Everything You Need to Know About Jumping Out of a Plane

Jumping out of a plane for the first time comes with quite a bit of unknown. Skydiving is a completely new experience unlike anything else in life and if you’re even thinking about jumping, you probably have many questions. How do you get ready to fly through the sky? What does parachuting out of a plane feel like? Are there rituals involved with willingly jumping out mid-flight? How much does it cost to jump out of a plane?

Read on for answers to all of these questions and more!

Preparation is Key

How do you prepare for something unlike anything you’ve ever done before? Good news – you can turn to the advice of the people who came before to help you prepare for your jump. Here’s a list of what you want to focus on to ensure you have the best jump day possible:

• Get enough sleep – It can be hard to sleep when you’re nervous or excited, and you might feel like a kid at Christmas the night before your jump. But do your best to get that full eight hours so you’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on your big day! And save the partying for after you land. Hangovers and skydiving don’t mix.
  
• Eat a balanced breakfast – Properly fueling up before your jump is a huge part of setting yourself up for success. Nutrients help our brains function, regulate our blood sugar, and support muscle strength. You can even bring snacks to the dropzone to graze on throughout the day as you wait for your turn to jump. 
  
• Stay hydrated – The last thing that’s going to be on your mind the day of your jump is drinking water. But keeping your body hydrated will help you process the stress of skydiving and keep you feeling great during your jump.
  
• Dress the part – Plan an outfit similar to what you’d wear to the gym or yoga. Comfy, athletic clothing that’s easy to move around in is perfect for skydiving. And lace-up sneakers are the go-to for footwear. You don’t want anything that slips on or has open toes or hooks. 

What Happens After Jumping Out of a Plane

Jumping out of airplanes is all about the freefall. And once you experience it, you’ll understand why. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of falling through the air at 120 mph, completely focused on the moment. 

The sound of the wind rushing in your ears will drown out any distractions inside and outside your mind, and the views will take your breath away (metaphorically, of course). You won’t actually feel like you’re falling at all. The science behind terminal velocity means that once you stop accelerating, freefall actually feels more like windy floating. 

All of your worries blow away the second you step out of the airplane door and a calm presence washes over you. The only thing you have to do is bask in the moment. The adrenaline rush that comes with the jump helps with this – the world around you will slow down and your body will feel super-charged. 

And these superhuman abilities don’t end when you land. You’ll move through life with a newfound confidence that will motivate you to live life to the fullest. Suddenly, all your other stresses will feel like small potatoes. After all, you jumped out of an airplane! 

Skydiving Customs

Skydiving is more than just jumping out of airplanes for the thrill of it. Ask any skydiver and they’ll tell you that, while the jump is the main event, the culture of skydiving is really what keeps them coming back again and again.

The people who make up the dropzone – the staff, pilots, instructors, experienced jumpers, and students – are like a family bound together by a shared love for this unique sport. And with that connection comes certain customs, some exclusive to each dropzone and some consistent across the world of skydiving.

• What do people say when jumping out of a plane? Before exit, licensed skydivers all over the world will bump fists and slap hands in a customary handshake that means, “Stay safe, have a great jump!” After that, it’s up to the jumper … but we recommend a good old fashioned scream.
• Where do skydivers hang out? Most dropzones partake in the social custom of hanging out around a bonfire at the end of the jump day. This is a great way to bond and swap stories new and old! At Skydive New England, we have an epic 20-foot bonfire pit!
• How many times do you have to jump out of a plane before going solo? You can go tandem as many times as you want, but you can go solo after making just one tandem if you want to work toward your skydiving license. The Accelerated Freefall program, aka AFF, requires that you complete at least 25 skydives to obtain your USPA (United States Parachute Association) A license, but your skydiving path is up to you. Many people only jump one time and hold onto that for the rest of their lives. Others jump thousands of times!
• What is jumping out of a plane called? Skydivers call skydiving many things besides the obvious, including: taking an air bath, an altitude adjustment, sending it, blue sky flu, the list goes on and on …

How Much Does it Cost to Jump Out of a Plane?

A lot goes into making a skydive happen, and the costs associated help cover the manpower and equipment involved. The staff, the instructors, and the pilots all need to get paid, and the skydiving gear, the airplanes, and the facilities need to be meticulously maintained. 

So let’s talk about that one final detail – how much is it to jump out of a plane? At Skydive New England, prices vary depending on when you jump, the altitude you choose, and if there are discounts you can apply to your skydive:

There are other great ways to snag a discount on your jump, including jumping on your birthday, making a second tandem, or jumping with a group of 10 or more people!

And don’t forget to document the experience with a media package. Yes, it’s an additional $115+, but it is so, so worth it.

Now that you know everything there is to know about skydiving, it’s time to try it for yourself! Come jump out of a perfectly good airplane with us! Blue skies.