Sky diving drop zone is the area above and around a location where a skydiver or parachutist freefalls and expects to land. The term also refers to the area in which freefall skydiving and parachute descents take place.

Three Methods Of Sky Diving

A sky dive drop zone is a place where you can learn to skydive, or skydive for fun. Depending on how much time you have, how much money you want to spend and how strong your nerves are, you have three selections to choose that will fit your style of sky diving. There are three methods of learning to skydive, tandem static line, and accelerated freefall. These three methods vary to some degree to give you a quick experience and introduction to skydiving while others use more experienced jumps on their own, with a friend (s), or a team (s).

The method you take will be about the experience you will get out of each of these jumps and, also, the reasons why you are sky diving drop zone in the first place. Now you have picked one for your first jump. Whichever method you choose to expose yours elf to the sport of skydiving is to have fun, broaden your horizons and shift your boundaries.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Since before parachuting became a public sport in the 1950s, research on skydiving had been done to determine the size of the canopy, the length of the cords and at what altitude a person could safely jump. Most jumpers agree that every time a person completes a successful jump, there is more to add to the research on skydiving, which can added to the diary of the current highest jump on record.

In 1960. taking part in a Air Force experiment ad jumper used a hot air balloon, riding in the gondola to a height of 102,800 feet in around 90 minutes. Wearing a pressure suit he jumped from the gondola, and completed the near 20-mile descent in just over four and a half minutes. The research on skydiving shows that with the thinner are at the higher altitude, he had reached speeds of up to 700 miles per hour during the descent. This record, held by Captain Joe Kittinger, still stands.

Some people seem to have a need to find out how much a body can endure when conducting research on skydiving, and there are numerous records set during their attempts to be the best in the sport. The number of parachute descents in a single day stand at 640 and the lifetime record number of jumps by one person stands at over 36,000. Still, research on skydiving continues to find better materials and evacuation equipment to help pilots coming under mechanical problems.

Better Equipment Results From Research

Some contend that research on skydiving supports a theory that a jump from outer space is possible, but critics point out that re-entering the atmosphere at orbital speed would cause a brief fireball, eliminating the person making the attempt. Still, there has been many improvements made to equipment as a result of all the research on skydiving.

The altimeter is the connecting force of a jumper with their height from the ground. Many mechanical units fail if they are turned upside down. New types are capable of accurate readings, regardless of the position in which they are read. Other innovations as a result of research on skydiving, is the shape of the parachute. Some shaped like wings, allow the jumper to achieve horizontal direction during their descent, as well as coming to a near stop prior to putting their feet on the ground. It is this type of research on skydiving that is making the sport more attractive to a wider range of people.

Powered by ScribeFire.

If you want to understand all about the physics of skydiving – and who doesn’t?—then you need to know about gravity and acceleration. Having a healthy respect for gravity and acceleration will help your skydiving experiences be safer.

Gravity

Now, this is a no-brainer. Of COURSE you have to study gravity if you want to understand the physics of skydiving – YOU ARE DROPING OUT OF THE SKY. Just how far can you drop before you become road pizza? And, quite frankly, why doesn’t every body that plummets out of an airplane wind up road pizza?

Gravity was theorized long before the apple supposedly hit Sir Isaac Newton on the noggin, but he did come up with the laws of thermodynamics, including the forces involved with gravity. Leonardo da Vinci is attributed for trying to figure out why and how gravity works. We would not be able to successfully skydive today if it wasn’t for studying the works of Sir Isaac Newton to give us the physics of skydiving.

Basically, everything attracts. The bigger the object, the bigger it’s gravitational force on other objects. So, when a skydiver jumps out of a plane, he has much less of a gravitational pull than the earth. That is why the skydiver falls towards the earth and not the other way around. Wouldn’t that make life interesting if the planet leaped into space to meet every single skydiver taking a jump? This question can be answered with the physics of skydiving.

Acceleration

Now, when something falls, it falls at a certain rate of speed. However, if continues to fall, the gravitational pull on it becomes stronger, causing the plummeting object to fall even faster the further it goes.

