Does Skydiving Feel Like a Roller Coaster?

The only ways that skydiving and roller coasters are related are in their sheer awesomeness and the height factor… but we don’t know of any roller coasters that go over 2.5 miles up in the sky, so skydiving takes the cake there! Does skydiving make your stomach drop like a roller coaster? Nope. Well, at least not in the way you may think. Let’s jump into why skydiving doesn’t feel like a roller coaster and which one is scarier! 

Does Skydiving Make Your Stomach Drop Like a Roller Coaster?

Okay, you know the tummy tingles you get when you speed down the hill of a roller coaster? When your stomach is literally in your face? You either love it or you hate it. When you glide down the slope of a coaster you go from a dead stop to an immediate drop – it’s exhilarating! Skydiving is exciting in a different, better way. 

When you go skydiving, you’re already in an object that is moving prettyyyy fast – the airplane. Skydiving planes (called “jump planes”) vary in speed and abilities, and lucky for you, ours is one of the best and fastest on the skydiving market. 

Our Twin Otter is going about 80 knots (around 90 miles per hour) when it’s time to take the leap. If you’re asking, “Does it feel like falling when skydiving?” The answer is no, and this is why: the acceleration time during a skydive is relatively slower than that of a roller coaster, so the sudden heart in your throat or stomach drop feeling doesn’t happen! Being under the parachute is a different story and may affect your stomach differently.

The part of the skydive where the parachute is open, called “being under canopy,” is when most tummy jiggles happen. When we’re under canopy, centrifugal force becomes a big factor and can affect the way our bodies feel. This force happens when your instructor steers the canopy by making it turn, which is necessary for a nice landing. 

If you love the floating feeling of a stomach drop then feel free to ask your instructor to WHIP IT and give you a true washing machine ride back to the ground. If the stomach drop isn’t really up your alley, let your instructor know and they’ll keep the intensity of the turns to a minimum. 

Will Skydiving Make Me Get Sick?

Getting nauseous from skydiving is rare, and having anything come of it is even rarer! The primary reason people get sick while skydiving isn’t due to the experience itself, but rather how they prepare for it. Follow these steps to mitigate feeling icky during your first jump! 

Do You Fall Straight Down When You Skydive?

It really just depends! Think of it like this, when we go to 14,000 feet, we have to figure out where the best spot to exit the airplane is in order to easily land at the designated landing area. If there’s no wind at any of the altitudes we’ll pass through, then we can get out exactly over the landing area. However, if there is a strong wind coming from a certain direction then we’ll get out a little upwind of the landing area, to account for any drift in freefall. The wind will push us back to the desired area while in freefall and is especially noticeable while under canopy! 

Is Skydiving Scarier Than a Roller Coaster?

Absolutely … not! Roller coasters give us skydivers an ultimate case of the heebie-jeebies and you’d be surprised how many avid skydivers are actually scared of heights! A rickety piece of metal that you seem barely strapped into!? No, thanks! Skydiving is hyped up to be a super scary experience, when in reality you’re going to be hanging out with some of the coolest people on the planet, indulging in a very sought-after bucket-list item, and soaking in some pretty sick views. 

What’s the Scariest Part of Skydiving?

The scariest part of skydiving is dun-dun-DUH: saying yes! We’re not judging anyone for having commitment issues, but in all honesty, the scariest part of skydiving is making the pact with yourself to just freaking do it.

Placing your trust in us and in yourself is the key ingredient to completing a skydive. We know that trusting someone you don’t know is scary! We can give you tons of reassurance about how professionally trained, passionate about the sport, and committed to safety we are. Ultimately it comes down to you against yourself – will you say yes to skydiving and experiencing the true mental and physical freedom of human flight? 

We look forward to you booking with us when you’re ready to do a full-send from our perfectly good airplane! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns!