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A tandem jump requires very little preparation as the instructor you jump with will perform the critical tasks. He will offer you the opportunity to pull the ripcord yourself, however he has another ripcord that he will pull should you forget or lose track of your altitude while enjoying the excitement of the experience. He will steer or help to steer the parachute safely back to the dropzone for landing. Since a veteran skydiver will accompany you and guide you on your jump, little advance preparation is needed. The instructor will help you into the tandem harness and give you a briefing of what to expect and the few tasks that will be asked of you, such as how to hold your hands, exit the aircraft, and hold your body during landing. If you plan to simply make a single jump, you should strongly consider asking for a video recording. Several IVPC jumpers record videos and would be happy to give pricing on various video options. Discuss this with your tandem-master when you are making your initial plans for the jump. When the time to jump arrives, your tandem instructor will ensure a proper fit of the harness and explain the safety procedures to you. You and your instructor will then climb aboard a small aircraft and climb to approximately 9500 feet for the jump. Often, other skydivers will accompany you on the jump and may fly up to you during freefall and “dock” with your hands. You’ll experience a freefall at roughly 125 MPH and the tandem instructor will signal you to pull the ripcord and pull himself if needed. Your parachute will open and you will again be able to speak with the instructor. You’ll enjoy a scenic decent under the parachute for several minutes and your tandem-master will steer you into a landing pattern. You will land at the dropzone where you initially boarded the plane. Bring family and friends! Have them take pictures and enjoy the adventure with you! After landing and removing your tandem harness, you are a true skydiver. You will have bragging rights for life and will be forever labeled as a skydiver. As you go through life and encounter adversity and challenge, you’ll be able to think back to the moment you leaned your body out of an airplane almost two miles high, conquered your fear, and embraced life. You’ll realize that you have inner-strength and can accomplish any mind-over-matter feat.
Pro’s of a Tandem jump Some people are concerned that they may forget what to do or freeze when jumping alone. If this is a great concern for you, consider a tandem jump. The instructor has tremendous training and experience and will handle all of the challenges and remembering.
If you want to schedule a jump around your schedule, consider a tandem jump. The Tandem instructor will find a mutually-acceptable time to perform the dive. A static-line jumper must attend classes that are generally held monthly throughout the spring through fall. Todiscuss a tandem jump, please click below or contact our tandem master, Steve Ford, at (309) 253-5413.
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A tandem skydive is a jump where you, the student, will be attached to a seasoned and certified tandem instructor. You will wear a harness that attaches to the tandem-master’s harness. He will wear the actual parachute and you will fall while attached to the front of the instructor. Tandem jumps are the best way to experience freefall quickly and safely. If you simply wish to make one skydive and want to experience the thrill of freefall, the tandem jump is an excellent choice! Additionally, if you have serious concerns about jumping alone and controlling the parachute yourself, you may want to consider making a tandem jump for your first exposure to skydiving.