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Q: Is it safe?
Of course! You don't think we're actually going to do something every
weekend that
might kill us,do you?! Haha, seriously though, it is safe -- much, much
safer than driving your car around.
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Q: How much does the first jump cost?
The first tandem at Adrenaline
Air Sports is usually $219.
If you decide to go through the skydiving club, the price of your jump
will be
discounted $10 so it will cost you $209.
(This price is only available if you schedule your jump through us)
Check out other dropzones if you'd like; that's the best price around!!
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Q: Do I have to join the club to make a skydive?
No! Going through our club to make a tandem skydive is not the same
as joining the club, we're just setting you up with a small discount.
Joining the club gets you added benefits if you are interested in continuing
on to get your skydiving licence. Some added benefits include things
like club T-shirts, ability to use club gear for a minimal cost, access
to funds from the school for our annual trip to Collegiate Nationals,
and more.
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Q: What is the Tandem method of instruction?
Adrenaline Air Sports
(the Skydiving Club's home dropzone) only offers
tandem skydiving for the first two jumps. The Tandem method allows you
to
experience the thrill of freefall, without having to sit through 6+
hours of
instruction: 1 hour is about all you'll need. During a Tandem skydive,
you
are connected to your instructor via a 4-point harness. The parachute
(a
really really big one) is on the instructor's back. The two of you exit,
freefall, and land as a pair.
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Q: Can I get video?
Certainly...we have several professional videographers who will skydive
with you, videotape ground footage, some of the airplane ride to altitude,
your exit, your entire freefall, your canopy deployment, and your landing.
Then they add some cool special effects and your choice of music, plus
a
header showing some hot skydiving! Yahoo! The charge for a video of
your
skydive is $89. The camera man can also take still pictures if requested
in
advance.
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Q: Are there any physical requirements for
skydiving?
Yes, there are a few....you must be at least 18, weigh less than 230
lbs. and
Must not have any medical conditions you think would cause problems
while skydiving
(like high blood pressure, etc.). Also, if you are on any prescription
medication, you must get a doctor's note before you can skydive. You
absolutley cannot SCUBA dive or give blood 24 hours prior to skydiving.
Also, please do not show up intoxicated or hung-over -- you will not
skydive
if you do.
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Q: What if the weather is bad?
If a thunderstorm rolls in, we'll shut down operations for a few hours
until it passes. If the winds pick up to the point where skydiving would
not be safe, we'll instantiate a wind hold until they subside. However,
if
monsoon season sets in or the frozen tundra takes over, we'll cancel
operations for the day or sometimes for the weekend. We don't often
shut
down, but if there's 6 inches of ice on the runway, then obviously it's
not
safe to skydive. Either way, if weather causes us to cancel your skydive,
we will let you reschedule for any date and time that you want.
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Q: What should I wear?
Dress for the weather on the ground!!! It usually gets a touch colder
at
altitude, but you're only going to be exposed to it for such a short
amount
of time (40ish seconds) that you wont know it. On the other hand, all
your
training, etc. is done on the ground. So, watch the weather, and dress
accordingly. Also, dress comfortably. Sweatpants or comfortable jeans,
t-shirts, shorts in the summertime, etc. are the norm. Wear ankle-supporting
footwear (tennis shoes or boots, etc.) are fine....but do not wear boots
with
hooks on the side. Hooks might snag on something in freefall, which
might
cause a problem.
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Q: Where is the dropzone?
The place we skydive and the place you will be making your skydive(s)
will be at the Swan Creek Airport in North Carolina. It takes about
1 1/2
hours to drive down there; but you should plan on leaving 2 hours early
so
you can make it on time. Click
here for directions to the dropzone.
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Q: How long does it take to make a tandem?
Training, paperwork, etc. will probably only take an hour. Depending
on how
many people were signed up before you (we take students first come,
first
served) you might be the first up, or you might have to hang around
for a
few hours. Either way, plan on being at the dropzone all day -- sometimes
weather might put us on a hold, or something like that.
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Q: When are training classes offered?
Classes are offered usually only on weekends, although sometimes special
arrangements can be made to train you during the week. Classes are taught
throughout the day but it is best to schedule your jump in the morning.
Please
be on time! Plan for the trip down to take 2 hours! You cannot skydive
without training, so this is the first thing you'll do when you arrive
at
the dropzone before your jump.
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Q: I'm ready to jump, now what?
Adrenaline Air Sports requires a $50 deposit to secure your slot.
The
Skydiving Club officers are authorized by Billy Cockrell (the drop zone
owner) to collect deposits and schedule students to skydive -- this
makes it
really easy. All you have to do is meet up with one of the officers
of the
Skydiving Club and drop off $50 in cash or a check (made out to Adrenaline
Air Sports). Please also attach a note (or write on the check), your
phone
number and email address and the class you want to take (8, 10, 12,
or 2 Sat or Sun). That way, if the weather doesn't look like it's going
to
cooperate, we can call you ahead of time and spare you a trip down for
nothing. The deposit is non-refundable, but if the weather is
non-cooperative, we'll reschedule for a different date of your choice.
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Q: How far in advance do I need to make my first-jump
reservations?
Adrenaline Air Sports prefers two weeks notice; although one week's
notice is usually okay.
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Q: What relationship does The Club have with the
dropzone (Adrenaline Air Sports)?
The Skydiving Club is an independent Registered Student Organization
created for the purpose of teaching students to skydive, competing in
various local, regional and national skydiving competitions, and otherwise
having fun! The dropzone is simply the place we jump! The Skydiving
Club
does not own or operate the dropzone, we just skydive there; yahoo!
But, we
have struck a deal with the owner of AAS. In exchange for the business
we
drum up for AAS, the dropzone has agreed to knock some money off the
top for
those VT students who come out to skydive through the Skydiving Club
and the
Club gets a "finder's fee". A pretty generous deal actually....Billy
wants
to see the club do well, not because he wants the business per se; but
rather because he wants to see VA Tech support a strong club (like Texas
A&M, GA Tech, and some others).
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Q: I've already made one jump and want to learn
to skydive on my own! What next?
Right on! Congratulations on choosing to pursue the world's most fun,
super-jiggy, rock 'n roll sport! You'll soon find that the real fun
begins
when you can skydive by yourself!!! If you have not already done so,
it is
at this point that you'll want to join the Skydiving
Club of Virginia Tech.
After your first tandem, we'll have you make another tandem -- except
on
this one, we'll have you doing more: checking altitude, doing freefall
turns, pulling the ripcord which opens the parachute, etc. After that,
you'll go through the first jump course (FJC) and begin the Accelerated
Free
Fall progression (AFF). This is a 7-jump program which teaches you the
skills you'll need to be a safe skydiver. After AFF graduation, you'll
begin jumping with United States Parachute Association certificated
coaches.
The club has several coaches; and as a service to you -- the VT Skydiving
Club member -- we offer our coaching for free! You wont find any other
drop
zone or organization doing that! After 25 jumps total you will earn
your
USPA A-license -- your official skydiving license which will enable
you to
skydive at any drop zone across the country and abroad!
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Q: Can I play laser-tag in freefall?
You bring the gear, we'll get it on.
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Q: Are water ballons allowed in the jump plane?
No, you silly goose.
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