Tandem Skydiving: Common Questions

Glad you asked! Let’s start with who should not visit us at this time, so we may reduce our risk of staff and other customers getting sick. Please reschedule your skydive for a later date (without penalty) if:

• You are ill now
• You have been ill with COVID-19 or exposed to any ill people confirmed to have COVID-19 within the last 14 days
• You have traveled to any of the areas designated as mandatory 14-day home quarantine areas upon returning to Texas
• You have any of the following symptoms:
  • Coughing
  • Sneezing
  • Fever higher than 100º Fahrenheit
  • Shortness of breath
• If you are over 65 years of age, current guidelines suggest that you shelter at home for now due to increased risk of severe illness if you do contract COVID-19. We would suggest you wait until those guidelines are lifted to skydive, but that is of course your call.

What about any changed practices in the facility?

• Observe 6-foot social distance whenever possible, indoors and out. This includes our office.
• Masks are optional but recommended.
• Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom, after skydiving (you know you probably touched your face when you put on your helmet, sunnies, or goggles) and frequently throughout the day.
• Pack it in, pack it out. If you bring personal items here, take them with you when you leave unless you are renting a locker and they are stored inside. Remember, NO FOOD of any kind may be stored in lockers.
• Note: Everyone should bring their own masks/hand sanitizer. 
• Please don’t socially distance from your tandem instructor in freefall. 😉

We are protecting the company’s workforce and customers with increased attention to three key items:

1. Personal hygiene
2. Social distancing whenever possible
3. Frequent disinfection of common surfaces

For complete details on Spaceland’s COVID-19 response, please see our webpage dedicated to this topic.

You must be at least 18 years old to skydive and bring a valid photo ID with you. Parental consent under 18 doesn’t count here… sorry.

A government-issued photo ID, athletic clothes that will fit under a jumpsuit, athletic (tennis) shoes, and a form of payment for tips if you feel we’ve earned it!

Yes. We can take tandem skydivers up to about 265 pounds, but there are additional fees for people over 220 pounds. This fee goes primarily to the instructor.

• 220-239 pounds: $25
• 240+ pounds: $45

Also, we need to evaluate skydivers over 180 pounds on a case-by-case basis to ensure the skydiving harness will fit you safely.  Please call us ahead of time (281-369-3337) if you weigh 180 pounds or more so we can get started on that and answer any questions you may have. You may find it useful to review the height/weight chart we use as a general guideline of who can safely/comfortably fit into a skydiving harness:

No, we won’t. We want you to fly as much as you do, so we won’t cancel your jump ahead of time in case the weather is better than forecasted (which happens a LOT!).

ALSO: Just because it may be poor weather where you live doesn’t mean it’s bad at the drop zone! Weather can change a lot in just a few miles, so don’t cancel for weather without checking with us first. It may be pouring at your home but perfect at the drop zone! Call ahead if you’re concerned about weather (281-369-3337). We’ll give you a rain check if you can’t skydive that day.

• Scuba diving within 24 hours before your jump
• Being over the weight limit (see above)
• Being under 18 years of age
• Being under the influence of drugs/alcohol
• Inclement weather (rain/excessive wind/clouds), and/or
• Not having your government issued photo ID to prove you’re who you say you are and that you’re at least 18 years old.

Absolutely! Please see our discounts and specials page for this information.

We are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7:30 a.m. through sunset Saturdays and Sundays.

Wear comfortable, relatively close-fitting clothing for the current weather (we will put a jumpsuit on over your clothes). Here are some examples of suitable clothing:

• Jeans
• Shorts
• Sweats
• T shirt
• Tennis shoes/other athletic shoes

The following clothing is not recommended:

• Flip flops (or any other shoes that are not secured to your feet)
• Shoes with built-up heels
• Boots with speed lace hooks
• Five-toe shoes
• Any clothing that will restrict your movement
• Any clothing that will be uncomfortable under a snug harness (i.e., very baggy jeans can bunch up)

It’s a good idea to eat a light meal or snack before you head to the drop zone.

You will not be allowed to skydive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

Plan on spending your entire day at Skydive Spaceland. We can usually get you skydiving in much less than a full day, but many variables (such as weather) could extend your stay with us.

