How Easy Is It To Learn How to Skydive?

Key Takeaways 
Learning to skydive is achievable for most healthy adults who meet the necessary requirements, and you don’t need to be an elite athlete to get started. Through an Accelerated Freefall (AFF) program, you’ll build essential freefall, canopy control, and landing skills one step at a time – with at least 25 jumps and additional training required to earn your USPA A license. Everyone progresses at a different pace, so patience, practice and a willingness to learn from mistakes are key. Indoor skydiving and tandem jumps can also help you prepare for becoming a licensed skydiver.

Heck yes, you can learn to skydive! Most healthy adults who meet the necessary requirements can learn the skills needed to jump solo. It takes less athletic talent than you might think, but it does require commitment, practice, and a willingness to learn from your mistakes. 

What Does It Take to Learn to Skydive?

How hard is it to learn to skydive? It’s doable, but it takes commitment! Here’s the run down:

• Jumps required: At least 25 jumps to earn your USPA A license, along with the required training and proficiency requirements.

• Time commitment: Many students progress over several days, weeks, and months depending on weather, availability, and how quickly they master each skill.

• Physical requirements: You don’t need to be an elite athlete. You do need sufficient mobility and ability to manage your equipment, control your parachute, and land safely.

• Biggest learning curve: Relaxation, body position, canopy control, and landing all take practice.

So, is learning to skydive hard? It can be challenging, but you don’t have to master everything on your first jump. That’s why the training program breaks the process into manageable steps.

How the AFF Program Works

Our Accelerated Freefall (AFF) program is designed to teach you how to skydive independently, one skill at a time. Unlike a tandem jump, where you’re attached to an instructor throughout the jump, AFF prepares you to control your own skydive.

Here’s what to expect:

1. Complete ground school. Before jumping, you’ll learn about your equipment, body position, emergency procedures, parachute control, and landing techniques. You’ll have a lot to absorb, but your instructors will help you prepare.

2. Make your first training jump. You’ll exit the aircraft with instructors beside you, helping you maintain stability and practice the skills you’ve learned on the ground, in the sky! 

3. Build your freefall skills. As you progress through the AFF levels, you’ll practice stability, altitude awareness, turns, and other skills. Your instructors will assess your progress before you advance to the next level. 

4. Practice flying your parachute. Once you deploy your parachute, you’ll navigate to the landing area and work on controlling your descent and landing. This part of the skydive is just as important as freefall.

5. Continue training toward your A license. After completing the initial AFF levels, you’ll make additional jumps to demonstrate your skills and meet the requirements for your USPA A license, including the required oral and written exams. 

The goal isn’t simply to make a solo jump or get a cool GoPro video. It’s to develop the judgment and skills to make your own skydives responsibly – which is the most fun thing to do! 

What If AFF is Just Not My Jam?

Hang in there! The learning curve in skydiving is different for everyone. Some people may be naturals in freefall and faceplant their landings, while others may stick their landings from day one but have zero awareness during freefall. Remember that it is normal to have things that you strive to work on, in fact, we hope you do! 

The important thing is to remember that even the best skydivers in the world all started at square one and that your time spent being a student is something you’ll look back on and cherish. Don’t be too hard on yourself!

What Comes After Your A License?

Your A license is just the beginning! As you gain experience, you can work toward additional licenses and explore different skydiving disciplines.

Each license has additional requirements beyond jump numbers, so check the current USPA license requirements as you progress.

Can Indoor Skydiving Help You Learn?

Absolutely! Indoor skydiving, commonly called wind tunnel flying, lets you practice bodyflight in a controlled environment without jumping from an aircraft. It can help you become more comfortable with stable body position, turns, and movement in the air, which translates pretty directly to the sky. 

Tunnel time doesn’t replace AFF training or count as a substitute for the required skydives, but it can complement your training.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time does it take to learn skydiving?

You can complete initial AFF training over several days, but earning your A license takes additional jumps and practice. Weather, scheduling, and how quickly you master each skill all affect your timeline. Consistent jumping helps you retain what you learn, but sometimes that isn’t possible. Most students get their license in a couple of months.

How expensive is it to learn to skydive?

Learning to skydive is a significant investment – the average is between $3,000 and $4,000.  Your total cost depends on the program specifics, instructor fees, equipment rental, and the number of jumps you need. Is it worth it? Oh yeah, for sure! The upfront cost is a lot, but it’s like that for getting into anything worthwhile! The cost to skydive once you’re licensed is significantly less.

Should I try a tandem jump before AFF?

A tandem is a great way to experience freefall before committing to a training program. You’ll get a feel for the aircraft exit, the rush of freefall, and the parachute ride while an instructor handles the logistics and mechanics. These reasons are why we require a tandem skydive at WNY Skydiving as part of the student progression, it just makes sense! 

Ready to Learn to Skydive?

If you’re excited to take the next step, we’ve got two great options:

Ready to go all in? Start your First Jump Course and begin working toward your first solo skydiving license! 

Not sure yet? Book a tandem jump first. You’ll experience the thrill of skydiving without committing to the full training program – trust us, it’s fun! 

Either way, you don’t have to figure it all out before you begin. That’s what we’re here for! We can’t wait to jump with you. Blue skies!