Learn to Skydive Solo

Overview

Earn a USPA A-License

The USPA A-License is recognized nationally and internationally as a mark of skydiving proficiency, and you can earn yours right here. Skydivers are called "students" until they are licensed. That has nothing to do with being a college student. We are a registered student organization of Kansas State University, but we are open to everyone.

Get your license and you are free to jump at almost any dropzone in the world.

The static line method

With the static line method, you are a solo skydiver from your very first jump.

Here is how it works. A piece of nylon webbing is attached to the floor of the airplane on one end. The other end connects to your parachute container. At about 3,500 ft, you climb out and hang from the wing strut. It is a bit like hanging from a pull-up bar, except the wind helps hold you up. As you let go and fall away, the static line opens your container and deploys your parachute. From your very first skydive, you are going solo and landing your own parachute.

After you are cleared for freefall, you work one-on-one with your instructor to complete the USPA A-License requirements.

Your path, step by step

1. Take the First Jump Course. About 6 hours of training, split across Friday evening (6 to 10pm) and Saturday morning (8 to 11am). You make your first jump Saturday afternoon. Course details
2. Jump 2 is another static line jump, focused on stability.
3. Jumps 3 to 5 are still on a static line, but now you throw a dummy handle to practice deploying for yourself.
4. Jump 6 is your first real freefall. You are a skydiver now.
5. Freefall training builds your skills: moving forward and backward, recovering from instability, docking with other jumpers, and flying your landing pattern.
6. A minimum of 25 jumps earns your A-License.

See the full Training Progression for the jump-by-jump breakdown.

Why train with us

• One of the least expensive skydiving license programs in the entire Midwest. Plan on about $1,400 to earn your USPA A-License.
• Go solo from your very first jump.
• Progress to solo freefall in as few as 6 jumps, then one-on-one freefall coaching.
• All instructors are USPA-certified. Safety is our number one priority.
• Made a tandem with us first? Take $50 off your First Jump Course.

First Jump Course

What the course covers

To make a static line jump, you first take our First Jump Course. It is about 6 hours of training, split across a Friday evening and a Saturday morning, covering everything you need to exit the aircraft, operate your parachute, and fly yourself to a soft landing.

The course fee covers all your training, your semester club dues, and your first jump. When it is over, you will have the pride of knowing you jumped from a plane on your own, landed safely, and, if you choose, are well on your way to a skydiving license.

What you will learn

In this two-day course, you will be taught and asked to demonstrate the skills needed to skydive by yourself:

• Identifying the parts of your parachute and harness system, and what each does
• The right way to enter and exit the aircraft
• How to spot and correct potential problems
• How to control your parachute after it opens
• How to set up a safe, injury-free landing

At the end, you will be ready to make your first jump under the watchful eye of our USPA-certified instructors.

The jump

At about 3,500 ft, you are attached to the airplane by a static line. As you let go, the static line deploys your parachute. Once it is open, an instructor guides you to the ground by radio in your helmet. Your training gives you the confidence to make your first skydive safe and thrilling.

Back on the ground, you may be able to jump again if there is time after everyone has gone once. You are welcome to hang around the dropzone, watch the experienced jumpers, and join us afterward at Joe Snuffy's or La Fiesta in Abilene.

Class schedule

The course runs across two parts, then your jump:

• Friday evening, 6 to 10pm: classroom session at the KSU Student Union (the exact room is sent to you after you sign up).
• Saturday morning, 8 to 11am: hands-on practical training at Abilene Municipal Airport.
• Saturday afternoon: you make your first jump, weather permitting.

We schedule courses at the start of every college semester plus a couple during the summer. Got a large group who wants to take the course together? We can arrange a special class. Email info@skydivekstate.com.

Course dates open for booking through the Book Now page. Reserve early, spots fill up.

Pricing

• First Jump Course: $180
• First Jump Course after a tandem with us: $130

The $180 covers your instruction, your first jump, rental of student gear for that jump, and club dues for the semester. There are no hidden costs for your first jump. A $50 deposit reserves your seat when you book.

After that, subsequent training jumps average about $50, and you can earn your license in as few as 25 jumps. See full training pricing.

Age and weight limits

You must be 18 or older to skydive. Years ago the age was 16 with parental consent, but because parental waivers did not hold up under some state laws, the USPA changed its stance on underage skydiving.

Our student harnesses are certified under Technical Standards Order c23b, which sets a maximum exit weight of 254 pounds. After subtracting the weight of the gear, that means the jumper can be no heavier than about 220 pounds. If you are between 220 and 230, talk to us.

Retake policy

Life happens and weather does too. Here is how retakes work:

• Within 30 days of your last jump: retake the Saturday morning portion at no cost. If it is a new semester, you will owe club dues.
• Within 120 days: sit through the full course again at no retrain charge. New semester means club dues.
• Beyond 180 days: sit through the full course and pay a $20 instructor fee, plus club dues for the new semester. Any jumps already on your account stay there.

