Skydiving Weight Limits Explained

You may be asking yourself if – or have indeed already heard that – there is a weight limit for skydiving. Yes, there is a weight limit to go skydiving. While there is no minimum weight requirement, the maximum weight for tandem skydiving is between 225 and 240 lbs depending on your height. Additionally, you need to be at least eighteen years old and therefore adult-sized. The weight restrictions in skydiving are there for a few reasons and they are important, so let’s have a look…

Airplane Weight Limits and Skydiving

Getting objects into the sky and keeping them there is a complicated business, and success has a great deal to do with the weight of whatever you are trying to get airborne. Compared to what you might be used to when flying places, skydiving aircraft are relatively small – and it is crucial that they are both full of people and also balanced correctly. For a skydiving center to function well as a business, as often as possible every ‘slot’ in the plane must be filled before it takes off. A full plane is easily within operational parameters. However, an aircraft’s weight and balance are important and therefore, may impose weight restrictions that affect each skydiver on the plane.

Equipment Weight Restrictions

As with any aircraft, skydiving equipment is a careful balance of strength and size. A parachute system is worn like a backpack and therefore must not be too big. At the same time, it needs to be strong enough to support whoever is using it. Skydiving equipment is well-designed and built – but even so, it still acquires wear and tear from each use. The official weight limit with a parachute is within the parameters laid out by the manufacturers of the parachutes and harnesses we use. To overload, a parachute with too much weight would mean it wears out much faster than it is supposed to – thereby putting pressure on the business side of things with all the extra maintenance on top of the already thorough and regular procedures.   

Human Weight Limits to Go Skydiving

The two main human parts of a tandem skydive are the student and the instructor. The combined weight of these parts must be within the weight restriction parameters described, but also need to do the skydiving part smoothly and successfully. Skydiving aircraft are often smaller than what you’re used to, and getting in and out can be made difficult if either (or both) depending on their size. Going skydiving is supposed to be (and is!) super fun. Getting in and out of the plane with a big grin on your face is an important part of the process, rather than it being a struggle.

Conclusion

Anyone who has experienced the thrill of freefall cannot help but tell others about it and try to get them involved, and here at Skydive Tecumseh, we want everybody to go skydiving. However, we do have some safety-based weight restrictions. For individuals shorter than 5’9″, there’s a weight limit of 225 lbs. For those taller than 5’9″ and weighing between 225-240 lbs, we offer accommodation for an extra $25.00 fee. The surcharge reflects the additional challenges and efforts required by instructors for heavier students, and is not meant to be discriminatory. It’s a measure to ensure instructors are adequately compensated for the extra physical demands they may encounter, while maintaining a commitment to inclusivity and fair treatment for all clients. Each of our guests is weighed upon arrival. If you do not meet the weight requirements, you will be refunded your deposit.

If you are carrying a few extra pounds that you perhaps don’t need, then maybe let this be motivation for you and a target to aim for. What better way to celebrate getting into shape than by launching that shape from an airplane at 14,000 feet? Skydiving is very much worth the effort, and when you are ready, click that book now button!