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Drop Zone: Skydiving, Aircraft, Parachute Jumps, Landing And Trained Staff
By:
Published: October 26, 2007
The maxim: Jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft is not a natural act, has become cliché in modern society. Yet skydiving enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies actively plan such unnatural acts. Newcomers to the sport are attracted to the anticipation of the exhilarating experience of falling from several thousand feet in the air, and they seldom give much thought to the landing.
How and where to land are among the most important aspects of the sport. Information regarding all-things-skydiving are available at the local drop zone. A quality drop zone operation can make all the difference between a hard, and soft, landing.
While specifically referring to a designated area where skydivers land, a drop zone includes the landing area, aircraft runway and generally refers to the whole facility. A drop zone operator and staff facilitates all airplane operation and maintenance, jump scheduling, and the monitoring of all safety concerns for the potentially dangerous activity. The physical drop zone is usually rectangular in shape, and it is large enough for planes to take off and land. Safety is of vital importance to a drop zone employees, particularly those responsible for instructing new jumpers. Drop zone operators must constantly inspect and maintain equipment, and teach others to act with the same attention to detail. Any lapse in safety procedures could contribute to a skydiver's death.
Of course, jumping out of planes is not for everyone. Those who posses a paralyzing fear of heights need not even think about it. However, there are other, safer, options for those who would like to try skydiving, but are not certain if they could go through with it. If on the fence about jumping out of an aircraft, consider land based parachute jumps. These structure jumps allow a guided parachute freefall to a cushioned landing. Unfortunately, such structures tend to be located in amusement parks, and some travel may be required. Perhaps the most famous of parachute jumps resides at Coney Island, reassembled there following its stint at the 1939 World's Fair. Though the ride is presently out of service, it required a crew of three for each parachute guideline when it was operational. One of the only parachute jumps still in operation resides at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
If forgoing the trip to New Jersey, finding a drop zone is not difficult. The United States Parachute Association, or USPA, maintains a website on which drop zones may be located by state or region. Also, dropzone.com offers a worldwide locator for drop zone seekers, and provides a wealth of other information for experienced skydivers as well as first-timers. Dropzone.com lists 922 drop zones along with well over 3,000 reviews. Those new to the sport should ask questions about a particular drop zone's safety record and staff experience before making their final selection. However, drop zone operations, located in the U.S. and listed on the aforementioned websites, should adhere to all USPA safety guidelines.
Sources:
"Drop Zone." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Sept. 2007. 25 Oct. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_zone.
"Drop Zones." United States Parachute Association. 2003. 25 Oct. 2007. http://www.uspa.org/dz/index.htm.
"Skydiving Locations – Drop Zone Database." Dropzone.com: The single best source for skydiving information. 2007. 25 Oct. 2007. http://www.dropzone.com/dropzone/.
"Parachute Jump." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 24 Oct. 2007. 25 Oct. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_Jump.
While specifically referring to a designated area where skydivers land, a drop zone includes the landing area, aircraft runway and generally refers to the whole facility. A drop zone operator and staff facilitates all airplane operation and maintenance, jump scheduling, and the monitoring of all safety concerns for the potentially dangerous activity. The physical drop zone is usually rectangular in shape, and it is large enough for planes to take off and land. Safety is of vital importance to a drop zone employees, particularly those responsible for instructing new jumpers. Drop zone operators must constantly inspect and maintain equipment, and teach others to act with the same attention to detail. Any lapse in safety procedures could contribute to a skydiver's death.
Of course, jumping out of planes is not for everyone. Those who posses a paralyzing fear of heights need not even think about it. However, there are other, safer, options for those who would like to try skydiving, but are not certain if they could go through with it. If on the fence about jumping out of an aircraft, consider land based parachute jumps. These structure jumps allow a guided parachute freefall to a cushioned landing. Unfortunately, such structures tend to be located in amusement parks, and some travel may be required. Perhaps the most famous of parachute jumps resides at Coney Island, reassembled there following its stint at the 1939 World's Fair. Though the ride is presently out of service, it required a crew of three for each parachute guideline when it was operational. One of the only parachute jumps still in operation resides at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
If forgoing the trip to New Jersey, finding a drop zone is not difficult. The United States Parachute Association, or USPA, maintains a website on which drop zones may be located by state or region. Also, dropzone.com offers a worldwide locator for drop zone seekers, and provides a wealth of other information for experienced skydivers as well as first-timers. Dropzone.com lists 922 drop zones along with well over 3,000 reviews. Those new to the sport should ask questions about a particular drop zone's safety record and staff experience before making their final selection. However, drop zone operations, located in the U.S. and listed on the aforementioned websites, should adhere to all USPA safety guidelines.
Sources:
"Drop Zone." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Sept. 2007. 25 Oct. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_zone.
"Drop Zones." United States Parachute Association. 2003. 25 Oct. 2007. http://www.uspa.org/dz/index.htm.
"Skydiving Locations – Drop Zone Database." Dropzone.com: The single best source for skydiving information. 2007. 25 Oct. 2007. http://www.dropzone.com/dropzone/.
"Parachute Jump." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 24 Oct. 2007. 25 Oct. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_Jump.
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