Every drop zone has different video and photography package designs and pricing, so
we recommend reaching out to the USPA drop zone near you for exact details.

Typically, media packages range from $100–$400, depending on what you choose.
For detailed pricing at Airborne Petawawa, head over to our price page, or feel free to give us a call or send us an email.

WHAT IS TANDEM SKYDIVING?

 

If you’ve ever stared at the clouds and thought, “I want to be up there,” your first instinct might be to Google or Pinterest “skydiving.” But if it’s your first time, what you really should be searching for is “tandem skydiving.” So, what exactly is that?

A tandem skydive is basically a guided tour of skydiving. Think of it like hiring a tour guide—they’ll jump with you, teach you how to freefall, handle the parachute, and land safely. It’s the fastest and easiest way to experience skydiving, even if you’ve never done it before.

There’s nothing like the pure adrenaline rush — and the peace — of freefalling through the sky. This life-changing sport is not as extreme or intimidating as some may think. Most people who meet a few basic requirements can sign up and jump the same day or week.

Each tandem student is securely harnessed to a professional skydiving instructor who wears a tandem parachute system like a backpack. The instructor handles all the technical parts of the jump. From managing the equipment and pulling the chute to flying the parachute and landing safely, they’ve got it covered. All you have to do is focus on the present moment and the incredible aerial views. 

 

| “There’s nothing like the pure adrenaline rush — and the peace — of freefalling through the sky.”

 

TANDEM SKYDIVING REQUIREMENTS

 

Just about anyone 16 years of age or older in Canada, and 18 or older in the United States, can take to the skies after a quick safety instruction.

 

Most drop zones have a maximum weight to safely participate in a tandem skydive. This is not uncommon and you should be prepared for an additional charge if you weigh more than 210 pounds. Weight is taken on jump day with the clothes and shoes you will be wearing on the tandem skydive. Even one ounce over will result in a $25 charge at Airborne Petawawa. Honestly, this is actually on the lower end when it comes to extra fees for heavier jumpers. More often than not, drop zones will charge around $1 – $2 per pound for anyone over 210 lbs.

 

Weight surcharges are usually calculated per pound over the 200 pound mark. So if you’re 40 lbs over on jump day, depending on the drop zone’s rate, you can expect to pay an extra $40 – $80. If you have questions about weight policies, it’s best to contact the USPA drop zone where you plan to skydive. 

 

Why is there an extra charge if you weigh over 210 lbs? Every drop zone has its own rules, but here’s the general idea: heavy weights naturally put more stress on the skydiving gear, which increases wear and tear. That’s one of the reasons there is an extra charge, it helps cover maintenance and replacement to keep everything safe for everyone. The tandem instructor is also literally carrying your weight plus all the gear. Imagine lugging around 300 extra pounds so someone can have the best day of their life — that’s a lot! You can think of the extra weight fee as a way of respecting your tandem instructor, they’re doing the heavy lifting, literally.

START YOUR SKYDIVING ADVENTURE

 

Now that you know how tandem skydiving works, there’s just one thing left to do: go for it! With awesome instructors, solid safety, and all the training you need, your first jump is going to be unforgettable. Airborne Petawawa can’t wait to help you make that skydiving dream happen!

Accelerated Freefall

Accelerated freefall, or commonly abbreviated AFF, is the most common training method used today to help you achieve your skydiving license. If your goal is to eventually skydive on your own, AFF training is the way to go. In this program, two certified AFF instructors jump with you and hold onto your harness in freefall while you demonstrate the required skills.

 

Instructor-Assisted Deployment

Instructor-Assisted Deployment, also known as IAD and Static Line training or simply Static Line, is a method of training where the instructor initiates the deployment of the students parachute when the student jumps from the plane. Static line jumps are commonly used in the military for airborne training for paratroopers. They require less intensive training than AFF, are much faster for mass troop deployments, and they are reliable. Static line training still exists in the skydiving world. However, it is much less common than AFF because there is no freefall experience.

 

Tandem Freefall
Tandem Freefall is by far the most common training method for skydiving today. Because the instructor is in control of the shared parachute, the student doesn’t need as much training beforehand. This means you can learn the basics and make your first jump much faster than methods where the student wears and operates their own parachute. Most drop zones offer tandem progression jumps as a starting point for people who aren’t quite ready for the AFF program, yet. If your goal is to get your skydiving license, one tandem jump is usually enough to get a feel for it before starting AFF training. Just keep in mind that everyone learns at a different pace, and each drop zone has its own rules and training methods. 

If you have questions about which training method is right for

you, we recommend reaching out to

Airborne Petawawa or another

USPA drop zone near you. 

MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND SAFETY

 

We know a lot of people wonder if skydiving could cause a miscarriage — that’s a common question online, so we wanted to address it. Bottom line: if you’re pregnant, you should not skydive.

 

A lot of people have jumped with conditions like asthma, breast implants, diabetes, or even during their period, but everyone’s situation is different. We can only share what’s been done before, we’re just skydivers sharing experiences, not medical advice. If you have any concerns about your own health or situation, check with your doctor first.

Skydiving is a physical activity. For the most part, if you’re generally active and meet the age and weight requirements, you can go for a tandem skydive. Keep in mind that during a tandem jump, you’ll need to board a small plane and lift your knees to your chest at certain times, like getting into position in the door to jump out and during landing. Again, if you have any health or physical concerns, it’s a good idea to check with your doctors to see if skydiving is right for you.

