Skydiving Questions & Answers
All Of Your Skydiving Questions Answered!
Reviewing our overview of common skydiving questions and their answers may help you prepare for your big jump with DZONE® Skydiving!
In what follows, we cover all of the skydiving information you will need to know before booking your adventure, as well as everything you’ll need to keep in mind for the day that you go to altitude.
Skydiving participants need to be at least 18 years old on the day of the jump. The individual needs to be legally liable for themselves when signing the liability waiver, per the Federal Aviation Administration.
No skydiving provider can take on passengers who are under the age of 18. If a provider claims to be able to do so, they are breaking the law. If this provider is willing to break one rule, ask yourself if that’s the only rule being broken!
Kids and skydiving don’t mix well—but we know that for some would-be jumpers, “no” just isn’t going to cut it! If one of your children would like to learn the ropes or get a small taste of what skydiving feels like, look for an indoor skydiving provider who is willing to work with children.
At the same time, let your kids know that you’ll be happy to help them experience the real deal as soon as they’re old enough to consent to the risks. After all, skydiving with the kids can be an amazing way to get everyone off of their phones—and at the end of the day, you’ll all share an experience that you’ll remember for the rest of your lives!
Can kids watch you go skydiving if they don’t plan on jumping? Absolutely—you’re welcome to bring any friends and family to watch you experience your thrill of a lifetime! Just remember, there are risks at a skydiving facility, so anyone under 18 needs to be supervised by their legal guardian or parent.
What is tandem skydiving? It means two people are attached to each other when they jump from the plane. How safe is tandem skydiving? Very! In fact, it’s the safest way to skydive, especially for beginners. That’s why DZONE® exclusively offers tandem skydiving.
You’ll only need a small amount of training in order to execute your first tandem jump, but showing up and suiting up are the last steps in a process that should start well before you book your trip. Our ten-step guide covers everything you need to know about how to prepare for skydiving—before, on the day of, and immediately prior to your jump. Once you’ve mastered skydiving preparation with DZONE®, you’ll be ready for the experience of a lifetime.
Your region and climate matter a great deal when determining your local skydiving season. A skydiving company in a warm and mild climate might schedule jumps every month of the year. If you live in a region with four different seasons, most companies will close up shop for the cold months, which are typically late fall to spring.
Skydiving appointments are made throughout the day, and different people have different preferences. So, why do experts recommend booking your appointment in the morning?
Weather: Mornings have the most stable weather conditions, as well as the most stable wind conditions. This will lead to a better experience— especially for first-timers!
Timing: Tandem skydiving is not allowed at night, so it’s important to time out your jump correctly. With all of the prep work and flight time, pushing your appointment to the end of the day can get you too close to the cutoff. Morning gives you plenty of time to get going.
Skydiving instructors are typically independent contractors who can work, within limitations, wherever and whenever they like! You can move between our dropzones in places like Boise and Bozeman —or travel all over the world in pursuit of year-round adventure.
As an independent contractor, you’ll provide services (skydiving instruction and videography, for example) in exchange for payment. To protect yourself and exercise control over the taxes you owe, we recommend that all instructors create an LLC (limited liability company) or S-Corporation.
Our prices vary by location, as follows:
We require a non-refundable $80 deposit. This cost goes toward the jump, and the remaining costs are due on the day of your dive.
We do offer gift certificates that are good for up to 5 years, and gift certificates can be applied to either jump fees or media purchases. Certificates are available in $100 increments.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, but do not accept checks. We do not have ATMs at any of our locations, but you can still purchase photos or videos of your jump.
Are Any Skydiving Discounts Available?
We offer two kinds of skydiving discounts:
- Freedom Fridays: Active/retired military, law enforcement, and firefighters get $40 off their jump on FRIDAYS only. They also get 10% off media on any day they jump.
- Group Discounts: Groups 6 or more get $10 off, and Groups 10 or more $15 off.
What Other Fees Apply to Your Jump?
Due to the additional strain that excess weight can cause to our gear and our instructors, we do charge a fee for skydivers above 200lbs. Approximately $2 per pound above 200lbs and there are weight limits when skydiving.
How Much Do Skydiving Pictures and Videos Cost?
It costs $98 (plus tax in ID) for skydiving pictures. It costs $138 (plus tax in ID) for both photos and skydiving video. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll receive with your purchase:
- Your video purchase includes the following footage: ground interview, walking out to the plane, taking off, interview halfway up, freefall, parachute ride, landing, end, and post-jump interview.
- Your photo purchase includes 150–200 images which cover; ground, walking to the plane, in the plane, freefall, under canopy, and a few after the jump. The image size is 11 megapixels.
The Big Day: What to Wear, What to Bring & Drop Zones
Where Are Our Skydiving Drop Zones?
DZONE offers skydiving at two locations in Idaho and Montana:
- Boise – 24005 N Can Ada Rd. Star, ID
- Bozeman – 1680 Airport Rd. Hangar 20 Three Forks, MT
All locations offer tandem jumping and jump school to obtain your license, and they also allow fun jumpers.
What Days Can You Skydive?
All of our locations offer skydiving on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
What Should You Wear/Bring On the Day of Your Jump?
- All skydivers need to bring a driver’s license or a government ID to prove age and to jump. Passports are acceptable.
- All skydivers must wear comfortable clothing and closed toed shoes—preferably tennis shoes. We ask that jumpers leave their jewelry either in their vehicle or at home as it can be a snag hazard. We also warn jumpers about possible wardrobe malfunctions with tank top/spaghetti strap shirts. Boots are not allowed, since they may slip off during flight. We do not require skydivers to wear jumpsuits.
