Skydiving

Sure, depends on the type of surgery, time since the surgery and if your doctor gives you the ok to do that activity.

Statistically speaking, it is more likely to die in an automobile accident than it is to die in a skydiving accident.

Generally, you are required to be of Legal Age of Contract. This is 18 in most states, 19 in a few.

A person much be 18 years old to skydive in California.

The vent on top of the parachute helps air go through. If you didn't have a vent at the top you would be floating in the same place. The vent makes the parachute go down slowly but not fast enough to where you would drop.

18. Or if your 16 you can get a parent or guardian to sign a waiver.

Well the average terminal velocity ofr an average sized jumper is 120mph. I fall at 120mph and fall 10,000 feet in 45/50 seconds so I guess about 213 feet per second.

no

Opening a third front (Front, Flank, and Rear).

the magnitude of the skydivers acceleration is zero as he is decelerating by opening his parachute!

It varies based on experience, really.

If you have your level 8, you can look to pay about £20 for a jump, assuming you provide your own gear.

If you don't, you're looking at a tandem at about £200.

It depends. Lots of people have back problems, spinal fusions, etc and still skydive. The opening of the parachute can be quite hard (not usually), and it can also cause a whiplash effect. Also, a parachute landing could be on your butt, kind of like sliding in on your rear end, which can also hurt your back.

So if your back has instability problems where this type of force or motion could affect it, then better safe than sorry. Most skydiving centers are able to help answer questions if you can explain your specific back issue.

Having ones arms apart improves stability in freefall. A skydiver usually adopts a stable spread body position.

It all depends at the height in which you fall, the surface in which you land, and the position in which your body lands. There has been a case in which a skydiver hit the ground when his parachute did not deploy and he survived. Though his body had massive trauma which he will live with.

Recently this summer, British stuntman Gary Connery completed the first intentional skydive from a helicopter using a wingsuit and landed in an enormous long pile of cardboard boxes. He did this successfully without sustaining any injuries.

There is just one 'static line' which is connected to the pin (what holds the container closed) and then connected to the d-bag which the parachute is packed into.

No, penguins cannot skydive.

Skydiving altimeters calculate the correct altitude by air pressure. Older models use a diaphragm which expands and contracts with altitude. This is connected to a lever and then on to a needle on the front of the instrument. They require no power source.

Newer altimeters have no moving parts and are digital in display. They do however require tiny CR type batteries.

An altimeter determines the height by the difference in air pressure. The higher you go the thinner the air becomes (lower air pressure).

A skydiver will zero his altimeter on the ground, and as the skydiver increases altitude the altimeter can determine the distance traveled by determining the difference in air pressure.

gravity

Yes, some drop zones will allow someone who is 16 to jump if they have a note and/or special waiver signed by a parent. A waiver is required by all jumpers, regardless of age.

Yes, but you need to contact the dropzone you plan to jump at to make sure they allow it. Although there are no specific laws that state a minimum age for skydiving, there are other factors that limit age in the United States. As states in the "Skydiver's Information Manual" (SIM), in section 2-1-D - "Basic Safety Requirements", the United States Parachute Association requires the following: "Skydivers are to be at least either:

a. 18 years of age [FB]

b. 16 years of age with notarized parental or guardian consent [FB]"

Also, the manufacturers of the various tandem skydiving systems (which includes the main and reserve parachutes, container, AAD, etc) have minimum ages specified in their operating manual. Depending on the equipment a dropzone owns, this could affect the age requirements at that particular location.

The waiver that the dropzone uses is another limiting factor. Some waivers do not have a provision for skydivers under the age of 18 to use a parental note.

Finally, some dropzone owners, for various reasons, just don't allow skydivers to be under 18. The best way to know is to call the dropzone you want to jump at ahead of time. Depending on where you live, there's probably more than one accessible to you. So, if you're between 16 and 18, and want to jump, you may need to contact several dropzones to find one that will let you jump.

Martin adds:

Everything you say above is correct. Those DZs within the US who do choose to allow anyone under The Age of Contract are essentially operating with no binding participation agreement, the waiver is worthless, no sense in even messing with it.

The tandem equipment used at my DZ has no manufacturer restriction on age, so one less hurdle. Still, I don't let anyone skydive without first filling out the participation agreement, so why would I let kids jump and assuming all liability myself.

My waiver has a provision such that the student can pay $500 (or actually the going rate) per jump, and not forfeit their ability to sue me. I had one guy a year or so who wanted to pay the $500 for his one solo jump. I asked him why, he said that he didn't want to leave his wife with no recourse. I replied "So you'd have no problem leaving my wife and kids with no resources in the event that you kill yourself and your wife takes everything I have, or will ever have?" He decided to assume responsibility for himself and sign the bottom line.

Martin Myrtle

Air Capital Drop Zone

Wichita ks

Sometimes, just try not to scream.

NO is the answer to that, If you see any videos of skydivers deploying parachutes, that means a cameraman is filming. When the jumper deployes the cameraman carries on falling to clear a path when he deploys. so the illusion is you see the jumper go up, whereas hes actually just slowing down but the camera is still falling :)