What’s the Difference Between a Skydive and a Parachute Jump?

Throwing yourself out of a plane might not be everybody’s idea of fun but for real adrenalin junkies nothing comes close to the rush of taking to the skies and making a daring descent back to the safety of solid ground. If you are brave enough to head for the heavens you have a tricky decision to make between a skydive or a parachute jump, so to help make the decision a little easier here’s a quick look at some of the main differences between the two.

SKYDIVING

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  • Skydives usually take place from around 14,000 feet.
  • Most skydives are done with an instructor and are known as tandem skydives.
  • Skydivers experience an exhilarating 65 second free-fall.
  • The parachute is deployed by the instructor.
  • It’s the instructors job to control the descent and landing.

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PARACHUTE JUMPING

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  • Parachute jumps usually take place from around 3,000 feet.
  • All parachute jumps are done without an instructor.
  • If you choose a parachute jump you won’t experience any free-fall.
  • The parachute deploys automatically as soon as you leave the plane.
  • It’s the jumpers job to control their descent and land safely.

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Whichever airborne activity you opt for you’re in for the experience of a life time and if you’re still not sure which of the two you should pick why not find out how brave you really are by starting out with a slightly less daunting parachute jump. Once you’ve experienced the intense excitement of a parachute jump you’ll be ready to take things up a notch and head for the heavens to take on an exhilarating skydive.