Tandem Skydiving: Common Questions

Following are several frequently asked questions about first-time skydiving at Skydive Spaceland. Please call us at 1-800-SKYDIVE (or 903-364-5103) if you have any more questions, we’d love to talk to you!

Things to Know Before Your Jump

What is the age limit for skydiving?

You must be at least 18 years old to skydive and bring a valid photo ID with you. Parental consent under 18 doesn’t count here… sorry.

What should I bring?

A government-issued photo ID, athletic clothes that will fit under a jumpsuit, athletic (tennis) shoes, and a form of payment for tips if you feel we’ve earned it!

One thing to NOT bring is yourself if you are currently ill or have been ill in the last couple of days. If this is the case, please call us at 903-364-5103 to reschedule your skydive for when you are feeling better.

PLEASE NOTE that to combat online fraud, we also require you to bring the credit card used for the purchase if you made your reservation online.

Is there a weight limit for tandem skydiving?

Yes. We can take tandem skydivers up to about 265 pounds, but there are additional fees for people over 220 pounds. This fee goes primarily to the instructor.

  • 220-239 pounds: $25
  • 240+ pounds: $45

Also, we need to evaluate some skydivers over 180 pounds on a case-by-case basis to ensure the skydiving harness will fit you safely. Please take a look at the height/weight chart below and if anyone in your party falls into the yellow area on the chart, call us (or have them call us) ahead of time at 903-364-5103 so we can get started on that and answer any questions you may have.

Skydiver height/weight chart
What if the weather’s bad for skydiving? Will you call me to reschedule?

No, we won’t. We want you to fly as much as you do, so we won’t cancel your jump ahead of time in case the weather is better than forecasted (which happens a LOT!).

ALSO: Just because it may be poor weather where you live doesn’t mean it’s bad at the drop zone! Weather can change a lot in just a few miles, so don’t cancel for weather without checking with us first. It may be pouring at your home but perfect at the drop zone! Call ahead if you’re concerned about weather (903-364-5103). We’ll give you a rain check if you can’t skydive that day.

What would keep me from skydiving today?
  • Scuba diving within 24 hours before your jump
  • Being over the weight limit (see above)
  • Being under 18 years of age
  • Being under the influence of drugs/alcohol
  • Inclement weather (rain/excessive wind/clouds), and/or
  • Not having your government issued photo ID to prove you’re who you say you are and that you’re at least 18 years old.

More common questions!

Do you have discounts/specials?

Absolutely! Please see our discounts and specials page for this information.

What are your hours of operation?

We are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. through sunset Saturdays and Sundays.

What should I wear to make my first skydive?

Wear comfortable, relatively close-fitting clothing for the current weather (we will put a jumpsuit on over your clothes). Here are some examples of suitable clothing:

  • Jeans
  • Shorts
  • Sweats
  • T shirt
  • Tennis shoes/other athletic shoes

The following clothing is not recommended:

  • Flip flops (or any other shoes that are not secured to your feet)
  • Shoes with built-up heels
  • Boots with speed lace hooks
  • Five-toe shoes
  • Any clothing that will restrict your movement
  • Any clothing that will be uncomfortable under a snug harness (i.e., very baggy jeans can bunch up)
Should I eat before skydiving?

It’s a good idea to eat a light meal or snack before you head to the drop zone.

I don’t know if I can do this without a little fortification. Can I have a beer or something before jumping?

You will not be allowed to skydive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

How long does the entire process take?

Plan on spending your entire day at Skydive Spaceland. We can usually get you skydiving in much less than a full day, but many variables (such as weather) could extend your stay with us.

Feel free to bring books, magazines, hackysacks, hula hoops, or other things to do just in case. We also offer free wireless Internet access for your convenience.

Hot Tip #1: The most efficient way to do your first jump is to schedule a class early in the day (any weather/other delays pile up throughout the day and affect later schedules more than early ones).

Hot Tip #2: Regardless of when you are scheduled to jump, your check-in will be streamlined if you have already paid for your skydive in full online or on the phone.

What if weather keeps me from jumping? Do I get a rain check or refund?

We do not give refunds, but we will absolutely give you a rain check that never expires if you are unable to skydive due to weather.

Can my friends come and watch?

Absolutely! We have a comfortable deck and covered picnic areas overlooking the landing area.  Find out more about our facilities…

Do you have a wind tunnel for indoor skydiving?

Sadly, no.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We take cash and most major credit cards (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and ATM cards with credit card logos).

Do I need to make a reservation for a tandem skydive?

No, but as availability is limited we strongly recommend it to hold your spot and if you book at least 24 hours ahead of time, you’ll save $20! To make a reservation, please book online or call us at 1-800-SKY-DIVE (local area) or 903-364-5103.

If you arrive to skydive without a reservation, we will do our absolute best to get you in the air that day! Please arrive by 3pm.

Is a deposit required?

No, but as availability is limited we strongly recommend paying in full or a $50 deposit per person to hold your spot.

If you are interested in group rates, deposits are required for each group member. Have a group of 5 or more?

