Duration of the Freefall During a Skydive
Experience the Thrill of a Lifetime: Skydiving at Skydive Orange
Updated October 31, 2023
Are you ready for an unforgettable adventure? Skydiving offers boundless freedom, pure bliss, and adrenaline- fueled excitement — all in one exhilarating experience. At Skydive Orange, we invite you to leap from the sky and experience freefall in its purest form.
In the heart of Virginia, Skydive Orange offers tandem skydiving (a safe and enjoyable option for first-timers) that promises a lifetime of memories. But how long does a skydive actually last? Here's what you can expect when you book with Skydive Orange:
The Skydiving Experience, from Start to Finish
Before you soar through the skies, you'll spend approximately 4 to 6 hours at the dropzone, allowing for weather conditions and business operations. Once you arrive, you'll check in, fill out required paperwork, make any necessary payments, and receive a warm welcome from our certified USPA skydiving instructors.
Following your brief training session, you'll get geared up and have some downtime to observe the dropzone's lively atmosphere, filled with happy skydivers. This may be the perfect opportunity to ask any last-minute questions.
Your skydiving adventure will last around 15 to 20 minutes total, with the actual freefall taking 45 to 60 seconds. This exhilarating moment begins as you exit the aircraft, leading to a mix of calm, shock, and unparalleled excitement. Ready to take the plunge? We can't wait to welcome you to Skydive Orange.
A Closer Look at Freefall
Freefall is the period between exiting the airplane and deploying the parachute. This brief but unforgettable moment lasts 45 to 60 seconds when jumping from 13,500 feet, with speeds of approximately 120 mph. The full skydiving experience includes more than just freefall — from your plane ride to altitude, your adrenaline-pumping airplane exit, the thrilling freefall through the big blue sky, your 5-minute canopy ride, and landing on solid ground.
The Right Altitude for the Perfect Freefall
Altitude plays a significant role in determining the duration and speed of freefall. On average, skydivers fall around 200 feet per second during a skydive, with speed and time depending on body position, weight, and weather conditions.
At Skydive Orange, we pride ourselves on the elevation of our jumps — taking you to over 13,000 feet in the air for the ultimate adrenaline rush.
Skydiving Speeds: Faster Than You Think
So how fast do skydivers fall? Terminal velocity, the fastest speed during freefall, is typically around 120 mph for stable belly-to-earth body position. You might be surprised to learn that terminal velocity can be affected by factors such as body position and weight, yielding impressive speeds of up to 150 to 180 mph for head-down poses.
Records Broken: The Fastest Freefall Ever
The Guinness World Records show that the fastest freefall achieved by a male skydiver was 329.18 mph by German skydiver Marco Hepp in October 2022. Just two days later, Natisha Dingle of Australia set the female record at 305.70 mph!
Jumping from the stratosphere takes freefall speeds to extraordinary heights. Amercian Joe Kittenger reached speeds in excess of 600 mph in 1960, while Felix Baumgartner of Austria reached a maximum freefall speed of 843.6 mph (1.25 times the speed of sound) in 2012. Alan Eustace, an American Google Executive, followed suit in 2014 with a speed of 822 mph from 135,889 feet.
Book Your Tandem Skydive Today
Are you ready for an adventure like no other? Discover the thrill of skydiving at Skydive Orange, Virginia's premier dropzone. Experience unrivaled freedom and the pure exhilaration of freefall. Contact us to book your skydiving adventure today — blue skies!
- At Skydive Orange, a tandem skydiving experience awaits, offering a safe and enjoyable option for first-timers, promising a lifetime of memories.
- Before your skydiving adventure, you will spend approximately 4 to 6 hours at the dropzone, including check-in, paperwork, payment, and a warm welcome from certified USPA skydiving instructors.
- Your gears will be provided, and you may utilize the downtime to observe the lively atmosphere of the dropzone filled with happy skydivers, asking any last-minute questions.
- The actual freefall, an unforgettable moment, lasts 45 to 60 seconds when jumping from 13,500 feet, with speeds of approximately 120 mph during this brief period.
- Skydiving training at Skydive Orange culminates in leaping from the sky, experiencing the purest form of freefall, followed by a 5-minute canopy ride and landing on solid ground, creating a complete sports-analysis adventure.
