Can I do Backflips & Spins on a Tandem Skydiving Exit?

Can I do Backflips & Spins on a Tandem Skydiving Exit?

We meet a whole lot of badass adventurers out here at the San Jose Skydiving Center. They come from all walks of life--representing all occupations, ethnic backgrounds, cultures, socioeconomic brackets, proclivities, and hairstyles. They really do represent the full scope of humanity. Despite the differences, there's one thing that so many of them have in common.

They wanna do a flip. (Well, mostly.)

There's a hard truth to share here, unfortunately. Doing a flip on a tandem skydive--a backflip or a spin or anything all nimbly-pimbly--can get both you and your stalwart tandem instructor wrapped up in a bit of a mess. For that reason, we don't do 'em, because our number-one purpose in life is making sure that we keep you as safe as possible for your tandem skydiving adventure.

There is, however, a silver lining to all of this: That tandem skydiving is only the very first baby step of a freefall adventure that can include as many ridiculous aircraft exits as you can shake a wind blade at. Once you've become a certified skydiver--which is much more possible than you might think!--you won't just be stuck at the "backflip" stage. You'll be able to try all kinds of crazy stuff in freefall. Check out this list:

Horny Gorilla Exits

Wherever two or three or four or more are gathered in his name, the horny gorilla bestoweth awkward hilarity (and, occasionally, a pretty awesome little sitfly group). You'll crowd into the door and tangle up your legs, then all hop out like you're seated around the world's tiniest campfire.

Train Exits

It's kinda like a cross between a conga line and a multi-way piggyback ride, except it starts two miles up in the air.

Magic Carpets

I've never been on one of these that succeeded, but I hear it involves everybody grabbing onto everything they can in the door and trying to fly it flat. Aladdin would have gotten nowhere with Jasmine if this were the conveyance he chose to woo her, but it's still a barrel of laughs.

Darts

Stand facing your buddy in the door. Grab hold of his/her shoulder straps as s/he grabs hold of yours. Point your heads at the ground as you fall out. It's sorta like doing a middle-school slow dance until you get stable.

Mr. Bills

Well, for this one, you just kinda...hm. Maybe a video is a better idea. Whoever first came up with this has gotta be a mad genius, and probably broke an arm in the process.

See what we mean? There's way more out there for you than backflips. Once you earn your solo skydiving license, you might just invent your very own methods to add to the list. Wanna try? We're waiting to see what you come up with!