What Skydiving Feels Like

If you’ve ever even thought about jumping out of an airplane, you’ve probably wondered: What does skydiving feel like? Well, when it comes to answering a question like what does it feel like, skydiving is a hard one to put into words. It’s an experience that’s unlike any other! Of course, the best way to know how skydiving feels is to try it for yourself! But in the meantime, let us explain the best we can!

Jump Day: Anticipation

The feeling that hits you when you wake up on the day of your skydive is anticipation. And it lasts pretty much until the moment you step out of the airplane door! Your morning will be full of a roller coaster of emotions – excitement, stress, fear, courage – and that’s what makes skydiving so amazing!

Things will get seriously real when it’s time to board the plane and begin your 15 to 20 minute climb to altitude. This is actually a peaceful time, when people think about their skydive and enjoy the view. 

But that all changes as you get closer to the exit altitude and people begin to get into position and check their gear. It’s very common, here at Long Island and the whole world over, for skydivers to wish each other luck with fun handshakes and high fives. The excitement becomes palpable and there’s no denying that something big is about to happen!

Pro tip: Even if you’re nervous, make sure you eat a balanced breakfast and stay hydrated. It’ll help you feel your best throughout the day! 

The Door: High Alert

Probably the most defining moment in any skydive is the opening of the airplane door. Cool, clean air suddenly rushes into the plane, the sky feels close, and all your focus immediately shifts to the situation at hand.

You’ll probably find your senses on high alert as you move toward the door. You may even feel like your body’s telling you to stay in the airplane! That’s completely natural. Fear is how humans have survived as long as we have. It’s facing that fear and overcoming that ‘fight or flight’ reaction that makes the skydive so empowering.

When you finally make it to the door, you’ll hear the rush of the air outside, feel the coolness of the sky, and get a full view of the ground far below. At this point you might be wondering: What if I’m afraid of heights? You’re actually so far from the nearest reference point that your brain doesn’t register how high up you are. Sure, it might feel a little scary, but it won’t trigger you the way a ladder would.

You may feel a bit of a sensory overload in this moment but don’t fret. That rush is going to focus your mind and prepare your body to nail the skydive in 3 … 2 …1 …

The Jump: Freedom

The moment you’ve been waiting for! Your instructor will move you to the edge of the door, where you’ll hang in front of them with your legs pulled back and your arms across your chest. (That’s the arch you’ll have learned in pre-jump training).

The next thing you’ll feel is complete freedom as you leave the aircraft and enter freefall. All of your worries will blow away and you’ll be completely focused on nothing but the moment. Perhaps counter-intuitively, skydiving doesn’t feel much like falling, but more like you’re being cushioned by the air. Almost like windy floating.

The sound of the airplane disappears, replaced with the drone of the wind passing by your ears. You’re able to breathe freely and to look around and enjoy the view – or smile and wave at your camera flyer! Freefall is a life changing moment where you can enjoy your bravery and be fully present in a way you don’t get to in day to day life. 

If you could only choose one word when asked “How does it feel to skydive?” our vote would be “freedom.”

How long does skydiving last? This portion of the jump lasts for about a minute, but you’re not done yet! You still have another whole phase of your skydive left. 

The Parachute Ride: Peace

The sensation of going from freefall at 120 mph to gliding gently under an open parachute is unlike anything you’ve experienced before. The rush of freefall is suddenly taken over by the quiet calm of the parachute ride. Everything slows down, including your descent rate, and with it comes a peacefulness that rivals meditation. It’s so quiet that you can actually have a conversation with your instructor.

The views around Long Island are breathtaking, and the parachute ride is the best time to enjoy them! Your instructor will take the lead in steering the parachute – though they may let you have a go if you’d like – and you are free to enjoy the scenery before you. You’ll feel as though you’re a giant bird gliding around on beautiful wings.

One thing people worry about during the parachute ride is: Will I feel sick? This part of the skydive is the most likely to impact people prone to motion sickness, but there are ways to avoid any issues. Let your instructor know ahead of the jump and they’ll help keep you feeling great.

The Landing: Amazing

Unfortunately, all good things must end and land-dwellers must return to the ground. During your final approach, your instructor will talk you through the steps you learned during training. The main thing to remember is to keep your legs straight out in front of you like you’re doing a mini ab workout. The ground will look like it’s moving awfully fast as you get closer, but your instructor will take full control of the parachute to slow it down to a stop as you both land, usually in a seated position, on the ground.

This is where your sense of achievement takes over; you’ve done something amazing! Your adrenaline will start to level out and you’ll be left with a great feeling of pride and happiness that will last the rest of the day and beyond!

So, how does skydiving feel? It feels phenomenal!! Book a tandem skydive with us and see for yourself! We can’t wait for you to experience human flight! Blue skies.