Do you offer video of tandem skydives?

Heck yeah we do! If it isn’t on video, it never happened! We offer three options for you to document your amazing skydiving experience and share it with the world. All three include video professionally edited to your choice of music style, and are delivered on a Spaceland Flash drive with both USB-A and USB-C ports to fit most any device.   Find out more about video and see examples here!

Can I get the photos without the video, or vice versa?

Our Selfie Video option includes only video and the Pro/Ultimate options include both professionally edited video and photos. Please see our video information page to learn more and see examples!

I’m skydiving with a friend or family member. Can we share a video?

Not quite. A videographer can only film one tandem pair in freefall. So your videographer can get some footage and photos of both of you on the ground and in the plane if you’re on the same flight, but he/she can only film one of you in freefall.

Can I pick out the music for my tandem video?

You can absolutely pick out the music genre for your skydiving video. 🙂 We use royalty-free music so you don’t run into copyright issues when you share the video online. Check out our music selections here!

Do I have to reserve my video ahead of time?

It never hurts to let us know you want video early (especially if you’re paying online and getting it all out of the way  before you arrive), but no. You can purchase the video when you check in to do your tandem.

Can I take my GoPro on my tandem skydive?

Sorry, but no. Cameras are great fun, but they are also a great distraction that can compromise safety. This is why we only shoot video/photos on tandem skydives with experienced videographers who are accustomed to handling both skydiving and a camera at the same time. The United States Parachute Association recommends that no skydiver carry a camera on a jump until they have at least 200 skydives, and we follow this recommendation. You are more than welcome to use any camera gear you want on the ground before and after your jump.

Can I do my first skydive by myself instead of tandem?

At Skydive Spaceland, we only offer tandem for your first skydive, where you are harnessed to an experienced instructor. Experience the thrill of skydiving with the comfort of an expert guide for every step of the way (plus it’s more time-efficient than jumping solo, which requires about a 6-hour instructional class before jumping). For tandem skydiving, you’ll learn the basics during a 30-minute class and we will get you skydiving soon afterwards. Find out more about tandem skydiving…

I want to jump again. Do I learn new things on the second dive?

Yes! On your second jump you’ll learn freefall maneuvers including turns and tracking, be more responsible for altitude awareness and parachute opening, and learn about parachute safety, control, and navigation.

Note: If you have not made a tandem skydive with us in the past 90 days, your instructor will review Tandem Jump #1 procedures before practicing Jump #2 Tandem learning objectives.

I really want to skydive by myself. How do I learn to do that?

Great! We look forward to working with you in our Skydiver Training Program, where you can enjoy learning your new passion in a state-of-the-art, complete training program with modern skydiving gear and dedicated instructors who video each jump for an optimal learning experience.

I need transportation to Skydive Spaceland. Do you have a shuttle?

We do not, but you can usually get out here with Uber/Lyft or Yellow Cab (214-426-6262). Please be advised that we are located outside the pickup range for some services from Dallas/Fort Worth, so work out a return trip with your driver before you are dropped off!

Can I bring my pets and/or children?
  • Pets: No pets other than service animals are permitted in operating areas, but they are welcome in the parking lot and RV areas. Any service animals in operating areas must be leashed and adult-supervised at all times. Clean up after them.
  • Please ensure that children and pets/service animals are directly supervised by a responsible adult at all times. If you are skydiving, please have a responsible adult supervising your children/service animal while you are jumping to ensure they stay safe and do not injure anyone or their life-saving equipment (even unintentionally). We love having all members of our family around, but we do not run a day-care service for animals or children.
What health problems or disabilities might keep me from skydiving?

As with most physical activities, the better your physical condition is, the easier and safer skydiving will likely be for you. If you have a health condition that concerns you with respect to skydiving, please talk with your doctor before making plans to jump. We are not medical professionals and cannot advise you on this topic.

If you can arch your back and control your limbs (necessary for a smooth free fall), and if you can sit in a chair and hold your legs straight out in front of you for several seconds (necessary for a safe landing), chances are excellent that you can skydive.

If you are not able to perform these actions, or if you are missing part of your limbs or cannot use them, you may still be able to skydive. However, we will absolutely want to talk with you beforehand to understand what your limitations may be and evaluate whether we can accommodate them. We may also need to meet with you ahead of time to evaluate the possibility of you jumping. Call us at 281-369-3337 at least a week before your intended skydiving date so we can learn more about you and your abilities, discuss our options, and ensure we are prepared to accommodate your needs with all possible precautions for safety.

Please also note that weather conditions on the day of your skydive are a critical part of this conversation, and of course we can’t predict those with absolute certainty ahead of time. Because of the added complexity of adaptive tandem skydives, the window of suitable weather conditions for these skydives tends to be smaller than that for our usual skydiving operations. If you visit us to skydive but weather keeps you on the ground, we will reschedule your jump at no charge.

We will do our best to help you achieve your dream of flight, because it’s one we absolutely share with you!

Still have questions?

Please call us at 1-800-SKY-DIVE or 903-364-5103–we’d love to talk to you!