INCLUSIVE SKYDIVING FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS

 

Let’s keep the momentum with this amazing FREEDOM Harness. This isn’t your typical tandem setup—less than a handful of drop zones in the world even have this harness, and even fewer are willing to take a person with limited leg mobility.

The FREEDOM Harness gives instructors full control over leg positioning in freefall and helps safely lift your legs for landing, ensuring a smooth, controlled touchdown.

 

We’re committed to making skydiving accessible to everyone. If you have questions about your specific situation, give Airborne Petawawa a call, and we’ll see how we can accommodate your flight.

 

| “Less than a handful of drop zones in the world even have this harness.”

PRE-JUMP TRAINING

 

Most drop zones provide a 20 to 30-minute training session prior to your tandem skydive. For being brief, it is a very comprehensive tutorial where an instructor visually walks you through the entire skydive on the ground. During this time, you will likely get fitted in your tandem harness. The instructor giving the briefing isn’t always your tandem instructor, but you can ask them questions. If you’re jumping at a USPA drop zone, you can feel confident knowing tandem instructors go through extensive training. They hold a Tandem Instructor (TI) rating, pass a yearly Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical exam, and typically have anywhere from 500 to 30,000 skydives under their belt.

 

VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

 

If the weather is safe for flying the plane and a parachute, you’ll likely be meeting your personal tandem instructor very soon. If you purchased a video package, your instructor will usually film a quick pre-jump interview and capture some footage of you inside the plane as well.

 

This is also a great time to grab the people you came with and snap a few photos together. Once things start moving and the adrenaline kicks in, it’s easy to forget simple things like taking pictures—totally normal. Try to get a couple group photos in your harnesses before and after the jump. These often end up being some of the best memories, and it’s pretty cool to compare how you looked before the jump versus after.

Airborne Petawawa offers four media packages you can add to your tandem skydive, and they can all be purchased on the day of your jump. If you want to see what they look like, check out our Pinterest and Instagram for real videos and photos from people who’ve jumped with us.

 

Like many drop zones, we offer Tandem Skydive Media Packages:

• Selfie camera package – your tandem instructor films the experience using a wrist-mounted camera.
• Outside video & photography package – a dedicated videographer jumps with you and captures a cinematic angle of your entire skydive from their helmet camera.
• Combination package – includes both the selfie angle and the outside videographer footage for the full experience.

 

Introducing the Ultimate GoPro 360 Skydiving Experience Package!

Capture every moment in stunning 360 degree video. Airborne Petawawa in Ontario, Canada is now offering one of the only tandem skydiving 360 videography packages in the world! Fly through the air, film every angle of your jump, from aircraft exit, freefall, to parachute flight, in stunning aerial photography and golden hour skies. Perfect for adventure seekers, extreme sports fans, and photography lovers, this bucket list summer activity lets you relive and share your skydive on phones, VR headsets, or computers. Customizable POV video, scenic Ottawa River views, and premium equipment make this an unforgettable outdoor adventure.

GEAR UP FOR TAKEOFF

 

Your tandem instructor will make sure your harness and goggles are properly on. Every tandem student has to wear goggles—freefalling at around 120 mph makes it basically impossible to keep your eyes open without them. The goggles are snug on purpose. They might feel tight at first, but that’s what keeps them secure in the wind. If you wear contacts or prescription glasses, no worries—lots of people do it every day. There are even over-the-glasses goggles made specifically for skydiving, so you’ll be covered no matter what.

 

You’ll walk to the plane with your tandem instructor while still unconnected. Once on board, you’ll buckle up, and your instructor will connect the parachute system to your harness. If it’s your first tandem jump, the inside of the plane might surprise you—it could have floor seats, benches, or something in between, depending on the aircraft. Either way, everyone on board wears a seatbelt.

 

| “Everyone on board wears a seatbelt.”

 

 

THE EXIT AND FREEFALL

Once you reach the right skydiving height, the pilot will give the thumbs-up. Then you and

your instructor will jump from the plane and freefall together for about 20 to 60 seconds, usually from 8,000 to 13,000 feet.

After that, you’ll descend under a single large parachute with dual controls.

 

At Airborne Petawawa, the freefall lasts around 55-60 seconds from 12,500 feet above the Ottawa River, the views are absolutely stunning.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PARACHUTE OPENS?

 

The incredible sky views in freefall don’t last forever! Once the freefall portion of your tandem skydive is complete, your instructor will deploy the large tandem parachute, usually between 5,000 and 6,000 feet. This specific type of parachute is called a ram-air parachute. It is made from durable nylon and built by professional parachute manufacturers specifically for tandem skydiving. You’ve probably noticed in videos and photos online that tandem parachutes are much larger than the parachutes used by licensed, solo skydivers. And you’re right, they’re huge, usually anywhere from 270 to 395 square feet. To put that into perspective, that’s bigger than a standard single-car garage (about 240 sq ft) and about the same size as the average tiny home (around 400 sq ft). 

 

Even though it might feel unfamiliar to be floating under a parachute for the first time, that doesn’t mean it’s unsafe. It’s just something new. The feeling is actually pretty gentle — kind of like being on a swing in the air. Parachutes are literally designed to fly. They want to open and do exactly what they’re built to do. Your instructor will throw a small pilot chute, which starts the opening sequence. The parachute lines come out of the pack your instructor is wearing, and the air begins to inflate the canopy. In about 10 seconds, the parachute is fully open above your head. It’s a truly remarkable piece of equipment.

It takes about 1 minute per 1,000 feet to reach the ground, so you’re looking at roughly 5 – 6 minutes of flying back to the landing zone where your freefall adventure began.