What Is The Type of Person Who Skydives?
General
One of the very best things about skydiving is that it attracts people of all kinds, drawn together by the awesomeness that is jumping out of an airplane. Skydivers are typically portrayed in movies and on TV as wild-eyed adrenaline junkies, who definitely exist at the dropzone, but you are just as likely to meet people of all ages and stages and from different walks of life.
Members of the skydiving community do share qualities, though, and these are what brings them together and keeps them coming back for more. We’ve compiled a little list of the commonalities, but it only scratches the surface of what skydiving has to offer. It should help to answer the question of why do people skydive, and shed some light on the type of person who skydives.
Fear
A great many skydivers are people who began in a place similar to where you likely are now. So – anxious, curious, apprehensive, excited – a whole gamut of emotions. It’s perfectly normal and natural to be straight-up scared about leaping from a plane strapped to someone you just met, wearing a backpack full of essentially fabric and string (albeit, configured in a revolutionary way). Matter of fact, pretty much every skydiver will admit to not only being freaked out at the start, but always being a little bit scared. And fear is a mega part of the allure!!
People who skydive embrace a challenge and enjoy facing down fears.
Risk
Skydiving is actually the opposite of what many people think (thanks again, movies), and is very much about calculation and precision rather than reckless abandon and chance. Gone is the time when parachuting was a death-defying stunt acted out by “lunatics”. Modern skydiving is an endlessly repeatable sport that uses sophisticated science and technology, demands rigorous training, and requires mastery of skills. On top of that, there are numerous agencies that oversee the industry and mandate compliance, including the FAA, USPA and PIA. There is always some risk involved, but rather than throw caution to the wind and jump anyway – skydivers harness hard-won knowledge and intricate technique to mitigate risk and have a real good time.
People who skydive value safety, and are among the most risk-averse humans you’ll meet.
Rewards
Skydiving has a great deal to offer. Even a single jump can be life-changing – and offers both immediate and longer lasting physical and mental benefits. As your body processes the intensity of freefall, the wonder of canopy flight, and the triumph of landing, your brain releases beneficial chemicals that can improve your health in very real and scientific ways. Plus, and perhaps most rewarding of all, knowing that you are the kind of person who can jump from “a perfectly good airplane” makes everyday, as well as seemingly insurmountable, challenges easier to address and overcome.
People who skydive value empowerment and are committed to maximizing their potential.
Community
The dropzone offers a refuge from the real world. Here, people shake off day-to-day pressures in pursuit of amazing experiences. Skydiving can serve as a hobby, a lifestyle, a competitive sport and even a career, but most importantly it serves to provide community. At every dropzone in the world, you will find a highly supportive, super welcoming, and wonderfully diverse bunch of people who come together to do the extraordinary. Everyone starts with from the beginning no matter who they are, and even after only a single jump you become part of the family!
People who skydive believe in the importance and power of community.
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Most everyone can (and, we believe, everyone should!) take the leap into the big, blue sky and soar at least once in their lifetime. And as soon as you step foot on the DZ, you – YES YOU! – will realize that you are exactly the type of person who skydives.
Join the Long Island Skydiving Center family! Jump with us!!
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