Feel free to bring books, magazines, hackysacks, hula hoops, or other things to do just in case. We also offer free wireless Internet access for your convenience.

Hot Tip #1: The most efficient way to do your first jump is to schedule a class early in the day (any weather/other delays pile up throughout the day and affect later schedules more than early ones).

Hot Tip #2: Regardless of when you are scheduled to jump, your check-in will be streamlined if you have already paid for your skydive in full online or on the phone.

We do not give refunds, but we will absolutely give you a rain check that never expires if you are unable to skydive due to weather.

Absolutely! We have a comfortable deck and covered picnic areas overlooking the landing area.  Find out more about our facilities…

Sadly, no.

We take cash and most major credit cards (American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and ATM cards with credit card logos).

No, but as availability is limited we strongly recommend it to hold your spot. To make a reservation, please book online or call us at 1-800-SKY-DIVE (local area) or 281-369-3337.

No, but as availability is limited we strongly recommend paying in full or a $50 deposit per person to hold your spot.

If you are interested in group rates, deposits are required for each group member. Have a group of 5 or more?

Yes! Our tandem video/photo package includes a roughly ten-minute high-definition video (1080p) of your tandem experience professionally edited to your choice of music style.  You’ll also get 70-100 high-resolution digital photos of your skydive to prove you really did it!

Your video and photos will be delivered to you before you leave on a Spaceland 4 GB Flash/USB drive–perfect for easily sharing with friends and family! Find out more about video…

No. Your videographer will capture both at the same time, so our costs and your price are the same either way. You might as well enjoy both! 🙂

Not quite. A videographer can only film one tandem pair in freefall. So your videographer can get some footage and photos of both of you on the ground and in the plane if you’re on the same flight, but he/she can only film one of you in freefall.

You can absolutely pick out the music genre for your skydiving video. 🙂 We use royalty-free music so you don’t run into copyright issues when you share the video online. Check out our music selections here!

It never hurts to let us know you want video early (especially if you’re paying online and getting it all out of the way  before you arrive), but no. You can purchase the video when you check in to do your tandem.

Sorry, but no. Cameras are great fun, but they are also a great distraction that can compromise safety. This is why we only shoot video/photos on tandem skydives with experienced videographers who are accustomed to handling both skydiving and a camera at the same time. The United States Parachute Association recommends that no skydiver carry a camera on a jump until they have at least 200 skydives, and we follow this recommendation.Y ou are more than welcome to use any camera gear you want on the ground before and after your jump.

At Skydive Spaceland, we only offer tandem for your first skydive, where you are harnessed to an experienced instructor. Experience the thrill of skydiving with the comfort of an expert guide for every step of the way (plus it’s more time-efficient than jumping solo, which requires about a 6-hour instructional class before jumping). For tandem skydiving, you’ll learn the basics during a 30-minute class and we will get you skydiving soon afterwards. Find out more about tandem skydiving…

Yes! On your second jump you’ll learn freefall maneuvers including turns and tracking, be more responsible for altitude awareness and parachute opening, and learn about parachute safety, control, and navigation.

Note: If you have not made a tandem skydive with us in the past 90 days, your instructor will review Tandem Jump #1 procedures before practicing Jump #2 Tandem learning objectives.

Great! We look forward to working with you in our Skydiver Training Program, where you can enjoy learning your new passion in a state-of-the-art, complete training program with modern skydiving gear and dedicated instructors who video each jump for an optimal learning experience.

We do not, but you can usually get out here easily with Uber/Lyft or Yellow Cab: (713) 236-1111.

• Pets: No pets other than service animals are permitted in operating areas, but they are welcome in the parking lot and RV areas. Any service animals in operating areas must be leashed and adult-supervised at all times. Clean up after them.
• Please ensure that children and pets/service animals are directly supervised by a responsible adult at all times. If you are skydiving, please have a responsible adult supervising your children/service animal while you are jumping to ensure they stay safe and do not injure anyone or their life-saving equipment (even unintentionally). We love having all members of our family around, but we do not run a day-care service for animals or children.