Going Skydiving : Consider Static Line Jumps

We look at static line jumps in this installment of our go skydiving guide.

In static line skydiving, a line is pre-attached to the pack on the jumper’s back that contains the parachute. This line pulls the chute open automatically as the jumper exits the plane.

Such jumps are usually undertaken at heights of about 3500-4000 feet (1067-1220m) above the ground – although in some cases higher elevations will be used. The static line releases the chute a few seconds after you leave the plane and once the canopy is fully deployed, the rate of descent begins to drop, gradually slowing from about 120 mph (193 kph) to roughly 10 mph (16 kph).


An instructor in the plane will check that the static line mechanism is attached properly but he or she will not exit the plane with the skydivers. However, in most cases the descending jumpers will be in two-way radio contact with an instructor on the ground who will give guidance for their landings.

Training is still required for these types of jumps as, although your parachute is deployed for you, you need to learn about deploying the reserve canopy if needed, landing, and safety measures. It should only take around half a day though as there’s less training material to cover than with most other types of skydives.

Static line jumping tends to be cheaper than other forms of jumping as it requires only a few hours of training and each instructor can train a small group of students at the one time. Prices will vary depending on the location of the skydiving school and whether the jumps are paid for singly or in blocks.

As well as being the cheaper option, static line jumping allows beginners to get into the air quickly and to jump on their own.

But people who plan to skydiver regularly don’t see it as a long-term option. Serious skydivers want more time in freefall and they move on to accelerated freefall training and solo jumping.