Frequently Asked Questions

"What's the weather going to be like? When will I get to jump?

What time should I get there? Can I bring spectators?"

If you have any questions please get in touch

Can you send me some more information? We do have a printed brochure but this web site contains a far greater depth of information. Please contact us if you would like hard copy of our brochure posted to you or if you have any questions we can help answer.

How much are the training courses and Tandem Skydives? Please check our current price list

Do you provide group discounts? We offer discounts for groups of 10 or more people training and jumping on the same day, please contact us for more information.

Are there any terms and conditions I should know about? Yes, we recommend that you review our terms and conditions of sale before you make a booking.

I can't afford the costs - what can I do? You can jump for free if you do a sponsored skydive for a charity of your choice and use some of the raised funds to pay for your jump.

Can I book online? Not yet, we plan to add online payment soon. At present you can book over the phone or by post.

What if I can't make my previously agreed / booked jump or course date? We understand that sometimes plans change so we'll happily work with you to re-schedule an alternate date. For re-scheduling requests less than 14 days before your confirmed jump / course date there is re-booking administration charge, this charge is levied as we're unlikely to be able to fill your place with another jumper at such short notice. If you need to re-schedule your jump or course please call us as soon as possible.

Why do I need British Parachute Association (BPA) membership? The BPA is the UK's regulatory and controlling body for all sport parachuting activities and is responsible to the UK's Civil Aviation Authority. Anyone wishing to make a sport parachute descent in the UK is required to have British Parachute Association membership. BPA membership includes 3rd party liability insurance cover for up to £2,000,000 which accounts for the majority of the BPA membership cost.  BPA Membership is available for purchase through the Black Knights Parachute Centre and will be included in the final cost of your chosen jump or course. BKPC gift vouchers  already include the required BPA membership within the price, there is no need to purchase separate BPA membership with a gift voucher.

Are there any age, medical or weight requirements to jump? Yes, The maximum allowable weight is 12 stone for females and 15 stone for males, body mass index will also be taken into account. The minimum age for parachuting is 16, applicants under 18 must have written parental / guardian consent. Applicants aged 40 and over should request a British Parachute Associate Medical Certificate for completion by their doctor before their course. Those aged above 49 years are discouraged from taking the Static Line 1st Jump, 6 Jump RAPS Solo Freefall course or AFF course and require individual approval from the British Parachute Association's Safety and Training Committee and our club's chief instructor, Tandem Skydiving is often a better choice for those above 49 years old. Please contact us for further details if any jumpers are aged under 18 or over 39 years.

When should I arrive at the Drop Zone on the day of my jump / training course? Please help us by arriving at the drop zone by 8am on the day of your jump and go immediately to the office to complete your registration paperwork . Tandem skydivers will normally jump in the order that the registrations took place, the only exception to this will where aircraft loading limits or staff / equipment availability otherwise demand. We advise you to plan to be able to stay at the drop zone for the whole day of your jump, we promise you that it's worth waiting for! 

How long does the training take? Training for the  6 Jump RAPS "Solo Freefall" Course and Static Line Solo 1st Jump Course  will take a whole day, starting at 8:30am and finishing sometime around 5:00 pm in the evening. During the summer months with the extended daylight, first time solo jumpers will normally jump in the evening on the day they trained (weather permitting). During the winter months when sunset is earlier your jump will normally be carried out the following day. Training for Tandem Skydives will take around 20 minutes and is normally carried out in the morning once your have registered at the drop zone office on arrival

What clothing should I wear for my jump / training? Wear louse, comfortable fitting clothing that is suitable for the season along with flat shoes or trainers. Footwear that uses hooks for lacing such as walking boots must not be worn. Loan jump suits are available to wear for your jump.  Goggles will be provided which can fit over glasses, contact lenses can be work although there is a small chance you may loose them if the wind gets underneath your goggles.

What about the weather? Parachuting is an outdoor sport and so is at the mercy of the weather, we ask for your understanding when we are unable to offer you guidance as to what time in the day you will jump. Almost everyone is keen to jump and often bring friends and relatives to come and watch the fun and we often get asked questions such as "What time will I jump?" and "Will the weather be OK to jump later?". Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball but we can tell you that we only allow parachute descents to be made when the weather conditions are safe and within the British Parachute Association's operating procedure minimums.

We do appreciate the frustration that delays can bring but please be assured that our primary responsibility is for the safety of our jumpers. In the event of you being unable to make your jump on your scheduled day due to weather or technical issues we will re-schedule an alterative date with you. The 6 Jump RAPS "Solo Freefall" and Static Line Solo 1st Jump training courses will run regardless of the weather conditions however the actual jump may be delayed by weather. For the 5 day forecast from the BBC weather centre click here,

What if I can't jump on my scheduled day due to bad weather? We'll agree and reschedule an alternative date with you. You should still attend the drop zone at 8am of morning of your scheduled course or jump even if windy, low cloud or raining at  your home as it doesn't necessarily mean that the weather at the drop zone will be as bad!

What facilities are available on the Drop Zone? We have a canteen that serves hot and cold meals, snacks and drinks. Separate ladies and gents toilet and shower facilities are on site. There is Free Wireless Internet Access and a Drop Zone shop selling skydiving equipment and souvenir items.

