Top 10 reasons
to jump at Mile-Hi Skydiving Center: 10. A huge, level landing area
next to the runway, that is free of cactus
and a large pea gravel landing area for the softest landings. 9. We own our aircraft, which allows us to ensure quality
maintenance and pilot training, as well as to provide year-round
skydiving. 8. The best facilities that include 3 new, modern
hangars, remodeled classrooms, and an exclusive tandem customer area. 7. Largest (15 jumpers), fastest, and variety of aircraft
in the region. (twin engine jet-prop a/c, single engine a/c, helicopter) 6. Our extremely experienced, nationally licensed staff
trains twice as many students as anyone else in Colorado. 5. No one in the region can boost a better safety
record than us. 4. Skydive right next to Longs Peak and the entire Rocky
Mountain range for the ultimate view! 3. Location, location, LOCATION (
12 miles from Boulder & the only school within 100 miles of Denver
- Boulder ) 2. Best, newest, and safest equipment (ALL
of our tandem rigs are the RW Sigma, the most advanced design in tandem
parachute systems!) 1. We have more FUN at Mile-Hi !!!try a Tandem FUN Jump
Quite simply, we ARE the Best
in Colorado!!
(others try and claim it, we deliver...) back to home page
Is skydiving safe?
Your safety is our top priority. Skydiving is a high-speed extreme sport, and as with
other adventures such as river rafting, skiing, or racing, there are always dangerous
elements that must be respected. With the state-of-the-art training and equipment
now available, skydiving has become a sport anyone can try, and can be a safe and sane
adventure. Mile-Hi is the only school in Colorado
that has ALL of their student parachutes equipped with the most the
advanced, computerized AAD (Automatic Activation Device) available in the
world. This device is called a CYPRES (CYbernetic Parachute RElease System). The CYPRES
is far superior (and more reliable) than the antiquated, mechanical type AAD's
designed 30 years ago, which are used on some of the equipment elsewhere. We at Mile-Hi
believe all our customers deserve the best safety equipment money can buy. Although it is the skydiver's responsibility to deploy their parachute, the
AAD
is designed to activate the parachute automatically should the skydiver be incapable to do
so.
Also all of our skydiving instructors have undergone rigorous training and national
USPA certification. We are proud to be a United States Parachute Association (USPA) enhanced group
member drop zone. We strictly adhere to all FAA and USPA guidelines on safety. How and when do I make a reservation?
Please contact the secretary Mon. - Fri. 9-5 at (303) 702-9911
to make the reservation. You may leave messages anytime, we check our
messages daily. Please leave us your daytime phone number (and a cell # if you
have it), so we can call you back. You may call 8:00 a.m. to sunset on the
weekends too, when we jump the most. We skydive year-round on weekends,
and Wednesday through Sunday during daylight savings time.
You can usually make an appointment within a week. Walk-ins are welcome too,
call for a time. If you have a group of 5 or more you may want to
schedule a few weeks in advance, if you have a specific day and time in mind.
Please have a MasterCard or Visa number to hold a reservation. Or you may send a
$50 deposit (per person) to us with your requested date and time to:
Mile-Hi Skydiving Center, Inc.
229 Airport Rd., Hangar 34G
Longmont, CO 80503 What does it feel like?
Freefall is windy and loud, and feels more like floating or flying, than falling. The
parachute ride is quiet and peaceful, with a spectacular view unlike anything you have
ever seen. What are the age requirements?
You have to be at least 18 years old and bring a valid photo ID. Parents
cannot sign
for minors under 18. No one is too old to enjoy "the thrill of a
lifetime." At Mile-Hi, our oldest tandem
passenger to date is 88 years young! What are the physical requirements?
For a tandem jump, you must weigh 210 pounds or less and for an AFF you must weigh 225 pounds or less. You will be weighed when you
get here. The 210# weight limit for tandems is common at many skydiving centers
nationwide, but especially us in Colorado being at 5000 above sea level. At
higher altitudes parachutes descend faster and landings of heavier persons might
not be as soft as you would get at
lower altitudes. Thus we use a conservative weight maximum. It is not a
matter of being in great shape or not, it is just total weight. Remember, at Mile-Hi, your safety comes first! There are no
height requirements.
As with any sport, the better shape you are in the easier it will be and the more fun you
will have. However, one of the best features of the Tandem program is that is has opened
the sport up to the mainstream public. Almost anyone can make a tandem skydive. We've
taken people with many different disabilities, even those who are missing limbs or blind.
We have experienced Tandem Masters to handle these situations. If you have a
special requirement, please call us! We can make your dream of flight come true!
If you have ear or sinus problems, experience seizures or fainting spells or have a weak
heart, you should not be skydiving. In these cases check with your own doctor. If you have
any medical problem, you will be asked to bring a release from your doctor before you can
skydive. Can I bring along friends and what do they do?
