Need help....? about skydiving...?

Question

so i was wondering if anyone knew what was the weight limit when you're going skydiving with or without an instructor?

or does anyone have any websites that i can look at that might help me in finding out

thanx in advance

Answer 1

Each dropzone will set their own limit as far as weights are concerned. It's sort of a local policy because it can be flexible. The dropzone I teach at has a limit of 230 lbs which is a pretty average number for dropzones.

There are a couple of factors that go in to the weight limit, assuming of course, that you are inquiring about tandem skydiving. Reserve parachutes have to be approved through what's called a TSO through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A given model/size of a reserve parachute will be issued a maximum combined suspended weight limit that would be illegal to exceed. A good average number for this limit is about 500 lbs but it shifts a bit depending on the specific parachute. A tandem parachute system weighs about 40 lbs. So assuming the reserve was TSO'd for 500lbs, the combined weight of the instructor + student can not legally exceed 460 lbs.

Some people make exceptions to the 230 lb weight limit for several reasons. Sometimes the instructor is a relatively light weight person (I'm 150 lbs for example) which could technically take a 310 lb person. The problem is that the more suspended weight is under a tandem parachute, the more difficult it is to use the steering lines on it as the pressure of the lines builds up. This means that a small instructor probably will not have the physical strength to take someone that heavy and even though it may be legal, would be extremely dangerous. This is a common reason why female skydivers rarely pursue a tandem instructors license, it can require a lot of upper body strength. Smaller tandem instructors for this reason will generally set their own personal weight limit for safety reasons. At my dropzone we have one female tandem instructor and she has set her personal limit at 190 lbs.

A tandem instructor who is bigger, bulkier, and stronger may be able to handle the strength required for a heavier person, but an instructor like this generally weighs 230 lbs himself and is then limited to a 230 lbs person because of the TSO.

There have been several cases where the student is large because they are body builders and are very strong in the upper body and exceed weight limits as a result. All muscle you know? Sometimes a lighter weight instructor will agree to take a person like this who is over 230 lbs (assuming combined weight does not exceed TSO) after some extra training on how to assist the instructor in steering and landing. Many don't mind taking someone who exceeds the local weight limit if the weight is from muscular bulk.

Another problem with weight limitations in tandem skydiving is the harness fit. Obese people (women especially) can exceed the size of the harness and can cause the harness to slip a bit from the force of the parachute opening. Obese women tend to be much wider in the hips and waist then obese men which causes difficulty in strapping into the instructor all the way. Too loose and there become significant safety problems for the force of parachute openings (use your imagination) and for parachute landings (crash). This is less of a concern for obese men because it is usually in the gut.

Everything I've talked about so far was about weight limitations in tandem skydiving. If however, you wanted to pursue a solo jump school like AFF or static line, you won't run into the problem of exceeding reserve TSO weight restrictions. This means a 250 lb person will find it easier to find equipment to support them to learn to skydive. The other concern then comes from the size of the main parachute. The more weight you put on a parachute, you increase what is called the wing loading (ratio of weight to parachute area measured in pounds per square foot). The more weight on a parachute (higher wing loading) the faster the parachute will fly. As a student, most dropzones will want to start you off flying slow and have a low wing loading, generally .8psf. To put a first time student on a parachute loaded beyond .9 psf would be dangerous. This means that a 250 lb student (+ 20 lbs in equipment) would need a main parachute over 300 square feet big. The largest size student main parachute we carry at our dropzone is 280sf. But there are dropzones that keep an XL student size on hand for this sort of situation.

Lastly, a student pursuing solo jumping will generally learn freefall skills with at least one other instructor freefalling next to him. If the student weighs 250lbs(+20 lbs of equipment) they will have a very high terminal velocity, much faster than 120mph. Sometimes a heavy students speed can be compensated for with a very baggy jumpsuit but even that has limitations. Not all instructors can be there to save your life if you are falling at those speeds. Some will turn the student away for safety reasons. All instructors should know their limitations and not take on a student that will be beyond their skill level to handle.

In conclusion, I don't know what your specific situation is, but sometimes it can