Some details on skydiving?

Can anyone give me details about getting involved in skydiving/wingsuit flying?

• I'm in my last year of sixth form now and I'm going on a gap year and something I've longed to do for a while is get into skydiving. I would like to, if possible, get into becoming an instructor of some sort in the field. Furthermore i would also really love to get into wingsuit flying, is this something that is just a logical progression from skydiving as that is what it seems? Are there any seasoned flyers/divers out there that can give me any information as to how they became involved and progressed and how they have found the sport? Im from Hertfordshire, England as well if anyone can give any information on activities around the area, I'm willing to travel though. Any replies would be much appreciated. Cheers guys!!

• Answer:

  Hi, im not exactly a seasoned skydiver, but I am licenced and do know how to get started in it. Pretty much to get involved you need to do some of your own research and look up some skydive joints in your area...if you know anyone personally who has even just done one jump ask them where they went. Now keep in mind everywhere is different so what I am about to tell you may not hold true to you. But when I got started the first step I had to take was do two tandem skydives, after that I had to attend a 4 hour ground school course where they teach you the basics of skydiving, proper position in belly down free fall, malfunction drills, proper exits, how to read an altimeter, etc then they gave me a test to take after the class and I had to score a 100 percent on it to pass. That was actually simple enough. Afterwords I had to do three jumps with two instructors by my side, they had me preform simple steps in the free fall like practice touches with the pull ball, and altitude awareness practice, then three more jumps with only one instructor with me, there I did more advanced things, like unstable exits, a front flip and back flip, 90 degree turns, 180 degree turns, 360s. The seventh jump I jumped all alone except an instructor that kept about 100 ft away from me to be sure I did ok. After that jump I got licenced to jump solo, from there on its all about getting your next license, they should give you a form for that as well when you get licenced. Now for wingsuit diving, I actually want to do that as well. Once again everywhere is different, but for me in order to legally and safely fly a wingsuit they require AT LEAST 500 regular skydives before you can use a wingsuit. Anyway hope I helped out a bit, good luck, blue skies!