Typically, you’ll find 4 types of people getting paid to skydive at a dropzone: Below is some helpful information if you’ve been curious. While it might seem pretty far out there or out of reach, it’s actually more attainable than you might think. There are so many questions, but mainly – “ what does it take to do this?” Many people make their first tandem skydive and immediately after, they want to know how they can work as a skydiver. Regardless, maybe you’re a bit curious about what it takes to get paid to skydive. You have co-workers, a water cooler, and there actually are people that sit at a computer most of the day! Working at a dropzone is also very much NOT like other jobs – safety is more critical than ever, weather is a major factor, and people falling from the sky is normal. Are they dismissive? Do they seem overburdened? If the person you talk to seems cheerful, welcoming and ready to answer your questions, then you can already get a sense of the dropzone’s culture.Working at a skydiving center, or dropzone, is like any other job – sometimes fun, sometimes stressful. Speak with someone to get a sense of service. Get your Google-stalking fingers warmed up.Ī quick look at Google to check out online reviews (and, heaven forbid, past tandem skydiving incidents) goes a long way. If a dropzone isn’t a USPA member, they’re self-regulating…and they aren’t required to follow the USPA’s long list of (very important) best practices. USPA stands for “ United States Parachute Association ,” which is an organization that sets and regulates strict safety protocols for all its member dropzones. Okay: it’s not really a word, it’s an acronym. When it comes to choosing the right skydiving center, there’s a four-letter word you should know. If you’re not sure if you’re talking directly to the dropzone, just ask. Book directly with the dropzone to get the best deal (and the straight story). These are third-party booking companies, and they’re bent on charging you a hefty fee for their not-so-great advice. There are a lot of online outlets that want to tell you where to skydive. Make sure the DZ is who they say they are. Don’t let the cost of a chain-restaurant lunch come between you and the best tandem skydiving experience you can have. Seemingly small price differentials can make a big impact on service level. It costs money to keep an airplane in safe, comfortable working condition, and it costs money to buy and maintain the safest possible parachuting gear to convey you from the open door of that airplane to the ground. It costs money to run a safe dropzone, staffed by experienced, licensed professionals who have your best interests at heart.
If you’re looking for a some honest advice, we can help. Over the course of our 45 years as Skydive Tecumseh, we’ve heard lots of nail-biting stories from skydivers who picked the wrong one. It’s not as easy as it might seem, of course. Ready to make that first jump? Awesome! Now, you have your work cut out for you: to choose the right skydiving center for your freefall initiation adventure.