Can I bring spectators?  All your family and friends are welcome to come and watch but please do not bring animals or alcohol to the drop zone. Children must be supervised at all times and all visitors must stay in the public areas around the drop zone buildings and at no time venture into the parachute landing areas, runways or towards any aircraft or vehicle unless under the direct supervision of a staff member.

What's your smoking policy? Smoking is not allowed inside any drop zone building or near any aircraft or vehicles. Please do not smoke near any parachute equipment as the nylon material can easily burn (and they don't work too well with holes in them!)

Is there disabled access? Unfortunately the drop zone is not particularly wheelchair friendly. If you or any of your party uses a wheelchair please contact us in advance so that we may discuss how we may accommodate your needs.

Which jump should I choose? It depends on the individual, they're all great fun and very rewarding! Look at our "choosing your jump guide" which will  help you.

Can I get my jumped videoed? Yes, but only Tandem Skydives and AFF jumps can be videoed. Please ask in the office when completing your registration paperwork on arrival at the drop zone. It's not possible to share a video man between tandem jumpers as there is no way to freefall between two tandem skydiving pairs who will be separated by many hundreds of feet both horizontally and vertically. Unfortunately we cannot video jumps from the Static Line Solo 1st Jump Course or the 6 Jump RAPS "Solo Freefall" Course. Videos can be arranged at the DZ office on the day of your jump.

What if I'm afraid of heights? This is very commonly asked question. A fear of heights can often be confused with a natural and healthy respect for the inherent dangers of high places. This respect is a natural and inbuilt instinct which is essential to survival in life. Being a little bit anxious before your jump is to be expected. It's the huge difference between the tension before the jump and the joy afterwards that makes jumping so much fun.

What happens if the parachute doesn't work? All jumps are made on modern, well maintained parachute systems equipped with with both a main (primary) and reserve (spare) parachute canopy. All our student / tandem equipment also include automatic activation devices that act as a back up safety system to open the reserve canopy if necessary. You should take reassurance from the fact the reserve parachutes are very rarely needed. The chances of all these safety systems, your training (and in the case of Tandem jumpers your instructor's training) failing at the same time are remote indeed but not impossible - we're sure you can figure out the consequences of complete equipment failure.

Is it safe? The Black Knights Parachute Centre has been operating since 1964 and you'll enjoy a jump at a highly experienced parachute centre but we never forget that parachuting and skydiving are potentially dangerous activities. Although every precaution is taken to eliminate risk from our sport, there is always the possibility of injury or even death. Our highly experienced staff are fully trained and qualified as required by the rules of the British Parachute Association, the sport's governing body in the U.K. Appropriate training is given to all participants, and to minimise the risk you must apply that training diligently and fully. The equipment provided is carefully maintained, all our parachute systems are equipped with additional safety devices and, when used properly, will make your skydiving as safe as any other extreme activity. If you cannot accept the risks, you should not participate.

Will I be able to breathe in freefall? Yes, it's easy to breath in freefall but it does get windy when you're freefalling at 120mph. There's no need to try and hold your breath for the whole jump!

Can you talk in freefall?  Yes. You're welcome to talk in freefall but nobody's going to hear you as it's very noisy. If you yell at a cameraman on your exit from the aircraft then the camera will sometimes pick it up.

How fast will I be falling when in freefall? Fast! After exiting the aircraft gravity starts to accelerate your body towards the ground and it take about 12 seconds to reach a maximum speed of around 175 ft per second which is roughly 120 mph. Once you have reached this terminal velocity your body will continue to fall at this rate, falling 1000 ft roughly every 5.5 seconds.

Do you go up when your parachute opens? No. When you see films of skydivers opening their parachutes it would appear that they go up. This is just an illusion caused by the cameraman continuing to freefall past the other parachutists whose descent rate is reduced by their opening parachutes.
 

Will I enjoy it? Almost certainly. Even if you were anxious before your jump it's very rare not to see our 1st time jumpers jumping around with a big smile on landing as they tell anyone who'll listen about the amazing experience they've just had! But don't just take our word for it, why not take a look in our guest book and read some of the feedback for yourself?

Is the landing hard? Modern square parachutes are capable of very soft landings. The landing is affected to some extent by the wind conditions (it's easier to land gently on your feet when there is a bit of wind). When the winds are very light you may find yourself sliding in to land on your rear end after your Tandem jump. When you are in charge of your own parachute on a solo jump course you may well find that you fall over on some early jumps, but you'll will have been taught how to do that safely in your training too!

What does 'Static Line' mean?  A 'static line' is a method of automatically opening a parachute as soon as the wearer leaves the aircraft. Basically, one end of the static line is attached to the aircraft, and the other to the opening system on the parachute. This gives us the ability to allow you to jump solo - you just have to leave the 'plane!  and as you fall away the parachute begins to open. Of course, it's a little more involved than that, so our Static Line Solo 1st Jump Course gives you a full day of classroom and practical training to prepare you.
 

What is 'RAPS'?  RAPS stands for the  Ram Air Progression System is the teaching method approved by the British Parachute Association for becoming a qualified solo skydiver by starting with static-line jumps. Our 6 Jump RAPS "Solo Freefall" Course employs the RAPS system.