Frequently Asked Questions
Below you’ll find answers to our most frequently asked questions on everything from hours, reservations, weather, safety, and how to prepare for the day of your skydive. Click a topic or scroll below to find your answers.
Hours and Requirements
What are your hours?
2023 Season – May 6th – October 15th
Appointment times: Book Your Jump
Have a large group and/or don’t see availability? Email us at SkydiveSaratoga2017@gmail.com
How old do you have to be to skydive?
18 years old. Yes, even with parental consent. It is a regulation in the USA.
What is the tandem skydiving weight limit?
all tandem passengers must weigh under 220 lbs and be height/weight proportionate. So a 220 lb person should be 6ft + tall.
All participants will be weighed on-site prior to skydiving and subject to evaluation based on height weight proportion (Tall Enough To Match Your Weight).
Customers over the 220 lbs weight limit will be subject to an additional $2 per pound surcharge. Anyone over 240 lbs will forfeit their deposit. If you are in between the 220 and 240 lb weight range, please give us a call before booking your skydive. We need to make sure we have an instructor who is rated to take you on the day you would like to come out.
If an instructor who is rated to take higher weights is NOT available for that day, you will be required to reschedule or forfeit your deposit.
Weight limits are in place to ensure the safety of all participants.
What about physical fitness or disabilities?
Skydiving is something that many people can do however, sometimes the physical component of it is beyond a person’s capabilities.
You should be able to kneel, bend, stoop, and have full range of motion in your extremities.
Be sure to disclose serious medical conditions to us beforehand! You must consult a doctor about any medical conditions that may preclude you from skydiving. We have had to turn away people who forgot to mention their medical conditions until the day of the jump and we do not refund. If you do have a condition but your physician is willing to clear you, bring your doctor’s note along with his/her medical credential (name/practice/medical license number). Depending on your condition we still reserve the right to turn you away if we believe it represents an unacceptable additional risk to yourself or our instructors. Please view the waiver to see the list of medical conditions that may preclude you from skydiving.
Lastly, we like to make it clear that if we think you are inadequately prepared to make your skydive (for example – you are hungover or intoxicated, under the influence of prescription medications, not physically fit enough, etc.) we do reserve the right to turn you away without a refund.
If you have a physical or mental impairment, please email our office with questions prior to booking: SkydiveSaratoga2017@gmail.com

Skydiving Reservations
Do I need a reservation to skydive?
Yes, space is limited and seats book fast!
You can book online here.
A $100 (non-refundable) deposit per person is required to book in order to reserve your airplane seat.
Deposits are applied to your total cost of the skydive.
Deposits reserve your airplane seat. If you book for 3 people and only 2 show up then the 3rd reservation is forfeited unless you are able to find a 3rd person to fill the airplane seat.
All reservations are good for 2 years from date of purchase and are fully transferable. All gift certificates are good for 5 years from date of purchase and are fully transferable.
What time do I arrive, how long will I be there?
Skydiving is time intensive!
Your reservation is for your Class Time. Not your jump time.
Our goal is to have you in and out within about three hours of your appointment time.
Do not arrive early or late; show up at your scheduled time.
Our goal is to have you in and out within about three hours of your appointment time, but it can be longer in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as unsafe or dangerous weather or unplanned aircraft maintenance, we tell everyone to please plan on spending the rest of your day with us. We like to over-prepare you just in case!
Aircraft boarding order decisions are not based on appointment times and are made for logistical purposes only. Please be patient! Unruly customers will be ejected without a refund. You are at an airport and federal law applies!
If you are late for your appointment we will try to accommodate you if we have availability later in the day. However, you may have to reschedule. If you are unable to reschedule, you will forfeit your deposit.
If you do not show up for your appointment or call to schedule 48-hours before your reservation, your $100 deposit is forfeited.
Please keep in mind all these decisions are made with your safety as our main concern.
What if I need to reschedule my skydive for personal reasons?
If you provide 48-hour notice or greater, your $100 deposit will move with you to new time/date of your choosing.
