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Why skydive with Skydive Mission Beach?

The ORIGINAL and only complete Skydiving Centre in Mission Beach, our Drop-zone has been operating for over 20 years. Mission Beach has always been a wonderful skydiving destination with superb beaches and subtropical countryside. The panoramic views are simply breathtaking. Our instructors are accredited by the Australian Parachute Federation (the governing body of skydiving within Australia) and each have thousands of skydives to their credit. Skydive Mission Beach has an impeccable safety record, one of the best in the World.

How much does it cost?

The cost of your skydive varies depending on how high you would like to go, and what type of skydive you would like to do. Video and photos are also available for an extra charge. We have regular specials and group discounts are available.
See the tandem skydive page here.

What should I wear?

Comfortable casual clothes, shorts in summer and jeans or tracksuit pants in winter. We will provide you with a pair of skydiving pants to wear over your clothes and a Skydive Mission Beach t-shirt. You may also want to bring a long sleeve t-shirt or sweatshirt. Closed in shoes are a must, sneakers or runners that lace up firmly are preferable (no hooks). Most importantly don’t forget to wear a big smile!

Are there age limits?

Yes, the minimum age for tandem skydiving in Australia is 14 years of age and solo skydiving is 16 years of age. Any person wishing to partake in skydiving who is under 18 years of age needs their parent or guardian permission.

What are the physical requirements?

You need to be a generally healthy human being with an average fitness level. 100kg - 110kg need to be assessed on the day by our drop zone safety officer

Can my family and friends watch?

The more the merrier we say! We have covered and grassed viewing areas from which your family and friends can watch the day’s action safely. You will take off from the airstrip and land back in our grassed landing area, your family can even see you exit the aircraft 14,000ft up!

Please note that children must be supervised at all times. Pets are not permitted on the drop zone.

How much time should I allow for my skydive?

You should allow half a day. It generally does not take this long, but sometimes we get put on hold by air traffic control or the weather.

Do I need to book?

It is preferable that you book so we can expect you. If you wake up in the morning and decide that today is the day that you want to skydive, by all means give us a phone call and we will make a reservation for you that day. Click here to see our contact details.

Why don’t I get to jump at the time I am booked in?

The time you are booked in is your arrival time. When you arrive you need to complete some paperwork and then you are assigned to a load. We do our best to keep the day running smoothly but sometimes we are held up due to unforeseen circumstances. These include weather holds, there are certain wind and cloud conditions that we are unable to skydive in. Air Traffic Control also have a say in when and where we can fly, sometimes we can be put on hold for up to 15 minutes, if this happens a couple of times in one day we can run behind. Safety is of the utmost importance to us and if we have to wait on the ground for half an hour to ensure your safety, then we will.

Can I get video or photos of my skydive?

Yes, you can get both. There are a number of options available. Check out our pricing.

Can one camera person film my skydive, and a friend's skydive at the same time?

We can include your friends in the ground footage, and the interview taken in the aircraft. When you exit the aircraft you will be leaving about 30 seconds apart from one another and although our camera flyers are good, they can’t cover that much sky and produce a video that meets our high standards.

Can my friends and I all go up in the same plane?

That all depends on how many friends you have doing their skydive, and which aircraft we are using on the day of your booking. Our Cresco can take three tandems with dedicated video and photos or five tandems with handy cam or no video. If you have a larger group, then it is not a problem, we will group you as you wish and you can watch each other take off and land safely in our grassed landing area.

How do I become a licensed skydiver?

You can learn to skydive with Skydive Byron Bay (solo page click here) using the Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) method. The AFF course consists of nine stages. Each stage needs to be successfully completed before moving on to the next. A the end of the course you are licensed to skydive on your own or with an instructor. To become a fully licensed skydiver you will need to meet the requirements for the International A License. The requirements are that you successfully complete the AFF Course, know how to pack a parachute for your own use and have had 10 unassisted landings within 25m of a nominated target. (This takes 17-25 skydives including your AFF) Once you have you’re A License it is internationally recognized and you now have your passport to freedom and fun at drop zones around the World. More ...

Is skydiving safe?

At Skydive Mission Beach safety always comes first, fun comes in a close second. Our instructors are APF accredited and highly experienced, our equipment is maintained to higher than recommended standards and all our crew abide by our stringent safety pro-forma.

