WHO DO I CALL TO SIGN UP?
To sign up for a class or to schedule a tandem jump, call us at (316) 776-1700 (note the local Wichita Kansas phone number!).
You will talk to a real person most of the time. We are generally available to
take your call seven days a week and all daylong. At times, you will get voice
mail if we are unavailable or on the other line, please leave a message and we
will do our best to return your call in a timely manner.
Beware the middleman!
In the recent months many websites have popped up offering skydiving gift
certificates and attempting to book reservations for skydiving. They appear
to be representing a skydiving center in your local area and make claims that
they have the highest skydiving safety record, use the best equipment, have
been serving the local area for a long time, offer the least expensive skydive,
and have the closest jumping location to metropolitan areas. However, these
websites are actually nothing more than a middle man or skydiving reservation
agency which costs you money. Be leary of their many misrepresentations!
(More Info...)
ARE RESERVATIONS AND DEPOSITS REQUIRED?
TANDEM:
Yes, a $50 per person CONDITIONALLY REFUNDABLE deposit is required to schedule a
tandem skydive. We require deposits to
ensure that people are committed to show up for their scheduled appointment. You will lose
your deposit if you do not show up at your scheduled date and time, are not a minimum of 18 years of age, or weigh over
230 lbs. We will refund your deposit if we can’t jump as scheduled due to weather and you’re not able to reschedule.
We will refund your deposit with four days notice (longer cancelation notice required for groups of 4 or more).
If you’re organizing a group we will require $50 per person. We strongly suggest that you collect the
deposit from each individual in your group, thereby ensuring their commitment. We cannot hold or “pencil in” a time slot without the deposit.
IAD/SOLO:
We do require reservations through the winter months (December/February), and may require a
deposit in order to insure that an instructor will be available to train the solo first jump course.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS?
Sat 8:00 am to sunset
Sun 9:00 am to sunset
Skydiving in Kansas is not a full time job. Every staff member has a full time job, family, etc.,
hence the weekend only hours .
DO PEOPLE SKYDIVE IN COLD WEATHER?
We do jump, and schedule tandem skydives year round, though prefer the temperature at ground
level to be above 40 F for tandem skydiving. Below 40 the cold detracts from the experience.
We do have a winter shutdown, we’re closed Christmas weekend reopening the first weekend in March.
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DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS?
Yes! We accept MasterCard and Visa.
DO YOU HAVE GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE?
Yes, we offer gift certificates! Note that gift certificates are not returnable!
If the person you’re purchasing the gift for doesn’t want to skydive or can’t for
some reason, you may be “stuck”. Our gift certificates are transferable, but
again not returnable. We’re always happy to sell gift certificates, but if there’s
any doubt at all you might want to consider making up your own certificate, and just
coming along to pay for the skydive when your special person makes their jump.
Call 316-776-1700 to purchase a gift certificate.
WHERE DO
I GO TO JUMP?
Air Capital Drop Zone is located at Cook Field a privately owned airport. The
low volume of air traffic, wide open landing areas, and beautiful countryside
make Cook Field an ideal spot for jumping. Moreover, we are located only
twenty minutes from downtown Wichita Kansas. Cook Field is located east of Derby Kansas
at 7015 South 143rd Street East.
Do not trust your GPS to get you to us! People often end up 20 miles North
of our location. Print the directions page, and bring it along when you head out.
AGE REQUIREMENTS: MY DAUGHTER OR SON IS 17. CAN THEY SKYDIVE WITH MY CONSENT?
No, you must be at least 18 years of age. Everyone who skydives signs a Release of Liability and Assumption
of Risk Agreement (waiver), this is the industry standard. The legal age of contract in the state of Kansas is 18,
those under the age of 18 can not enter into a legally binding contract. The courts have set precedent that only
you have the ability to sign away your right to sue, therefore there is no parental
consent option. For those who are under age, give us a call on your 18th birthday
(or a week or two before to schedule)!
EVERYONE who skydives with us MUST PRESENT IDENTIFICATION showing his or her photo and birth date.
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WHAT DICTATES THE WEIGHT LIMITS?
All skydiving gear is “Approved” under a type certificate or Technical Standard Order
(C-23 series) with the Federal Aviation Administration. Most Single-harness
(harness for one person) systems and all of our student skydiving systems have a TSO
certification maximum weight of 254 lbs., a 225 lb skydiver geared up ready to skydive
will weigh somewhere between 250 and 254 lbs.
The TSO maximum weight for our Tandem
Parachute Systems are 525 lbs. With the weight of the tandem instructor, and gear,
we can take a tandem student up to 230 lbs and still be within the 525 lb total maximum
weight.
WHY DO YOU CHARGE MORE FOR
HEAVY TANDEM STUDENTS?
Tandem instructors set their own weight limits. If you look around at other drop
zones, you will find maximum weight limits for tandem students at most ranging
from 200 up to 230lbs. It is more physically demanding
on the instructor to take students in excess of 200lb, the upcharge you will
pay for a tandem skydive goes directly to the Instructor who jumps with you.
DO I HAVE TO DO A TANDEM FIRST?
No. A few drop zones throughout the country do require students to do a tandem skydive first.
This requirement is a business decision, and has nothing to do with safety.
WHICH IS BETTER, TANDEM OR SOLO?
We offer two training methods, one is not necessarily better than the other.
Which method you decide on depends more on your motivation, and what you’re
interested in getting out of your skydiving experience. By far the most popular
method of first skydive training today is Tandem, but if you’re interested in
pursuing your skydiving license you will need to take our solo training, Instructor Assisted
Deployment (IAD) first jump course. The majority of people who jump will make only
one skydive in their life, of those a few want to have “done it by themselves”;
again in that case the IAD FJC may be the method for you. Read through the
Tandem Skydiving and
Solo Skydiving
pages for a detailed description of the two training options.
