Everything You Need to Know Before You Jump
01 Age, Weight, Health & Eligibility
How old do I have to be to skydive?
18 is the minimum age for skydiving in the United States. This is federally regulated by the FAA.
What are the physical requirements to tandem skydive?
Generally, prospective students should be in reasonably good shape. You will be required to wear roughly 25 pounds of equipment, endure “opening shock,” maneuver the canopy, land and possibly walk a short distance after landing.
Problems may arise when a prospect is too heavy (over 230 pounds/110 kilograms — see below) or if they have medical conditions that may impair them during the activity. Someone who experiences fainting spells, blackouts or heart conditions should not jump. Respiratory illnesses or sinus congestion may cause a problem due to atmospheric changes at altitude (can you “clear your ears” before and after the jump?).
The better your physical condition, the more you will enjoy the experience. This being said, very few people have medical or physical conditions that actually prevent jumping.
The Paradise Skydiving staff will work with you to ensure you are ready to jump. If you have a question, ask a Paradise Skydiving staff member and always consider consulting your physician.
What are Paradise Skydiving’s weight limits and restrictions?
Tandem skydiving guidelines at Paradise Skydiving are as follows:
- You must weigh 250 pounds or less
- Anyone weighing over 200 pounds will be subject to a $2 per pound over additional charge
- Weigh-ins will be taken upon arrival
When it comes to a jumper’s weight, Paradise Skydiving has two primary concerns:
- Does the drop zone have a parachute system that you can both legally use and safely land with?
- If you are at the top end of the safe weight range for a particular parachute, are you in relatively good shape? An imperfect landing will be much less likely to injure an athletic person. If this is unclear, consider the difference between a 5-foot, 10-inch linebacker who weighs 240 pounds and a “couch potato” who stands just as tall and weighs the same. If the linebacker has a bad landing, he’s much more likely to recover in mere seconds. The “couch potato,” however, could be severely injured, as he or she might lack both the strength to withstand a harsher landing and the coordination to perform a safe parachute landing fall (PLF).
02 What to Expect on Jump Day
What is a tandem skydive?
Tandem jumps offer you an introduction to the sport of skydiving. A tandem jump requires 15 to 45 minutes of ground preparation, not to be confused with a full “first jump course” – those are typically meant for those who either wish to be instructors or solo jumpers.
Tandem skydiving ties the passenger (you!) to an experienced skydiving instructor. You and the instructor each wear a harness. Only the instructor wears the parachutes and your harness attaches to the front of the instructor’s harness. The two of you freefall together for 30 to 50 seconds (depending on your aircraft’s altitude), open the parachute together and land together under one large parachute after approximately eight minutes.
Check out photos and videos of tandem jumps in our gallery.
What should I expect on jump day?
Please arrive at Paradise Skydiving at the time you chose for your reservation. Expect the entire jump experience to last 2 to 3 hours. After checking in, you will sign the skydive waiver and watch the waiver video. Watching the video will take 30 minutes or longer depending on the group. Once you have signed the waiver and watched the video, you will wait for your instructor to help you gear up and give you a ground briefing. After that, you are ready to jump!
Disclaimer: Experience time may vary due to inclement weather and larger groups jumping.
How fast will I fall?
When you leave the aircraft, you are moving horizontally at the same speed as the aircraft, typically 90 mph. During the first 10 seconds or so, a skydiver accelerates up to roughly 115–130 mph straight down. A tandem jump pair uses a drogue chute to keep them from falling much faster than this.
Once under canopy, descent rates of 1,000 feet per minute are typical; however, the parachute is designed with steering controls and “brakes” to slow you down for a soft landing when the time arrives.
While falling at an accelerated rate, you’ll be able to see what skydiving is about with breathtaking views as far as the eye can see.
How hard is the landing?
The canopies used today bear little resemblance to the classic round canopies of years past. Today, nearly all jumpers and jump schools use “square” canopies for parachuting. These canopies are rectangular and, when they open, act like an airplane wing — more like a glider than an umbrella.
The aerodynamics of the square canopy provides exceptional maneuverability, allowing jumpers to land almost anywhere they wish. This wing shape also provides tip-toe soft landings for even the novice jumper, so the days of landing like a sandbag are history. In fact, you will likely land standing up, even on your first jump.
What if my parachute doesn’t open?
Parachute-related questions are among the most pressing we get from all prospective jumpers.
By law (FAA regulations), all intentional parachute jumps must be made with a single harness/dual parachute system, with both a main canopy and a reserve canopy. In other words, you always fall with a spare canopy in case the first one fails to open properly.
