Tandem Skydiving FAQs

Skydive New England is located at 40 Skydive Lane, Lebanon, Maine 04027. We’re on 240 acres of untouched woodland, right in the middle of quintessential New England forest. The White Mountains are on one side of us, and the Atlantic Ocean is on the other – it’s beautiful here.

Skydive New England is open Thursday through Monday between May and October. If mud season is kind to us, we’ll even crank things up in April.

Reservations are highly recommended. We recommend scheduling your jump a couple of weeks in advance, and more like two or three weeks ahead of time for groups. Book online or call us to get your name on the manifest!

Arrive 15 minutes ahead of your reservation time. Once on site, you will attend a 30-minute training session and then prepare for your tandem skydive. Don’t add anxiety to a day naturally laced with it – get here on time!

Plan to be on-site for half a day. Sometimes we run like clockwork, other times clouds and wind need a little time to pass on through. Should the weather ground us for the day, we will reschedule your jump.

Skydiving at night is a privilege that comes with experience, training, and credentials. You cannot make a tandem skydive at night.

Yes, and we’d love to have you if we have availability! Tent camping is free and plentiful, and the campground is beautiful – it’s the kind of place you’d want to camp even if you weren’t skydiving. First-come, first served.

AFF and licensed skydivers have additional accommodation options. Both can reserve a spot in our bunkhouse and licensed jumpers can stay at our RV campground. See our licensed jumper page for details.

Yes – and having your hype crew at the dropzone will make your big day even more special. We have a fantastic spectator area, and the people watching is the finest kind.

Chill out in the shaded dining area of the Ripcord Café. Have a bite to eat while watching friends and family skydive!

Oh, yes! And the bigger your party, the better – groups of 10 or more enjoy a per-person discount. Check out our prices page for details. Don’t see enough slots for your group in our online booking system? Get in touch and we’ll see what we can do.

For safety reasons, we have to spread folks out across the sky a bit. Our Blackhawk Caravan has the capacity for 18 skydivers, so you’re likely to be on the plane with some in your group, and you can certainly feature in each other’s before and after videos!

Absolutely – and they are wicked fun! Skydiving is a team-building exercise on a whole ’nother level! Learn more about our corporate outings.

Yes, 18. Skydive New England is a proud member of the United States Parachute Association (USPA), which mandates that individuals must be at least 18 years old to skydive. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID with you; license or passport ideally. Parental consent will not suffice.

No way! If you are in good physical health, you can probably skydive. The oldest person currently on record as the oldest tandem skydiver was 103 years and 259 days old when she made her most recent jump! If you have any questions or concerns at all, talk with your doctor before you book your skydive.

One way to determine if skydiving is for you is to simulate part of the experience through the picnic table test. If you can climb on top of a picnic table and jump to the ground without needing assistance, you’re probably good to go. If the picnic table test is uncomfortable or impossible, skydiving may be too aggressive of a sport for you. (But maybe indoor skydiving is a fit – check out Skyventure NH!)

Yes, 240 lbs – including clothing and shoes. Skydiving weight restrictions are in place for safety reasons. The equipment is approved for a limited amount of weight, which includes the weight of the tandem instructor plus the tandem student.

Everyone is weighed at check in. Guests over 240 lbs at check-in will not be able to jump, must either reschedule or cancel their jump, and will forfeit their deposit.

Tandem skydivers must also be height-to-weight proportionate to ensure correct fit of the harness. Feel free to stop by the dropzone ahead of making your booking if you are concerned about your eligibility.

AFF students can be a maximum of 225 lbs; see our AFF FAQs for more information.

For your safety and that of your instructor, you must weigh no more than 240 lbs, be height-to-weight proportionate, and be in general good health.

One way to determine if skydiving is for you is to simulate part of the experience through the picnic table test. If you can climb on top of a picnic table and jump to the ground without needing assistance, you’re probably good to go. If the picnic table test is uncomfortable or impossible, skydiving may be too aggressive of a sport for you. (But maybe indoor skydiving is a fit – check out Skyventure NH!)

Contact us with questions or, if you have a specific concern, consult your doctor before booking.

Skydiving with a cold can be very painful and, in extreme cases, can lead to a burst eardrum. Don’t risk skydiving if you have a cold or are otherwise unwell – better to reschedule.

If you are pregnant, have a heart condition, chronic disease, history of fainting/blacking out, a previous neck, back or knee issue, please consult with your doctor before booking your jump.

If you think you can skydive with your disability, you probably can! Contact us before you book your jump to ensure we can accommodate your specific needs.

Skydiving is a function-over-form activity. It’s all about comfort. Wear close-fitting athletic clothing and lace-up sneakers. It’s significantly cooler at altitude, so layer up and consider bringing gloves if it’s 60 degrees or below at ground level.

No hoodies or bulky clothing that may present a hazard, and no heels, boots, or sandals. Remove your jewelry and tie back your hair so you and your instructor can see!

