Requirements: age, weight and health

A tandem jump depends on three things: age, weight and health. There is no fitness requirement, no experience needed and no medical certificate. Before the jump you sign a declaration that nothing rules you out, and the briefing on site teaches everything a passenger has to do.

Age

We set no minimum age for a tandem. Anyone under 18 needs written consent from a legal guardian and brings it on the day; it is best prepared in advance, so it does not hold up the paperwork on site. From the 18th birthday no consent is needed.

Whether a child can jump is decided in practice by something other than the date of birth: whether the harness can be fitted to their build, what they weigh, and whether they will do the two things that fall to the passenger. Those are holding the body position at exit and lifting the legs for landing, on command, in the noise and the excitement. If the candidate is very young, write to us before buying.

There is no upper age limit either. With age, though, the heart, blood pressure, bones and joints matter more, because the landing is dynamic. British Skydiving's medical form for tandem passengers asks, among other things, about osteoporosis, which makes it a good subject to raise with a doctor.

The AFF course is a separate matter: that one starts at 16.

Weight

The standard limit is 100 kg. The tandem equipment's approval covers the total weight: instructor, passenger and the system itself together. So the passenger's weight is not a number on its own but part of a sum that has to add up on every jump. That is why, above the limit, a jump can sometimes be arranged individually, but it has to be agreed with us before buying, not on the day.

What counts is your weight on the day, with clothes and shoes, because that is what the harness actually carries. Height-to-weight proportions matter too, since they decide how the harness fits. Weight also plays a part in the landing: the tandem equipment manufacturer's manual advises against taking heavier passengers on days with no wind at all, because the landing is harder.

If you weigh more or are close to the limit, write to us before buying, not on the day.

Health: when to ask a doctor

We do not ask for a medical certificate, but the declaration you sign does not replace a doctor. If any of these apply to you, ask one before buying:

• Heart or circulatory conditions, including high blood pressure.
• Epilepsy, fainting or losing consciousness.
• Back, neck or joint problems, and osteoporosis. When the canopy opens, the body slows from freefall speed within a few seconds, and the landing is dynamic.
• A shoulder that has dislocated before, even long ago. After the exit the arms are out in the airflow, and skydiving federations ask about dislocations separately.
• Surgery or injuries in recent months. The British tandem medical form sends anyone who has had an operation in the last three months to a doctor first.
• Pregnancy.
• Diabetes, asthma and other conditions treated on a regular basis.
• Medicines that make you drowsy or dizzy, such as some antihistamines, sleeping pills and painkillers. Ask a doctor or a pharmacist about them.

No item on this list settles the matter on its own, either way. A doctor who knows your history decides, not a form and not an instructor at the dropzone.

Ears, sinuses and colds

At 4,000 metres air pressure is about 40% lower than on the ground. More than half of that difference comes back during the minute of freefall, and the rest over several minutes under the canopy. A healthy ear equalises on its own or when you swallow. An ear or sinus blocked by a cold cannot keep up: it hurts, and the pressure difference can damage it.

That is why a cold, sinusitis or a recent ear infection can rule out a jump for a while, even if you otherwise feel fine. If your ears hurt when an airliner comes down to land, tell your doctor, and us, before buying.

Before the jump

• Alcohol: none on the day or the night before. Anyone under the influence does not jump that day.
• Scuba diving: at least 24 hours' break. Nitrogen left in the tissues after a dive can cause decompression sickness at the lower pressure of altitude. That is what the US Parachute Association (USPA) recommends; for a flight on an airliner the Divers Alert Network (DAN) guidelines give 12 to 18 hours after no-decompression diving, but a jump aircraft has no pressurised cabin.
• Blood donation and dental work: if either was recent, mention it before the jump. The USPA lists both among the things an instructor should know about.
• Food: eat a normal meal. On an empty stomach it is easy to feel faint in the aircraft, and straight after a heavy lunch is no better.
• Sleep: get a proper night's rest. Tiredness and adrenaline do not mix well.

Buying it as a gift

The requirements apply to the person who jumps, not the person who pays. For a gift it is worth knowing them in advance: roughly what the recipient weighs, how old they are, and whether any of the situations above apply to them. If it turns out they cannot jump, the voucher is made out to the bearer and someone else can use it.

For someone under 18, the written consent is signed by their legal guardian. It is worth talking to the guardian before handing over the gift, not on the day of the jump.

AFF course requirements

The AFF course asks more than a tandem: at least 16 years of age, with written guardian consent until 18, good health with nothing that rules out physical exertion, a readiness to learn, and several jumping days that depend on the weather. On the course you have your own parachute from the first jump, so health and fitness matter more here than on a tandem. The details are on the AFF course page.

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