Our DZ offers the First Jump Courses (FJC) at least once each weekend and throughout the week. The FJC consists of a days ground school followed by your jump - weather permitting. There are several different types of training you can take: Static Line, Accelerated Freefall, or Tandem . They are described below in greater detail. Keep an eye out on the Events page for the next available RAPS course, or come see us at the Rising Sun on Gloucester Road on a Thursday night and sign up for a course.

All UK Dropzones will require you to be 16 years of age to make a skydive. So, if you are under 16, you will just have to wait; take up some odd jobs, and start saving your money. On the other side, there is no maximum age. See the following question to determine if skydiving is appropriate for you.

In general, the prospective student should be in reasonably good physical shape - this is a sport after all. You will be required to wear around 35 lbs of equipment, endure opening shock, maneuver the canopy, land, and possibly trudge great distances on foot. You will experience 30 degree swings in temperature, atmospheric pressure changes, 4 hours of lecture, and lots of beer. It's grueling! But seriously, problems may arise where a prospect is too heavy (you need to be under 15.5 stone) or if they have medical conditions which may impair them during the activity. Someone who experiences fainting spells, blackouts, or has a weak heart should not be jumping. Someone with respiratory illness may have a problem due to atmospheric changes at altitude. The better your physical condition, the more you will enjoy the experience. This being said, very few people have medical or physical conditions which actually preclude jumping. If you are unsure always, ask your doctor.

Most dropzones that provide regular student training are "BPA Affiliated". The British Parachute Association (BPA) is the representative body for sport parachuting within the UK, and a member of the FAI (the international equivalent). The BPA defends the sport's interests before the FAA and other regulating/lawmaking bodies at all levels of government.

By law (FAA regulations), all intentional parachute jumps must be made with a single harness, dual parachute system with both a main canopy AND a reserve canopy. In other words, you have a second (or spare) canopy in case the first one fails to open properly. As a student you are also required to have an "Automatic Activation Device" (AAD) - this opens your reserve for you and is an extremely good bit of kit.
However, it must be noted that the technology utilized in today's sport parachuting equipment is light years ahead of the old military surplus gear used in the '60s and '70s. The canopies are drastically different from the classic G.I. Joe round parachutes. The materials are stronger, lighter and last longer, the packing procedures are simpler, the deployment sequence is much more refined, etc. The reserve canopies are even more carefully designed and packed. The reserve parachute must be inspected and repacked every 180 days by an BPA rated parachute Rigger - even if it has not been used during that time. The student's main canopy is always packed either by a rigger or under a rigger's direct supervision by experienced packers. There are also additional safety features employed to ensure canopy deployment such as Automatic Activation Devices (AAD) and Reserve Static Lines (RSL) which add still more layers of safety.

The chances of this are extremely slim. But as with everything, there is always a risk that the worse could happen. You have to decide whether the risks are worth it. Every skydiver will tell you that the risk of both parachutes not working is far outweighed by the experience and fun of jumping. If this risk is unacceptable, you shouldn't skydive - it's as simple as that.

When you leave the aircraft, you are moving horizontally at the same speed as the aircraft, typically 90-110MPH. During the first 10 seconds, a skydiver accelerates up to about 115-130MPH straight down. (A tandem pair uses a drogue chute to keep them from falling much faster than this). It is possible to change your body position to vary your rate of fall. In a standard face-to-earth position, you can change your fall rate up or down a few (10-20) miles per hour. However, by diving or "standing up" in freefall, any experienced skydiver can learn to reach speeds of over 160-180MPH. Speeds of over 200MPH require significant practice to achieve.

The canopies used today bear little resemblance to the classic round canopies of years gone by. Today, nearly all jumpers and jump schools use "square" canopies for parachuting. These canopies are actually rectangular in shape, and when open, act like an airplane wing (or an airfoil). They are more like gliders than umbrellas. The aerodynamics of the square canopy provide it with exceptional maneuverability, allowing the jumpers to land almost anywhere they wish. This wing shape also provides tip-toe soft landings for even the novice jumper. The days of landing like a sack of flour are history. Most students land standing up on their first jump.

Prices vary from DZ to DZ. Once you're qualified and licensed as over 30 of our members are, it only costs as little as £8 per jump! Our course which is the first step to getting qualified costs ~ £150 (typically these S/L courses run from £160-£210!) AFF from £1250-£1500 (in the UK), and the tandem from £185-£200. Some DZ's can provide a freefall video man to tape your skydive for an additional £50-75. These prices include the ground school and the first jump. Prices are always subject to change and so check with a member of the club committee to make sure you have the up to date charges.

In a nutshell, you can't - unless you're already a very experienced skydiver.
"Sky surfing" or "Sky boarding" refers to skydive with a small board, similar to a snow board, attached to your feet. This allows for some radical maneuvers in freefall. However, such jumps should only be attempted by expert skydivers, and preferably after long discussion with one of the many sky surfers who have experience. Some board manufacturers and experienced sky surfers offer instructional classes or videotapes.
BASE jumping involves jumping off of fixed objects (like Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridges), or Earth (cliffs)), and landing under a parachute. While being an expert skydiver isn't an absolute requirement, you need a great deal of experience in parachute packing, canopy control, quick reflexes, and body position awareness before this can be attempted with any real safety. Start with skydiving, and then go from there. Furthermore, there are very few places where one may BASE jump legally, as most locations are private property.

*Please note that as good as the above information is, SkydiveUWE can take no responsibility for action taken basd on the advice on this website*

*Any questions about your own personal skydiving and/or progression should be directed at your instructor in the first instance*