Is Skydiving Scary?
If you’re going to jump out of a moving plane at a height of 8,000 to 14,000 feet, it’s completely normal to feel a little bit on edge. In fact, your instructor might be concerned if you weren’t! After all, even with thousands of jumps under their belt, all instructors remember their first time and the nerves they had to overcome. Is skydiving scary? The answer depends in part on your experience level and your unique disposition, but many people feel apprehensive or nervous before they make the leap.
However, once you actually exit the plane, you may notice that skydiving doesn’t even really feel like falling! You’ll feel as though you’re floating on air—and we think you’ll find that the adrenaline rush quickly outweighs the fear that you may have experienced at the start.
Plus, all first jumps that take place at DZONE® locations are tandem jumps! You’ll be paired with a trained instructor who wants to go home to Bozeman, MT or Boise, ID unscathed, just like you. Even though skydiving can never be completely, 100% safe, you can trust that we’ll do everything in our power to mitigate the risks. At the end of the day, skydiving deaths and injuries are fairly rare—and we’ll never pressure you into jumping if you decide you’re too scared to leave the plane. That said, since our instructors are taking their time, we won’t be able to offer a refund at this point. (there is no refund though at this point).
What is the Scariest Part of Skydiving?
Most skydiving injuries occur during the landing—and so we recommend that all jumpers protect their knees and ankles by returning to earth with a tried-and-tested butt slide or the “PLF” Parachute Landing Fall if your instructor deems it necessary.
In the air, you’ll have 30 to 60 seconds of freefall, followed by five to nine minutes of canopy time. This is where the fun really begins—but if you feel scared at any point, remember to maintain your position. Don’t grab onto your instructor, or any of their gear—just focus on the experience!
If you like the feeling of being on a roller coaster, then your instructor can initiate a few parachute maneuvers that will give you the same kind of rush. But if the thought of extreme G-force is frightening to you, rest assured that your canopy time can be made more gentle and relaxing.
If you’ve talked to anyone who has made the leap before, then you probably already know that the anticipation during the plane ride up to altitude can be the scariest part of skydiving by far. You may have up to a half hour to think about what you’re about to do, and if you start to get scared, just know that you’re not alone. Getting ready to exit the plane is scary, too, but since you’ll jump with an instructor, you won’t have to be alone with your thoughts anymore.
Try Tandem Skydiving with DZONE®
For some skydivers, there’s a feeling of “no turning back” as soon as the plane gets into the air—but this isn’t actually the case. We will never pressure you into making a jump that you don’t want to make, even if the plane is at altitude and you’re completely strapped into your parachute. If nerves get the better of you this time, just know that there’s no shame in trying again!
If you think that you can handle the fear and anticipation, then book an adventure at one of our skydiving locations near Bozeman, MT or Boise, ID today! While you’re here, you can even check out our skydiving blog to get a better idea of what to expect.
Book Your Skydiving Experience at DZONE®
Reading about how to skydive is one thing—experiencing the jump is another! If you’re ready to get first-hand experience with skydiving equipment and best practices, don’t wait to book your appointment! While you’re here, you can get an even better sense of how skydiving works by watching videos of experienced jumpers who were once just like you!