Training and Hazards
In order to make a jump safe, skydivers have to do two actions every time: firstly, they must open the parachute in time and secondly, they must land in a safe location. Should you be just learning this sport, never hire an uncertified instructor! There are three types of first-time jump courses from which a novice can choose from: tandem, static-line and harness-hold. People use to call harness-hold jumps accelerated free fall (AFF) jumps in the United States.
When tandem jumping, one parachute system is used by two skydivers. The student jumps together with the instructor after some ground training has beed completed, of course, from 2,500 and 4,200 m , that is between 8,200 and 14,000 ft. Students practice the jumps by steering the parachute, when jumping in tandem with their instructor.
Jumpers who are still learning must have more ground training to learn how to exit the aircraft properly, before jumping solo for the first time in static-line jumps or AFF jumps. They must also know how to operate the parachute, monitor altitude, stabilize the fall and steer and land the parachute. The jumpers must also learn to deal with any problem that might appear at any time along the jump.
Static-line jumping needs several hours of ground school and has been inspired from military methods before becoming the recreational sport called skydiving. The parachute and aircraft are attached to each other at the start of every jump through a static line, that is in fact a strong nylon rope. This line becomes tight , should the jumper have gained enough space away from the aircraft, and then the line will deploy the parachute, before releasing from the skydiver. Jumpers begin the static-line jumps at about 900 m up in the air, meaning at 3.000 ft.
Should you be a student wanting a thrilling experience, try the free fall of an AFF jump. The novice in training can leave the aircraft after only one day of practice at the altitude between 3,000 and 4,200 m, that is between 10,000 and 14,000 ft, this of course together with two instructors to help him. The instructors use preplanned hand signals to train a student. They free-fall together with the student for about 40 to 60 seconds before they deploy any parachutes. The instructors get below the student during the fall and are the first ones to land on the ground.