Weight Limits For Skydiving Are About Safety, Not Discrimination
Skydiving is a fun activity that help you develop a new appreciation for life. Like any other extreme sport, however, there are restrictions on who can participate in this activity; namely, you must be under a certain weight limit (usually around 220 pounds) before a skydiving company will take you up in the plane. Unfortunately, some people believe this is due to size discrimination, when it's really a safety issue. Here are three reasons why there are weight limits if you want to skydive.
Must Account for Physics
The number one reason why most companies have weight limits on both tandem and independent jumps is because they have to account for physics. The heavier something is, the faster it drops to the ground. Skydiving companies calculate how far up and out to take the plane so that when the passengers jump out, they'll land safely into the drop zone. If the passenger descends faster than expected due to his or her weight, the individual may end up falling outside the zone and getting injured as a result.
Private passenger plans can only ascend so far upwards (to avoid running into commercial or military planes and other problems), so it's not always possible to just go higher to account for larger-bodied skydivers. Thus, the company typically sets the weight limit based on its abilities.
It should be noted that, although 220 seems to be the average in the industry, some companies can accommodate passengers who are even heavier because they have additional resources at their disposal that can reduce the risk of accidents. Thus, it's a good idea to call around to different places to see if they will take people at your weight range before deciding that skydiving is out of the picture for you.
Specialized Gear May Not Be Available
Another reason there is a weight limit for skydiving is that parachutes are designed to accommodate only so much weight (e.g., 250 pounds). Serious problems can occur when a person uses a parachute that is not rated for the amount he or she weights. The lines may break, or the harness may not fit properly, resulting in pinched arms and legs. The parachute itself may not deploy the right way, which is not a problem you want to have when rapidly falling from several hundred feet in the air.
The good news is that there are parachute companies that do make equipment designed for heavier skydivers. The bad news is that these parachutes may only be available for use on non-tandem drops. If you wanted to do a tandem drop with an instructor, you may be still prevented from doing so because the company may not have equipment strong enough to support your and the instructor's combined weight.
Some Physical Strength Required
A third issue that must be accounted for is that a certain amount of physical strength is required to control the parachute while dropping to the ground. This is true for both tandem and non-tandem drops, but companies tend to be stricter about this issue when you're paired with an instructor. This is because the instructor must be strong enough to manipulate the equipment based on your combined weights. If you're too heavy, the instructor may lose control, and you both will be in trouble.
It should be noted that even if you are light enough, you still may have trouble finding a skydiving company to accommodate you if you're really tall or broad. This has more to do with matching you with an instructor who is about the same physical size, as a major disparity can also have serious safety repercussions. When talking to companies about their weight limits, be sure to also let them know your height and body type (or visit them in person) so they can determine if they have someone who can go with you on tandem jumps.
For more information about this issue or to schedule a jump, contact a local skydiving company.