More Common Skydiving Questions
Is Skydiving Safe?
Inherently, anytime a person jumps out of an airplane, it’s dangerous. There’s always going to be a level of risk involved when you go skydiving. However, you can mitigate that risk when you choose a USPA-certified skydiving center like DZONE®. We take every precaution to give the safest possible skydiving experience. The skydiving community as a whole, especially through organizations like USPA, works to lessen the risk involved in skydiving. Huge improvements in parachute safety technology have helped make skydiving less dangerous. At DZONE®, you’ll find new and well-maintained equipment on every jump. No compromises are made when it comes to keeping you safe.
Skydiving Rules and Regulations
DZONE® abides by all federally mandated skydiving rules and regulations; moreover, we adhere to strict skydiving requirements that allow us to ensure safer, more rewarding experiences. If you’re planning a trip to one of our drop zones in Bozeman or Boise, then you’ll definitely want to be aware of these requirements for skydiving at DZONE®.
Skydiving Competitions
Skydiving isn’t just a fun thing to do. It’s an extreme sport—and as with any extreme sport, those who’ve been in the game for a while need a chance to test their skills and prove themselves in competition. DZONE® has the information you’ll need to enter the ring with confidence.
Can You Bring Your Own GoPro?
This is a no. Wearing a GoPro is a safety hazard and only our instructors can wear one. Even licensed divers need to have a certain amount of jumps to use one.
How Long is the Freefall?
The jump can last anywhere from 30 secs to 1 min., with about 5 – 9 mins of canopy time.
How Long Does Skydiving Take?
The whole process takes anywhere between 90 mins to 6 hrs, depending on group size, time of day, and any unforeseen occurrences or weather conditions. Customers will fill out a waiver, get checked into manifest, and when their name is called, the instructor will get them harnessed up. They will take a 17 – 23 min plane ride to reach the jumping altitude.
How Many People Can Fit In The Plane?
4 jumpers are allowed in the plane at the same time. This can mean either 2 tandem jumps or 4 fun jumpers. A pilot will also be present.
Can Someone Ride In The Plane To Watch?
No. All those who go up in the plane must sign the waiver and be ready to jump.
Can You Skydive After A Knee Replacement?
Can you skydive after a knee replacement? Yes! As long as you’re within the height and weight limits and follow our landing guidelines, skydiving after a knee replacement is generally completely safe.
What Type Of Aircraft Do We Use?
Our planes are Super Cessna 182s. They are upgraded with 550 cubic inches, 310 horsepower, wing extensions, and other skydiving mods to provide the best experience in the industry.
Why Is Our Pricing Higher Than Competitors?
We believe in giving you what you pay for. Unlike other providers, we have green grass landings, private airports to avoid other flying aircrafts, and beautiful scenery to experience at every location.
How Many Flights Can We Do Per Hour?
We can do 3 flights per hour. After every 3 loads, we will need to take time to refuel.
Can You Skydive In The Rain?
Unfortunately (or fortunately, as it might turn out), you can’t skydive in the rain. This is partly because of FAA restrictions—but it’s also because we care about your experience as a skydiver.
What Is Our Cancellation Policy?
Skydivers can reschedule with 48 hours notice. If needed, they can transfer their jump/deposit to someone else. We do not offer refunds on deposits. If you decide not to jump after going to altitude, you will forfeit your full payment.
How To Become A Skydiving Instructor?
The process of learning how to become a skydiving instructor starts with your very first jump, and if you want to go further, you’ll need to complete the USPA Integrated Student Program with the instructors at our Jump School!
What Does Skydiving Feel Like?
You know that skydiving looks like fun—maybe you’ve even watched a few videos already—but what does skydiving feel like? It’s difficult to capture the feeling in writing, but since the actual dive differs so sharply from most people’s expectations, all we can say is that it’s nothing like you think and so much more than you can imagine!
How Fast Do You Fall When Skydiving?
Your skydiving speed will vary, depending on body position, weight, and air resistance. That’s where your old physics class comes in handy. We won’t bust out the equations, but a tandem skydiving team at their highest speed during freefall (the time before deploying the parachute) will be traveling around 120 miles per hour. This speed is called “terminal velocity.”
Should You Eat Before Skydiving?
Many people decide to skydive with the assumption that it’s better to avoid food in the hours leading up to the jump, but this isn’t actually true. In fact, jumping malnourished is likely to cause nausea. Food also helps you to stay alert, so each stage of the jump can go off without a hitch.
Can You Breath While Skydiving?
As you go up in altitude, the amount of oxygen in the air thins out. Although it’s possible to jump from heights that require oxygen assistance, it’s far from common. Here at DZONE®, we jump from heights between 12,500 and 14,000 feet, where there is plenty of oxygen left in the air.
And in fact, the highest skydives without oxygen take place at jump heights of roughly 15,000 feet. We want your skydiving experience to be as exciting as it can be—and if we took you any higher than we actually do, we’d need to train you on how to use an oxygen mask. As it stands, you can use proper breathing techniques to manage your oxygen intake all the way down.
What Kind Of Tandem Equipment Do We Use?
We use Sigma tandem systems and TX2 tandem canopies.
Book Your Unforgettable Skydiving Experience Today!
Whether you live in Boise, ID or you’re visiting from far away, we’d love to help you book a skydiving adventure that you’ll never forget! You’ve got all the information about skydiving that you need to know, so contact us today to learn more or place your deposit. You can also explore our blog for more details on what to expect!