November 3rd 2005

Ready. Set. And you don’t even wait for go. In this high speed sport, your adrenaline is pumping at equally high speed, and the thrill of free falling just can’t wait. From your vantage point, you’re flying towards a mapped-out Earth below, which is smiling wide at you. You can scream any profanity, sing an aria from your favorite opera, enjoy the view in Zen peace and quiet – you are anything you imagine at this height, where you own the world below, and the only thing that world below knows about you is that you’re a tumbling speck high up in the sky. Suddenly, it feels as though mom (because in this state, you are as carefree as any happy 5 year old) has grabbed you by your collar and brought your wild freedom to a sudden halt. Then you realize that your parachute has opened, and in your newfound comfort zone, you enjoy the rest of the ride and the view.

Such is the experience of parachuting, a sport rapidly gaining popularity in Brazil. The locals are not the only ones taking advantage of Brazil’s world-class parachuting facilities and natural beauty to admire from so high up in the sky. Travelers to the country are now also adding the exotic Brazilian natureza to their experience of this action-packed sport.

However, as the first word of this article states, being ready is essential to parachuting. As with any action sport, training is an imperative component of a successful parachuting experience. In Brazil, you will find three different ways to begin your journey learning to parachute. The first type of jump is called o salto duplo, known as tandem in English. This jump takes the least training, and is a good option for those who think they are interested in trying parachuting just once, to cross it off the “things to do before I die” list. In tandem, you are sharing a parachute with a trained instructor on your back – fortunately he’s only on your back in the literal sense, to control the situation and to pilot a safe and enjoyable ride for you. Tandem is the safest and simplest way for the novice jumper to experience parachuting.

For those who are may be interested in learning to parachute with the aim of eventually being able to perform their own jumps, the other two types will be more interesting. Of these, the Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) will likely come first. After intensive training, this jump involves two instructors holding you upon jumping, eventually leaving you on your own to release the parachute and land safely. High levels of confidence, fitness, and training are necessary to perform this well, and the AFF course is intense enough to prepare you for this.

A step further beyond the AFF is the Static Line jump. This jump is performed completely solo, and is sometimes only recommended or allowed for those who have successfully completed AFF training and jumping. Naturally, jumping alone means the jumper has complete control of what he is doing. While the parachute will automatically release, the skydiver must know how to manually release the line if a problem arises, and must be able to land smoothly to avoid injury. Static Line, therefore, takes the most training and preparation.