It is also important to note that the technology used in today’s sport parachuting equipment is light-years ahead of the old military surplus gear used in the 1960s and ’70s. We use the best gear available: UPT (United Parachute Technologies) Micro Sigma gear. UPT makes both sport and military-grade skydiving gear.
The canopies used are drastically different from the classic “airborne” round parachutes. The materials are stronger, lighter and last longer. Modern packing procedures are also simpler and the deployment sequence is much more refined. All of these factors make for much smoother and more reliable openings.
Reserve canopies are even more carefully designed and packed. The reserve parachute must be inspected and repacked every 180 days by an FAA-rated parachute rigger, even if it has not been used.
There are also additional safety features employed to ensure canopy deployment, such as automatic activation devices (AAD) and reserve static lines (RSL), which exponentially increase the level of safety. Should you and your instructor not deploy the parachute for any reason, the AAD will “fire” it for you.
What is the Assumption of Risk for tandem skydiving?
Please watch this video.
03 What to Wear & Bring
What should I bring to skydive?
Remember to bring your photo ID and cash or card for upgrades, wearables or additional charges. We do not accept checks.
For your jump, wear comfortable clothes and sneakers. Shorts or pants are recommended.
Bring snacks and water as it is important to eat and stay hydrated the day of your jump.
Spectator friends and family are welcome, and some groups bring tailgating supplies. Just remember that anyone expecting to skydive cannot jump if they appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs or the jump is within eight hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage. And remember to have a designated driver to get everyone home safely!
For a complete pre-jump checklist, clothing recommendations, and tips for first-time skydivers, visit our First-Time Skydiving Guide.
04 Weather, Delays, Cancellations & Rescheduling
What happens if my skydive is delayed or canceled due to weather?
Skydiving is weather dependent. If conditions are not safe for jumping, we may delay or reschedule your reservation. Our staff will contact you with available options and work with you to book a new date if necessary.
Can I reschedule my skydive?
Yes! Give us a call to reschedule your dive at 808-699-3300. Please give us 72-hours notice if you need to the date or time of your reservation
Note: All sales are final.
When does the skydiving season begin/end?
Weather permitting, we are open seven days a week and year-round. Always give us a call to confirm availability before making the drive out!
05 Groups & Spectators
How do you accommodate larger groups?
Paradise Skydiving books jumps in one hour blocks, with a maximum of 4 jumpers per one hour block. Groups with more than 4 jumpers may book additional slots for more jumpers after booking your first slot. Just click the “Add Another Slot” button on the reservation confirmation screen before checking out. For best results, please choose adjacent slots (i.e. 7AM & 8AM), we will try to keep groups together whenever possible.
06 Photos & Video
Can I purchase photos and videos of my skydive?
Yes. Photo and video packages are available so you can capture your tandem skydiving experience. Ask our staff about available packages when booking or checking in.
07 Pricing & Additional Charges
How much does tandem skydiving cost?
Prices vary depending on your jump package and any optional upgrades. View our current pricing, available packages, and optional add-ons on our Pricing & Packages page.
08 Oahu Location, Check-in & Directions
Where is Paradise Skydiving located?
Paradise Skydiving is located on Oahu. Visit our Contact page for directions, driving instructions, operating hours, and contact information.
09 Mainland Events
Do you provide professional demonstration jumps?
Yes. Paradise Skydiving provides professional demonstration jumps for events, promotions, and special occasions.
10 Learning to Skydive
Can I learn to skydive by myself?
Yes. If you’d like to become a licensed skydiver instead of making a tandem jump, our Accelerated Freefall (AFF) program is the next step.
11 Booking
How do I book my skydive?
Booking is quick and easy using our secure online reservation system.
12 About Paradise Skydiving
What experience does Paradise Skydiving have?
We have a dream team of certified skydive instructors who have each made thousands of jumps. Paradise Skydiving and all of our jump instructors are USPA members. Our parachute packers are FAA certified. At Paradise Skydiving, skydiving is our full-time occupation. Weather permitting, we skydive year-round, all day, every day. Whether you hope to become a full-time jumper or simply wish to cross skydiving off your bucket list, Paradise Skydiving Hawaii is the #1 place to be!
Should I tip my instructor?
Want to give a high-five to your Paradise Skydiving team? Reward your crew’s efforts—tandem instructor, videographer and support team—with a tip. We’re a part of the hard-working Hawaiian service industry and while tips are not required, they are genuinely appreciated. You can tip with cash or Venmo—20% or $50 is customary—in our office after the life-changing ride of your life!