How High Do You Skydive From?

Key Takeaways
First-time tandem skydivers usually exit anywhere from 8,000 feet to 14,000 feet with the average skydiving height being 10,000 feet. Tandem skydivers at Skydive STL jump from 10,000 feet. Exit altitude is set by the aircraft that a dropzone flies and by FAA rules, rather than by preference. On a tandem jump the parachute is deployed between 5,000 and 5,500 feet no matter how high the plane climbs. Any jumps made from above 15,000 feet require supplemental oxygen.

There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding the sport of skydiving, causing many people to wonder: how high do you skydive from? First-time tandem skydivers usually exit anywhere from 8,000 feet to 14,000 feet, with the average skydiving height being 10,000 feet. Experienced skydivers can exit anywhere from 3,500 feet to above and beyond 40,000 feet!

Skydiving height is determined by multiple factors, but the one that impacts skydiving altitude the most is aircraft. Different airplanes have varying capabilities, and that changes how high skydivers can jump from. Let’s dig into the average skydiving height and how jump altitude is determined. 

How High Do You Skydive From?

Standard tandem skydiving jumps take place from an altitude of 10,000 to 14,000 feet. When determining their exit altitude, skydivers take into account when they’ll be deploying their parachute. Tandem instructors typically deploy the main parachute between 5,000 and 6,000 feet, and experienced jumpers do so around 3,500 feet. This leaves 5,000-10,000 feet of freefall depending on the type of jump and how high the jump was made from. 

Skydiving Altitudes, From Lowest to Highest

What Determines Skydiving Altitude?

A few factors determine skydiving altitude: type of aircraft, specific Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restrictions, or just what you’re looking to do!

The aircraft that a dropzone flies has a huge impact on what altitude skydivers can jump from. Certain planes lose efficiency above specific altitudes and it makes it very hard to climb any higher. Some airplanes are also faster than others, making it easier to climb to higher altitudes within the allotted jump time. 

Additionally, the FAA sets restrictions on how high skydivers can jump from depending on experience level, location, and proximity to commercial or military flight operations. 

Discipline, or jump plan, also determines jump altitude. Licensed jumpers have the most options. Skydiving license holders can choose to do a low-altitude jump called a “hop ’n pop” (between 3,500 and 5,500 feet); a regular “sport jump” at the dropzone’s normal altitude (for us, 10K feet); or sometimes there is an option for a high altitude jump, or “HALO” jump. Specific altitudes and offerings are determined by the dropzone that you are jumping with, of course.

Weather can also impact skydiving altitude when clouds are involved, because skydivers aren’t allowed to jump through full cloud coverage. 

What Altitude Does Skydive STL Jump From?

How high do skydivers jump at Skydive STL? We jump from 10,000 feet for our tandems and most of our experienced jumps. It takes our aircraft roughly 15 to 20 minutes to climb to exit altitude, which gives you enough time to enjoy the views and calm your nerves before having the time of your life. 

Low-Altitude Jumps: Hop ‘n Pop

The term hop ’n pop is shorthand that licensed skydivers use when talking about “hopping” out of the plane and “popping” your parachute right away. This is exactly as it sounds – there is essentially no freefall time during a hop ’n pop, as they are performed from about 3,500 to 5,500 feet. The purpose is to focus on the parachute ride – either for enjoyment or skill building. 

A minimum parachute opening altitude of 2,500 feet is generally accepted as the lowest altitude a skydiver could still make risk-conscious decisions about their parachute and landing. Without an altitude limit, we might not have enough time to ensure that our canopy opens properly and is steerable – and if it’s not, the main parachute is cut away and the backup parachute comes to the rescue.

 It is recommended that tandem skydivers jump from a minimum altitude of 8,000 ft – as such, tandems cannot perform low altitude jumps.

High-Altitude Jumps and Supplemental Oxygen

Technically, anything above 15,000 feet is considered a high-altitude jump and will require supplemental oxygen to help you breathe and to help you avoid passing out (from lack of oxygen). But don’t worry, you can totally breathe with ease on a tandem jump from a normal altitude.

Is a 15,000-foot skydive high? Higher altitudes mean more freefall time in the sky, and freefall is what almost every skydiver is after. So how long do you free fall on a 15,000 foot skydive? You get just over a minute of freefall from 15,000 feet, and an altitude of 18,000 feet can add about 20 seconds to your skydive – which doesn’t sound like much, but that’s almost twice as much freefall as a typical jump.

So, how high is too high to skydive? The skydiving height limit depends on your experience and equipment! Skydivers must have specific training and specialized gear to participate in HALO jumps in order to avoid things like altitude sickness (hypoxia) or dangerously off target landings. 

Can You Skydive From 30,000, 50,000, or 70,000 Feet?

Jump altitude dramatically changes the requirements of a skydive, especially once you move beyond the typical range of recreational jumps.

• Can you skydive from 30,000 feet? Currently, the highest verified altitude that you can skydive from in the United States is 30,000 feet, which is essentially as high as commercial airplanes! 

• Can you skydive from 50,000 feet? Skydiving from this altitude is rare because of the additional care and requirements that are needed in order to even get approval from the FAA to perform any skydive above 28,000 feet.

• Can you skydive from 70,000 feet? 70,000 feet is even more rare, and pretty much unheard of unless you are in the military or are conducting sponsored operations for a record attempt. 

• Military HALO and HAHO jumps — The military will use HALO (high altitude, low opening) or HAHO (high altitude, high opening) jumps as a way to gain covert entry into hostile regions for military operations. These jumps are typically performed anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 feet.

Ready to soar to new heights!? Book your jump at Skydive STL today! We can’t wait to share the joy of human flight with you. Blue skies!