How safe is skydiving in Australia? Look behind the scenes
Skydiving is an exhilarating sport, but safety is always our top priority. Adhering to strict guidelines, proper training, and using reliable equipment are just some of the measures we take to reduce risk.
How safe is skydiving in Australia? Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a skydiving operation? These are the safeguards we have in place at our 1300SKYDIVE dropzones:
Riggers and packers
Only highly experienced packers, certified by the Australian Parachute Federation are allowed to pack reserve parachutes. At 1300SKYDIVE we have our own riggers with decades of experience, tasked with not just reserve re-packing but regular gear inspection and maintenance. With such expertise rest assured our gear maintenance is in good hands!
Skydiving aircraft safety
Aircraft are an essential part of a successful skydiving experience…we need to get up there to jump! Our planes go through extensive pre-flight checks every day and are regularly maintained by our expert engineers at our aircraft maintenance facility. By keeping our planes in top condition we not only avoid safety concerns but also any potential disruptions on the day due to small technical issues.
Specialist skydiving pilots
Skydiving pilots aren’t your average pilot. They are required to have specialist training and endorsements to work in parachuting operations. They are tasked with pre-flight checks at the start of the day, flying the crew and skydivers like you to the right spot to enjoy their skydive. Their skill and experience make them an invaluable part of our skydiving operations.
The role of the DZSO
The DZSO (Drop Zone Safety Officer) is one of the most important roles in skydiving. The DZSO oversees jump operations, manages safety procedures, and ensures adherence to the Australian Parachute Federation regulations. It is a mandatory role, we cannot jump without a DZSO. They play a vital role in ensuring the safety of all skydivers, and provide peace of mind knowing that someone is watching over everything.
Eyes on the ground
The GCA (Ground Control Assistant) is the “eyes on the ground” for the pilot and skydivers in the plane. They monitor weather conditions, airspace, and the integrity of the landing area, and only give the pilot the green light to drop once everything is deemed safe.
Our skydiving instructors
Our Tandem Masters are highly experienced and skilled skydivers, often having thousands of jumps under their belt. They chose jumping out of planes as a career and love sharing the thrill of freefall with people like you. A skydiver must have completed 500 skydives before commencing Tandem Master training, at 1300SKYDIVE we require at least 1000.
What if the parachute doesn’t open?
All our skydiving rigs are equipped with an AAD (Automatic Activation Device). In the unlikely event that there is no manual deployment of the main parachute, the AAD will automatically trigger the deployment of the reserve parachute. Skydivers never rely on AADs to get a parachute over their heads, but it is a backup that gives peace of mind.
Parachute packing and inspection
After landing, packers and supervisors are tasked with the inspection and packing of the main parachutes of tandem and student rigs. They are trained, examined, and qualified under the Australian Parachute Federation.
Conclusion
As you can see skydiving involves a lot more than planes and parachutes. Riggers, engineers, pilots, DZSOs, GCAs, packers, and instructors are all involved in making sure we can enjoy a smooth day of jumping from planes with the best possible safeguards in place.
Want to know more? Visit our FAQs or check out our locations to skydive in Australia and live an experience like no other.
Blue skies,
The Team @ 1300SKYDIVE