Skydive Kansas | FIRST JUMP > frequently asked questions

Questions YOU should ask!

• Who makes the rules that you follow? We follow all the regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration in regards to skydiving, our equipment, and maintaining our aircraft, such as 100 hour inspections and annuals. We only hire pilots who possess a Commercial rating. We are also group members of the United States Parachute Association, who are recognized by the FAA as the authority on skydiving. That means we follow the strictest guidelines in the industry.
• How much experienced do your instructors have? All of our instructors have over 1,000 skydives. Some of them started skydiving in the 1970's. They are all current members with ratings from the United States Parachute Association.
• How long have you been in business? We have been open since October 1995.
• Is skydiving safe? You are jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. You sign a waiver that is a Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk. Skydiving in an inherently dangerous sport. You and your instructor may be injured or killed as a result of your participation. However, you can greatly reduce your risk by taking your training seriously. Like many activities that are considered "high risk," what you may encounter is well known and controllable. With our excellent gear and excellent instruction, coupled with your proper attention and attitude, skydiving can be a manageable risk.
For more information about national statistics, visit the United Parachute Association's website. Our standards exceed those set forth by USPA.
See more on this topic...
See also Questions answered by Skydiving Magazine...
See also Editorial by Martin Myrtle, ACDZ in Wichita...

How do I schedule a jump?
The easiest way to schedule is to go to our discount page and follow the instructions there. You can print the form directly from the computer and mail it with your $40. This guarantees your slot and gives you the $20 scheduling discount. The $40 goes towards the total cost of the discounted jump price of $180. That means you put $40 down and owe $140 when you show up for your jump. In addition you may qualify for other discounts, so check it out. If you are not sure you want to put a non-refundable deposit down, you can just show up for a jump and pay regular price. We recommend that you call us at 785.840.JUMP before you drive down, and we can tell you when would be a good time to show up that day.

Do you offer group discounts?
We offer something even better! We offer a referral discount. Because the person organizing the group does all the legwork, they get the discount for bringing friends with them. If you bring 2 friends with you, you get $10 off. If you bring 5 friends with you, it's $20 off your jump! So, for every 3 people total in your group, you get $10 off your skydive! Only one person in the group gets this referral discount, but don't worry; your friends can still take advantage of our other discounts! We can also offer some little extra things for your group!

Where are you located?
Check out our map. We are about 40 minutes South of Topeka, 30 minutes Northeast of Emporia, 70 minutes Southwest of Kansas City. From Topeka, take 75 Hwy South to Hwy 31 West. From Kansas City, take I-35 South, then take the Ottawa exit and go West on Hwy 68. Hwy 68 changes names to Hwy 31, but you don't need to turn anywhere. We are on the East side of Osage City, Kansas at the Osage City Municipal Airport, on the South side of Hwy 31, in the big red hangar with the sign SKYDIVE KANSAS.

Are you open even in the winter?
We are open weekends year round, yes even in winter, except for Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas weekends. From about November through February, the weather is not always good for skydiving, so it's best to call before you come out during those months. During June and July, we are open some weekdays -- for details, call or check out our calendar.

What do I need to bring or wear for my first jump?
You must bring an ID that has your photo and your birthdate on it, like a driver's license. Wear tennis shoes, not sandals and not boots. Make sure your clothing is comfortable, and when in doubt, bring extra. If you are making a jump in the winter, it is best to wear multiple layers of thinner clothing, instead of one layer of bulky clothing. Our training room and airplane are heated, but your jump will obviously be outside. We provide jumpsuits and gloves, although you may want to bring your own gloves for comfort. Any other time of year, just dress for what you are comfortable wearing outside for that particular temperature.

Do you offer static line jumps?
No. Although static line can be economical for dropzones to offer, our philosophy of safety and quality education dictate that we offer only tandems as first jumps and as part of our licensing program. Check out our student progressions, for what you do beyond the first jump. Check out the advantages of tandem as a first jump! If you are already a student in the static line program, depending on your experience and recency of jumps, we may be able to accommodate you and transition you into our program. us for more details, and make sure you include as much information about your skydiving history as you can.

