Solo Skydiving Explained

Solo skydiving – it has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it? Perhaps, you’ve completed a tandem skydive and have been bitten by the skydiving bug. Or, perhaps, you’ve never even been in an airplane, much less made a skydive. Yet, the idea of skydiving solo has taken hold. 

Maybe, you dream of soaring around like superman in flight, or maybe, you fancy one day donning a squirrel suit (we call them wingsuits) and carving through cavernous clouds like the Red Bull athletes. Regardless of your motivation or aspirations, your interest has been piqued. 

Lucky for you, we’ve got all the intel on solo skydiving. Here’s what you need to know about skydiving alone.

Can You Skydive Solo Your First Jump?

It is possible to skydive solo on your very first jump. At Skydive Monroe, you are not required to complete a tandem skydive before skydiving solo. However, completing a tandem skydive prior to entering the Accelerated Freefall (AFF) program has its benefits. On a tandem skydive, you are connected to a licensed, professional skydiving instructor. The feeling of freefall can be overwhelming, and a tandem skydive allows you to experience this sensation without the additional responsibilities of deploying your own parachute or flying your own parachute to the ground. Completing a tandem skydive before beginning AFF helps you to determine if solo skydiving is something you would truly enjoy and like to pursue.

How To Skydive Solo

In order to skydive solo, you will need to take a First Jump Course. This course consists of six hours of classroom instruction and hands-on learning. During the First Jump Course, you will learn about skydiving equipment and how it works, correct freefall body position, emergency procedures, and emergency protocols, and how to steer and land the parachute. After successful completion of the First Jump Course, you will make your Category A skydive with two freefall instructors alongside you. You are not attached to these instructors. Rather, the instructors are there to help you maintain stability in freefall and to provide in-air directions with hand signals. After your parachute is deployed, a member of our ground crew will provide support with a wireless radio.

If you perform satisfactorily on this jump, you will move on to the next category. There are six additional jumps you must complete before you will be cleared for skydiving alone.

How To Skydive Alone

After passing the seven levels of AFF, you will be cleared for self-supervision. Usually after one skydive alone, with no lesson attached or maneuvers to master, you’ll miss the company of another in freefall. Typically, after being cleared for solo skydiving, you will want to seek out a USPA coach to continue working on your skydiving skills and to get items signed off on your A-license proficiency card. In fact, one of the perks of receiving your A-license is that you’re free to jump with other licensed skydivers! Trust us, skydiving is much more fun with friends!

Ready to leave the nest and skydive solo? Schedule your First Jump Course today!