Skydiving is an extreme sport. Probably the first extreme sport before it was a “sport”. Skydiving has eight levels of advancement that require training before each advancement. Each level is trained with lessons and with jumping. It all starts with some in class lessons and goes on to tandem jumping with an instructor to get some good practice jumping and landing in. According to the United States Parachuting Association after training you should have at least eight jumps done before you can go solo. It all depends on how you do and how your instructor feels about your jumps. Each level is an accomplished according to the regulations set by the Association.
There are several training facilities across the United States and into other countries as well. The standards and training programs are supervised and regulated by the Association of each country. You can become a member of the association and it is advised to do so. Trainers and Instructors are mandated to achieve a certificate of training and must keep up on their skills on a yearly basis. Most instructors are taught locally and are provided with opportunities to jump in other areas supervised by other trainers just to increase the skill level and experiences.
Tandem or beginner jumping is where you are tethered to an instructor, sometimes two. Everyone learns at a different pace and so it is truly based on individual performance and learning. The trainers are concerned with safety and protection of themselves and you. They do not hurry through your training. They work through it to make sure you are ready for AFF or accelerated free fall. Accelerated free fall ca is the perfect place to practice jumps and learn. As mentioned, it is important though to learn different areas and how they are with wind, humidity, and other weather concerns when jumping. Becoming too familiar with a climate can greatly decrease your jumping potential so it is a great idea to learn in all types of weather (climate) conditions as always within safety limits.
After completing levels that are required to go solo (AFF) you are now ready to take a bigger risk. That said, you were probably ready to go solo in your heart way before you were deemed so by the instructor! Now it is time to leap and go forth with all you have learned. Inspecting all the equipment and getting it all ready for that first jump by yourself is about as extreme as the jump itself. Knowing that you are going to be by yourself this time is a thrilling thing and you are ready for it. Running through your head is your weather patterns, body positions, when and how to deploy the parachute, and the exhilaration of the jump. This is an age-old extreme sport that many people have done and now it is you doing it. You have trained with instructors attached to you and they pulled the cord once or twice and now it is your turn.