If you’re thinking about buying skydiving gift certificates, your first decision will be what kind of instruction you want to sign up for. In tandem jumps and accelerated freefall, instructors are physically present with the student during the jump. The third and oldest method of sky diving instruction is called static line progression, and you have instructor in the plane (and probably on the ground via radio), but not right next to you in the air.
The first skydiver was a Frenchman jumping from a hot air balloon in 1797. Skydiving technology stifled for over a hundred years, then was advanced rapidly during World War I and then again during World War II. The civilian parachute enthusiasts responsible for today’s sport jumps have their roots in military jumps, and by proxy static lines.
While it may be the static line progression may be the oldest method, it is well proven through thousands of jumps. Static line is still in use by military paratroopers today, and also by the smoke jumpers who fight fires. Skydivers hookup a static line to the aircraft, which then automatically deploys the chute after a few seconds a freefall; typically just enough to ensure the jumper is safely clear of the airplane. A reserve parachute can also be triggered by an Automatic Activation Device, which will deploy if minimum safe altitude is passed at freefall speeds.
Sky diving courses teaching static line progression typically have between four and six hours of ground school. The student skydiver is then taken to an altitude between 3000 and 4000 feet for the jump. The plane used is typically a small Cessna, and the jumper actually hangs off the wing strut until the jumpmaster gives the jumper the okay.
It takes an incredible force of will to let go of that strut and drop into the sky below. Fortunately your chute deploys automatically as the static line goes taunt. At that point all you have to do is a quick safety check to make sure the canopy inflated correctly and then it’s a scenic ride to the ground. Most schools have an instructor on the ground who talks to you over the radio and directs you to the drop zone target.
After a couple of good static line jumps, the student is trained to pull a dummy ripcord. If things continue to progress well, the student gets to pull real ripcord as soon as they exit the aircraft. The jumps progress with more time between exit and pull, and from higher altitudes.
With sign off from United States Parachute Association instructor, and 25 jumps to their credit, a student can become a class A licensed skydiver, which allows them to jump that any drop zone in the United States without additional supervision. Sky diving gift certificates for static line jumps are the time tested it and reliable method to train new skydivers.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Skydiving Gift Certificates for Accelerated Freefall
If you’re buying skydiving gift certificates for skydiving lessons, you basically have three options. There’s static line, tandem jumps, or accelerated freefall. Accelerated freefall allows you to jump and get almost a minute of freefall, your very first time out.
For over twenty five years skydivers have enjoyed an alternative to a static line jumps. Skydiving courses begin with almost a full day of ground school, which ranges from 6 to 8 hours depending upon the school you attend. The reason for the extra instruction is because accelerated freefall students jump higher and fall longer than students who learn using static line a progression.
You will be jumping from over 10,000 feet, which allows between 45 seconds to a minute of freefall before chute deployment at between the four thousand and five thousand feet. Of course you are not going to be doing this by yourself that first time. Students jump with two instructors who hold onto their harness to ensure good form and proper chute deployment.
This is the fastest way for a student to really feel what it’s like to skydive, while still maintaining an acceptable level of safety. Of course because students have dedicated instructors, accelerated freefall is more expensive than static line jumps. This is particularly true for the first three jumps at as most schools have two instructors jumping with each student.
The advantage of having two instructors with you is that you have plenty of time to practice sky diving skills, altitude awareness, and of course that all important ripcord pull. In the worst case scenario, an instructor can deploy the canopy of a student using their ripcord or by using specially modified ripcords on the student’s harness. In addition to two competent instructors, students jump with an automatic activation device, which will deploy the parachute if minimum safe altitude is passed at freefall speeds.
As the student progresses through the different levels of training, the focus the shifts from not only pulling up the ripcord, but also flying skills. New skydivers will learn to speed up, slow down, and turn. The most important skill (besides pulling that the ripcord) is the ability to recover if a maneuver results in instability and a loss of control.
Most jumps schools have seven levels of accelerated freefall instruction. The eighth level is usually reserved for practice jumps. These courses help a student skydiver complete the necessary 25 jumps to get a class A license from the United States Parachute Association. Once a student completes the 25 jumps under instructor supervision (and the necessary paperwork), the license allows them to jump unsupervised at any drop zone in the United States. Accelerated freefall is a good choice for a student skydiver to quickly learn the basics and become a competent and licensed skydiver.
For over twenty five years skydivers have enjoyed an alternative to a static line jumps. Skydiving courses begin with almost a full day of ground school, which ranges from 6 to 8 hours depending upon the school you attend. The reason for the extra instruction is because accelerated freefall students jump higher and fall longer than students who learn using static line a progression.