Tandem: short instruction, 30 second free fall, you jump with an instructor, relatively
high performance canopy ride.
SOLO: 4 to 5 hour instruction, no free fall on your first few jumps, solo, large docile canopy, train
toward becoming a licensed skydiver.
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HOW LONG WILL MY TRAINING AND JUMP TAKE?
The amount of time required for your training and first jump depends on the
training method you have selected.
Tandem:
If you are doing a tandem jump, plan to spend
three to four hours.
IAD:
If you are doing the Instructor Assisted Deployment (solo)
method, we suggest that you plan to spend the day at the drop zone. We believe
you will find that clearing your schedule of other obligations will allow you to
focus on your first jump with-out unneeded worries or distractions. If you will be unable to be at the drop zone all day, please let
your instructor or jump master know your time constraints as early as possible.
HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR MY FIRST SKYDIVING LICENSE?
From the United States Parachute Association (USPA)
A License
1. Persons holding a USPA A license may jump without supervision, pack their own main
parachute, engage in basic group jumps, perform water jumps, and must have:
a. completed 25 jumps
b. completed all requirements listed on the USPA A License Proficiency Card
c. completed five group freefall skydives involving at least two participants
d. received the signature and official stamp on the A License Proficiency Card
or USPA A License Progression Card (ISP)
DO YOU OFFER GROUP RATES?
Yes! For groups of 5 to 9 we give a $5 per person discount. For groups of 10 you
save $10 per person. Your group can jump a combination of Tandem and/or Solo.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?
Wear a good pair of tennis shoes (do not wear boots) and casual clothing appropriate for the
temperature. If the weather is cool, we suggest that you bring a sweatshirt to
wear under your jumpsuit. We recommend that you leave your jewelry at home. Not
only is there a risk that jewelry may be lost during your skydive, but rings,
necklaces, and bracelets can become snagged on the aircraft during exit, leading
to injury. We supply all the equipment needed to make your jump.
I'M AFRAID I'LL GET AIRSICK...SHOULD I EAT BEFORE MY JUMP?
Yes! Not eating can make you feel even more airsick. Instead, just eat
a smaller meal before you jump.
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WHAT WILL THE SKYDIVE FEEL LIKE?
The sensation of freefall is more like flying than falling, and the parachute
flight is quiet and inspiring.
ISN’T LANDING LIKE JUMPING OFF A TWO STORY BUILDING?
No! If that were the case, there would be no skydiving because everyone would
have broken legs! In the early days of sport parachuting, landings were
sometimes quite hard. The new ram-air parachutes of today allow landings that
feel equivalent to hopping off a step 1-2 feet.
WILL I BE SCARED?
Maybe, and maybe not. You will definitely feel a surge of excitement and
anticipation before the jump - this is a normal part of the experience. During
the jump itself, you'll probably feel a thrill such as you've never experienced
- enjoy it!
WHAT KIND OF PARACHUTE WILL WE USE?
The parachutes used are specifically designed, large "ram-airs". A ram-air is a
high technology "square" parachute, as opposed to the old style round
parachutes.
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WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PARACHUTE DOESN’T OPEN?
In the very unlikely event that the main parachute doesn't open properly, there
is a reserve parachute, which is inspected and packed by a licensed FAA
parachute rigger. All of our reserve parachutes are equipped with the most
reliable and modern AADs (Automatic Activation Device) available, the CYPRES.
Air Capital Drop Zone utilizes this system for your enhanced safety. This is a
BACK-UP system only.
CAN SOMEONE TAKE VIDEO OR PICTURES OF MY SKYDIVE?
Yes! You are welcome to bring your own camera and a friend to take video or pictures of your jump from the ground.
We also offer professional packages.
TANDEM
For your tandem skydive, we offer a video and still picture package
Check out more here...
IAD/SOLO
New for 2011 season, we’re offering a package of digital still pictures of your IAD solo skydive from a wing mounted camera.
Check out more here...
WHAT TYPE OF VIDEO CAN I EXPECT?
An 8 - 12 minute video of your skydive on DVD, edited and set to music. We
expect to film you at various times from when you receive your training to after
your landing. However, because of the number of variables the only part that we
guarantee is the freefall phase. Bonus footage may include climbing into the
aircraft, takeoff, the climb to altitude, exit, under canopy and landing.
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WHAT KIND OF STILL PHOTOS CAN I EXPECT?
We’ll burn your still photos to a CD, you have full rights to the pictures.
Anything from posters to postcards and calendars, from Facebook to blogs. You’re only limited by your imagination!
CAN THE CAMERAPERSON FILM MORE THAN ONE PERSON?
No. The cameras are mounted in a purpose built glove on your tandem instructor’s left hand. The time and distance
between skydivers precludes video of more than the tandem pair.
WHAT IF THE WEATHER IS BAD?
Neither we, nor the weatherman, are 100% accurate at predicting the weather in Kansas.
Please show up for your scheduled appointment, and a decision can be made at that time.
If skydiving is obviously out of the question due to weather, we’ll give you a call generally
at a minimum of one hour before your scheduled appointment time.
We will run the solo ground school regardless of weather, once trained you can come back
and make your jump as soon as the weather cooperates!
WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF SPORT SKYDIVING?
Martin Myrtle, our Drop Zone Owner wrote a article on the subject titled "The Evolution of Sport Skydiving"
you can read it here.
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Frequently Asked Questions