Question about skydiving

[Dudd]

For those of you who have gone skydiving, and even for those of you that haven't, how old do you have to be to go skydiving? I'm 17 right now, and I'm turning 18 in October. I finally have a regular job that pays me enough to try this out, but places I've found around me don't allow anyone under 18 to jump. Is this the case everywhere, or just in my area? I'm going off to college in a couple of weeks, and hopefully places around there (IN) will let me jump before October, because it must be freezing doing that in the middle of October.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Find a skydiving place that does tandom and strap yourself to a hot chick. That way if you die, at least you'll be strapped to a hot chick. :beer:

 

[Mutilator]

The place I'm thinking about going to in NC requires you to do several jumps tandem before you can go solo.
You probably have to be 18 simply so you can legally sign the "I won't sue you if something goes wrong" contract.

 

[minendo]

I would assume they want at least 18 year olds for insurance reasons unless a parent signs off since you are not a legal adult.

 

[Jzero]

Don't know for sure but I imagine some places will let you, but they may require your parents to sign your liability waiver.

 

[Lutefisks]

also, certain life insurance policy have a clause where the moment you step on the plane, you're not covered until you safely land.

And if you don't already have a girlfriend, this will not help you get one.

 

[Mutilator]

Originally posted by: Lutefisks
And if you don't already have a girlfriend, this will not help you get one.

Damnit! So I won't have the whole "wild and crazy guy" thing going for me huh?

 

[Scarpozzi]

Plus, if something does go wrong, you'd want to change your name to Thudd.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: minendo
I would assume they want at least 18 year olds for insurance reasons unless a parent signs off since you are not a legal adult.

Drop zones can't get insurance.

Basically, if you go skydiving, you sign a no-one-but-me-has-any-liability-for-this-whatsoever clause.

I'm also not aware of any drop zones that allow <18 to jump, even with parental consent. But I've only been to a total of one drop zone.

 

[Dudd]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
Plus, if something does go wrong, you'd want to change your name to Thudd.

I'll put that in my will. In the event that I go splat, I request that the executive of my estate PM the mods at the Anandtech boards regarding a name change from Dudd to Thudd.

 

[Lutefisks]

Originally posted by: Mutilator

Originally posted by: Lutefisks
And if you don't already have a girlfriend, this will not help you get one.

Damnit! So I won't have the whole "wild and crazy guy" thing going for me huh?

I guess I should rephrase that. we had a co worker who's desperate , and overpaid. so he took up skydiving so he can brag about it in bars.... but he's still nerdy like before. only difference is that he's a nerdy skydiver.

now if you're a firefighter who skydives.... that's a different story.

 

[NogginBoink]

If at first you don't succeed....

...skydiving's probably not for you.

 

[BG4533]

Originally posted by: Lutefisks

And if you don't already have a girlfriend, this will not help you get one.

My GF went with me. Most places will let you jump with a parents signature before 18. You will have likely have to go tandem either way which sucks in my opinion. That feeling of power just kind of goes away with tandem...I was actually kind of dissapointed. Still glad I did it though.