor and artist Leonardo da Vinci, who made a sketch of a pyramid-shaped parachute in 1480-83. It was calculated to work, but no one tried it. It wasn't until 2000 that British skydiver Adrian Nicholas built a parachute based on the original drawing and tested it straight from 3,500 metres. And luckily for him, it did work.
But we've gotten too far ahead of ourselves. Parachute designs on paper continued to be created, and have also been tested in practice. Sometimes with animal crews, sometimes with the inventors themselves or involuntary prisoner pilots. Ballooning was the most important development in the 18th century. The main reason for this was to enable airmen to save themselves in the event of an accident.
And that's where French physicist Louis-Sebastien Lenormand comes in. He was not only responsible for advances in parachute jumping, but also coined the name parachute, which is still used today. It is a compound of the words para (protection against) and chute (fall), so it is literally an anti-fall.
Until now, parachutes had a fixed structure
It wasn't until the Frenchman Andre-Jacques Garnerin built a parachute that could be folded and was also the first to have a round shape. But it was uncontrollable and needed more work. This was achieved in 1802, thanks to the pole hole that the new parachute contained. However, it was still folded only in the arms of the jumper, and the packing into a case and attachment to the back came a few years later, in 1913.
World War I, when parachutes served as a rescue for pilots,accelerated the development. In World War II, however, paratroopers also began to use them. After the war, parachuting took on yet another dimension - namely sport. Parachutes were already easy to handle, so it was a good idea to take advantage of this. But as it happens, progress cannot be stopped. That's why the transition was gradually made from round parachutes to rectangular wings, which, in addition to falling safely, allow the parachutist to fly with complete control.
It's 1977 and the first tandem parachute jump took place in Florida. The reserve parachute had been placed on the parachutist's belly, so there was no room for a second flier. Therefore, the parachute used for the jump was re-arranged to allow room in the front to hold another passenger. And it worked. And that's why you can jump today.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enHow high do you jump from?
The most common tandem skydive is from 3,000 to 4,000 metres. The higher the jump altitude, the longer the free fall. From this height, a jumper can prepare for approximately 40 seconds to 1 minute of free fall. Considering you 'll be hurtling towards the ground at 200 km/h, that minute will be pretty intense, so don't worry about that!
More experienced, or simply more adventurous, jumpers can also try a tandem jump from 6 kilometres, which takes place at only two airports in the Czech Republic, namely Klatovy and Plzeň, because special equipment is needed to jump from such a height. During this extreme jump, you should expect almost double the freefall flight time and much lower air temperature at the top. The temperature drops by approximately 6 °C with every kilometer of altitude climbed.
Of course, we are talking here about the classic jump altitudes for commercial skydiving. There are also daredevils, such as Felix Baumgartner, who has jumped from the edge of the stratosphere at an altitude of 39 kilometres. He free-flew for over four minutes and managed to reach a speed of 1,358 km/h, making him the first person in the world to break the speed of sound in free-fall.
Don't forget the video
Even if you don't fall at the speed of sound, it's still an incredibly powerful experience that's hard to describe. Perhaps you'll see that most in your expression, which you can then watch while you're on the ground. You can take photos and videos of the jumps, where you can see both the free fall and yourself. Two types of cameras are used. With the handy wrist-mounted camera, the instructor films you up close throughout the experience, and you then see your expressions, in which fear alternates with slight horror with a proper ear-to-ear grin, caused not only by the strong wind current during the free fall. Another option is to take a video from an external cameraman, so you can see everything from a bit of a distance. Both serve as great reminders of your bravery.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWhere to tandem jump in the Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic, you can try tandem skydiving with Adrop at a number of airports - in the Pilsen region, these are the already mentioned Klatovy and Plzeň Líně airports, and in the South Bohemia region, go to the airport in České Budějovice. In the Central Bohemia Region, you can jump out of the plane in Hořovice, Kolín or Příbram - Dlouhá Lhota. In the Pardubice Region you can jump only in Skutch, in the South Moravian Region you can choose from Znojmo and Vyškov airports, and for a jump in the Olomouc Region you can go to Prostějov. Ústíans can jump in Most or Chomutov, while those from Liberec can jump in Liberec.
In the above-mentioned locations, you can jump from an airplane, but if you would prefer to go up by helicopter, make your way to the airport in Znojmo or Skutch, where you can jump from a Mi-8 helicopter, which was used mainly for military purposes and is still used by 49 countries around the world.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enIs special equipment needed for the jump?
