Tandem skydiving student holds on to his harness

Tandem Skydiving Michigan: What To Expect On Your Jump

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

As the premier location for tandem skydiving in Michigan, our team of highly experienced jumpers know a thing or two about jumping from a plane!

Like you, we all started as first-time jumpers, so we know that the day of your tandem skydive can be both exciting and a little nerve-wracking, especially when you don’t know what to expect. We’ve put together this guide to help you better understand what you can expect on the day of your tandem skydive.

1. Preparing For Your JumpSkydivers getting ready in the plane

The day of your jump is really exciting! There are a few things you can do before you even leave home to help you prepare for your jump.

Make sure you eat normally. This will ensure your body is ready to cope with the increased adrenaline levels you’ll experience during your skydive. You should also wear comfortable clothing and sneakers – dress as if you’re going to play a sport or go to the gym. This will keep you comfortable during your jump.

2. Arriving At The Drop Zone

You’ll be given a time slot for your jump. You should arrive at or before your designated time.

On arrival, you’ll be signed in by one of our staff members. This includes registering you with the USPA, which is the governing body for the sport of skydiving in this country. With this process complete, you’ll be free to enjoy the spectator area where you can watch skydivers coming in to land or grab a drink from our on-site canteen until we call you for your brief.

3. Tandem Skydive Brief

Every tandem skydiver is required to attend a brief which lasts no longer than 30 minutes. This brief provides you information on the equipment we use and what to expect during your jump. We’ll also teach you the body position you need to adopt for exit, freefall, and landing.

For tandem jumpers, this short brief is the only training you need – which is one reason why tandem skydiving is so appealing to first-time jumpers.

4. Your Skydive

Tandem skydivers after jumping out of the planeWhen the time comes for you to jump, your instructor will get you geared up in your harness and guide you to the plane. You’ll then fly to your exit altitude, accompanied by other skydivers who may also be doing tandems, or might be more experienced jumpers who will jump alone or in groups. 

Once at the exit altitude, you’ll move to the door of the plane with your instructor where you’ll adopt the body position you learned in your brief. Then, it’s time to jump! You’ll freefall for about 60 seconds at speeds of around 120mph. Your instructor will deploy your parachute around 4,000-6,000 feet and from there, it takes approximately 3-5 minutes to return to the ground.

5. After You Land

After you land, you’ll be invited to return to your friends and family, who will have seen you take off in the plane and come in to land under your parachute. At this stage, you’re free to go but also welcome to stick around and watch other skydivers from our spectator area. Skydive Tecumseh is the most popular location for skydiving in Michigan so there are always lots of skydivers to watch.

Book Now: Tandem Skydiving In Michigan

Skydive Tecumseh is the premier skydiving location in Michigan. We offer three options for tandem skydivers, including the highest tandem skydive in the US, going from 18,000 feet.

Book online today, or get in touch if you’d like to speak to a member of our team.

Tandem Skydiver in freefall at Skydive Tecumseh

On Labor Day my daughter took our first jump. She got me it for my 62nd birthday to check off my bucket list. It was the most intense adrenaline rush I have ever experienced. James and Amber (my daughters tandem partner) were very professional and made our jumps fantastic. We will be back again and hope to bring a group with us. Tremendous experience.

John Gay