What Does Skydiving Feel Like? Every Sensation, From the Door to the Landing
Table of Contents
Does Skydiving Feel Like Falling?
Does Skydiving Feel Like a Roller Coaster?
What Freefall Feels Like, Sense by Sense
How Many G’s Do You Feel When Skydiving?
What the Parachute Ride Feels Like
What The Landing Feels Like
Key Takeaways
Skydiving feels more like being held up by a powerful wind than like falling. Because you leave an airplane that’s already moving fast, there’s no roller-coaster stomach drop. In freefall at around 120 mph, the rushing air supports your body so you feel your normal body weight, about 1 g (i.e. the force of gravity you experience standing on the ground). The biggest physical moment is the parachute opening: a firm tug of roughly 4 to 6 g at its peak on sport parachutes, about what you’d feel jumping off a chair and landing without bending your knees. After that, the parachute ride is quiet, slow and calm enough to chat and take in the view.
What does skydiving feel like? If you’ve never jumped before, you might picture the stomach-dropping sensation of a roller coaster, but the reality is surprisingly different.
Skydiving feels more like being held up by a powerful wind than simply falling. It’s sort of hard to describe; you’ll feel the pressure of the air, hear a constant roar from the wind, notice the temperature change, and then experience a surprisingly quiet parachute ride.
Let’s break it down!
Does Skydiving Feel Like Falling?
Do you feel like falling when skydiving? Point blank: NO.
Once you’re outside the airplane, the rushing air pushes against your entire body. Instead of the sensation of dropping through empty space, it feels more like you’re being supported by a giant cushion of wind. Ya know when you stick your arm out of the car window while driving down the highway? Imagine that, but for your entire body, and with the wind a whole lot faster!
Does Skydiving Feel Like a Roller Coaster? Why There’s No Stomach Drop
That stomach-drop feeling on a roller coaster happens when your body suddenly loses the feeling of its normal weight. Skydiving doesn’t work quite the same way. During a skydive, you’re leaving an airplane that’s already moving through the air at roughly 100 mph. The moment you exit, air is already moving around your body and pushing back against you. You don’t have the repeated acceleration, braking, and changes in direction that you get on a roller coaster, or the sudden acceleration from a static point like you would with a hot air balloon skydive or a BASE jump.
You may notice a brief flutter in your stomach during the exit, especially during the first few seconds. But once you’re settled into the airstream, the sensation is much more like floating in a powerful wind than dropping straight down.
What Freefall Feels Like, Sense by Sense
How scary is first-time skydiving? It’s thrilling, but it doesn’t have to be frightening! Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect.
The Wind
The wind is probably the most noticeable physical sensation. At around 120 mph, the air presses firmly against your chest, stomach, arms, and legs. It’s fast and intense, but totally doable! And your harness? It feels very snug.
The Sound
Freefall feels loud! You’ll hear a steady, powerful roar of rushing air. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s impossible to carry on a normal conversation.
The Cold
The air is noticeably cooler at 13,500 feet than it is on the ground. Temperatures can be roughly 40 degrees cooler at jump altitude! Don’t worry, it’s just for a handful of seconds, but it can definitely take your breath away for a moment.
Knowing what to wear skydiving helps keep the cold from becoming the thing you remember most about the jump!
The View
From 13,500 feet, the landscape below looks wide and almost map-like. Roads, fields, and buildings become tiny patterns instead of individual objects. The canopy ride is the perfect time to soak in the adventure below.
Can You Breathe?
Yes! There’s plenty of air up there, and it’s self-serve! You can breathe normally in freefall! Remember to scream or yell if you’re finding it hard to take a breath in. This strong exhale triggers your body to breathe in and can help get you back in a normal rhythm.
How Many G’s Do You Feel When Skydiving?
First things first, what is a “g”? They’re measurements of acceleration expressed relative to the force of gravity on your body, with 1 g equal to the normal gravitational force you feel while standing on the ground.
In freefall, you also surprisingly feel about 1 g, which is just essentially your normal body weight. Once you reach full speed, the force of the air pushing upward balances the pull of gravity, so you don’t feel weightless and you don’t feel crushed – it’s pretty sensational!
The biggest physical change comes when the parachute opens.
When the Parachute Opens: A Firm Tug for a Few Seconds
Parachute-opening research on solo skydivers has measured peak decelerations in the range of 4 to 6 g, depending on where the acceleration is measured and the equipment involved. Body-mounted sensors have recorded lower peaks than sensors attached to the parachute system itself, which is why there isn’t one single “g number” that describes every jumper.
When the parachute opens, you suddenly feel a much stronger force compared to freefall as the canopy slows you down, which is why the opening feels like a firm tug through the harness. The force is distributed through the harness, particularly around the leg and chest straps, and lasts only a few seconds.
If you’ve heard the comparison to jumping off a chair and landing without bending your knees, that’s a useful way to picture the sudden change in force – but without the knee pain!
What the Parachute Ride Feels Like
Then comes one of the biggest changes in the entire experience: the wind noise drops away almost instantly. A moment ago, you were surrounded by the roar of freefall. Then the parachute is open, your speed has slowed dramatically, and you can hear your instructor talking to you so clearly – and yes, you can talk back!
You sit in the harness more like you’re sitting in a playground swing. The parachute can be flown gently, or your instructor can add some turns and spirals. If you’d prefer a mellow ride or want to experience a few more turns, just let your instructor know. If you’re prone to motion sickness, tell your instructor before the jump! They can fly the parachute in a more docile way and help you breathe through any icky feelings that could arise.
We do want to note that although we like to be prepared, motion sickness is rare.
What The Landing Feels Like
As you come in to land, your legs come up in front of you into a sitting position. Rather than trying to stand up as you touch down, you’ll typically use a slide-in landing. Your instructor handles the approach while you follow their directions.
If you’re wondering how likely it is to get hurt skydiving, landing is the part of the jump where an injury can happen. This is one reason your instructor talks you through exactly what to do with your legs during ground training and in preparation for landing.
For most people, the landing feels much softer than they imagined – think of jumping off a chair or picnic table (with your knees bent), or sliding it in on your butt. It is important to listen to your instructor and do exactly what they request.
Ready to Feel It for Yourself?
Now you know what it feels like to skydive from the first blast of wind to the surprisingly quiet parachute ride. If you’re ready to experience it for yourself, tandem skydiving at Skydive Cross Keys is the place to start! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about your safety, how it feels, pricing, or anything at all. We’re here to support you!