You will be jumping from over 10,000 feet, which allows between 45 seconds to a minute of freefall before chute deployment at between the four thousand and five thousand feet. Of course you are not going to be doing this by yourself that first time. Students jump with two instructors who hold onto their harness to ensure good form and proper chute deployment.
This is the fastest way for a student to really feel what it’s like to skydive, while still maintaining an acceptable level of safety. Of course because students have dedicated instructors, accelerated freefall is more expensive than static line jumps. This is particularly true for the first three jumps at as most schools have two instructors jumping with each student.
The advantage of having two instructors with you is that you have plenty of time to practice sky diving skills, altitude awareness, and of course that all important ripcord pull. In the worst case scenario, an instructor can deploy the canopy of a student using their ripcord or by using specially modified ripcords on the student’s harness. In addition to two competent instructors, students jump with an automatic activation device, which will deploy the parachute if minimum safe altitude is passed at freefall speeds.
As the student progresses through the different levels of training, the focus the shifts from not only pulling up the ripcord, but also flying skills. New skydivers will learn to speed up, slow down, and turn. The most important skill (besides pulling that the ripcord) is the ability to recover if a maneuver results in instability and a loss of control.
Most jumps schools have seven levels of accelerated freefall instruction. The eighth level is usually reserved for practice jumps. These courses help a student skydiver complete the necessary 25 jumps to get a class A license from the United States Parachute Association. Once a student completes the 25 jumps under instructor supervision (and the necessary paperwork), the license allows them to jump unsupervised at any drop zone in the United States. Accelerated freefall is a good choice for a student skydiver to quickly learn the basics and become a competent and licensed skydiver.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Skydiving Gifts for Your Skydiver
So you’re looking for skydiving gifts for the adrenalin addict in your life. Skydivers are a special group of people; what do you get for someone who thinks a roller coaster is boring? Finding gifts for skydivers can be tough. Well the first suggestion is pretty obvious- skydiving gift certificates. Of course after the first jump and ground school, what is there? Actually there is still quite a bit to learn, in fact parachuting can be a lifelong hobby. In order to jump “solo” a parachutist needs to have a United States Parachute Association “A” license. There are four licenses granted by the USPA, A through D, with each one requiring more jumps to qualify, and granting additional privileges to the jumper. Until successful completion of twenty five jumps and instructor sign off, a skydiver is still a student.
Let’s talk about what it takes to get that “A” license- you need to have 25 jumps with a USPA instructor observing, complete 5 group freefalls with at least two other jumpers, and get the official signature and sign off on the USPA License card. Once you’ve accomplished that, you can go to any drop zone in the US, jump without supervision, and even pack your own chute!
Twenty five jumps down and still kicking for more? A USPA “B” license is the next step on the ladder. First off you need to knock off another 25 jumps. After 50 jumps, you also need to have at least 30 minutes of controlled freefall time. And this time it’s getting harder- landing is important. For at least ten jumps, you have to be within thirty feet (10 meters) of the target. And while in the air, you need to demonstrate some mastery- things like 360s, and backloops. You also need to be part of ten group free fall jumps AND complete the formation, which is easier said than done when you have a bunch of people falling toward the ground at 200 mph! Last but not least, you need to conduct a live water landing. That’s right, chute, gear, the works into the water, while following the procedures in the Skydiver’s information manual. Got all that? Then you can earn a “B” license which allows you to become a coach (when you hit the century mark for jumps)- and to jump at night. Oh yeah, there’s a written test too- just because you’re out of school doesn’t mean those things stop, hehehe.
Onward and upward (or is it downward) to a “C” license. More jumps (most definitely the good part), this time you need 200. More precision targeting, this time you have to land within TWO METERS of the target on 25 jumps. That’s hitting the bullseye in a big way when you start thousands of feet off the ground. There’s quite a bit of aerobatics too- according the the USPA you need to be able to complete the following:
“…during freefall, perform in sequence within 18 seconds-a backloop, front loop, left 360-degree turn, right 360-degree turn, right barrel roll and left barrel roll”
And of course you have to do a written test as well. Complete all that and you can be a USPA Instructor. Not a tandem instructor mind you, but a class C license most certainly isn’t a trivial accomplishment.
The D license is almost anticlimactic. Complete 500 jumps, have night instruction training from another instructor with a D license, and complete an exam. You also have to have two night dives with over 20 seconds of freefall- one by yourself and one in a group.
