What Happens During a Tandem Skydive Step by Step
Whether it is a bucket list item, a birthday dare, or just a craving for something unforgettable, your first time skydiving experience is going to be one of the most vivid days of your life. But before you board that plane, it helps to know exactly what you are walking into.
Understanding the tandem skydive process from start to finish can calm your nerves, help you prepare, and make sure you actually enjoy every second instead of spending it wondering what comes next. Here is a complete skydiving step by step breakdown of everything that happens on the day you jump.
1. Arrival, Check-In, and Paperwork
The skydiving timeline begins long before you ever set foot on a plane. When you arrive at the dropzone, the first thing you will do is check in with the front desk and complete your liability waiver. Yes, it is long. Yes, you still need to read it.
This paperwork phase is a standard part of the skydiving procedure at every certified facility. After signing in, you will typically watch a short safety orientation video that walks you through body position, what to expect from your instructor, and how to handle the exit from the aircraft. This takes around 20 to 30 minutes depending on the dropzone.
From there, you will be assigned to a tandem instructor, a certified professional who will literally be strapped to your back during the entire jump. Take this time to ask questions. Your instructor has done this hundreds or even thousands of times, and talking through the process can do wonders for your nerves.
Weight and age requirements are also verified during check-in. Most dropzones require jumpers to be at least 18 years old and under a certain weight limit, usually around 220 to 250 pounds depending on the facility. If anything disqualifies you on the day, the staff will let you know before any gear is involved.
2. Gearing Up and Ground Training
Once the paperwork is sorted and you have been paired with your instructor, it is time to gear up. The harness you wear during a tandem skydive is a full-body rig that connects directly to your instructor’s parachute system. Getting fitted properly takes a few minutes, and the staff will adjust every strap carefully to make sure everything is snug and secure.
Your instructor will walk you through the basics of what happens during a tandem skydive before you ever leave the ground. This ground training typically covers three key things: the arch body position you need to hold during freefall, how to lift your legs during landing, and what signals your instructor may give you in the air.
The arch position is the most important technique to practice. You will be asked to tilt your head back, push your hips forward, and spread your arms out with your elbows bent. It might feel awkward standing in a parking lot doing this, but it is what keeps your body stable at 120 miles per hour. Practice it a few times on the ground so it feels more natural when it counts.
Ground training is usually brief, typically 15 to 20 minutes, but it covers everything you need to know. Pay attention, because this is your entire skydiving procedure briefing before the real thing begins.
3. The Plane Ride Up
After gearing up and completing ground training, you will load into the aircraft with your instructor and the rest of your jump group. Depending on the dropzone, you might be in a small Cessna with a handful of people, or a larger turbine aircraft that carries 15 or more jumpers at once.
The climb to altitude is one of the most underrated parts of the skydiving timeline. It usually takes between 15 and 25 minutes to reach a standard jump altitude of around 10,000 to 15,000 feet. During this time, you will feel the temperature drop noticeably as you gain elevation. The plane is loud, the seats are basic, and the energy inside is a mix of excitement and barely contained adrenaline.
This is also when reality tends to set in. Many first timers describe the plane ride as the most nerve-wracking part of the whole experience. Your instructor will likely chat with you, check your harness connections one final time, and remind you of the body position. Use this time to breathe, look out the window, and remind yourself that you chose this.
As the plane approaches jump altitude, the door opens. The wind roars in, the light changes, and everything becomes very real very quickly. What to expect skydiving day includes this moment, and nothing quite prepares you for it until it happens.
4. The Exit, Freefall, and Canopy Ride
This is the part everyone pictures when they think about a tandem skydive. When it is your turn, you and your instructor will shuffle to the door. You will be positioned at the edge with your instructor behind you, and after a short countdown or a nod, you will exit the aircraft together.
The first three to five seconds of freefall feel completely disorienting. Your body does not register it as falling the way you might expect. Instead, it feels like a wall of wind hitting you from every direction at once. Then your body settles into that arch position, and freefall becomes something closer to floating at extreme speed.
Standard freefall from 14,000 feet lasts around 60 seconds. You will be traveling at approximately 120 miles per hour, covering roughly a mile of altitude before your instructor deploys the parachute. During this time, the first time skydiving experience is dominated by sensation: the noise, the cold, the incredible view stretching out in every direction.
When the parachute opens, everything changes instantly. The roaring wind disappears, the speed drops, and suddenly you are drifting quietly through the sky with a full canopy above you. This canopy ride lasts around 5 to 7 minutes and is genuinely one of the most peaceful experiences imaginable. Your instructor may let you steer the parachute, point out landmarks below, and talk you through the landing approach.
Landing is the final physical skill involved in the tandem skydive process. Your instructor will guide you in and remind you to lift your legs so that he or she absorbs the initial ground contact. Most landings are smooth and gentle, touching down in an open field near the hangar.
5. After the Jump
The post-jump experience is something no skydiving blog can fully capture. The moment your feet hit the ground, a rush of emotion typically hits right behind it. Most people laugh uncontrollably, some cry, and almost everyone immediately wants to do it again.
After landing, your instructor will unclip the harness and walk you back to the staging area. This is when you can pick up your video or photo package if you ordered one, share the experience with whoever came to watch, and relive every second with the other jumpers who just landed around you.
The entire skydiving timeline from arrival to post-jump usually runs about three to four hours depending on weather, group size, and aircraft availability. Weather holds are common and can extend your day, so build in extra time if you have somewhere to be.
Conclusion
Knowing what happens during a tandem skydive takes the mystery out of the experience and lets you focus on actually enjoying it. From check-in and ground training to freefall and the canopy ride, every part of the skydiving step by step process is designed to keep you safe and make the jump as memorable as possible. Show up prepared, trust your instructor, and get ready for the kind of story you will be telling for the rest of your life.
Experience the Thrill of Skydiving in Tennessee
At Middle Tennessee Skydiving, we’re passionate about giving you an unforgettable adventure as you soar from 10,000 feet above the beautiful landscape of McMinnville, Tennessee, just a short drive from Nashville. We offer affordable tandem skydiving experiences starting at $250, guided by our licensed and experienced instructors who prioritize your safety while making every moment thrilling and memorable. Whether you want to cross skydiving off your bucket list, celebrate a special occasion, or simply try something extraordinary, we have options to make your jump even more special with professional photo and video packages. Take the leap with us and create a memory you will never forget, reach out today to book your jump with Middle Tennessee Skydiving.
