How Do You Land When Tandem Skydiving? A First-Time Jumper’s Guide

Key Takeaways
Landing a tandem skydive is much simpler than most first-time jumpers expect. Your instructor controls the parachute, guides the approach into the landing area, and manages the landing itself. As the student, you simply listen for instructions and lift your legs when told. Most tandem skydiving landings finish with a controlled seated slide, allowing your instructor to touch down comfortably and efficiently.

You’ve imagined the freefall. You’ve pictured the view from 10,000 feet. But as your jump day gets closer, you might find yourself wondering about something much simpler: “How do you land when skydiving?” It’s an important question that every first-time skydiver learns the answer to before heading to altitude.

When you make a tandem skydive, you’re connected to an experienced instructor who handles the technical aspects of the jump, including the landing. Your job is simple: follow a few simple instructions and take in every incredible moment along the way.

Let’s walk through exactly what happens during a tandem skydive landing so you can arrive on jump day feeling informed, confident, and ready for the adventure of a lifetime.

The Short Answer: Your Instructor Handles the Landing

During a tandem skydive, you’re securely attached to one of our USPA-certified instructors who is in charge of controlling the parachute from the moment it opens until you return to the ground. They will guide the canopy, navigate toward the landing area, assess conditions, and determine the best landing approach.

Your primary responsibilities are to:

1. Listen to your instructor’s guidance
2. Stay relaxed and enjoy the ride
3. Lift your legs when instructed

That’s it.

Unlike solo skydivers who learn canopy control and how to land, tandem skydivers are in the care of highly-experienced instructors who manage every aspect of the skydive. You’re considered a student, not just a passenger, because you’re responsible for following instructions – but you don’t need any knowledge or experience before making a tandem jump.

Watch: How Tandem Skydiving Landings Work

Watch a tandem skydiving landing in action! This quick video walks you through what you can expect as you approach the ground, from in-air practice to sliding in on the grass. 

What Happens Before a Parachute Landing?

After the excitement of freefall at 120 mph, the parachute opens and the pace of the skydive changes dramatically. The canopy ride is often one of the most peaceful and memorable parts of the experience. You’ll spend five to seven minutes taking in incredible views, chatting with your instructor, and enjoying a perspective few people ever get to see. 

As your instructor guides the canopy toward the parachute landing area, they’ll carefully assess conditions, maintain awareness of other parachutists in the air, and prepare for the final approach.

As the ground gets closer, your instructor will remind you of the landing procedure you talked about during pre-jump training and walk you through the next steps. By this point, many first-time jumpers are surprised by how calm and enjoyable this portion of the experience feels.

What to Expect During a Tandem Skydiving Landing

One of the biggest misconceptions when people search for “landing skydiving” is that students need to perform some kind of complicated maneuver. In reality, a tandem skydiving landing is designed to be straightforward for the student.

Rather than trying to anticipate the landing, focus on staying relaxed and maintaining the proper body position. As you approach the ground, your instructor will tell you exactly what to do and when to do it. The most important instruction you’ll receive is typically to lift your legs out in front of you.

Why You Lift Your Legs

Lifting your legs helps keep your feet from contacting the ground too early. If your feet touch down before the landing is complete, it can cause you to stumble or interfere with the instructor’s ability to finish the landing smoothly.

Think of it as sitting in a chair with your legs extended in front of you. You don’t need to be a pro athlete to do it, but it does require a bit of core strength and flexibility. Most first-time jumpers find it easy to do.

Tandem Skydiving Landing: Standing Up or Sliding?

Because two people are harnessed together in a tandem system, a slide-in landing is often the most practical and comfortable option. As you touch down, you and your instructor may gently slide a short distance across the grass while remaining securely connected.

Standing landings can happen in certain conditions, but they aren’t something students should try to force. Your instructor will choose the most appropriate landing style based on factors such as:

• Wind conditions
• Ground conditions
• Approach speed
• Overall landing setup

The goal is a controlled, comfortable touchdown. Whether it’s a standing landing or a seated slide, it’s up to your instructor to determine.

Is Skydiving Painful? What Landing Actually Feels Like

Most first-time jumpers are pleasantly surprised by how gentle the landing feels compared to what they imagined beforehand.

Conditions can vary from day to day, and every skydive is unique. However, modern tandem equipment and experienced instructors work together to create a comfortable transition from flight back to the ground. 

Common Tandem Landing Mistakes to Avoid

The way to have a great landing is to listen to your instructor. 

Don’t:

• Put your feet down early
  It’s natural to want to reach for the ground as you get close, but one of the most important things to remember is to keep your legs up until your instructor tells you otherwise.

• Try to stand up too early
  If a standing landing is appropriate, your instructor will let you know. Trying to stand before you’re instructed can make the landing more difficult than it needs to be.

• Tense up
  Feeling excited is completely normal. Try to stay relaxed, listen carefully, and trust the process you reviewed during your briefing and practiced under canopy.

Skydiving Tips for First-Time Jumpers

Want to feel even more prepared before your jump? These simple skydiving tips can help.

• Wear comfortable clothing
  Choose clothing that allows you to move freely and comfortably throughout your skydive.

• Choose secure closed-toe shoes
  Lace-up athletic shoes that fit securely are the best choice. Footwear should stay comfortably in place from takeoff through landing.

• Pay attention during your briefing
  Before boarding the aircraft, your instructor will explain the landing position and review what to expect. Paying attention during this briefing helps everything feel familiar when it’s time to return to the ground.

How Do People Land When Skydiving If They’re Nervous?

If your legs turn to jelly when you think about the skydiving landing, you’re not alone. For many first-time jumpers, the landing is one of the biggest sources of anxiety. 

Remember, you’re not figuring it out on your own. Your instructor has completed countless landings – at least 500, and often many thousands – and will communicate with you throughout the experience. By the time you reach the landing area, you’ll have already experienced freefall, enjoyed the canopy ride, and gained confidence in the process.

What Is the Riskiest Part of Skydiving?

Many first-time jumpers assume that freefall is the riskiest part of a skydive. In reality, every phase of a skydive requires its own special attention, training, and procedures. That’s why tandem skydiving pairs students with experienced instructors. 

At Skydive STL, your instructor manages the equipment, parachute deployment, canopy navigation, and landing approach so you can focus on the experience of human flight! When they were solo students, they learned advanced canopy control techniques and parachutist landing procedures (including the famous parachute landing fall, or PLF).

The Adventure Doesn’t End Until Your Feet Touch the Ground

At Skydive STL, first-time jumps are what we do. As the only dropzone in the area dedicated exclusively to tandem skydiving, we’ve built an experience designed to help new skydivers feel prepared, informed, and excited for every step of the journey.

The hardest part isn’t the landing – it’s deciding to go for it! Book your tandem skydive today and discover why so many first-time jumpers land feeling ready to do it all over again. Blue skies!