Ever dreamt of flying? No need to dream anymore.... Learn to Skydive...
Extreme Sports Cafe now offers Skydiving in Asia, Europe & Africa…
Skydiving Thailand, Skydiving Malaysia, Skydiving Australia, Skydiving New Zealand, Skydiving Fiji, Skydiving UK, Skydiving Spain , Skydiving Portugal, Skydiving Switzerland, Skydiving Hawaii, Skydiving Canada, Skydiving Venezuela and Skydiving Zambia.
Skydiving courses range from Tandem Skydives to 2-day Skydive Introduction courses or Full Learn to Skydive courses.
What is Skydiving? Skydiving is a sport in which participants jump or fall from aircraft at altitude. They can perform an assortment of aerial manoeuvres before deploying a parachute to slow their descent, allowing them to come gently to rest on the Earth below. The sport is also known as parachuting, in a reference to that vital piece of safety equipment. Sport Parachuting is performed as a recreational activity and a competitive sport, as well as for the deployment of military personnel Airborne forces and occasionally forest firefighters.
People at different levels of physical fitness can participate in skydiving, as long as they are ready for an adrenalin-packed sport which can be both terrifying and extremely exhilarating. Extreme Sports Cafe and her partners offer you the chance to experience or learn to skydive in many locations all over the world. These words will be burned into your cranium.... 'Are you ready to Skydive?'
Say that sentence to any skydiver and he or she will give you a wry smile and tell you of their first jump... and how their life was never the same again after they entered the extreme world of skydiving.
- Whether it is a skydiving Tandem jump; where you can be in the air and jumping out of a plane strapped to an instructor, skydiving, quicker than you can say 'I'm not sure....'.
- Or perhaps an Accelerated Freefall Course; where on your first skydive you leap out of a plane at 14,000 / 12,000 feet yourself, quickly followed by two highly experienced skydiving instructors and a camera man. Whatever your choice for skydiving ESC has all the knowledge, equipment, skills and people to change your life, forever...
- Hey! What about an Introduction to Free Fall (IFF)? Do a Tandem Skydive, followed by the training and first jump for your Accelerated Freefall Course. If you like it... carry on and do your AFF.
- Or perhaps you have already done a Tandem Skydive and want to push the envelope that little bit more...
Oh, by the way - remember you're accompanied by a camera man... just so you can relive the rush of all your skydives & share the 120mph ride with your friends!
Get in touch now... and live your dream. Further skydive training, up to competition level, is available ... you only have to ask.
Skydiving Courses and Tandem Skydives from Extreme Sports Cafe
All of our skydiving courses and Tandem Skydives can be booked online.
National parachuting associations exist in many countries, many affiliated with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), to promote their sport. In most cases, national representative bodies, as well as prudent local dropzone operators, require that participants carry certification, attesting to their training, their level of experience in the sport, and their proven competence. Anyone who cannot produce such bona-fides is treated as a student, requiring close supervision.
- The primary organization in the United States is the United States Parachute Association (USPA). This organization hands out licenses and ratings for all American skydiving activities based on safety qualifications. The USPA governs safety in the sport of skydiving as this is the organizations sole responsibility and also publishes the Skydivers Information Manual (SIM) and many other resources. The primary organization in the United Kingdom is the British Parachute Association. In Canada, the Canadian Sport Parachuting Association is the lead organization. In South Africa the sport is managed by the Parachute Association of South Africa. In Australia it is The Australian Parachute Federation.
- A typical jump involves individuals jumping out of an aircraft (usually an airplane, sometimes a helicopter or even the gondola of a balloon), at approximately 4,000 meters (around 13,000 feet) altitude, and free-falling for a period of time in which aerial maneuvers can be preformed before activating the parachute at a safe altitude, which slows the fall rate and glides you gently to the ground. Once the parachute is opened, the jumper can control his or her direction and speed with toggles so he or she can aim for the designated landing spot on the DZ.
- Drop Zone: In parachuting/skydiving a drop zone or DZ is the area above and around a location where a parachutist freefalls and expects to land. It is usually situated beside a small airport, often sharing the facility with other general/private aviation activities. There is a landing area designated specifically for parachute landings. Drop zone staff include the DZO (drop zone operator or owner), manifestors, pilots, instructors, coaches, cameramen, packers, riggers and other general staff.
