What Do I Need to Know to Skydive for the First Time?

What you need to know to go first-time tandem skydiving: The Inside Scoop from a Tandem Instructor! 

1.  It's windy up there, bring a hair tie. As a Tandem Instructor, I've eaten a lot of hair in my life so this is usually one of the first things I ask my students.

2.  Bring your contact lenses and/or glasses! The view is spectacular, and yes I have your goggles :)

3.  Relax, as hard as you can!

HOW TO PREPARE

We have compiled a FAQ section on our Tandem page if you have more questions, but take this from someone who has completed more than 2,000 Tandem Skydives: The less you do (as the student), the better! We serve first-time tandem skydivers, Accelerated Freefall (AFF) students, experienced skydivers, and military parachutists from all over the world. We are Ottawa Valley and North Bay's #1 choice for skydiving, with our drop zone being the Northern most skydiving center in Ontario!

• Be sure to bring a government issued photo ID
• Dress for the day wearing clothes that are non-restrictive (cargo pants, athletic wear, jeggings, leggings)
• Closed toed shoes (no boots, sandals, heels, or shoes with hooks)
• Long hair? Wear it up! Preferably in braids. 
• Make sure to eat a nutritious meal – not too light and not too heavy – so your body has fuel to process the adrenaline
• No drugs or alcohol prior to making your skydive 
• We do love our pets, but ask that you please leave yours at home.

Our job is to basically be a tour guide of the sky. During this thrilling adventure of a lifetime, the more you can relax, the more you will take in and truly be present.

As I always say, "You can only skydive for the FIRST time, once!"

WHO IS MY TANDEM INSTRUCTOR?

Your Tandem Instructor is a trained professional who does this everyday, literally. They are the ones who strap strangers to their front and dive out of jump planes... for fun! Well, for money too, but mostly fun! All of our Tandem Instructors are professionally rated under the United States Parachute Association. The rating is renwed annually and jump minimums are met to ensure currency. Bring your favorite scrunchie, make sure you can see the views, and do your best to enjoy the split second experience of jumping out of a perfectly good Cessna 182.

Your Tandem Instructor (among other things):

• is rated by the United States Parachute Association (USPA) as a Tandem Instructor
• has completed 500+ skydives
• holds a current Tandem Rating
• holds a current Coach Rating
• has a D-Licence 

To sum it all up:

If you have long hair, bring a hair tie. If you have contact lenses/glasses, wear them! And, if you forget everything we trained you to do: relax, as hard as you can!