Skydiving: Leap Of Faith

More and more UAE residents are throwing themselves out of planes, and leaving the trials and tribulations of city life in the wind for a ‘therapeutic' freefall from the Arabian sky.

Around 300 people a month jump from a small plane circling three kilometres above Umm Al Quwain Aeroclub (UAQA), said Chief Pilot Captain Habib Ollaik.

Most of the jumps are tandem, meaning a beginner is strapped to an experienced skydiver.

“It's a rush! I'll be high for a week. It all happens so fast you don't have time to be scared,'' said Tripti Singh, a marketing professional from India, after her maiden drop.

Nour Al Masri, her Jordanian colleague, who landed shortly afterwards on a patch of grass, said: “I want to do it again. Fear's so overrated. I feel I can do anything now.''

An Australian man following a midday dive – his first – feels more threatened on the UAE roads than by jumping.

“I was a bit scared sitting on the edge of the aircraft but it was an absolute thrill on the way down. When you're back on your feet on solid ground, it feels like you've just had a meditation session,'' said Duncan Parkinson, who works at an architecture company in Dubai.

Safety is on everyone's mind, be they novices or seasoned skydivers and pilots. Club instructors always go through their drill to check equipment and reassure would-be jumpers.

“There are two parachutes: the main and reserve. If the tandem ‘master' can't deploy the chute for any reason, a computer opens the canopy at the right time,'' said Mark Smith, a certified tandem expert from the United Kingdom who has been skydiving for almost 20 years.

“We joke a lot with the beginners to make them feel comfortable.''

The jumpers are briefed before the dive. The club staff walk them through the equipment, flight, body position, freefall, “riding the canopy'' and landing.

“It's important to relax or else you won't get into the banana-shape you need to freefall nicely. You can even steer to the right or left if you're a confident, fun person,'' said Smith.

He is also a cameraman specialised in skydiving, and films adrenaline junkies in tandem from a lens mounted on his helmet.

Not only is it crucial that details are checked, but the mood has to be right as well before skydiving.

“The tandem masters can't afford to be tired or cranky. If they don't feel up to it, they go home for the day,'' Ollaik, another skydiving fan, said.

Ollaik, 28, a dual Lebanese-French national, who clocks in 2,500 in-flight hours a year, said jumping is addictive.

“Some people can't do without TV or videogames. It's the same with jumping. It's because skydiving lets off steam and built up pressure of everyday life and work,'' said Ollaik.

Hardly anyone backtracks from jumping. Smith said once people have made the commitment, they follow through completely, although it is normal to feel a little squeamish after your first jump. No accidents have been reported at UAQA.

Tandem Tips

Skydiving By Numbers

200 kilometres per hour is the speed you will be plummeting to earth as you freefall before the parachute opens

10,000 feet above sea level is where you can make your leap

3 minutes of gracefully gliding down to earth after the parachute has opened

30 seconds of freefall before the parachute opens

More Info