Tandem skydiving

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Tandem Skydiving

Tandem skydiving refers to a type of skydiving where a novice skydiver ("student" or "passenger") is connected via a harness to an experienced skydiver ("tandem master" or "tandem instructor"). The instructor controls the whole jump from exit through freefall, piloting the canopy, and landing. The student needs only minimal instruction before making a tandem jump.

Tandem skydiving is a popular training method for first time skydivers, but it is more expensive than static line. It exposes first-time jumpers to the entire skydiving routine with minimal expectations from the student. Some training programs instruct first-time jumpers on how and when to deploy the main canopy themselves. In these programs, about half of the first-jump students succeed. However, the tandem master remains primarily responsible for safe and timely parachute deployment.

Tandem skydiving was developed in the mid-1980's by Bill Booth and Ted Strong.

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