All the right reasons to jump from a plane

Not everyone needs a reason to go skydiving but if you’re looking for excuses to take the plunge, there are plenty to choose from.

The initial reason people jump from perfectly good aeroplanes vary but the goal is usually the same: to have fun.

Having fun and experiencing life to the fullest is a life goal most people share. Whether you’re visiting Perth or you’re lucky enough to live here, skydiving can fast-track that wish.

In this post, we’ll discover the top 10 reasons to go tandem skydiving, so  you can stop thinking about it and just do it.

10. Peer pressure

Peer pressure isn’t just for teeny-bopper parties. When Sarah landed a job at a skydiving company, she had never even considered going for a jump and it wasn’t a job requirement. But after living and breathing skydiving for four months, Sarah gave in and did a tandem skydive.

“I finally caved because I wanted to know the “surreal” feelings everyone else was talking about,” she says.

Sarah’s reason to jump came from co-worker peer pressure but she says it was worth it. She went on to do 5 tandems and the Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) course. She is now a licensed skydiver.

09. Amazing visuals

Until you see Rottnest Island from the air, you haven’t seen it at all. If you need a tangible reason to skydive, the stunning aerial view is as good as any of them.

Australia is one of the world’s most beautiful places to see from the air. Every skydive starts with a scenic flight to altitude that allows you to take in the land and seascapes around you.

Imagine looking down on rugged coastline, turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, blue skies and rolling surf as you float gently back to earth after your tandem skydive. It’s paradise for your eyes.

08. It’s totally safe

Skydiving is a heavily regulated sport in Australia. Every drop zone operates under the stringent guidelines and control of the Australian Parachute Federation (APF) to keep everyone safe and sound. The APF is also approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which assists with safety procedures.

Every skydive instructor has to have a high level of skill and a special license. Their job is to keep you safe and happy.

But it’s not only skilled instructors that keep you safe and well, it’s the equipment. The rigs (parachute systems) and airplanes are micromanaged. Planes are flown by switched-on, qualified pilots and parachutes are packed and maintained by professional parachute packers and rigging experts.

07. Get a cool job

Let’s face it, skydiving is a cool sport and an even cooler J.O.B. Can you imagine getting paid to jump out of planes every day?

Skydiving’s a viable career for thousands of men and women around the world. Many tandem masters start off as parachute packers or van drivers before they move on to free-fall photography then skydive instructor.

New Zealand-born skydive instructor, Rhys admits he was looking for a fun job when he started skydiving.

“Yes, I did it for the money, ” he laughs. “But seriously, it was a career move.”

Not only does Rhys get paid to skydive, he also travels around the world competing at top skydiving events. How cool is that?

Want a career in skydiving? Check out our learn to skydive course.

06. Follow a dream

Everyone has a dream. Skydiving just happens to be a dream that many people share. It rates high on bucket lists around the globe. Sure, some people tick it off and move on to the next thing but skydiving dreams change lives too.

When Rao watched a wing-suit jump video on YouTube, his dream of flight was born.

“I dreamt of doing it one day. Eight years later, I’m living the dream,” he says.

Rao learned to skydive in 2014 and now has almost 400 jumps in his logbook.

05. Boost your confidence

Jumping from an aeroplane takes a lot of guts. Whether you’re jumping in tandem or doing solo jumps as a licensed skydiver, it takes a certain amount of bravado. Courage is not always present in our daily lives.

We all have times when we feel inferior, unqualified or like we’re just failing at life. There’s that saying, ‘when life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. What if it went like this: ‘When life gets you down, go skydiving’.

Dilys Price, the world’s oldest female skydiver, says skydiving has boosted her confidence. The British grandmother started skydiving when she was 54 and says she can’t imagine life without the sport. She’s currently 83 years old and has done over 1130 skydives.

04. Adrenaline rush

Drugs, legal and illegal, come in all forms these days. Why do people use drugs? To numb pain and to feel better.

Skydiving makes you feel better because it releases your body’s natural drug, adrenaline.

Adrenaline is a natural hormone that increases your heart rate. It prepares your body to fight or take flight when you feel threatened. Adrenaline is also connected to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good.

And we all want to feel good.

03. Reduce stress

Research shows that 64 per cent of the Australian public say stress has direct impacts on their mental health.

Extreme sports like skydiving are showing up on more studies and research about health and wellbeing. There’s even an American therapist who uses wind tunnel flights to treat mental illness.

Having skydiving as part of a mental health plan is not uncommon. FIFO worker Dom says he skydives to reduce stress.

“The stress of work seems to just disappear when I leave the plane,” he says.

Dom’s stress levels have disappeared 630 times now.

02. YOLO

You only live once so why not experience all you can, while you can?

When Drake’s song, The Motto hit the airwaves in 2011, the term YOLO took off. The hip catchphrase encourages everyone to get out there and live life to the fullest.

Skydiving is a serious YOLO kinda sport but be careful, it’s addictive.

01. Have fun

It seems too obvious for words but of course, the #1 reason to go skydiving is to have FUN.

Fun [fuhn]
noun
something that provides mirth or amusement
A skydive will be fun.

Skydiving brings joy and fun to thousands of tourists and licensed jumpers daily.

Need proof? Just check out these smiling faces.

So, there you have it, 10 perfectly good reasons to go tandem skydiving today. Whether you need to reduce stress, have a laugh, get high on life or you just have a passion for adventure, skydiving’s the answer. It doesn’t matter what the question is.