Is skydiving safe? Hmm. Good question. Is driving a car safe? Is eating produce from the grocery store safe? Is taking prescription drugs for an illness safe? You probably see where we’re going with this. How safe is skydiving? Well, it’s part of a balanced portfolio of risks that you undertake in your daily life, and it’s one of the biggest payoffs of the lot.
How Do You Look at Risk?
Here’s one that we’re sure you’re aware of: You can die on a tandem skydive. Yep! It’s a statistically insignificant phenomenon, to be sure, but it’s something that could happen. (You could also be struck by a meteor or marry a prince.) Yes, you’re undertaking risk when you choose to jump out of a plane, but keep this in mind: Your morning commute carries a much greater statistical risk of death than skydiving. Driving to work is just a way less dramatic means to make your earthly exit.
Here’s the deal: Every day you wake up, you’re accepting the risk that you’re going to die that day. Some of those risks look dramatic — like skydiving — and some don’t, like taking a medication to which you happen to be fatally allergic, or slipping on some ice in front of a bus. Every single one of us has done things that, statistically speaking, kill more people than skydiving does. Generally, we do them like they aren’t risky at all — often, while we’re texting, eating breakfast and changing the station.
What Do The Statistics Say About Skydiving Safety?
The act of jumping out of an airplane in glorious flight might appear to be a ridiculously risky thing to do. The United States Parachute Association, of which Skydive Chicago has been a very proud member for a very long time, has been carefully collecting statistics about skydiving safety for many years. Those stats underline a very interesting fact: not only is the safety of skydiving better than most activities on the “extreme” end of the spectrum, it’s only improving with time. (Unsure? Look at the USPA’s safety statistics for yourself.)
So, check this out: In the door of the airplane, when you feel your heart racing ahead of itself and your adrenaline in the midst of some kinda tsunami, you can be assured that it’s for your enjoyment only.
Fun, huh?
Is A Risk-Free Life Even Worth It?
Like most interesting questions, there’s another facet to the question “Is skydiving safe?” When you look at it from a slightly different perspective, you can see clearly that living a risk-free life is not only impossible, it’s a terrible idea in the first place. The attempt to live a completely “safe” life is always undertaken at the expense of the experiences that enrich it. Freedom lies down the other path: The acceptance of measured, calculated, intelligent, life-affirming risks. And guess what? Tandem skydiving fits that goal brilliantly.
Is Skydiving Safe at Skydive Chicago?
Safety is at the top of our priorities all day, every day. That’s just how we roll.
If you have any questions about safety, ask! We’re all about transparency, and we delight in describing and demonstrating for our guests the safety procedures and guidelines that we follow. Don’t be shy!