Five Questions Every First Time Jumper Should Be Asking

If you're thinking about skydiving for the first time, we'll bet there are a lot of thoughts going through your head! What will it feel like? How long will it last? Is it addictive?

Your first jump is so exciting. From the run up to the jump itself right through the whole experience and even as you look back on it weeks later, it's something that will excite and thrill you. But before we get down to it (get 'down', get it?), here are five questions every first time jumper should ask.

How does skydiving feel?

One of the first questions first timers always ask is "how does it feel?". And it's a fair question! Skydiving is unlike anything you've tried before.

If you've never jumped before, the idea of doing so is very exciting. It might also be a little daunting, right? Jumping from a perfectly good airplane, going all the way up in the sky... especially if you're worried about heights or maybe you've never been flying before, it's worth giving some thought to how the whole thing's going to feel.

So, what can you expect?

It's pure exhilaration. It's the ultimate freedom. It's exciting. It's adrenaline fuelled. It's complete disconnection from all of your worries and a total focus on the here and now. It's empowering.

There are people who suggest that you can't breathe in freefall. That's not true; it's very easy to breathe. Then there are those who say it's very loud. It is true that the wind rushing by you is noisy, but it's part of the experience, it's background sound that only makes the experience all the more real.

The parachute ride, on the other hand, is incredibly peaceful. You'll have the chance to look around and take in the sights. You might even have a go at steering the parachute for yourself, which is a lot of fun!

What happens on the day of my jump?

Your day will begin with registration at the desk, where one of our friendly staff will help you with your paperwork and ensure everything is in order. You'll then be added to the list of people jumping that day, so depending on when you arrive and the weather conditions, there may be a wait before your time to jump.

During that wait, you'll receive a full brief from one of our highly experienced instructors to teach you about the body position you'll need to adopt for your jump and the importance of lifting your legs for landing.

Once your time comes, we'll get you ready with your harness and, if you'd like one, a jumpsuit. You'll be guided to the airplane by your instructor, before boarding and heading to altitude, which takes around 15 minutes. Once at our exit point, the door opens and then... freefall! Possibly the most amazing thing you'll ever experience.

After you land, you're welcome to stick around and watch as the other parachutes come in to land, and to enjoy our facilities.

How long can I expect to be at the skydiving center?

We generally suggest you set aside a day for your skydive.

That's not to say it will definitely take a day. The skydive itself is around 20 minutes in total. But you'll also need time to register, for your briefing and to wait your turn for your jump.

The weather can also influence how long you spend with us. We need clear blue skies and not too much wind to be able to jump. If the weather conditions aren't good for skydiving, we'll wait until they improve. Don't worry though, we have modern facilities here that you can enjoy.

Are you a USPA member skydiving center?

The USPA is the United States Parachute Association. This is the body which provides guidance for skydiving centers across the US. The USPA provides regulations to improve safety and ensure consistency across its member centers. USPA member drop zones have USPA qualified instructors.

To answer the question, yes, Skydive Long Island is a USPA member skydiving center. This means you can rest assured that we abide by the regulations put in place. By choosing to jump at a USPA drop zone like ours, you can be assured of a level of quality that can't be guaranteed at non-USPA centers.

What do your customers say about their experience?

As with any experience like this, you'll want to be sure you're going to enjoy it. But even more so with skydiving, because it's such a rare thing to do. You want to make the most of it!

The skydiving center you choose to jump at has an effect on the experience you have. Here at Skydive Long Island, we're extremely proud of our high review score of 4.9 out of 5. You can check out our reviews here.

So what do you say? Ready to jump? Book online today, or take a look at our FAQs for more questions and answers.