If you provide less than 48 hours’ notice, your $100 deposit will be forfeited.
You may reschedule your appointment up to 2 times for personal reasons before your $100 deposit is forfeited. Rescheduled appointments due to weather, aircraft, or other unforeseen circumstances do not count towards the 2.
What is the refund policy?
No refunds. All sales are final.
Day of Your Skydive
Should I fill out the waiver before I arrive?
Filling out the waiver before you arrive is not necessary but will speed up the process.
If you potentially have any medical conditions that may preclude you from making a skydive or require a doctors note, please read the waiver over before booking your reservation.
If you fill the waiver out at home, you must bring us a printed copy of your waiver and sign the waiver in front of our staff!
If for any reason our staff feels as though you did not fill the waiver out yourself, you will be asked to complete a new one in front of us.
What should I bring with me to skydive?
Your government-issued photo ID, please and thank you!
A printed copy of your waivers. If you do not have a printer, no big deal! We have copies at the dropzone available for you to fill out when you arrive. Please arrive 15 minutes early if you need to fill out the paperwork in order to keep the day moving on schedule.
Bottled water and snack food as you could be waiting a few hours.
Don’t forget your Student or Military ID to receive a discount, if eligible.
What should I wear when I go skydiving?
Excellent question!
- Gym shoes – no sandals, no boots and no high heels.
- Clothes you don’t mind getting grass stains on.
Our facility is an outdoor facility. You may be outside for several hours on the day of your event, please dress accordingly.
For hot weather (70 degrees and above):
Active Wear – shorts and a t-shirt.
Avoid short shorts (you may get raspberries on your legs sliding in your landing).
Capri/yoga pants are a great alternative!
For cooler weather (70 degrees and below):
Dress in thin, light layers. It is much colder in free fall than on the ground. Start with a base layer of thermals under your clothes and then keep adding thin light layers depending on the temperature.
Under 60 degrees: Bring gloves!
Avoid bulky clothing that is hard to move around in.
Jumpsuits are currently not available due to COVID19.
Should I eat before I skydive?
Yes! A light meal (sandwich, salad, etc) is recommended. An empty stomach can cause more trouble for customers than a full one. Bring snacks! Weather delays catch customers off guard. We are conveniently located minutes from a golf course clubhouse and a convenience store.
Do not use alcohol or other intoxicants 12 hours prior to your jump. You will forfeit your deposit, payment or gift certificate! A breathalyzer test is on site if we feel as though you have violated this rule.
What kind of payments do you accept?
Cash or credit (all major credit cards except Amex)
Checks are not accepted
What kind of photo/video packages do you offer for my first skydive?
Our Media Packages capture moments of you on the ground, in the airplane, free falling, flying the parachute and landing.
Our Hand-Cam media package is a 3-5 minute video with 75-100 photos – $125
All packages are emailed to you within 7 days from your skydiving reservation directly from our editing partners, Shred Video.
Ask us about upgrading before your jump!
Can I bring my own camera in the plane or on the skydive?
Unfortunately, no – it’s a safety violation.
Skydive Saratoga is a member of the United States Parachute Association, which is the governing safety organization in the US. They require that you must have a license to skydive and a minimum of 200 jumps before adding a camera to your body in free fall. The main concern is that cameras can pose serious snag hazards which can result in an unsafe situation while skydiving.
You are welcome to take pictures on the ground while waiting to skydive as well as getting geared up and landing!
Customers can not bring cameras/phones with them in the airplane.
Can I wear glasses/contacts on a skydive?
We do have a special type of goggles that will cover your eye glasses however we recommend wearing contacts instead, if you have them.
If not, it’s recommended to wear an old pair (people have lost them in freefall even with the googles) and to use a strap.
Don’t forget to bring a backup pair of contacts/glasses, just in case!
We are not responsible for loss or damage to your eyewear.
Will skydiving make me feel sick?
While free fall doesn’t make people sick, the airplane/parachute ride can.
Airplane/parachute ride tends to bother people if they get motion sickness, drank liquor the night before, or have not eaten on the day of their skydive.