How far in advance to I need to schedule?
In order to receive the scheduling discount, you need to get your deposit to us by Thursday before a weekend jump (to give us a couple days notice) or a week ahead for weekday group jumps. If you mail your form, you will need to mail it about a week or more ahead to make sure it gets to us in plenty of time. We call you when we receive it. During our busiest season (June through October) you may want to schedule as early as 2 weeks to get the exact date and time slot of your choice. However, if you don't care about receiving the discount, you can even call the MORNING of the day you wish to jump, and we will do our best to fit you into our schedule.

Do I have to put a deposit down in order to jump?
You do not have put a deposit down in order to make a skydive. If you want the scheduling discount, however, you must pay the $40 NON REFUNDABLE deposit. This deposit is not refundable without exception and is only transferable to a different date if weather does not permit the skydive. You will lose your deposit if you do not show up at your scheduled date and time, are not 18 years of age or older, or weigh over 220 lbs. Once you chose your date & time, we block others from taking that slot. The advantage to you is that you save money by having this deposit and that we reserve it just for you. The disadvantage is you CANNOT MOVE YOUR SLOT FOR ANY REASON once you put your deposit down. (We do not accept deposits after the Thursday before the weekend your want to skydive.) Your deposit is transferable to a different person, however. If you are not sure you want to jump, or if you are not certain you can make a particular date and time slot, you may want to jump without putting a deposit down. You can do this by simply showing up during business hours and waiting for a slot to open, or by calling ahead the day of to see if and when we can fit you in, or by calling or emailing ahead to find out our schedule.

What happens if the weather is bad the day I am scheduled to jump?
First of all, do NOT believe all the forecasts you hear the day before, a couple days before, or a WEEK before your scheduled jump. Weather forecasters have been known to be wrong a few times. (Note the sarcasm on the word "few".) We wait until the day of your jump to make a weather call. If you wake up the day of your jump and think the weather may not be right, give us a call before you drive out. Weather differs greatly even within a distance of 30 miles, so although it may be bad weather where you are, we may have perfect weather. We can discuss delaying your jump for later that day, or rescheduling for a different date. If we reschedule, you will not lose your deposit. It will be transferred to the next available date of your choice. You can get the current weather conditions at Osage City from this link, or a more detailed forecast from this link.

What kind of weather do we need for the jump?
We need winds to be below about 20 miles per hour. If there are clouds, we need them to be at least scattered, or if it is overcast, a ceiling of 8,500 feet. If temperatures are below freezing, we may also postpone the jump. You can get the current weather conditions at Osage City from this link, or a more detailed forecast from this link.

I'm afraid I'll get airsick...should I eat before my jump?
Yes! Not eating can make you feel even more airsick. Instead, just eat a smaller meal before you jump.

Can I drink alcohol before the jump?
Absolutely not! Drinking and skydiving do not mix. In fact, you must not have had alcohol within 12 hours of your skydive. You must not have taken any recreational drugs within 12 hours of your skydive. If we suspect you are under the influence, we will refuse to allow you to jump, and you will not be entitled to any refund.

Can I get pictures and video taken?
Yes! You can have a skydiving photographer with specially mounted video and still camera equipment record your jump for all time! You get a roll of at least 24 negatives, mostly of your freefall as a cameraman flies right with you in freefall, capturing every moment from only a few feet away! You get the undeveloped film as soon as you land! You also get a video dubbed directly onto a high quality VHS tape or DVD, your choice! For more info, check this out!

Can I bring my own camera on the jump with me?
Sorry, but not on the jump itself. You will be busy doing other things. But, you are welcome to bring the camera in the plane and you can leave it in the plane while you jump. Or, feel free to bring friends & family with you to take pictures on the ground and next to the landing area!