For example, if you drop a penny a few feet from the ground, not much happens except the penny hits the ground. But if you drop it off of the Empire State Building, you can do some major damage to the very unamused New Yorkers below. Why? Because that feather light penny has speeded up (accelerated) so fast that it is now a lethal weapon. Why armies choose to rain bombs on enemies is beyond me – they could do significant damage just by dropping pennies.

This is why we have to have parachutes when skydiving. The physics of skydiving say that the farther the fall, the harder you will hit the ground. But the parachute significantly slows down your rate of acceleration, making your impact a lot less. Now, many skydivers still get hurt when they touch down (more like “slam down”) but at least they aren’t killed.

Powered by ScribeFire.

There is a long and rich history on skydiving, but this article will give you just a brief history on skydiving. Although many of the skydiving milestones occurred within the twentieth century, the history on skydiving goes back much further. Parachuting actually originally started in China around the 1100s, which is almost a thousand years ago. Even though there was no airplanes at that time, individuals found natural formations where they could leap and float relatively safely to the ground below. In addition, Leonardo Da Vinci created a design that showed a wood frame parachute in a pyramid shape, proving that parachuting is a lot older than many think.

The Sport Of Skydiving

When it comes to skydiving as a sport, the history on skydiving then has a more recent start. The first person to do this was Jacques Garnerin who jumped from balloons in the late eighteenth century and performed fanciful displays. After performing his jumps he would use a parachute to land safely. It wasn’t until the nineteenth century that women started participating in this sport as well. Kathe Paulus is one of the more famous women in the history on skydiving who parachuted in Germany near the end of the nineteenth century and she became well known for her skill.

The history on skydiving moves to another level when the airplane was invented. As the airplane evolved it became possible to parachute from a faster-moving mechanical device and causing more spectacular skydiving routines. Tiny Broadwick was the first woman to jump from a plane in 1913. She was also the first woman to make a free fall from an airplane in 1914.

Although it is interesting to note that in the history on skydiving, it wasn’t actually declared skydiving until the mid-1950s and the term was applied to Raymond Young. Before this time everyone referred to it as parachuting. After World War II the art of skydiving changed from a novelty act to an actual sport. This was a result of parachutes and skydiving being used as a tactical move during the war. In fact, during World War I pilots were told to land their planes rather than bail out and often weren’t given parachutes. After the first successful bailout of an airplane in 1922, parachuting became a more popular form of bailout for pilots.

Skydiving then became more of a mainstream hobby after World War II. Especially since the returning soldiers enjoyed the ski diving aspect and had the courage to attempt freefall. The soldiers often engaged in competitions when they returned home which led to skydiving becoming a sport. For commercial purposes the first skydiving schools started to appear around 1957. Today skydiving is both a popular hobby and an extreme sport.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Today we enjoy skydiving as a breathtaking leisure sport, but its origins lie within the army. The history books are chock full of dates and occurrences where skydiving has played an important part.

Army skydiving had a big role to play in the Second World War, when paratroopers dropped into enemy zones to fight – all the time relying on equipment far less sophisticated than the parachutes, helmets and jumpsuits we know today.

Skydiving is a natural sport to develop from army training. Not surprisingly, sport in general is a big factor in army life, and many expert skydivers found their passion after joining the army.

Army Skydiving Teams

The past few decades have seen many army skydiving teams enjoying the sport and becoming experts at what they do. Indeed, many of these teams are competition winners when it comes to aerial acrobatics.

Perhaps one of the most famous army skydiving teams is the Red Devils. The history of this team begins in 1964, and since then they have performed at air shows all over the world, impressing crowds of people with formation skydiving in their distinctive red jumpsuits.

Why Are Army Skydiving Teams So Popular?

The answer to this lies in the job they do. Army life can be extremely dangerous, and the training instils a need to communicate and work well together as a team, sometimes with little or no verbal communication.

This skill transfers exceptionally well to skydiving, as the team members need to rely on each other to attain the proper positioning and manoeuvres during freefall. Army skydiving teams are usually made up from volunteers, who serve as part of the team in addition to their usual duties.

Life After The Army

There have been occasions where army personnel have continued with skydiving as far more than a hobby upon leaving the army. Some personnel have set up professional skydiving centers as part of a whole new career, passing the skills they have learned on to many eager newcomers to the sport.