- Weather: Parachuting/skydiving does require good weather conditions, in poor weather, especially with thunderstorms, high winds, and dust devils skydiving can be a dangerous activity. Reputable drop zones will apply a "jump number limit' for certain conditions and suspend normal operations during inclement weather.
- Restrictions: No experience is required but there are weight restriction. The maximum weight for Tandem skydives & learning to skydive (AFF) is generally “15” stone / 100 kgs / 220Ibs because of weight restrictions on the parachute equipment. (This weight can vary depending on the DZ and country)
All of our skydiving courses and Tandem Skydives can be booked online.
Skydiving History
(borrowed from Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook, by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff)
People have been using parachutes for hundreds of years, even back to China in the 1100s. Around 1495, Leonardo DaVinci designed a pyramid-shaped, wooden framed parachute that Adrian Nichols jumped in the late 20th century. It descended slowly enough to land, but Nichols worried the heavy contraption might crush him to death. So at a safe altitude, he released from it and landed under his reserve.
The modern history of the sport began in the late 18th century with Jacques Garnerin from France who performed display jumps from balloons flying over Europe. Later in the 19th century, women, who still number only between 15 and 20 percent among skydivers, began to appear on the scene. Kathe Paulus from Germany jumped professionally in Germany around the turn of the 20th century. Tiny Broadwick, another professional parachutist in the U.S., became the first woman to jump from an airplane in 1913 and the first to make a freefall in 1914.
During World War I, parachutes were introduced as rescue devices for observation balloon pilots, but airplane pilots were instructed to land with their aircraft. The first emergency bailout from an airplane didn't occur until 1922. In 1925, early experiments with stable, extended freefall began.
After World War II, an abundance of surplus parachutes and former soldiers with the courage to jump them for sport resulted in the growth of parachuting as a hobby. Competitions began to develop and gain acceptance among the international air sports. People first heard the term "skydiver," coined by Raymond Young in the mid-1950s, as the first commercial skydiving centers opened. By 1957, the first commercial skydiving schools began to appear, and the National Parachute Riggers-Jumpers, Inc., started in the 1930s, became the Parachute Club of America. PCA renamed itself the United States Parachute Association in 1967.
All of our skydiving courses and Tandem Skydives can be booked online.
USPA - United States Parachute Association
The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is a voluntary membership organization of individuals who enjoy and support the sport of skydiving. The association is incorporated in New York and follows the constitution and by-laws contained in the USPA Governance Manual. The purpose of USPA is three-fold: to promote safe skydiving through training, licensing, and instructor qualification programs; to ensure skydiving’s rightful place on airports and in the airspace system, and to promote competition and record-setting programs.
USPA wouldn’t be possible without its nearly 32,000 members who support the organization. More members mean a bigger voice when dealing with issues that have threatened the existence of skydiving. It also helps to ensure the longevity of skydiving for people to enjoy for years to come.
More than 250 skydiving schools, centers and clubs affiliate with USPA as Group Member "drop zones" which pledge to follow USPA's Basic Safety Requirements. These skydiving schools offer USPA-developed first-jump training methods, use only current USPA-rated skydiving instructors and provide USPA-required safety equipment.
USPA represents the interests of skydivers before all levels of government—local, state, and federal. USPA is constantly battling for skydivers' best interests, from helping members start DZs at reluctant airports, to persuading security officials to allow rigs as both carry-on and checked items on the airlines.
BPA - British Parachute Association
The British Parachute Association was founded in 1962 to organise, govern and further the advancement of Sport Parachuting within the UK and Northern Island. The Association’s aim today is to encourage participation and promote excellence at all levels of skydiving from novice to world class competitor. Its success is such that today there are around 35 affiliated parachute clubs throughout the country and a membership of more than 30,000. The Association is funded by membership subscriptions, shop sales and Sports Council grants and has an annually elected council of 15 full members which controls all aspects of skydiving on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Unlike many other sports which suffer from fragmented and divided governing bodies, the British Parachute Association represents most UK skydivers and the majority of skydivers within the UK are members of the Association. The control of the sport including safety, training, competitions, finance and development is administered by the full-time officers of the Association who include a National Coach and Safety Officer, a Technical Officer, Secretary-General and administrative staff.