Okay, that takes care of the skydiving courses and licenses your jumper needs, you can always go for gear. Of course you could get them their own parachute. However, skydivers are understandably very picky about their equipment. If you want to do something like this, speak to the jumpers friends and instructors, they’ll give you a good idea of the type of equipment your loved one would enjoy. Also understand that the chute is the most expensive equipment, you’re looking at anywhere- middle of the road price is about $2000. You can get a better deal on used equipment- you may want to just buy a skydiving gift certificates that can be redeemed for gear and let them decide.
A cheaper option is helmets, you can get a quality one for about $500. They have a variety of options, including full face models to protect the face from wind. Buying a good altimeter will also save that jumper a rental cost, and finally about the least expensive gear you can get your skydiving enthusiast would be a quality pair of skydiving goggles. There are many choices for skydiving gifts- we recommend instruction first and gear second.
Let’s talk about what it takes to get that “A” license- you need to have 25 jumps with a USPA instructor observing, complete 5 group freefalls with at least two other jumpers, and get the official signature and sign off on the USPA License card. Once you’ve accomplished that, you can go to any drop zone in the US, jump without supervision, and even pack your own chute!
Twenty five jumps down and still kicking for more? A USPA “B” license is the next step on the ladder. First off you need to knock off another 25 jumps. After 50 jumps, you also need to have at least 30 minutes of controlled freefall time. And this time it’s getting harder- landing is important. For at least ten jumps, you have to be within thirty feet (10 meters) of the target. And while in the air, you need to demonstrate some mastery- things like 360s, and backloops. You also need to be part of ten group free fall jumps AND complete the formation, which is easier said than done when you have a bunch of people falling toward the ground at 200 mph! Last but not least, you need to conduct a live water landing. That’s right, chute, gear, the works into the water, while following the procedures in the Skydiver’s information manual. Got all that? Then you can earn a “B” license which allows you to become a coach (when you hit the century mark for jumps)- and to jump at night. Oh yeah, there’s a written test too- just because you’re out of school doesn’t mean those things stop, hehehe.
Onward and upward (or is it downward) to a “C” license. More jumps (most definitely the good part), this time you need 200. More precision targeting, this time you have to land within TWO METERS of the target on 25 jumps. That’s hitting the bullseye in a big way when you start thousands of feet off the ground. There’s quite a bit of aerobatics too- according the the USPA you need to be able to complete the following:
“…during freefall, perform in sequence within 18 seconds-a backloop, front loop, left 360-degree turn, right 360-degree turn, right barrel roll and left barrel roll”
And of course you have to do a written test as well. Complete all that and you can be a USPA Instructor. Not a tandem instructor mind you, but a class C license most certainly isn’t a trivial accomplishment.
The D license is almost anticlimactic. Complete 500 jumps, have night instruction training from another instructor with a D license, and complete an exam. You also have to have two night dives with over 20 seconds of freefall- one by yourself and one in a group.
Okay, that takes care of the skydiving courses and licenses your jumper needs, you can always go for gear. Of course you could get them their own parachute. However, skydivers are understandably very picky about their equipment. If you want to do something like this, speak to the jumpers friends and instructors, they’ll give you a good idea of the type of equipment your loved one would enjoy. Also understand that the chute is the most expensive equipment, you’re looking at anywhere- middle of the road price is about $2000. You can get a better deal on used equipment- you may want to just buy a skydiving gift certificates that can be redeemed for gear and let them decide.
A cheaper option is helmets, you can get a quality one for about $500. They have a variety of options, including full face models to protect the face from wind. Buying a good altimeter will also save that jumper a rental cost, and finally about the least expensive gear you can get your skydiving enthusiast would be a quality pair of skydiving goggles. There are many choices for skydiving gifts- we recommend instruction first and gear second.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Skydiving Gift Certificates for Tandem Jumps
A new sky diving student can minimize anxiety by completing tandem jumps with an experienced instructor for their first few jumps. Accelerated free fall is not that scary when you are strapped in with your instructor, who has literally done this hundreds of times before. It’s one thing to read about a skydive, or sit through a lecture in ground school. It’s quite another to try to remember all the steps to a successful jump the first time you step outside a perfectly good airplane and feel that wind buffeting you, not to mention looking straight DOWN from thousands of feet above! Tandem instructors, called “Tandem Masters” are required to have 500 individual skydives and 3 years experience. You can count on your instructor to know when to throw the drogue chute and open up your main canopy, as well as handle any “in flight emergencies”. Tandem jumping allows a new skydiver to just enjoy the ride and get used to parachuting without worrying about making a mistake. This teaching method is not new for aircraft- it’s very common to learn to fly in an airplane or a helicopter with an instructor, and with tandem parachute jumps you don’t have to fly “solo” on your jump.
