How Safe Is Tandem Skydiving

The question, “How safe is skydiving” is one that is at the top of almost every first-time skydiver’s mind. And for good reason. Jumping from an airplane 10,000 feet up in the sky is not an everyday activity. It naturally raises a lot of questions about the risks of skydiving and what happens if a parachute doesn’t open. We recognize that skydiving takes a lot of courage and trust, and we don’t take that lightly. While we acknowledge that skydiving is not without risks, as you dig into the data, you may be surprised at what you learn. Here we share the statistics of skydiving safety and our commitment as a dropzone to make the safety of our customers our number one priority.

Skydiving Safety Statistics

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is the governing body for the sport of skydiving. When you are asking yourself the most important safety questions about booking a tandem skydive you want to ensure that the dropzone you are booking with is a USPA member.

Every year, the USPA consolidates and publishes statistics on skydiving safety. In 2018, the USPA logged 3.3 million jumps with a total of 0.0039 fatalities per 1,000 jumps which is the lowest in the history of the sport.

There are many reasons why tandem skydiving is safer than ever. Back in the day of round parachutes the equipment was dangerous and landing safely was mostly a matter of luck and skill. All of the technical changes to skydiving gear over the years has made everyone safer in the sky. Gone are the round canopies. Now, everyone has two square parachutes with a reliable way to steer. With the advent of the AAD (automatic activation device), the backup parachute will deploy even if a jumper is unconscious. All of the meters and gauges are actual computers offering clear and concise information. Getting safely back to the ground is no longer a roll of the dice, it is a highly controlled descent based on facts and science.

When you make a tandem skydive in the United States at a USPA certified drop zone, your tandem instructor will have completed a bare minimum of five hundred jumps before she or he was even allowed to take the course. Each potential tandem instructor must then complete a long series of evaluations and exams to achieve their USPA-approved tandem instructor rating. Make no mistake, your TI will joke around and work hard to get you to relax, but behind that fun-loving exterior is a highly certified professional willing to take your safety into their capable, trained hands.

Our Focus On Safety

Skydive St. Louis is proud to employ some of the most experienced and highly-trained tandem instructors in the skydiving industry. All of our instructors are held to the highest standards in congruence with what is required by the United States Parachute Association.

Want to know more? Learn more about our values or meet the team at Skydive STL! We cannot wait to share our passion for skydiving with you.