If you are accustomed to the world of adventure sports, you would already know what Skydiving is all about. Usually what is seen is that mini aircraft and small-sized planes are used for skydiving. And as a general perception, it is believed that skydiving can be done only using these fixed-winged small planes. But then there is another flying machine that is now increasingly being used for many types of adventure sports – The Helicopter.
But since we are talking about skydiving here, the question is – Can You Skydive from a Helicopter?
Let us find out the answer to that question in the next section.
The Answer – Yes You Can Skydive from a Helicopter
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If you have been a part of this adventure sport before, you might have already seen how to skydive from mini crafts and planes. You just have to jump from a moving plane. The skydiving experience from a Helicopter is somewhat similar to that of a plane. The diving environment and the preconditions remain the same with a subtle difference however you can skydive quite easily from a Helicopter.
So the answer to the question – yes, you can skydive out of a Helicopter in the same way as you can from any other airplane. In fact, skydiving from a Helicopter is a better experience than that from a plane and we will discuss the differences a little later. Let us first see what are the requirements for going Skydiving with a Helicopter?
What are the Requirement for Helicopter Skydiving?
Helicopter skydiving is one of the unique ways of skydiving that adds a lot to the thrill and excitement of the entire activity. Imagine the feeling of jumping from a hovering airplane at an altitude of 7000 ft. It gives you a feeling and an adrenaline rush like never before. But since there is a risk involved in adventure sports like Helicopter Skydiving, there are certain requirements that you will need to fulfill. Listed below are all the requirements.
- You must be a trained skydiver with certain experience of skydiving to go for Helicopter Skydiving.
- You should hold at least a Class B license or greater in Skydiving. You must have completed a minimum of 30 jumps where in a minimum of 10 of the jumps you must have landed within at least 22 feet of the target.
- You also should have a proven record of demonstrated ability to perform back looping and controlled tuning manoeuvres.
- If you have a Class A license, you will require a certified instructor to accompany you during the jump.
- Then there are local weather condition requirements which include weather VFR (Visual Flight Rules) requirements along with a cloud ceiling of more than 8000 feet.
- A NOTAM (Notices to Airmen) need to be obtained 36 hours prior to every jump you go for.
- Weight restrictions are applicable as well. Generally, weight limit is a maximum of 220 lbs (100 kgs) is allowed.
Apart from these general requirements, you may also need to fulfill certain requirements laid down by the service provider based on local authorities which may depend on where you are going for skydiving. Now that we know about the requirements lets us find out how much Helicopter Skydiving costs.
How Much Does a Helicopter Skydive Cost?
The helicopter skydiving prices will depend on whether you are skydiving solo or tandem that is attached with an instructor. People who are going on their first jump are suggested to go tandem as it is going to be safer. When you jump tandem, your instructor takes care of all the technicalities while you can enjoy the entire experience without worrying about anything.
Then there are other factors such as the location you are going for skydiving, the country, the altitude from which you are doing the jump, the kind of services offered along with other things. But helicopter skydiving is generally more expensive than airplanes. That is because it is more expensive to operate a helicopter than that an airplane. For a Tandem Ride, you will have to pay around $300 on average and for a solo jump, it will be somewhere between $200 to $300. All in all, a Helicopter is expensive than that airplane skydiving.
What should be the height or altitude of the helicopter during the jump?
Skydiving altitudes affect the duration of your jump. Helicopter jumps can be done from a maximum altitude of 18,000 ft in the US. Though this is based on the Skydiving Helicopter Service provider you have opted for.
While some providers can offer skydiving up to a maximum of 8000 ft, others can go up to a maximum of 18,000 ft. But the average helicopter skydiving height is 8000 ft which is a good altitude for the skydiving experience. But higher the altitude, higher the prices, and as such most skydivers opt for a height between 8000 to 10,000 ft.
Now that you know the average height range let us look at the locations where Skydive is allowed.
Where to Skydive from a Helicopter?
Skydiving through airplanes is a pretty common thing and you can get a lot of locations and services which would provide you with these services in almost every country and region you go to. But Helicopter Skydiving is limited to only a few places around the world. These include but are not limited to the following:
- Wanaka, New Zealand – The provider Skydive Wanaka has the distinguished certification of offering jumps from an altitude of 12,000 ft.
- Gold Coast, Australia – You can enjoy a scenic tandem skydive experience over this beautiful coastline in Australia at average altitudes of 8000 ft.
- Swiss Alps, Switzerland – This is one of the most popular and sought after skydiving experience that people opt for. Skydive Interlaken operates helicopter skydiving in this area and weather it is summers or winters, the breathtakingly beautiful scenery of the alps makes it an unforgettable experience.
- Glaciers, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland– Skydive Lauterbrunnen is the name of the Skydiving operator which lets you enjoy skydiving over the beautiful glaciers of Monch, Eiger, and Jungfrau.
- Dubai, UAE – Skydive Dubai offers one of the best helicopter skydiving experiences. Enjoy the amazing scenes of some of the most amazing man made skyscrapers in the world.
Apart from that if you are visiting any country and wish to try helicopter skydiving, you can check if there are any such services made available. If you find such services rely on only experienced and trusted operators as going ahead with operators who are new in the business is risking your own life.
Now that we have uncovered most of the aspects of Helicopter Skydiving, let us see how Helicopter Skydiving is different from Airplane Skydiving.
What are the Differences between Helicopter and Airplane Skydiving?
Airplane and Helicopter Skydiving is different from Airplane skydiving in a lot of ways. But there are certain similarities as well. Talking about the similarities both of them have their own risks and as such have their own safety briefings and precautions. After the jump, the experience is the same in both a helicopter jump or an airplane jump. But there are quite a lot of differences which can be pointed as below:
- Helicopter Skydiving can be more expensive than Airplane Skydiving as operating a helicopter is costlier than that of an airplane.
- Finding a helicopter skydiving operator is difficult. There are not too many skydiving units that offer helicopter skydiving whereas airplane skydiving unit is very common.
- A helicopter can ferry less number of people in every trip and may not be ideal for skydiving for a bog group. Whereas the same is possible from an airplane.
- When you jump from a helicopter, you are closed to the ground and you would not get that overreaching view that you may get from a plane. Higher altitude gives you more time to plan and manoeuvre your jump and flight.
- When you jump from a helicopter it can hover at one place at the drop zone while you get ready for your jump. This means when the door opens there is no rush of wind and as such there is no pressure on you to jump immediately. The feeling is calming when you free fall until the air from beneath makes you feel like a bubble. While falling from an airplane you feel you are pushed against the gushing wind which may be uncomfortable to some.
- Jumping from a helicopter is an unusual experience than that from an airplane. It needs experienced skydivers or can only be done tandem if diving for the first time.
Get Your Helicopter Skydiving Guide
With everything that we have discussed here one thing that is certain is the fact that Helicopter Skydiving is an exciting adventure sport. It has its own set of risks, dangers, but it is also filled with a lot of thrill and a feeling of adrenaline rush. While many may like to jump from extreme heights more than 10,000 ft and higher there are many who like the thrill of jumping from small heights and landing in the target drop zone. No matter what your preferences are. It is always better to be prepared and then proceed on this amazing expedition.
So, all you need to do is have that intent of going for this adventure sport and use this guide to Helicopter Skydiving for everything else. We leave it to your trainers and experts to teach you the technicalities. Happy Skydiving!!
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