FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- How fast do
I fall?
- Are the
landings hard?
- What
type of clothing should I wear?
- Is
there a weight limit?
- Are
there any age limitations?
- Can
I breath in freefall?
- What
does it feels like?
- How long do
I fall?
- What
height will we jump from?
- When
I jump, will my stomach end up in my throat (like a roller coaster)?
- How
experienced are the instructors?
- How
long will my jump take?
- What
if my parachute doesn't open?
- Can
you talk in freefall?
- What
if I wear glasses or contact lenses?
1. How fast do
I fall?
Freefall averages 120 miles per hour or 200ft
per second.
2. Are the
landings hard?
Normally there is less impact than jumping off a
chair, but there is no guarantee.
3.
What type of clothing should I wear?
Dress in casual seasonably comfortable clothing
like pants or shorts and t-shirt. We provide you with a jumpsuit to wear in
freefall. Sports shoes are recommended.
4. Is
there a weight limit?
Yes, we can safely take someone up to 230 pounds
for tandems and 225 pounds for static line.
5.
Are there any age limitations?
You must be 18 years old for Tandem jumps, and
16 years old for static line jumps (with notarized authorization of the parent).
There is no upper age limit as long as you are healthy.
6. Can I
breath in freefall?
Yes, there is lots of air around you.
7. What
does it feels like?
There are no words that can describe the unique
sensations you will feel, but we assured to you that you will have the Ride of
your life.
8. How long do
I fall?
For Tandems jumps you will freefall almost 35 seconds,
and will be almost 6 minutes under canopy.
Static Line jumps has no freefall and the canopy opens almost 7 seconds after
leaving the airplane. The ride under canopy last 4 to 6 minutes.
9.
What height will we jump from?
You wll jump from at least 10,000 feet for Tandem
jumps and 3,500 feet for Static Line jumps, weather permitting.
10.
When I jump, will my stomach end up in my throat (like a roller coaster)?
Not at all, this is totally diferent. There is
no "sudden drop" feeling associated with freefall. The relative wind
created by the speed of the aircraft creates a flow of air that supports your
body as you accelerate to terminal velocity. You will not feel yourself
accelerate, and you will not have anything relative to you (such as a cliff) to
give you a sense of speed. These are the elements that cause the "sudden
drop" feeling. You will feel like you are flying.
11.
How experienced are the instructors?
All of our instructors have more than 15 years
in the sport and are certified by the United State Parachute Association (USPA).
12.
How long will my jump take?
For the Tandem jumps the briefing is about 20
minutes (remember your are going with the instructor), but you should plan about
half the day or about four hours with us. It may not take that long for your
jump, but it's better to be prepared. And do not make any time constraint plans
for the evening; because this just causes frustration if we have delays. Keep in
mind that in this sport safety is our priority -- not time!For
Static Line jumps the briefing is about 3 to 4 hours on Saturdays. You will jump
on Sunday and you should plan about half the day or about four hours with us.
13.
What if my parachute doesn't open?
This he is one of greatest myths within the
people. The equipments that we used are designed to open, not to don't open. But
because a remote possibility that some problem may occur with the main parachute
is always present, our equipments have an auxiliary parachute that is of the
same size that the main parachute, in which case the instructor would be in
charge of activate it, and you in the Static Line jump. Our equipments also have
computerized automatic activation device openers for the auxiliary parachute, in
the extreme case that nobody activate one of the 2 parachutes.
Note: Student MAIN (first) parachutes are
packed after each jump by an FAA Rigger. An FAA Certified Rigger has received
certification from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to inspect, pack,
and repair parachute equipment. RESERVE parachutes are only packed BY FAA
CERTIFIED RIGGERS. They are also inspected and re-packed every 120 days, whether
they are used or not. This is in accordance with FAA Law. Panama Skydiving
Center has a full time FAA Certified Rigger on staff.
14. Can
you talk in freefall?
No, but you can talk with the instructor once
the canopy is open.
15.
What if I wear glasses or contact lenses?
No problem, we have goggles for freefall
designed to put on top of your lenses.
