Of all the sports created by the creative imagination of man, it is Skydiving that I believe most astonishingly extraordinary. Leaping off a plane 3,000 meters above sea level and free falling with at velocities reaching 200 mile per hour is completely insanely awesome!

According to its practical meaning, skydiving is the act of ejecting or jumping off a plane or a tall structure, and landing safely on earth’s surface with the aid of a parachute. Skydiving is either executed as a peculiar recreational activity or an aggressive sport. In the military, skydiving or parachuting is engaged as a tactical deployment of airborne soldiers to an exact area of operations.

Skydiving is typically executed in groups or by batches. Normally, the skydivers jump off a plane, but sometimes from a gondola balloon or a helicopter. The usual height for jumps is at 1,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level. The farther from land they start, the longer their free-fall time and time to deploy parachute. Speeds might reach up to 120 MPH for belly to the land and 200 MPH for head down orientations. From higher altitudes, skydivers might undergo about a minute of free-fall before he/she needs to use the parachute for safe landing. When the parachute opens (usually at 800 meters), the velocity of the skydiver slows rapidly. With the aid of toggles for steering, the skydiver can control the route and speed for 5 to 7 minutes and aim for a safe and gentle landing.

A first time skydiver may jump off with an experienced mentor. This is known as tandem skydiving. In this type of jump, the apprentice is firmly connected to the instructor with a harness. This guarantees that the apprentice stays protected and will not fall away from the mentor throughout the dive. By this method, the apprentice is guided through the whole process- jumping off, free-falling, pointing the canopy, and finally safe landing.

Tandem skydiving is the most efficient means to educate beginners. But, it is also more luxurious compared to the other modes- the static line and the accelerated freefall. Skydiving in tandem efficiently exposes the beginners to the real thing without so much prior training or instructions since they will learn of these things by themselves through firsthand experience. The student should not worry of his/her life since the trainer is in-charge of everything; from exiting the plane or helicopter, maneuvering in freefall, organizing the main canopy, to safely landing on the ground.

Skydiving maybe among the most luxurious sport in the world, but the pleasure you get from it is totally indescribable by words. Skydiving is in fact a sport like no other; no one even close.