YES of course! They can listen in while you get trained, ride with you on
the trailer when you are driven to the airplane, and will be taken to the
landing area next to the runway to watch your landing. There is also 5 picnic
tables under shade tents for you and your friends to wait at, or enjoy our
"living room" in the student hangar to watch videos on multiple TV
sets. How am I secured to the Instructor on Tandem Jumps and
is it comfortable?
Your harness snaps securely to the front of the instructor's harness at four points - two
at the shoulders (5000 pound rating), and two at the hips (2500-pound
rating). In
freefall, the instructor is above you. Under canopy, he is behind you.
With an increasing popularity of tandem jumping by all ages and sizes of people,
a new tandem passenger harness has been recently designed in the industry.
It is completely adjustable, allowing for unsurpassed, individual fit and most
importantly pivots your legs up in a sitting position to enhance safety on
landing. Mile-Hi
is the first and only school in Colorado
that utilizes this new technology on all of their tandem jumps! How fast do you fall?
The average freefall speed is 120-130 mph. In a student jump from over 2 miles
up, this
allows you to fall for about 45 seconds before you will reach deployment altitude. The
skydiver's weight or body position can alter this speed. The freefall speed record is over
330 mph! Once you are under an open parachute, your rate of descent decreases to
about 10 miles per hour. What if the parachute doesn't open?
Although it is unlikely your main parachute will fail to open properly, it does sometimes
occur and this is a common question for first time jumpers. According to federal law
(FAA regulations), all intentional parachute jumps must be made with a single (or dual)
harness, dual parachute system. In other words, you must have a second, or reserve
parachute in case the first one fails to open properly.
On a Tandem skydive the instructor pulls an emergency handle which releases the faulty
main and then activates the specially packed reserve, that opens in less than three
seconds. Your tandem instructor is thoroughly trained to deal with unusual situations.
As an AFF student with your own parachute equipment, you are trained on and are
responsible to execute these emergency procedures yourself.
These reserve parachutes are only packed by FAA certified parachute riggers. They are
inspected and re-packed every 120 days, whether they are used or not. How will it feel when the parachute opens?
The parachute is specially designed for soft, comfortable openings. You will definitely
know something is happening, but very few people have ever complained of any discomfort. Do you really go up when it opens?
No! That's an illusion created when the cameraman keeps falling while filming a parachute
opening. What kind of parachute will I use?
Our tandem canopies are modern, extra large, gliding square (actually
rectangular) parachutes built for two
people. They are designed for maneuverability and soft landings. There are dual steering
controls so you can fly the parachute with your instructor! A solo AFF student will
fly a modern gliding rectangular parachute as well. We even use rectangular
parachutes for the emergency (reserve) parachute, on all of our equipment, unlike
some schools that use old round reserves. How hard will the landing be?
The landing is similar to hopping off a step of 1 - 2' high. With square parachutes you
can control both the forward speed and the rate of descent of the parachute. It is quite
common to land standing up with your tandem instructor. What do I wear?
Clothes suitable for the season. Avoid bulky sweaters in the fall and winter (yes we jump
all year around!). Men may be more comfortable in looser pants versus blue jeans. We
provide you a jumpsuit, head wear, and goggles. You should wear tennis shoes, not
boots or sandals. Will I be scared?
Maybe, maybe not. You will definitely feel a surge of adrenaline and anticipation before
the jump - this is a normal part of the experience. Most first time jumpers say without
question, "Skydiving is the most exciting thing I have ever done!" How long is the training?
For a tandem skydive, the training is short in the
classroom or suit-up area. The
tandem instructor will explain the equipment and the skydive. You will have ample time to
ask your instructor any questions you may have before you get in the airplane.
Additionally the instructor will repeat any necessary information in the airplane
before the jump. You should
plan to spend about half the day or about four hours with us the day you make your tandem
skydive. AFF is a more involved process, because you are wearing your own
parachute equipment, and will be in charge of flying and landing the parachute by
yourself. Classroom instruction for AFF usually lasts between 6 to 7 hours,
depending on the number of jumpers in class and the number of questions asked. Plan to
spend the entire day with us for the AFF First Jump Course. At Mile-Hi, we
allow you to jump the same day as the class, weather and daylight permitting. How do you communicate in freefall? Can you talk?
While it is possible to talk in freefall, it will be difficult for anyone to hear you, due
to the noise of the rush of wind. Communication in freefall is possible, however, with eye
contact and hand signals. You will learn how to communicate in freefall during your AFF
training. How many jumps before I can skydive by myself or with my friends?
You must complete the 7 level AFF program before you can jump
solo. You continue honing your skills until you have 20 jumps, at which time you can
apply for a USPA "A" license, after passing a written test and demonstration of
skydiving proficiency. The "A" license will allow you to skydive at most
USPA member drop zones by yourself or with your friends.
Mail
us! or call MILE-HI SKYDIVING
CENTER at303-702-9911
Mail
us! or call MILE-HI SKYDIVING
CENTER at 303-702-9911
