Could Tandem Skydiving Be For You?
by John Ewing
California is a good place to experience tandem diving and it has some good centers available too.
If you are looking for an amazing, freefall experience than look no further than California. California offers various extreme sports centers which allow you to take part in tandem skydiving and they also offer many programs for the more serious skydiver.
Why Consider Tandem Jumping in California?
The main reason that people choose to tandem jump is because it is generally a lot safer than ordinary jumping. You have someone attached to you who have jumped over 1, 000 times and they worry about pulling the ripcord whilst you just admire the view and the experience. As well as offering tandem jumps, most of California's extreme sports centers also offer accelerated freefall programs as well as accelerated student programs too. It is thought that you will experience 90 seconds of freefall whilst you are harnesses to an instructor and then you will glide down to the ground once the ripcord has been pulled for roughly 5-7 minutes.
One of the best centers to go with in California is the Skydive Santa Barbara and that is situated near the Lompoc airport which makes it easy to get to. When driving to the center from Santa Barbara it should only take you roughly 45 minutes to get there. All you need to do is set off north onto 101 and then when it comes take the highway 1 exit after you have gone past the Gaviota tunnel. Continuing north, you will soon reach the Lompoc traffic light where you will then turn left to Ocean and you should drive on until you reach the H street. Next turn right and carry on until you get past Central Avenue. You should find that the Lompoc airport is on your left and you drive through the airport where you will then find the center right next to the Airport beacon tower.
Once there you can expect to find tandem jumps priced at around $199. That is for your first jump only however and if you want a second jump that will cost you $159. If you are a serious skydiver and you want to take part in the AFF program, then you should expect to pay $149 per level and there are 7 levels available until you are allowed to go solo. It is no good just simply turning up either, you will need to book roughly 1-2 weeks ahead of your vacation and it will cost you $50 deposit per person. You will also find that the center offers extras such as oxygen if you are going on a high sky dive.
If you do want to take part in tandem jumping, you should also try the Skydive Taft which is situated in the Taft airport. It also allows you to take part in freefall programs too and it also allows you to relax in its barbeque and patio area. If the center is too far for you then you will be pleased to know that a bunkhouse is offered. Here you can expect to pay around $180 for your first tandem jump, though if you are going with a group it will be a little lower. If you want to take part in the AFF programs then you can expect to pay $280 upwards. If you belong to the military, if you are in a birthday group or if you are a student then Skydive Taft will also offer you a discount.
When looking to get to Skydive Taft, if you are driving from Los Angeles then it is roughly one hour and 45 minutes away. You will need to take the Interstate 5 northwards until you reach exit highway166 and then you need to turn left. You will then drive on for 23 miles until you reach Maricopa and you should then turn right onto the highway 119/33 which is situated by the Shell station. Continue on for 8 more miles and you will make it to Taft. Once you get to Kern Street, turn right and you will see that Skydive Taft is in the first hanger of the airport.
About the Author
John Ewing is the author of many resources on free fall related topics published at http://www.skydiving-parachuting-guide.com . A focused website that offers the best articles on tandem skydiving and skydive.
