Thinking about signing up for a charity skydive? Here are our top 5 facts about skydiving that you should know
Skydiving, or jumping with a parachute from a plane, is known as a sport for adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers, but there are lots of facts about skydiving that might surprise you. We’ve put together a list of top skydiving facts that might change your mind about this sport and convince you that it’s time to take the plunge.
1. Skydiving doesn’t feel like falling
Have you ever dreamed of flying? You might think that when you jump from a plane and start freefalling that you’d get a feeling of vertigo in your stomach. But, once you reach terminal velocity (a steady speed), skydiving actually feels much more like flying or floating through the air.
2. Skydiving is like meditating – sort of
Jumping out of a plane might sound a million miles from a meditative experience, but in fact, a skydive requires you to live completely in the present moment, with a single-minded focus on the now similar to that of meditation. All the stresses of daily life fall away and you are left with a clear mind, it’s one of the things that gets people hooked.
3. Skydivers fall at different speeds
Some people fall faster, some fall slower, it all depends on the weight of the person and the amount of air resistance. A tandem skydive is slightly faster than a solo skydive as there are two people together – reaching speeds of around 125mph! When you sign up to skydive for a charity you’ll always be with a qualified instructor.
4. There’s no age limit
You might be surprised to hear that a lot of skydiving world records have been set by people over 100! Irene O’Shea from Australia started skydiving for charity when she was 100 and became the world’s oldest skydiver in 2018 when she was 102!
5. Skydiving is safer than driving a car
In fact skydiving is extremely safe! There hasn’t been a single fatality in the last 20 years from tandem skydives, so it’s safe to say that you’re much more likely to suffer an injury driving to work than jumping out of a plane (with a trained instructor and parachute). A tandem skydiving experience is the safest way to try out this extreme sport.