The first sky dive was in 1797 from a hot air balloon. For 180 years, if you wanted to jump, you went by yourself. In 1977 the first tandem parachute jumps occurred. Tandem parachute jumping took off, and received approval from the FAA in the mid eighties. At its heart tandem jumps are simply two jumpers tied together in a special harness. The drogue chute (a small parachute) slows the 200 mph freefall to about 120mph, which allows a more comfortable opening. Both student and instructor control the parachute, so you get hands on skydiving instruction by actually jumping. If you’re a “learn by doing” type of person then you should definitely consider taking your skydive training in the sky! Of course they don’t just strap you to your instructor and go- there will be an abbreviated ground school which is primarily to familiarize you with the gear, how the jump is going to go, and safety.
If you want to buy a skydiving gift certificate for a tandem jumps, you’re going to pay a bit more than a static line jump. Prices vary from school to school, but a tandem parachuting typically runs from $150 to $250 per jump.
There is an additional cost you should definitely consider. Most schools offer the services of a videographer on the jump. The cameraman jumps before you and your tandem master with a drogue chute of his own, and can film your exit from the plane, the free fall, the chute deployment, and of course the landing. They typically offer both static pictures and video, with a discount for purchasing both. The going rates are usually about $100 to $200 for on top of the jump fee. While this may seem expensive, many people see the intensity of a sky dive as a life changing experience. It’s worth it to capture those tandem jumps on film- whether it’s your first and only jump, or the first of many, can relive the exhilaration of tandems again and again.
The first sky dive was in 1797 from a hot air balloon. For 180 years, if you wanted to jump, you went by yourself. In 1977 the first tandem parachute jumps occurred. Tandem parachute jumping took off, and received approval from the FAA in the mid eighties. At its heart tandem jumps are simply two jumpers tied together in a special harness. The drogue chute (a small parachute) slows the 200 mph freefall to about 120mph, which allows a more comfortable opening. Both student and instructor control the parachute, so you get hands on skydiving instruction by actually jumping. If you’re a “learn by doing” type of person then you should definitely consider taking your skydive training in the sky! Of course they don’t just strap you to your instructor and go- there will be an abbreviated ground school which is primarily to familiarize you with the gear, how the jump is going to go, and safety.
If you want to buy a skydiving gift certificate for a tandem jumps, you’re going to pay a bit more than a static line jump. Prices vary from school to school, but a tandem parachuting typically runs from $150 to $250 per jump.
There is an additional cost you should definitely consider. Most schools offer the services of a videographer on the jump. The cameraman jumps before you and your tandem master with a drogue chute of his own, and can film your exit from the plane, the free fall, the chute deployment, and of course the landing. They typically offer both static pictures and video, with a discount for purchasing both. The going rates are usually about $100 to $200 for on top of the jump fee. While this may seem expensive, many people see the intensity of a sky dive as a life changing experience. It’s worth it to capture those tandem jumps on film- whether it’s your first and only jump, or the first of many, can relive the exhilaration of tandems again and again.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Skydiving Gift Certificates for Skydiving Lessons
Buying someone skydiving gift certificates is more than just buying them pieces of paper, it is buying them passports to adventure. I still remember my first skydiving jump like it was yesterday, even though it’s been more than a decade. It's really hard to put such an intense feeling into words, there's just no frame of reference on land to compare to the thrill of free fall.
Simply put, there's nothing like accelerating to terminal velocity after you exit from the aircraft. In case you are not familiar with the terminology, terminal velocity is the top speed the skydiver reaches after jumping out of an airplane. It has a lot to do with how much surface area you present to the air on the jump; but has been measured to be somewhere in the neighborhood a 50 to 90 meters per second. Depending upon body position, an experienced skydiver can go even faster. To put that into miles per hour, it is possible to free fall at over 200 miles per hour! As you can imagine, moving that fast equipped with only a parachute and a jumpsuit makes for intense experience.
Before buying someone sky diving gift certificates make sure it is something they would enjoy doing. The person you’re buying a skydiving gift certificates for should also be at least 18 years old. Someone as young as 16 years old can jump, provided that they have parental permission. This probably goes without saying, but they should be in good physical health. Hurtling towards the earth at 200 miles an hour is not everyone’s idea of a good time. But for hundreds of years there has been a certain type of person has enjoyed it.