For a safe jump, of course, you need a suitable parachute, which will be ready for you to borrow from the instructor at the airport. Then you can rent a special jumpsuit and goggles (you can also wear them over your dioptric glasses) and you are ready to jump. It's colder at altitude, so if you're jumping in the colder months, it's worth putting on a suit underneath. As for shoes, you're better off opting for sturdy footwear, which is preferable if the landing is a bit harder than planned.
Nowadays, you will practically only see wing-type parachutes, which first appeared in 1975 and have since gradually displaced the original circular parachutes. It is very rare to jump with circular parachutes, but you will never encounter them in tandem skydiving because the only type allowed for tandem skydiving is the wing type, which has a lower descent rate and is much easier to control. And unlike a circular parachute, its landing is not prevented by a parachute roll. Admit that a roll with an instructor on your back is not quite the right ending.
Tandem parachutes are also specific in that they have a stabilizing recovery chute that opens shortly after jumping out of the aircraft. As a result, skydivers don't pick up as much speed and the free fall can be longer. In addition, modern parachutes have sensors that open the reserve parachute in case of failure.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enWho is tandem skydiving suitable for?
Virtually anyone can make a tandem skydive. You just need to fit into a maximum weight of around 110 kg and have at least a normal physical condition. There is no need to undergo a medical examination, just sign a medical declaration to confirm good health.
As far as age is concerned, the lower limit is 8 years (and a minimum height of 120 cm), with the understanding that under 18 years of age, the consent of a legal guardian is required to jump. There is no upper age limit, and several jumpers have enjoyed the experience even after passing the age limit of 100! Currently, the oldest jumper, Rut Larsson, jumped at the age of 103 and holds the world record. She jumped for the first time at the age of 102.
And you're dizzy? Good news, you can jump from such a height that you don't get dizzy. For the simple reason that the plane takes you up to almost 4 km, from this height it is not possible to make direct optical contact with objects on the ground, which prevents dizziness. And when you hit the ground at 200 km/h, your head will be full of other worries and pleasures than dizziness.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enFor whom the tandem is not suitable
Skydiving is not suitable for people who suffer from epilepsy (the only exception is if the disease is under control and you have been seizure-free and without changes in medication for at least 2 years), cardiovascular disease (the lower amount of oxygen at higher altitudes is particularly troublesome for people with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure or cerebrovascular disease), spinal injury (as there is quite a lot of overload when the parachute opens) or other serious illness.
If you are unsure, you should consult your doctor first. For example, if you suffer from back pain, asthma, adrenal gland disorders, sinus and ear disease, or any other illness requiring medication. For example, if you just have a cold or sinusitis, a drastic change in pressure during a jump can damage your eardrum.
Furthermore, skydiving is not suitable for people with severe mental retardation or people who are not in a stable mental state and could endanger themselves or the instructor.
Pregnant women should also avoid jumping, as the risk of miscarriage is relatively high.
Are there health risks?
Probably like any other sport, tandem skydiving carries some risks. In terms of safety, tandems are the best of all parachute sports. The injury ratio is 1.4 per 1000 jumps, which means that on average, some injury occurs in 1 out of 700 jumps. Fatalities are very rare, well below 1:100,000.
Injuries can occur on harder landings or when the parachute opens and overload occurs. So if you suffer from back problems, be sure to discuss your jump options with your doctor. And as mentioned above, don't jump with a cold, as the sudden change in pressure is quite drastic on the eardrums in such a case.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enHow to best prepare for a tandem jump
No special preparation is needed for a tandem skydive. You will learn all the essentials on the spot, where the instructor will explain what to do and what not to try. On the ground, you'll try out the basic positions for the jump, flight and landing, and then it's off to the races. You can also rent skydiving equipment at the airport. Ideally, dress in comfortable sports clothes and wear sturdy shoes.
If you're stressed and feel like you can't get a bite in, try to have some breakfast anyway. It'll be a real adrenaline rush and your body has to get its energy from somewhere.
href="https://www.adrop.cz/enCuriosities and records from the world of tandem skydiving
Wondering how many tandem jumps you can do in one day? Jay Stokes has the most jumps in one day, 640 to be exact. He broke the previous record for the most jumps in 24 hours by a full 106 jumps. It should be noted that this record was also held by him.
But the Czech ski jumping scene is not idle either. While the world's oldest male or female jumper enjoyed a free fall at the age of 103, the oldest Czech skydiver jumped tandem at the age of 102. The pilot of the parachute was 71 years old at the time, so in total the crew put together an impressive age of 173 years.
Even a health handicap does not have to be an obstacle for adrenaline experiences. A prime example is the wheelchair-bound Vasek Svec, who completed the tandem parachute jump despite being a quadriplegic. This daring stunt earned him a record in the Guinness Book of World Records.
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7. 12. 2020
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