Slamdunk

If you dare try the extreme sport of skydiving then you will face the challenge of quite literally diving down from the air and enjoy the spectacular bird’s eye view of the world but not without some safety measures.  Typically this sport requires you to jump from either a helicopter or an airplane from a small airbase called a drop zone.

Falling Back to Earth

Before getting into this spectacular sport you must know that skydivers jump off a plane at the height of 13,000 feet which is equivalent to 4,000 meters.  But that’s not all you will experience a state of free fall temporarily before you can open your parachute which will serve as your break to soften your descent until such time you attain a safe and slow speed to land.

In fact, your parachute doesn’t fully inflate itself until it reaches the height of 2,500 feet.  Part of the reason behind this is that every skydiver follows the rule of having two parachutes.  The first parachute is considered the main one while the second is just back-up just in case something happens to the first.

After your parachute gets fully inflated you can now steer it in wherever direction you want and control your speed using the parachute’s steering lines.  If you’re an experienced diver steering your way accurately to a safe landing is an easy task.  The basis of skydive competitions are the exactness of your landing in a specified spot and the technique of how you landed.  Read more...

Most people think that skydiving is a recent sport, that it was developed in the twentieth century.  But skydiving began soaring since China started using parachutes in 1100s.  Worldwide skydivers say that the person who invented skydiving was the French inventor Andre-Jacques Garnerin.  In 1797, Garnerin jumped form a balloon in Paris using a parachute.

It was followed by a woman named Kathie Palus, who became an enthusiastic fan of skydiving in Germany.  In 19th century she started skydiving and became known for all her stunts and skills demonstrated while airborne.

When the Wright Brothers invented or made the first aircraft in 1903, it took skydiving into a new altitude.  With Wright brothers’ invention it became possible to reach higher altitudes making it possible for divers to make more movements and maneuvers while on a free fall.

A woman named Tiny Broadwick became the fist woman to jump from a plane in 1913.  She also became the first woman to dive a free fall in 1914.  Jumping off planes began to be a military operation when they began using parachutes in World War I missions.

Parachutes were continued to be used as part of military operations and mission until World War II, which is between 1939 and 1945.  Parachute riding soldiers were called paratroopers. Their most famous feat was during the invasion of Normandy, France, where paratroopers played a key role in securing the areas for landing of the remaining troops.  Read more...