Sky diving was not invented after the airplane as many people believe, but conceived about 900 years ago by the Chinese. Leonardo Da Vinci even had designs for a wooden framed to parachute. There’s some debate, however many people believe the first person to take the plunge was André-Jacques Garnerin, who dove not from a Cessna, but a hot air balloon in France in 1797. His self designed parachute was frameless and made of silk.
Over 200 years and many thousands of jumps later, modern equipment includes ram air parachutes with individually inflatable cells, rip stop nylon, and safety devices that are capable of opening the your parachute even if you’re unconscious. Modern skydivers use state of the art equipment to make the hobby as safe as possible. In addition to top quality equipment, the Federal Aviation Administration also has governing regulations that must be followed. The recipient of your skydiving gift certificates will need to complete some basic training regarding safe entry and exit of the aircraft as well as basic sky diving procedures. Depending upon the sky diving method of your jump school uses, ground school can be as short as 1 hour or as long as one full day.
You may also want to plan to have a video camera or at least a digital camera on the ground to record that first jump. Even if they never jump again, they certainly will want to remember that day. Skydiving gift certificates allow a once in a lifetime experience, or entry into a new and exciting hobby of parachuting.
Simply put, there's nothing like accelerating to terminal velocity after you exit from the aircraft. In case you are not familiar with the terminology, terminal velocity is the top speed the skydiver reaches after jumping out of an airplane. It has a lot to do with how much surface area you present to the air on the jump; but has been measured to be somewhere in the neighborhood a 50 to 90 meters per second. Depending upon body position, an experienced skydiver can go even faster. To put that into miles per hour, it is possible to free fall at over 200 miles per hour! As you can imagine, moving that fast equipped with only a parachute and a jumpsuit makes for intense experience.
Before buying someone sky diving gift certificates make sure it is something they would enjoy doing. The person you’re buying a skydiving gift certificates for should also be at least 18 years old. Someone as young as 16 years old can jump, provided that they have parental permission. This probably goes without saying, but they should be in good physical health. Hurtling towards the earth at 200 miles an hour is not everyone’s idea of a good time. But for hundreds of years there has been a certain type of person has enjoyed it.
Sky diving was not invented after the airplane as many people believe, but conceived about 900 years ago by the Chinese. Leonardo Da Vinci even had designs for a wooden framed to parachute. There’s some debate, however many people believe the first person to take the plunge was André-Jacques Garnerin, who dove not from a Cessna, but a hot air balloon in France in 1797. His self designed parachute was frameless and made of silk.
Over 200 years and many thousands of jumps later, modern equipment includes ram air parachutes with individually inflatable cells, rip stop nylon, and safety devices that are capable of opening the your parachute even if you’re unconscious. Modern skydivers use state of the art equipment to make the hobby as safe as possible. In addition to top quality equipment, the Federal Aviation Administration also has governing regulations that must be followed. The recipient of your skydiving gift certificates will need to complete some basic training regarding safe entry and exit of the aircraft as well as basic sky diving procedures. Depending upon the sky diving method of your jump school uses, ground school can be as short as 1 hour or as long as one full day.
You may also want to plan to have a video camera or at least a digital camera on the ground to record that first jump. Even if they never jump again, they certainly will want to remember that day. Skydiving gift certificates allow a once in a lifetime experience, or entry into a new and exciting hobby of parachuting.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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All web servers track basic information about their visitors. This information includes, but is not limited to, IP addresses, browser details, timestamps and referring pages. None of this information can personally identify specific visitors to this site. The information is tracked for routine administration and maintenance purposes.
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Where necessary, Skydiving Gift Certificates uses cookies to store information about a visitor's preferences and history in order to better serve the visitor and/or present the visitor with customized content. Advertising partners and other third parties may also use cookies, scripts and/or web beacons to track visitors to our site in order to display advertisements and other useful information. Such tracking is done directly by the third parties through their own servers and is subject to their own privacy policies.
If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, you can visit Google's Advertising and Privacy page. If you wish to opt out of Advertising companies tracking and tailoring advertisements to your surfing patterns you may do so at the Network Advertising Initiative.
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Skydiving Gift Certificates
Welcome to Skydiving Gift Certificates. This site will provide some help for people who are interested in skydiving, or want to purchase a skydiving gift for a loved one. Skydiving has a rich history going back hundreds of years, and when you buy skydiving gift certificates you are joining a unique fraternity of jumpers with diverse backgrounds including firefighters, military, and of course sport enthusiasts.
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