How many of us can go up in the plane at the same time?
Your jump will be from a Cessna 182 which holds a pilot plus four skydivers. That means, if you want to go on a tandem with your friend, you can have one tandem master, yourself, the other tandem master, and your friend in the plane at the same time. You will have the airplane ride together, but you will not be able to see each other in freefall. The tandem pair who exit first will also be able to see the second pair's landing. If you want photography on your jump, you will have one tandem master, yourself, a videographer. That leaves only one slot so there is no room for another tandem pair.

How much time does a jump take?
If we are not waiting on weather or unscheduled aircraft maintenance, plan on spending about 3 to 5 hours at the drop zone. For example, if you choose to make your jump at 12 noon, you show up right at noon, and plan on being there until about 4 p.m. Here's how it all happens. Your training lasts about 30 minutes. The plane ride takes about 25 minutes. Your jump itself takes under 10 minutes. The extra time we allow is for getting you ready and waiting for your plane load. If you have a bigger group, you may want to plan for a longer time span, especially if any in your group want freefall photography for their jump.

Do you take credit cards? Personal checks?
We take MasterCard, Visa, and Discover. We also welcome cashier's checks, money orders or cash. We also accept personal checks by ACH deposit (meaning you don't have to write a check, we just submit your checking account info.) If using a credit card to put down a deposit, we need the name as it appears on the card, the card number, the expiration date, the name of the person(s) making the jump, and a phone number. We recognize the convenience of using a card for deposits. However, when you pay the balance at the drop zone, you can get a $10 discount by using cash.

What does it take to get a skydiving license?
Our program is a USPA (United State Parachute Association) licensed program with USPA rated instructors, and our standards meet and exceed those set by this organization. This requires a total of 25 skydives. Our program is set up so that most people do 3 tandems, then 5 IAF (AFF-style) jumps, then the remainder with a USPA coach. Check out the details here. Need an unsecured loan to accomplish this or purchase your first rig? Check out our affiliated broker here.

What if I weigh over 220 lbs?
Sorry, but we have to draw the line somewhere. The safety of you and our staff is our number one concern. We weigh EVERYONE. We WILL weigh you. (see also our policy) A good resource for this question or for other further research would be United States Parachute Association, at www.uspa.org.
How did we come up with this limit? The Federal Aviation Administration, www.faa.gov, is the governing body for all aviation activities. They set limits in the form of Technical Standard Orders that container and parachute manufacturers have to comply with. This means, the gear has a maximum limit. For solo jumpers, that maximum is 254 lbs exit weight: this limit includes the gear. Since most solo gear weighs about 25 to 30 pounds, the jumper must weigh around 224 lbs. For tandem jumpers, the maximum is 500 lbs exit weight: this limit includes the instructor, the student, and all gear. The parachute rig weighs 50 lbs. If the tandem instructor weighs around 200 lbs, this means the limit for the student would be 250 lbs. Our limit is even lower than this absolute limit to accommodate ease of exiting the aircraft and to reduce even further the risk of injury on landing.

What if I'm sixteen? Can I have my parents sign for me?
Again, sorry, but everyone who skydives signs a waiver, which is a legally binding contract, specifically a release of liability and assumption of risk agreement. Minors are not allowed to enter into legal contracts regardless of who signs on their behalf. Call us on your 18th birthday! Everyone who skydives with us is required to bring identification with a photo and birthdate. We WILL card you. (see also our policy)

I have made a jump before... does my skydive count?
If you have made a skydive in the past at our drop zone or any other USPA member drop zone, your jump might be eligible to count towards your training at Skydive Kansas. It really depends on how long ago it was made, if you have it recorded in a logbook or log sheet of some kind, what kind of jump it was, etc. Unfortunately, military jumps do not count towards your USPA license. An instructor would need to take a look at your logbook and get more information before being able to advise you as to where you would fit into a student program. If you have had a long layoff, or have very few jumps, the fact that USPA has increased requirements would mean you would likely have to redo some training and jumps. The good news is that jumps are very objective oriented, so your performance would be the largest determining factor for advancement. For more details about your specific situation, call or us with details of your jump history. You can also view our currency policy.