What Happens If You Pass Out Skydiving

Going skydiving for the first time is an incredible experience that challenges your mental, physical, and emotional boundaries. You’ll feel sensations that are completely new, even overwhelming, and it may leave you wondering: what happens if I pass out skydiving?

Passing out while skydiving is a valid concern. The idea of skydiving can make you feel vulnerable, and the thought of being unconscious during the jump would only increase those feelings. While people do occasionally pass out while skydiving, it’s not as common as you might think. And there are protocols in place for instructors to manage the situation if their tandem student does happen to lose consciousness. 

Understanding all of this may even help you answer the question, is skydiving scary? So read on and learn all about what happens if you pass out skydiving.

Is it Common to Pass Out While Skydiving?

Passing out while skydiving is relatively rare, but it can happen. Skydiving, especially for the first time, can be an overwhelming experience, both physically and mentally. There’s nothing in everyday life that compares to the feeling of freefall, so your system may experience a bit of shock after exiting the plane. 

There’s a lot going on during any individual skydive, and several factors could contribute to someone losing consciousness in freefall or under canopy. Fear or anxiety, exposure to G-forces, or pre-existing medical conditions are the main culprits that cause unplanned mid-jump naps. 

But the good news is, there are ways to help prevent yourself from passing out during your skydive. Relaxation techniques and mental preparation can help to alleviate anxiety or fear. And you can practice these things before you even get into the air. You can also ask your instructor for tips on how to breathe and position your body so that enough blood and oxygen consistently reach your brain. 

Self-care is also a big part of being alert for the jump! Besides preparing mentally, you want to make sure you are eating and drinking enough water to feel well-nourished and hydrated throughout the day. Additionally, if you do have a medical condition, it’s important to speak to a medical professional before booking your tandem skydive. 

While passing out skydiving is not a particularly common occurrence, it’s crucial to prioritize proper preparation, communication with your instructor to ensure a safe and enjoyable skydiving experience. You don’t want to miss one of the most exciting moments of your life because you lost consciousness!

What Happens If You Pass Out While Skydiving?

One of the benefits of skydiving tandem for your first jump is that you have a highly experienced instructor attached to your back to handle anything that may come your way. And that includes you possibly passing out. Tandem instructors complete intense training in order to achieve their instructor title, and your safety is at the center of that training. 

Tandem instructors are able to fly stable through the entire jump whether you’re awake or not (though it’s much better if you can help them by arching!), so no need to worry about what would happen once you’re out. Your instructor is attuned to your every move, and if they notice any signs of distress or loss of consciousness, they will take immediate action to manage the situation. In some cases, they may even be able to bring you back to consciousness through techniques like gently shaking. 

The part of the jump that’s most difficult to execute with an unconscious passenger is the landing. In fact, if you’ve ever wondered what is the most common skydiving injury, the answer typically contains any impact with the ground. Rolled or broken ankles happen when a landing doesn’t go quite according to plan. 

But, just like with the rest of the jump, your instructor is trained and experienced in altering landing procedures to keep an unconscious passenger safe. They will make an effort to scoop up their passenger’s legs or roll both themselves and the passenger to the side as they land to protect their passenger’s limbs and body. 

Usually, the worst part about passing out during a skydive is that you missed the experience!

What If an Instructor or Student Loses Consciousness During Freefall?

While it is extremely rare for a tandem instructor or skydiving student to lose consciousness during freefall, it’s important to understand that there are safety measures in place should it occur.  

Skydiving gear has been evolving since the day that skydiving became a sport. There are multiple redundancies built into skydiving equipment that act as backup systems should something go wrong during a jump. 

All tandem and student skydiving rigs include Automatic Activation Devices (AADs), which are built-in computers that detect the speed and altitude of a skydive. If the AAD detects that the main parachute has not been deployed at the appropriate altitude, it will automatically deploy the reserve parachute. This means that even if the tandem instructor or student were to lose consciousness and be unable to deploy the main parachute, the reserve parachute would still deploy on its own.

Landing safely is a priority for us all, so we take the health and safety of everyone on the dropzone – and meticulous care of our backup equipment – very seriously!

What to Do if You Feel Woozy or Dizzy After Landing

Even if you don’t pass out during your skydive, there’s a chance you may feel a little woozy after you land. But is it normal to feel dizzy after skydiving? It is! Like we said before, skydiving for the first time can come with sensory overload. The adrenaline and excitement may have been enough to keep you focused during the jump but, sometimes, all of that rush catches up with us after we land. 

The first step to dealing with post-jump dizziness is to sit or lie down on the ground to avoid any risk of falling or passing out. Take slow, deep breaths and try to relax your body to help regulate your breathing and heart rate. If possible, let your instructor know what you’re feeling so that they can help you. 

Once you’re able to stand and walk, move somewhere comfortable and out of the sun. Take some time to sit down and relax, and drink plenty of water. This is also a good excuse to enjoy a sweet treat at the Bombshelter to help regulate your blood sugar. But don’t go overboard – going full send is how you ended up dizzy in the first place! Take measured sips and bites of food, as well as calming breaths until you feel 100%. 
Are you ready to open your eyes and live in the moment? Book your tandem skydive with us and wake up your senses! Blue skies!

Related Article: How Safe is Tandem Skydiving