Such skydiving schools have been extremely successful, not least because of their esteemed history. Who better to teach you how to skydive than an army professional?

So it seems army skydiving has gone from being a skill developed to get into enemy territory quickly and efficiently, to a spectator sport appreciated by the masses. Decades of experience and army training have ensured that American army skydiving teams are among the best in the world.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Australia is a unique place filled with unique people. The Australians spend a lot of time out in the sun and battling the elements. Both Aborigine and fair skinned Aussies have learned to not only live with danger, but to laugh at it. This does not mean they are completely reckless when it comes to having fun at extreme sports. Quite the contrary. They have fun in dangerous situations, but only in safe conditions, proper equipment and time in training. For example, let’s take a look at Gold Coast skydiving.

Australia’s Gold Coast

The Gold Coast of Australia is not just golden because of the sunshine. It is the leading stop for tourists and the natives of Oz. They don’t have a yellow brick road or an Emerald City in Oz, but they do have the Gold Coast and the city of Brisbane. The Gold Coast is infamous for its beauty, beaches – and fun.

Remember how Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz discovered she had magical powers all of the time, but needed to go on her adventures to make herself believe that she did? You can find you have “magical” or unbelievable powers in your own abilities by going to Gold Coast skydiving and successfully making a jump. There are many skydiving centers on the Gold Coast that take beginners to professionals.

You don’t even need to jump by yourself. All first timers are encouraged to jump while attached to an instructor. That way if something goes wrong on the way down, you don’t have just yourself to blame. No, seriously, it’s because of safety. You will have enough to think about in Gold Coast skydiving without remembering all of the technical details that the instructor takes off of your mind. That way, you can concentrate on the beauty and the surprisingly thrilling sensations of freefall over Australia.

Adrenaline Junkies

Overcoming fear is one of the most exciting experiences for many people. You might discover a side to yourself that you didn’t know existed when you go Gold Coast skydiving. You can find the Gold Coast skydiving centers online or through the Tourist Information departments of Australia. You should pre-book your jump in advance in order to be assured of getting a jump in during your Gold Coast vacation.

And remember, in the Southern Hemisphere, out June is their December. It might be cheaper for you to travel in autumn or winter in order to take advantage of Australian spring and summer.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Those wanting to experience the effects of freefall while skydiving, but hold onto a fear of jumping from an airplane, can experience the sensation with indoor skydiving sessions. Typically lasting about three minutes, the customer can climb into a vertical windtunnel and find out what all the fuss is about without having to leave the security of a flying aircraft.

Many use indoor skydiving centers as a step in training for the real thing, learning how to maneuver during freefall and what to expect with the wind rushing at them. The only reality missing with indoor skydiving is the sudden change of direction they experience when they leave the aircraft and start falling towards the ground. Sport skydivers, clubs, groups and military practice can be accomplished in the vertical wind tunnels without the additional expense of all the equipment and the airplane rental.

While no parachutes are deployed, it is the freefall that gives most people their fear of the first jump and indoor skydiving can help prepare them mentally for the experience. In a tunnel of wind approximately 12-feet wide and about 12-feet high, learning the right horizontal position to slow the fall speed and how to become oriented with the ground can be learned without the fear of freezing during the fall and forgetting to deploy the parachute.

Learning Acrobatics Without Added Pressure

Many teams just learning to perform stunts in the air, such as joining hands and trading equipment during freefall can be done during indoor skydiving without the constant fear of forgetting to check the altimeter. Even with audible notification that it is time to open the canopy, some may overreact during the first few times of attempting to join a group in the air and if the chute is deployed without proper separation, disaster can result.

Others view indoor skydiving is a new sport and, while they may never consider actually jumping from a plane or a building, also known as base jumping, they enjoy the feeling they get inside a vertical wind tunnel. Most can create winds of 120 miles per hour, simulating the thrill of freefall.

While time in the tunnel may vary, typically lasting about three minutes, there is an instructional period lasting about 30 minutes and another 15 to 20 minutes to put on the protective clothing before the indoor skydiving fans are turned on, lifting the person into freefall flight, the closest they will probably get to soaring like a bird.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Technorati Tags: Adventure, Sky Diving

Powered by ScribeFire.

Technorati Tags: Sky Diving