Indoor Skydiving Requirements at Paraclete XP

Indoor skydiving is an amazing way to experience what it feels like to freefall, without needing to go anywhere near an aircraft or a parachute. The environment of a vertical wind tunnel can be managed very precisely, and because of this it is a highly accessible and productive way to learn how flying around in the ‘relative wind’, using only your body works well. Almost everybody can sign up to go indoor skydiving, as there are just a few sensible rules and requirements that need to be adhered to before you can get started. Here are the main indoor skydiving requirements:  

Age:

There is a minimum age limit of three years old to be able to indoor skydive – which you will surely agree is a rule that allows all but the smallest of humans to fly. Indoor bodyflight is about coordination and attitude rather than speed and strength – so even very young children are able to learn the same things as everyone else. There is also no upper age limit for people to indoor skydive – so older folks have the same requirements as everyone else. Almost everyone can do it, you just have to want to give it a try.     

Weight:

The weight limit for indoor skydiving with us at Paraclete XP is 250 pounds. Exceptions can sometimes be made if you are a bit over the weight requirement and still want to indoor skydive – give us a call to discuss your particular question. Each request is discretionary and the responsibility of the team, and our highly experienced instructors are often happy to manage the higher wind speeds and extra physical effort necessary to make it happen. 

Activity:

Indoor skydiving is not a ride, it is a sport that you are learning how to do from the first second you enter the flight chamber. Your instructor is there to help you as much as is required, but their goal is to help you fly by yourself as quickly and efficiently as possible. Flying your body in the relative wind does mean putting in some physical effort, and while you are not required to be super strong or really flexible, the ‘belly flying’ body position you begin with can have you using muscles you don’t use very much. The best things you can do are to stretch before you fly and remember to relax. If you are tense when you enter the tunnel, you are putting more effort in than is actually needed to fly.  

Starting Solo:

Everyone begins their flying journey by entering the tunnel with only the instructor. This is required because the wind tunnel is an unfamiliar environment and you must learn the basics of how to do things before moving on to fly with other people. Don’t let this concern you, as not only are those initial flights plenty exciting and entertaining – the tunnel chamber and staging area are immediately adjacent to allow for families and friends to all watch and encourage one another.        

Comfortable Clothing: 

When you join us for your flight, you will be given a jumpsuit to wear. An indoor skydiving suit is a one-piece garment designed to help you fly by providing drag and lift in the right places – thereby aiding your progress when learning how to move around in the wind. Your jumpsuit is designed to go over your clothing, so it is important to wear comfortable, flexible, athletic attire so you can practice unhindered. Same thing goes for shoes; sneakers are best. Your footwear needs to be enclosed and able to be done up nice and tight – so laces are the right choice. 

The indoor skydiving requirements above mean that very few people are excluded from the sport, and you will likely be surprised at how quickly it is possible to learn the basic moves and fly around with some control. Once you satisfy the basic criteria, everything else about bodyflight is a level playing field. It doesn’t matter how strong or how fast or how old you are, if you like it and want to progress – you can!