A Four Part Series:
*1 Arrival & Sign-up
*2 Preparation
*3 The Plane
*4 Freefall & Landing

Part One: Arrival & Sign-up for Your Tandem Skydive
So, you have decided to make a tandem skydive. Now what do you do. Remember one thing, it is crucial and it is the most important thing to the whole skydive. You must "Have Fun". I am going to describe what kind of day you can expect when you go on you're first tandem skydive. The airports where people skydive are called drop zones. First thing you want to do is get to the drop zone early. Some drop zones have camping areas so you could be there the night before, but you don't have to.

Manifest is the area where you sign-up - sometimes it is just a window, sometimes a counter, occasionally it is a room. After you arrive to skydive, you will go to manifest to fill out your waivers and pay for the parachute jump. Waivers are a pain, but they are very necessary. They are a legal release of responsibility. It takes a little time to fill them out, but they are protection for you and the skydiving drop zone.

If you want video of your parachute jump let manifest know, prices vary. Depending on where you are making your jump, they run anywhere from $70 to $90 and up. A tourist area will charge more than a remote area. If you are going to jump you should get video of it. It is really cool to show your friends what you did.

After you fill out the waivers for your tandem skydive and pay for your jump they will tell you approximately how long it will be before you jump. Some drop zones have you watch a video on tandem skydiving. This video will help you understand what you are about to do. It is not rocket science. After you have seen the tandem skydiving video and you know how long it is going to be before you jump you might want to get something light to eat. Sometimes we forget to eat when we are excited about doing something like jumping out of an airplane. So if you have the time, get yourself something to eat - plus it will help settle your stomach.