Bring your valid, government-issued photo ID as proof that you are at least 18 years of age. Keep hydrated and your blood sugar stable – pack water and snacks or hit up our on-site restaurant, the Ripcord Café. You can grab and go delicious eats, or have a seat and enjoy smashed burgers, chicken fingers, and an ever-changing seasonal, family-friendly menu.

Yes – and you should! But make sensible decisions. Eating too much or too little will make you feel a little green around the gills. Keep it light and healthy; no heavy, greasy foods ahead of your jump.

Non-alcoholic drinks, yes. Alcohol, no. Skydiving under the influence is illegal, and extremely unpleasant. Skydiving hungover is no bueno either.

No alcohol may be consumed by anyone on any part of the dropzone while skydiving is taking place – even if you are not jumping. Violating this rule may result in you being asked to leave the property.

Catch a buzz on after you jump. Until then, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Dogs that play well with others and are on leash are welcome. No dogs are permitted on the airfield.

Tandem skydiving prices at Skydive New England depend on a few factors – including when you jump with us, if you’ll jump with a group, or if you qualify for any of our special rates. Check out our pricing page for details.

Several! Check out our prices page for details. Jumpers who apply the military or student discount at check out must show valid, photo ID as proof of status or enrollment when checking in at the dropzone. Failure to present valid ID at check in will require the jumper to pay the discounted amount.

Note, discounts cannot be combined.

Yes, a non-refundable $75 deposit is required to hold your reservation. Book now!

A 3 day notice is required to change or cancel your reservation without losing your deposit. If you reschedule or cancel with less than 3 days notice, a $35 administrative fee will be incurred. If 3 days notice is given your deposit never expires and is transferable.

Same-day rescheduling or canceling, and reservation no-shows, will forfeit the $75 deposit. Please understand that our instructors have been scheduled to accommodate your reservation.

All payments are final; no refunds are issued. But – all deposits or payments are transferable and never expire. See our rescheduling policy above for more details.

Tips are not expected by either professional, but they sure do enjoy the extra love when it comes their way. Leaving a glowing review is a great way to show your appreciation too.

Yep – and they’re the best gift evah. Gift certificates are delivered electronically and are valid for any services at the dropzone. Check out our gift certificates page for more information.

Without question: get the video. Sounds like an upsell, but it so isn’t. Listen, human flight is unlike anything else you’ve ever experienced, and the rush of natural feel-good chemicals that’ll be coursing through will make your skydive go by in a flash. Don’t miss the opportunity to see yourself soar!!

No, all of our media packages include digitally uploaded video and stills.

No, you have to have a minimum of 200 jumps to earn the privilege of taking video while skydiving. It’s neither safe nor smart to circumvent the rules – leave the video to the professionals.

For safety reasons, tandem skydivers are spaced out during freefall, canopy flight, and landing. While you cannot share a skydiving video package, you can feature in each other’s videos before and after your jump.

Skydiving is inherently risky, which is why it’s considered an extreme sport. While we would never say skydiving is “safe,” we will say that skydiving is a lot safer than the media would have you think. Modern skydiving technology is extremely sophisticated, training standards are streamlined almost worldwide, and aviation and industry regulation is hardcore. Skydiving is way safer than it was back in the day.

Yes. Skydive New England is proud to a United States Parachute Association (USPA) Group Member dropzone. Additionally, we strictly adhere to all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and USPA guidelines on safety.

At Skydive New England, safety is our number one priority. We use best-in-class skydiving equipment and gear, engage our region’s top skydiving professionals, meticulously maintain our aircraft, and take great pride in providing excellent skydiving facilities and amenities.

There is nothing we love more than skydiving, and we won’t do anything to jeopardize the opportunity to get sky-high every day that skies are blue and the breeze is sweet!

Have questions about safety at Skydive New England? Contact us – we’re here to support your skydiving journey.

Your tandem instructor is a highly-experienced, extensively trained, and credentialed skydiver. They have worked incredibly hard to get their tandem instructor rating because they are passionate about contributing to and advancing the sport.

For the privilege of taking people tandem skydiving, instructors must:

• Log at least 500 jumps
• Earn their D License (top licensure issued by the United States Parachute Association)
• Accrue a minimum of 3 years of experience in the sport
• Possess a current FAA Class III Flight Medical Certificate
• Complete the USPA Tandem Instructor Rating certification program

Every one of Skydive New England’s tandem skydiving systems includes two parachutes – a main parachute and a reserve (back-up) parachute. The main is repacked time and again, and regularly inspected. The reserve is inspected and repacked every 180 days, even if it has not been deployed.

All of our Skydive New England’s tandem skydiving systems are equipped with a MARDS (Manual Assisted Reserve Deployment System) and a computerized Automatic Activation Device (AAD). If your tandem instructor needs to cutaway the main parachute, the MARDS swiftly deploys the reserve parachute. If your instructor does not pull the ripcord by a specific altitude, the AAD will automatically deploy the reserve parachute.