Skydiving Terminology

Table of Contents

• Skydive Slang & Terminology: AAD – Cutaway
• Skydive Slang & Terminology: Dirt Dive – Jump Run
• Skydive Slang & Terminology: Load – Wingloading

Key Takeaways

Skydiving comes with its own language, but once you learn the lingo, you’ll feel right at home at the dropzone. From gear terms like AAD and audible, to skydiver slang such as “Blue Skies” and “Send It,” each phrase reflects the sport’s unique mix of precision, safety, and community spirit. Understanding skydiving terminology helps you communicate clearly, stay safety-focused, and fully immerse yourself in the adventure.

Skydiving slang and skydive terminology is only intimidating because it’s foreign. This article will help you get a grip on the common skydiving phrases that are thrown around the dropzone. Let’s break it down! 

Skydive Slang & Terminology: A-C

AAD. The Automatic Activation Device is an itty-bitty computer that is fastened inside the container (the backpack-looking part) of the skydiving setup. The device uses a pressure system to determine the altitude and the speed of the skydiver. If the jumper is low and falling really fast, the skydiver is deemed to be in freefall when they should have their parachute open. In this case, the AAD is designed to automatically deploy the reserve parachute. This device is a one of many common parachute terms and it’s part of a gear check: “Hey, will you make sure my AAD is on?” or, “Was your AAD turned on here today?” AADs save lives! 

Audible. This is a type of altimeter – a device that shows how high the skydiver is. Audible altimeters are worn inside the helmet of the skydiver, loudly beeping at predetermined altitudes to alert the skydiver. 

Base. No, not BASE jumping (which is not the same thing as skydiving)! Rather the ‘base’ of a formation. In freefall, the base is the part of a formation of skydivers that people build around. For example, if 12 people are going to hold hands while freefalling, there may be a four at the center that everyone else will build around – those four are the base. 

Belly Jump. A belly jump is a skydive where the skydivers are falling in a belly-to-earth orientation in freefall. 

Blue Skies. What do skydivers say to each other? Blue skies! Think of blue skies as a greeting, a farewell, a good luck wish, or any positive innuendo. 

BOC. The Bottom Of Container is the part of a skydiving container that houses the pilot chute. The pilot chute is the device that is thrown to initiate deployment of the main parachute. The secureness of the BOC is commonly checked during a gear check. 

Boogie. A boogie is an event held at a dropzone that is centered around skydiving! It’s like a big party with prizes, food, vendors, and tons of skydives. 

Break-off. The break-off altitude is the altitude in which skydivers will stop what they’re doing (either in freefall or with one another under canopy) and progress into deploying their parachute, or flying their canopy solo to prepare for landing. Skydivers predetermine this altitude before the plane even takes off! 

Burble. This is a pocket of displaced air that exists above a skydiver in freefall or behind them while they’re flying their parachute. The air is unsteady and other jumpers generally avoid flying into it. 

Call. The call is the time before a load takes off. When thinking of what to say to someone skydiving with you, it’s critical to make sure they’re on the same page as you. It’s common to hear something like, “Hey, we’re on a 15 minute call, let’s gear up!” shouted across the hangar.

Crabbing. When the wind is a bit wonky and your parachute is flying sideways and forward at the same time – this is crabbing. It’s not super ideal, but jumpers know how to work through it! 

Cutaway (or Chop). If the main parachute experiences a malfunction, it may need to be rid of so the skydiver can deploy the reserve parachute. The act of getting rid of, or cutting away, the main canopy is called chopping it! 

Skydive Slang & Terminology: D-J

Dirt Dive. A dirt dive is a mock-skydive on the ground prior to the real thing. When multiple people are jumping together, it’s important to ensure everyone knows what they’re doing prior to boarding the plane. 

DZ. Just another way of saying dropzone, which is a skydiving center. 

Fall Rate. This is how fast someone naturally falls while in freefall. People can adjust their fall rate with different body positions and by increasing or decreasing their drag through their clothing options – this is how people of various weights can all skydive together! 

First. Ah, the f-word! When a skydiver does something for the first time or hits a milestone in the sport, such as 100 jumps, they owe a case of beer (or a non-alcoholic beverage of choice) to the community fridge at the dropzone. 

Freefly. This is a skydiving discipline where skydivers are not falling belly-to-earth, but rather sitting, standing, or flying in a head-down orientation. 

Gear Check. Before skydivers put their gear on, they’ll give it a check to ensure all the parts are in their respective places. Skydivers also receive gear checks from at least one other jumper after they’ve geared up before boarding, and sometimes even once more in the plane before exit. 

Ground Speed. This is the speed of the plane relative to the ground. The ground speed takes wind speed and direction into account and is used to determine the amount of time between skydivers or groups when they exit the aircraft. Skydivers are a loud bunch, and when thinking what to yell when skydiving, asking for the ground speed when in the plane is a good start! 

Hop ‘n’ Pop. This is when a skydiver exits the aircraft and pretty-much-immediately deploys their main parachute, rather than going into an extended period of freefall. 

Hot Fuel. This is when the plane will fuel in between loads without shutting off. 

Jumper. What do you call people who skydive? Not adrenaline-seeking weirdos, but just ‘jumpers’! 

Jump Run. Planes fly in patterns when climbing up to release jumpers. The jump run is the leg of the pattern that skydivers will exit on. Skydivers can often tell when the plane makes its final turn onto jump run and they mentally and physically prepare to jump. 

Skydive Slang & Terminology: L-W

Load. Think of skydivers as the freight on the plane – they’re the load! A load is represented by each time the plane takes off with a load of jumpers. You might hear, “Get ready, we’re on the next load!”

Meet Load. When the plane lands and immediately picks up another load of jumpers without shutting off, it’s called a meet load. It’s common to hear someone say, “Hey, we’re on load 10 – it’s a meet load!” 

No Plan Jam. This is when skydivers have only planned a few key details about the jump, such as break-off altitude. Other than that, they’re just going to have fun! 

Pull. The act of a skydiver pulling their pilot chute (out of the BOC!) to initiate deployment of the main canopy. 

Send. This term sort of means … go. If a skydiver is hyped up for a jump with a friend, they may ask, “Are you ready to send it?” 

Shred. Think of this as a way to say, “Hey, we’re going to have a really sick jump!” You may hear someone say, “Dude – we shredded so hard.” After a great skydive! 

Snivel. If a main canopy takes an extra split second to fully inflate, it’s a snively opening. 

Spot. The act of looking out the airplane door to determine if the pilot has placed the skydivers in a good spot to jump! The spot is determined by the winds and what the jumpers are doing in freefall and under canopy – the correct spot is discussed prior to boarding the airplane, and double checked right before jumping out. 

Uppers. The wind speed and direction during the freefall portion of the skydive is called ‘the uppers’. It’s common to hear someone say something like, “Hey, the spot is .5 prior because the uppers are cooking.” This means that upper wind speed is high, causing the spot to be significantly offset to account for drift in freefall. 

Wheels Up. This is when the plane will leave the ground! If a load is planned for a specific time, such as sunset, people will say something like, “Wheels up at 6 SHARP!” 

Wingloading. This is the ratio of exit weight (the skydiver’s weight + their gear) compared to the size of their parachute, in square feet. 

See? Skydiving slang isn’t that difficult, it’s just new! Ready to send it at Skydive Key West? Book your tandem skydive today!