TANDEM SKYDIVING
TANDEM SKYDIVE SANTA CRUZ
Now is the best time to embark upon an extraordinary adventure that will forever change you. There truly is no adventure more extraordinary than skydiving. The safest, easiest, and most convenient way for San Francisco skydivers to try skydiving is via tandem skydive.
Tandem skydiving is, without a doubt, the most common way to try skydiving. In the United States, approximately 500,000 people try skydiving for the first time every year. More than 99% of those do so as a tandem skydive.
During a tandem skydive, you'll be harnessed to an experienced instructor who will guide you through every step of the jump, from training to the initial leap to landing.
Tandem Skydiving utilizes specially engineered tandem skydiving equipment to ensure maximum safety and comfort. The student wears a tandem skydive harness, which is like a heavy-duty rock-climbing or fall arrest harness, with four connection points to attach the student and instructor. The tandem skydiving pair descend using a large, conservative skydiving parachute built for a fun and safe descent for two.
Benefits of Tandem Skydiving on First Jump
Accessible YOLO Life Experience
Quite simply there is no thrill greater than skydiving that is accessible to almost everyone.
Not everyone can trek through a jungle, fly a fighter jet, climb Mt Everest, sail around the world, or go an expedition to Antarctica, but almost every adult can try tandem skydiving.
There is no maximum age to participate in tandem skydiving. Although there are physical restrictions, a large majority of the population meet those requirements. And relative to those other big life experiences, tandem skydiving is significantly more affordable.
Expert Guidance
Tandem Skydive instructors are experienced skydivers (minimum of 500 skydives) that have been specially trained, tested and certified by a national governing body of skydiving to take first time skydivers on tandem jumps.
Before tandem skydiving became the main method of first-time skydiving, skydiving students had to train extensively to do a solo skydive, and the physical restrictions were much more stringent. The training required an 8–12-hour classroom session with students occasionally jumping the same day. Because solo students had absolutely no experience the conditions in which they could do their first jump were extremely limited. And although this proved to be a very safe method, tandem skydiving has an order of magnitude greater safety record.
All of this is to say, tandem skydiving gives you the absolute best first skydive experience. You are a participant of the jump. You will help fly in freefall, help guide the parachute flight if desired, and you will experience every beautiful, blissful physiological effect of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane with the reassurance that you ultimately have a Pilot in Command on board.
Extreme Multi-Aerial Adventure Sport
Unlike some other archaic first jump methods, Tandem Skydiving allows you to experience the same sensations as an experienced skydiver. Skydiving is a unique sport because it is the only aerial sport that allows you to participate in two completely different activities in one sport. Freefall and parachute flight are two totally different activities with different sensations and visuals.
Almost everyone that shows up to Skydive Santa Cruz to do a first jump is attracted to freefall. It is intoxicating and mesmerizing just to watch, and otherworldly to try. That’s not just superlatives: it is an incredible feeling that you have never felt or will feel anywhere else. It is intense yet Zen; heart pounding yet calming. And it is only half of the ride.
The other half of the skydive is like a high-performance tandem paragliding flight. While many first-time skydivers come for the freefall, a surprising amount enjoy the parachute flight the most. You’ll start your parachute descent at about 5000 feet which is much higher than a standard paragliding flight. So, you’ll have a great birds’ eye view of Santa Cruz, San Jose, and San Francisco.
Tandem Skydiving Safety
Tandem Skydiving Has An Incredibly Good Safety Record
Extreme Sports are often grouped together based upon their perceived level of risk. While skydiving is certainly an extremely amazing and fun sport, it no longer warrants an extreme risk tag. Many “extreme sports” often don’t have governing bodies, certifications, or legal sites to perform their activities. On the other hand, skydiving equipment has become very technologically advanced, simultaneously, training standards and protocols set forth by the United States Parachute Association rival commercial aviation standards.
Often if you hear of a skydiving incident, it is an experienced skydiver performing a highly advanced jump, or specific maneuver. Of all skydiving, a tandem skydive is the safest type of skydive.
Because skydiving is governed by the United States Parachuting Association (USPA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), safety data is recorded and published. Skydiving safety has continued to increase annually during the past 20 years. During the past 10 years, tandem skydiving has proven to be quite safe activity with only 0.003 fatalities per one thousand jumps.
Of course, there are risks to skydiving. There are risks in everything in life. You might be surprised to find out that activities that you might consider normal sports or even everyday activities have a much higher risk factor than skydiving. Skydiving has a fraction of a fraction of incident rates compared to skiing, SCUBA diving, mountain biking, and even everyday hiking.
Perhaps the most important and pertinent information for you:
Skydive Santa Cruz (and as we were formerly known as Skydive Surfcity) has a perfect safety record.
Tandem Skydive Stages
What to Expect During Your Tandem Skydive Experience
Paperwork
Arrive at our beautiful facility at, or before, your arrival time to complete your liability waiver, select skydive video and picture options, complete payment. Skydive Santa Cruz has a viewing area for parachute descents and comfortable facilities for your cheering squad.
Skydive Preparation
After check-in, we’ll start preparing you for you skydive. We’ll fit you into a tandem harness. Then you’ll meet your instructor to get training for your jump and make final harness adjustments on the ground.
In-Flight Scenic Tour
At Skydive Santa Cruz we board the aircraft right at the office so your friends and family can watch as you depart on your skydive adventure. We typically fly a Cessna 206 aircraft which is a small aircraft that provides an exclusive experience with you and your bestie (or brand new skydive bestie).
During our climb to jump altitude, we’ll take you on a scenic 15–20-minute flight over Santa Cruz, the boardwalk, and over the Monterey Bay coastlines. We have a large, clear door that enables you to see all the incredible views of the California coastline and Santa Cruz Mountains.
About five minutes prior to jump time, your instructor will make final harness and attachment adjustments, review your jump training, and fit your goggles. At this point, you’ll be about two minutes to jump. Smile, breath and take it all in.
Freefall
Between 10,000-12,000 feet above the ground, your instructor will slide the door open. You’ll slide toward the door until your feet are outside, sitting on the edge of a perfectly good airplane.
A few moments later you and your instructor fall forward into the open sky and into a new world. For the next 30 seconds or so, you’ll be freefalling at 120 mph. But all good things must come to an end, and freefall is no exception. We close the curtain on this act at about 5000 feet above the ground.
Parachute Descent
As the saying goes: as one door closes, another opens. At about 5000 feet above the ground, it’s time to switch to parachute mode. Your instructor will deploy the parachute and it will gradually open during the next few seconds.
Landing
Being connected by a skydiving harness and trying to run is a bit like a three-legged race. Therefore, in most weather conditions, we’ll slide the landing in on our bottoms in seated, legs up position. This is the safest way for a tandem skydiving pair to land in most conditions. If there is some wind, we may stand up the landing together, but we always plan for a smooth slide-in landing.
After you land, we take no responsibility if you become addicted.
Skydive Santa Cruz Skydiving Notes
Important considerations when making your first skydive booking
Reservations
Reservations are required and space is limited. Reservations must be made at least 48 hours prior to jump date.
Deposits
A $50 deposit per person is required to make a reservation.
Advanced Bookings
We recommended booking a couple of weeks in advance if your dates are not flexible.
Weight Restrictions
Weight restrictions begin at 200 LBs. Those weighing more than 200 LBs must call to qualify, and for more information.
Age Restrictions
All skydiving participants must be at least 18 years of age, or older.
Expected Activity Duration
Plan to be at the skydiving center between 2-4 hours from start to finish.