Stay hydrated and eat something before skydiving.
Motion sickness remedies before jumping can help ease your stomach.

Weather and Aircraft Maintenance
What kind of weather can prevent tandem skydiving?
Skydiving is governed by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and is required to follow VFR (Visual Flight Rules) at all times. Under no circumstances will we break these guidelines, as safety is always our number one concern.
Unsafe conditions may include but are not limited to:
- High winds, generally over 20 mph.
- Gusting winds.
- Thick, or low cloud coverage.
- Rain.
Only Skydive Saratoga’s flying crew members who are proficient in the rules and regulations of flying will determine if the weather is no longer safe to skydive in. Not the customer.
Please note, if we are not skydiving, it is because it is not safe to be skydiving. Your safety is our top priority.
What happens to my skydiving appointment if there is bad weather?
Do not pay attention to weather reports more than 24 hours in advance of your reservation. The weatherman is usually wrong!
In the event your jump is canceled due to weather, you will need to reschedule. All deposits are valid for 2 years and all gift certificates are valid for 5 years from their date of purchase. Payments are non-refundable and refunds will not be issued because of inclement weather.
The decision to reschedule a jump due to poor conditions is usually made on the day of your reservation since weather is unpredictable. We try to make the best decision possible, with the latest information available.
If your reservation foreseeably needs to be rescheduled due to bad weather, we will contact customers who have booked reservations within 24 hours of their scheduled reservation via TEXT MESSAGE ONLY. Please provide a valid cell phone number when you are booking you reservations so we are able to contact you.
If you don’t hear from us we are planning to jump.
EVEN WITH ALL THE EFFORT INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, YOU MAY DRIVE ALL THE WAY HERE, STILL ENCOUNTER BAD WEATHER AND NOT BE ABLE TO JUMP.
Please note, if we are not skydiving, it is because it is not safe to be skydiving. Your safety is our top priority.
What happens to my skydiving appointment if there is aircraft maintenance?
While we do have 2 very well maintained aircrafts available for use, airplanes can and do break down unexpectedly.
In the event of unscheduled aircraft maintenance, you will need to reschedule. All deposits are valid for 2 years and all gift certificates are valid for 5 years from their date of purchase. Payments are non-refundable and refunds will not be issued because of inclement weather. Refunds will not be issued because of unscheduled aircraft maintenance.
Safety
Is skydiving safe?
Skydiving involves jumping out of an aircraft and using a parachute to land. There is inherent risk that comes with this experience. Skydive Saratoga follows all safety protocol to aid in risk management.
You must be in good physical condition to skydive. We ask that all customers be physically fit to skydive meaning that they can climb up on a picnic table and jump onto the ground without needing assistance.
All airplanes and pilots are tested and maintained with FAA standards.
All skydiving instructors are trained and licensed through the United States Parachute Association.
Skydive Saratoga is a member of the United States Parachute Association and follows all safety protocol.
What if the parachute doesn't open?
Movies often portray parachutes not deploying. This scenario is highly unlikely in the real world. While main parachutes can have problems once deployed, they almost always open.
Federal law requires that there are 2 parachutes in all of our skydiving systems. In the rare event that your main parachute does not open, the reserve parachute will be deployed.
At Skydive Saratoga, all parachutes are equipped with an Automatic Activation Device. This computer device can open if a skydiver fails to do so.
What does skydiving feel like?
Standing on a motorcycle going 120mph down the most breathtaking road you’ve ever been on.
It is simply indescribable as it is not like anything else.
There is no stomach drop sensation like you get on a roller coaster ride. Instead, it is windy, surreal, and awesome. Really, really awesome!
Can I jump by myself the first time?
Sorry, nope! Our company values your safety as our #1 priority and starting with tandem skydives is the best way to achieve that goal.
Your Tandem Skydive
Book Your Full Experience With Skydive Saratoga
Click below to reserve your spot. You’ll pay a deposit today and the rest on the day of your jump. You’ll have the option to upgrade to our Video & Picture Package when you arrive.