SkyDance SkyDiving has been in operation for over 20 years. They were the host of the US Skydiving Team that participated in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. In 1999, SkyDance helped design the new airplane built specifically for skydiving: the PAC 750XL.
Begin Skydiving With a Tandem Dive
On a busy day, skydivers jump out of this aircraft at SkyDance. Typically, the pilot is Charlie Brown, a former Golden Knight (the US Army’s Parachute Team). Although not all former military, each staff member is highly qualified to train a new skydiver. Skydiver training typically begins with a tandem dive.
With a tandem skydive, the student is connected to a United States Parachute Association licensed instructor who also has a specialized tandem rating. SkyDance offers three altitudes for tandem “jumps.” The first altitude is 9K feet and gives approximately 30 seconds of freefall time. The most popular tandem jump is from 13K feet, which allows for twice the freefall time. At 13K, the student has the option of deploying their own parachute. The highest altitude a tandem student can jump from at SkyDance is 18K. An 18K jump includes about 90 seconds of freefall, oxygen in the aircraft, and a DVD (available for a fee with the other jumps).
In addition to tandem skydives, students at SkyDance can go through the Accelerated Freefall Program (AFF). In AFF, the student participates in a 6-hour ground school class called the First Jump Course (FJC). Included in the FJC, are hand signals, emergency procedures, and landing patterns.
The First Jump for a New Skydiver
After the 6-hour class, the student then does the first jump. Before the jump, one USPA Licensed instructor (who has an AFF instructional rating) briefs the student on how the jump is expected to go. This is called the “dive flow.” Once the student practices the dive flow and the exit, the student and two instructors gear up and board the plane together.
As they exit the plane, the student will have an instructor holding onto each leg loop of their skydiving harness. Typically, the instructor who went over the dive flow is on the right hand side. The right hand side is where the main canopy (parachute) is deployed. If the student fails to deploy the parachute, this instructor will. The second instructor is on the left hand side (or reserve side). If, for any reason, the reserve parachute needs to be deployed (and the student fails to do so), this second instructor will.
However, it is not usual for the instructors to perform either deployment. They are simply there as a back up. Most often, if a student does not deploy their parachute at the designated time, a simple hand signal is used as a reminder. It is only upon a student not responding to this signal that the instructors take action.
After successful completion of a checklist (which typically takes 7 jumps but can take more or less), an AFF student “graduates.” An AFF graduate is able to skydive without supervision. The student may now jump solo but cannot yet skydive with others, unless these others are coaches, instructors, or D License holders.Once the student completes a further checklist (at approximately 25 jumps), the student now qualifies for a USPA A License and can jump with any other licensed skydiver.
In addition to training beginning students, SkyDance offer courses for more advanced skydiving practices. Plus, on the first Saturday of each month, licensed skydivers team up and practice building freefall formations. All in all, Skydance SkyDiving is a great training facility for both the beginning and experienced skydiver.
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