Your first skydiving experience is destined to be memorable, but whether it will be a fond recollection or leave a less-than-stellar impression is somewhat up to you. There are several ways that you can set yourself up for a successful first jump – some from before you even reserve your spot, others specific to the day of!

In our opinion, first-time tandem skydivers should pay close attention to these three focus points for a great first skydiving experience. 

What makes a great skydiving experience?

• Finding A Fitting Facility
• Proper Preparation
• Media Mementos

Finding A Fitting Facility

What makes a great skydiving experience? Why, picking the right place to make your first jump, of course!

Skydiving facilities (we call them dropzones) may offer the same services, but they are not all the same. When looking for the right dropzone, there are certain criteria that a fitting facility should meet. 

Firstly, it is important to select a dropzone that employs qualified staff. Since the instructor will be guiding you through the entire process, naturally, you want them to know exactly what they are doing. One of the ways to vet a skydiving center is to see if they are a group member of the United States Parachute Association. Generally, the dropzone website will list this designation somewhere on their website. If they do not, you can check here to verify. As a group member dropzone, the facility has pledged to uphold the USPA’s safety standards, including employing properly trained skydiving instructors. 

In addition to compliance with the USPA, the dropzone you select for your first jump should employ passionate personnel. It’s one thing to go through the motions. It’s another to treat the experience of skydiving with enthusiasm. Trust us, the difference in the attitude of your skydiving instructor and other members of the staff can make or break your first skydiving experience.

To figure out if a dropzone is a good fit for you, check out their reviews. Reading the feedback of those who’ve gone before you is one of the easiest ways to assess the quality of the experience the dropzone is providing. 

Another, more direct, way to get a feel for the vibe of the dropzone is to give them a call. Simply interacting with their personnel over the phone can tell you a great deal about how they treat their customers. 

Lastly, you can also visit the dropzone in person before making a reservation. By doing so, you can observe exactly how the operation runs and get a chance to feel out the facility. 

Proper Preparation

After selecting the dropzone that you will make your first jump with, the next step is to get ready for go time! 

Preparing for the experience properly is one of the easiest ways to assuage the early stirrings of skydiving anxiety and help ensure you have a great skydiving experience. Proper preparation includes determining when to arrive, understanding how long the experience may take, knowing what to bring ahead of time, learning how to dress for the experience, and figuring out what the game plan is if you happen to be “weathered-out”. In regards to WNY Skydiving, we conveniently cover each of these elements here. Additionally, we advise that our customers make sure to hydrate throughout the day and bring snacks to keep hunger at bay.

We also have a Frequently Asked Questions section to cover additional inquiries you may have. If you don’t see your query answered between these two resources, don’t hesitate to give us a call!

Media Mementos

One of the biggest skydiving mistakes that we see our patrons make is forgetting to add a skydiving video or photo package. Even if you go on to earn your skydiving license, you’ll only have one first jump! 

Accosted with a cacophony of sensory stimuli, it can be easy to get lost in the mix of your first skydiving experience! While during the experience it may seem as if time stood still, after the surging level of adrenaline abates, you might have the feeling you blinked and it was all over. Getting a video or photo package lets you capture the magic and allows you to savor every detail. 

Not to mention that getting a media memento also enables you to share the experience with your friends and family! (Don’t forget to tag us – #wnyskydiving)

At WNY Skydiving, we don’t provide a good skydiving experience, we provide a great one! Schedule your first jump with us today. We can’t wait to share a great skydiving experience with you!