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Skydiving Facts

Skydiving Facts
Skydiving, or parachuting, is an activity that involves jumping from a point high above the earth with a parachute to control the descent and landing. The very first parachute jump occurred on October 22nd, 1797, by Andre-Jacques Garnerin, who jumped from a hydrogen balloon from a height of 3,200 feet above the city of Paris. His parachute had no ripcord and it was not packed into a container. The first planned rip-cord operated jump took place in 1919 by Leslie Irvin. The military took an interest in developing skydiving and parachuting technology as a means to save their aircrews during flight emergencies and to allow soldiers to be strategically dropped during battles. Skydiving competitions began to emerge in the 1930s and in 1952 it became an international sport.
Interesting Skydiving Facts:
Skydivers usually jump from planes but they can also be completed from helicopters and hot air balloons.
When a skydiving student is attached to a professional skydiver for the duration of the jump it is referred to as tandem skydiving.
Tandem skydiving is a popular way for new skydivers to make their first jump.
While freefalling the wind passes by at a speed of 100 miles per hour.
While skydiving it is impossible to hear other skydivers. Sometimes ears pop during the dive.
There are approximately 3.1 million skydives around the world each year.
There are approximately 55 deaths from skydiving each year. This is equal to less than 1% of the total jumps making the sport safer than driving a car.
Jay Stokes created a new world record when he completed 640 jumps in one day. Each jump took place less than two and a quarter minutes apart.
The most difficult group skydive took place in 2006 when 400 skydivers jumped from 23,000 feet and formed a flower arrangement in the sky.
The first woman to skydive with a parachute from a moving aircraft was Georgina Broadwick. She jumped over Los Angeles on June 21st, 1913.
The youngest tandem skydiver was Toni Stadler. He was only four years old when he jumped with Paul Lutge from 10,000 feet above the earth.
The oldest skydiver on record was at one time 100 year old Fred Mack. His first jump was at 95 and he swore if he lived to 100 he would repeat the jump, which he did.
In 2004 the oldest skydiver on record became Frank Moody who made a tandem jump at the age of 101.
When the parachute is deployed the skydiver does not go back up in the air. This is an illusion that occurs because the camera man doing the filming continues to fall while the skydiver slows from the parachute opening.
Although it looks like it might hurt when the parachute opens they are designed to open slowly and there is little to no jolt and no pain.
A skydiver over Sweden got the first tattoo during a jump when he had the letters WFFT tattooed on his body. This stands for World's First Freefall Tattoo.


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