Please note the deposit is nonrefundable if you miss the Friday session. You have to complete all the class work before you can jump.

Weather and timing

You will usually jump between noon and 5pm on Saturday, though we cannot promise an exact time. Weather, aircraft maintenance, or the unexpected can push your first jump to another day. As a solo student, it is your responsibility to find a time to make your jump, and the sooner after class the better. We jump nearly every weekend the weather is good.

For instructor availability, email info@skydivekstate.com, ask in our Facebook group, or check the News page.

Training Progression

Every jump below builds on the last. You start solo on a static line, learn to deploy for yourself, then move into longer and longer freefalls while adding real air skills. A minimum of 25 jumps earns your A-License.

The jumps

0. First Jump Course Attend the First Jump Course on one of our scheduled dates.

1. First Jump Your first jump after the course. The static line deploys your parachute as you fall away from the plane.

2. Static Line Jump Same as your first jump, focused on staying stable through deployment.

3 to 5. Practice Throw Still on a static line, but now with a job. We put a dummy handle in your BOC (bottom of container pouch) that you throw, simulating a freefall deployment. The goal: throw the dummy handle before the static line opens your parachute, while staying stable.

6. First Freefall Your first non-static-line jump, a 5-second delay. Same as before, except the handle is real. Throw your pilot chute as you fall away from the plane.

7. First 10-Second Delay Count to seven, then arch, reach, pull. See Dive Flow Sheet 7.

8. Second 10-Second Delay Objectives: stability and altitude awareness using your altimeter. An instructor is in freefall with you. See Dive Flow Sheet 8.

9. First 15-Second Delay Objectives: altitude awareness, boxman position, 90-degree turns, wave-off, rear riser turns. See Dive Flow Sheet 9.

10. Second 15-Second Delay Objectives: altitude awareness, boxman position, 90-degree turns, wave-off, rear riser turns. See Dive Flow Sheet 10.

11. First 30-Second Delay Objectives: bomb-out exit, 180-degree turns times two, rear riser turns, pre-jump equipment checks. See Dive Flow Sheet 11.

12. Second 30-Second Delay Objectives: bomb-out exit, 360-degree turns times two, rear riser turns, cloud clearance. See Dive Flow Sheet 12.

13. 45-Second Delay (180 turn, barrel rolls) Objectives: bomb-out exit, 180-degree turn, barrel rolls, practice flaring. See Dive Flow Sheet 13.

14. 45-Second Delay (Front flip / Back flip) Objectives: poised exit, front flip, back flip. See Dive Flow Sheet 14.

15. 45-Second Delay (Tracking) Objectives: bomb-out exit, tracking, braked landing approach. See Dive Flow Sheet 15.

16. 45-Second Delay (Forward and Backward) Objectives: forward and backward movement, start and stop horizontal movement, docking, front riser turns. See Dive Flow Sheet 16.

17. 45-Second Delay (Swoop and Dock) Objectives: docked exit, dock with fall-rate adjustment. See Dive Flow Sheet 17.

Jumps 18 to 24 Repeat jumps as needed, or fun jumps. You may attempt your check dive early.

25. Check Dive Left 360, right 360, front flip, back flip, swoop and dock.

Pricing

First Jump Course

• First Jump Course: $180
• First Jump Course (after a tandem with us): $130

The First Jump Course includes your first jump, gear rental, and club dues for the semester.

Coached jumps

Every coached jump price below includes our $5 per jump gear rental and one-on-one instruction with a USPA-certified coach or instructor.

• Static Line: $50
• Practice Throw: $50
• First Freefall: $8
• 3,000 to 5,000 ft: $45
• 6,000 ft: $47
• 7,000 ft: $49
• 8,000 ft: $51
• 9,000 ft: $53
• 10,000 ft: $55

For self-supervised student (unlicensed) skydives, use the experienced jumper pricing and add $5 per jump for gear rental. Please pay for all jumps and other charges before you leave for the day.

Student Package: $180

The student package covers jumps 2 through 6: four Static Line or Practice Throw jumps ($50 each) plus your first freefall ($8). That is $28 off a $208 value, with gear rental included. It can be purchased after you complete your first Static Line jump.

To be clear, the "student package" is for anyone learning to jump with us, not just college students.

*Cash or check price. Additional fees apply for credit card and PayPal transactions.*

Pack job: $5

This is included only in the Static Line and Practice Throw jump price. We help students learn to pack their own parachutes and encourage picking up the skill early. Usually the first jump a student makes on their own pack job is jump 6, their first freefall. A $5 charge applies for any jump where the student does not pack the parachute used.

Club dues (2026)

$30 per semester or $50 per year. Club membership is required to jump as an unlicensed skydiver. Dues are included in the First Jump Course price.