The British Parachute Association is represented on the Council of the Royal Aero Club, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale and the Commission Internationale de Parachutisme.
If you want to learn to skydive we have lot's of options and many many more locations..
So, what’s it to be and where’s good for you?
- A Skydiving Tandem Jump: Where you can be in the air and jumping out of a plane strapped to an instructor quicker than you can say 'I'm not sure about this....'
- A Skydiving I.F.F. (Introduction to Free Fall) Course: This 2 day Level 1 Course is designed to give you a taste of our sport: Ground Training & an AFF level 1 Jump with two instructors.
- Or perhaps a Skydiving A.F.F. (Accelerated FreeFall) Course: where on your first jump you leap out of a plane 2.5 miles up in the air with two highly experienced instructors, quickly followed by your cameraman.
- Learn in a Wind Tunnel...Vertical wind tunnels ("indoor skydiving" or "bodyflight"): You can always improve your skydiving freefall skills, or simply start to learn to skydive in a Wind Tunnel...you can always improve your skydiving skills, or simply start to learn to skydive in a Wind Tunnel...
Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane?
Because the door opens ;-)
Skydiving Courses and Tandem Skydives from Extreme Sports Cafe
All of our skydiving courses and Tandem Skydives can be booked online.
Skydiving Certification - National parachuting associations exist in many countries, many affiliated with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), to promote their sport. In most cases, national representative bodies, as well as prudent local dropzone operators, require that participants carry certification, attesting to their training, their level of experience in the sport, and their proven competence. Anyone who cannot produce such bona-fides is treated as a student, requiring close supervision. Skydiving Certification - All Extreme Sports Cafe Skydiving Courses follow the relevant skydiving guidelines set by the governing body for the relevant area/country. The USPA (United States Parachute Association) and The BPA (British Parachute Association) are 2 of the most common skydiving bodies, issued certifications and affiliated centers found all over the world.
Who runs our Skydiving courses?
Extreme Sports Cafe and it's partners run Sky diving courses & experiences in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, U.K., Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Canada, Zambia and Venezuela. We are quite confident that we have Europe, Asia and Africa covered with a range of exciting, challenging and fun courses or experiences for you to learn to skydiving in most parts of the world and will have more drope zones (skydiving centers) elsewhere soon...
Where do I take it from here?
You can go on to improve your sky diving with more practice and advanced courses allowing you to, take part in competitions worldwide, become an instructor and teach others, join a club and buy your own sky diving equipment and go skydiving whenever you want. Let us know how we can help...
Skydiving books we recommend...
Fully illustrated with photographs and diagrams. "Skydiving In 8 Days" is the first book ever published on this modern approach to sport parachuting. It provides a unique introduction to one of the world's most thrilling sports, and describes in detail the mental attitudes and techniques necessary to master it.
Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook
The newest, most up-to-date, complete jumping text available. In 400 pages and 260 illustrations you are taken from first jump through advanced skydiving and canopy flying. The chapter on emergency situations is full of statistics and reveals the best solution to possible challenges. Learn all about your equipment; what to look for, what repairs you can make, and when to take your gear to a rigger. This book will be your basic text and constant reference. Completely revised, softcover, 5.5 x 8.5, 400 pages, 260 illustrations, four-color cover.
From the Author - Parachuting / Skydiving is continuously growing & evolving.
Dan Poynter and I have attempted to bring to you, the reader (novice or experienced), the latest information available which covers many aspects of the sport. It is our hope that this book will be used by you as a tool to increase your learning about the sport. We have addressed several training and controversial issues openly and honestly, attempting to give full merit to both (or more) viewpoints when more than one right answer is available. This book is a "living document" and will continue to change as the sport changes and grows. Each successive issue (from the very first one that I used to study the sport over 21 years ago) has been written with that philosophy in mind; one of continuous improvement.
We hope you like the book, and if you can think of anything else to add, please feel free to contact one of us with your suggestions! Blue, Clear, and Calm Skies to y'all.
If you have any questions, then please don’t hesitate to get back to us – we’ll be only too pleased to help. After all, the team at ESC are passionate about our various sporting disciplines – we want you to be, as well!
GET IN TOUCH WITH US NOW TO START YOUR SKYDIVING ADVENTURE…