Skydiving is an extreme sport, and like any extreme sport there is a certain amount of risk involved. All incidents, as small as they may seem are reported to the Australian Parachute Federation. Last years statistics stated that 1 in 10,000 skydives resulted in accident or injury. Compared with the statistics for registered cars in reported accidents in NSW being 9.8% the most dangerous part of your day is going to be driving to the drop zone!

Is it normal to be nervous?

Yes, it is absolutely normal to feel nervous. Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane is not something that normal people do every day. You are about to freefall towards Earth at speeds in excess of 220 kph from over 4.5 kilometers up, if your adrenaline isn’t pumping, then I think we had better check for a pulse! You will arrive nervous and maybe even a little scared, but by the time you leave you will be feeling ten foot tall and bullet proof!

What happens if I am afraid of heights?

Believe it or not, a good percentage of skydivers and pilots are afraid of heights. From 14,000 ft up you will not experience vertigo like you would climbing a ladder or standing on top of a building.

What happens if I get up there and I chicken out?

This does not happen very often. Our instructors are highly professional and are trained to deal with these situations. Most people who skydive have thought about it, and it is something they want to do. When it is time to exit the aircraft it all happens so quickly you won’t even have time to think about it. Remember, the only free part of skydiving is freefall.

What does freefall feel like?

It is the closest a human can get to flying and no words could do it justice! When you enter freefall you are accelerated by gravity so you will not experience the stomach lurches associated with roller coasters. Freefall is something that has to be experienced to be believed, it is definitely the fifth element.

Can I talk in freefall?

You can speak in freefall, but nobody will hear you. The sound you will hear in freefall is a white noise, imagine sticking your head out the window of a car travelling at 230 kph.

What happens if I get motion sickness?

It is very rare that anyone is sick in freefall. If you are prone to motion sickness eat a light breakfast or lunch at least an hour before your booking time. If you do start to feel queasy under canopy, let your tandem instructor know, they have sick bags at the ready for those rare occasions!

How long will I be in freefall for?

The amount of time you spend in freefall will depend on what altitude you decide to skydive from.

9,000 feet approximately 20-25 seconds freefall
11,000 feet approximately 35-40 seconds freefall
14,000 feet approximately 65-70 seconds freefall

How fast will I be going in freefall?

The terminal velocity (maximum fall rate) of a single person in freefall in approximately 120 mph or 230 kph. A tandem will fall faster than this but is slowed down to regular terminal velocity by the release of a small stabilising parachute called a drogue.

Does it hurt when the parachute opens?

You will feel a slight jolt as the canopy opens, but as long you put all your important parts out of the way when your tandem instructor is gearing up you will be fine.

How long will I be under the parachute?

It does not matter what altitude you decide to skydive from, all of the tandem skydives have the same canopy ride. Your tandem instructor will deploy your parachute at approximately 5,500 feet. This will give you about 5 minutes to soak up the spectacular views of Mission Beach as you fly around under canopy.

What happens if my parachute doesn’t work?

All skydiving rigs (the backpack thing and all it’s bits!) are equipped with two parachutes by law. The main parachute is the one that gets used all the time. In the event that the main parachute is malfunctioning, the reserve parachute will be activated. In the event that no main parachute is deployed, all of our rigs are equipped with an automatic activation device (AAD) that will deploy the reserve parachute if you are still in freefall at a certain height.

How hard is the landing?

As a tandem student you will be instructed to lift your legs up in front of you so your tandem instructor can touch the ground first. If you don’t land on your feet, you will glide in on your bottom and the landing impact is just like stepping off of a chair or a step.

What is a "Fun Jumper"?

A "fun-jumper" is just another term for a licensed skydiver, that is, someone who has completed their solo (AFF) course. Once you have completed your AFF course and received your "A" licence, you can go for a skydive by yourself or with other fun jumpers whenever you like!

How is skydiving regulated?

Our sport is regulated by the Australian Parachute Federation (APF) who work under the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The APF have specific Operational Regulations and a Code of Ethics that we as members of the APF agree to abide by. The APF conducts regular safety audits of all skydiving operations in Australia.

Why jump from a good airplane?

Freefall is one of the biggest adrenaline rushes you could experience and once your parachute opens your whole experience does a 180 degree turn, it is so quiet and peaceful as you fly along under your parachute. It is something that you have to try to understand and it can truly be a life changing experience. It is a whole load of fun and without a doubt, the best way to see Mission Beach.

Still got some questions? Please feel free to contact us and someone will be able to answer your question for you!