Skydiving Requirements: Age, Weight, Health & Fitness

Key Takeaways
To tandem skydive at a USPA dropzone, you must be at least 18 years old, meet the applicable weight and health requirements, and provide a valid government-issued photo ID. At Skydive Key West, the tandem skydiving weight limit is 270 lbs, with mobility, height, and harness fit also considered. If you have a medical condition, recent surgery, or mobility concerns, talk with a medical professional and the dropzone before booking your jump.

The question many people ask before making their first tandem skydive is: What are the requirements for skydiving? To go tandem skydiving at Skydive Key West, you must be at least 18 years old, weigh no more than 270 lbs (including clothes and shoes), be in moderately good health, and bring a valid government-issued photo ID.

The skydiving age limit, skydiving weight limit, and other skydiving requirements are in place to mitigate risk and ensure that your jump is as enjoyable as possible. At Skydive Key West, we want you to have one of the best days of your life! 

So, what disqualifies you from skydiving? If you’re too young, over the weight limit, or have prohibitive medical issues, you may not be able to skydive. Let’s dig into the details to better understand the prerequisites for tandem skydiving.

Skydiving Age Limit

“How old do you have to be to skydive?” This is the most common question asked by prospective skydivers. At United States Parachute Association (USPA) affiliated dropzones, the minimum age required to skydive is 18 years old. 

One of the reasons for the age limit is legal liability. Before you complete a skydive, legal documentation – called a waiver – must be signed by the jumper, who must be a legal adult. Here in the United States, 18 is deemed to be the age that one can fully comprehend and commit to making an informed decision. 

The good news is that there’s no upper age limit for skydiving. As long as you are in relatively good health, you’re good to jump. In fact, the record for the oldest person to ever go skydiving is held by Alfred “Al” Blaschke, who was 106 years old and 327 days old at the time of his most recent jump!

Skydiving Weight Limit

“Is there a weight limit for skydiving?” This is probably the second most frequently asked question we hear. The tandem skydiving weight limit can vary from dropzone to dropzone based on gear and instructor accessibility. At Skydive Key West the weight limit for tandem skydiving is 270 lbs.

Skydiving weight limits exist because although the engineering of skydiving equipment is incredible, there are restrictions set by manufacturers based on the maximum capacity of the gear. Many tandem skydiving systems have a weight limit of 500 lbs, which is a combination of the weight of the instructor, the weight of the gear (~50lbs), and the weight of the student.

Mobility is also a factor when deciding weight limit. In order to successfully participate in your skydive, you must be able to climb into the plane, hold a stable freefall body arch, and lift your legs up high for landing. 

This is also where height and proportions come in. For example, if someone is very short and near the weight limit, the proportion of their body may not be conducive to wearing a skydiving harness safely. Similarly, someone may be well under the weight limit, but extremely tall, which may also make properly fitting in the harness difficult. 

Health and Medical Conditions 

If you want to go skydiving, medical conditions may be something you have to consider before making the jump. Skydiving is a high stress activity that elevates your heart rate, increases your breathing, and impacts your overall body, so any medical conditions could change your approach to jumping for the first time. 

Some skydiving health requirements include:

• Heart conditions/pacemakers
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Recent surgery
• Pregnancy

These are all unique situations that should be handled on a case by case basis and don’t necessarily preclude you from going skydiving. It’s important to talk to your doctor or a medical professional before booking a skydive, especially if you’re unsure about your eligibility. 

Physical Fitness

Skydiving might be a physical activity, but do you need to be fit to skydive? No! Even though skydiving is technically a sport, you don’t need to be athletic to participate. Skydiving physical requirements are more about being able to control your body and move in and out of the airplane. 

Here are some things you’ll need to do in order to skydive:

• Climbing into the plane – Jump planes are a tight squeeze, and stepping into a plane in a crouched position and being able to shuffle your way to the door when it’s time to exit are necessary steps of a skydive.
  
• Freefall – During freefall, tandem skydivers fall in a belly-to-earth arch position. Think of this pose like a SuperMan on the ground, except during a skydive, gravity and wind force help to perfect this position and take the strain off your lower back.
  
• Landing – Seconds before landing, the student is asked to lift their legs into a pike position to prepare to slide in on their bottom. 

One thing to consider for all three phases is back, neck, and knee issues. You’ll be in multiple positions, and some of the actions – like parachute opening and landing – come with a bit of jostling. Make sure your joints and bones can handle the ride by talking to a medical professional before booking!

What to Bring

In addition to physical requirements, there are a few things you absolutely must bring to the dropzone in order to skydive. A valid government photo ID is required to sign the waiver (and prove your age), no exceptions. 

You also want to dress the part in closed-toe athletic sneakers and comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing. It’s a good idea to bring layers for comfort in case the weather changes throughout the day, and snacks and drinks to keep yourself fueled up. 

The last thing to bring is a sober mind and body. You cannot jump if you’re under the influence and we won’t be able to let you in the airplane. The jump is also better if you’re clearheaded enough to enjoy it! 

Have Questions About Eligibility?

Still not sure if you meet the skydiving requirements? Call us! We can answer all of your questions before you book your tandem! Blue skies!