Oct 13, 2006, 2:47 PM
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Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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I see young people do really well in high adrenaline activities at about 12. Martial arts, snow boarding, skiing, shooting, football, baseball, etc. If they are trained properly
Oct 13, 2006, 8:07 PM
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Re: [mattaman] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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It would make sense for it to be in line with driving age. An irresposible driver can do far more damage than an irresponsible skydiver. If the person is ready for the resposibilty of driving, they should be ready for skydiving.
Besides, I'd rather have an average 16 year old than an average 40-50 year old with thier extra pounds, disintergrating bones and slowed reflexes climing out of a plane.
I'm only in my mid thirties and I'll be shopping for a new knee soon! It's the ravages of age!
Oct 14, 2006, 10:06 AM
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Re: [teason] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Let alone all those years of denial they have, I like your line of reasoning. I'm always amazed when a 50 year old person gets to the door, shaking, white, stiff as a board, and says their not afraid
Oct 16, 2006, 2:53 AM
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Re: [mattaman] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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What age could the average person learn to skydive?
Average people don't often skydive
Seriously though, if you look at kids in motor racing they are competing in world championship events in, for instance, 125cc Motogp when they are 14-15 years old. That is dangerous stuff and requires a huge amount of skill and dedication that probably began years earlier. I don't see why those type of kids couldn't apply themselves to skydiving when they're 13 or 14.
Oct 16, 2006, 3:02 AM
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Re: [Pia] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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I just thought back to myself at those ages and I would go with 16. I was way to daring and experimental at those ages.
I 2nd the maturity thing (one day I'll get there)
were you still 16 when you went pier jumping in Durban ??
For "average" kids... well they would have to be above average anyways... 15-16, but would be better for them to already be "in the sport" for sometime, DZ kids...
Oct 16, 2006, 7:02 AM
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Re: [teason] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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I totally agree with this reasoning. They know they are responsible for their actions.There wont be any Mommy or Daddy save me during a malfunction. Just as in a drivers ed course they are taught what can happen and how to deak with it. Mommy may pay their tickets, but cant take away the points.As earlier stated maturity has a lot to do with it and attention span. I take some Tandems I will be glad when its over walking to the plane types.
Oct 16, 2006, 7:39 AM
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Re: [mattaman] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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I see young people do really well in high adrenaline activities at about 12. Martial arts, snow boarding, skiing, shooting, football, baseball, etc. If they are trained properly
All those sports have a "shallow end of the pool." You can start of with a .22 rifle or on the bunny slope, but there is not a skydive you can make that can't kill you.
With that said, I can't decide what age is best. I know some great skydivers that started as young as 14 and had the maturity to handle it. My 14 yo son would be in that group, but he'll be waiting until 16 to make a solo jump, probably. He's been around the sport long enough, though, to know the score. People off the street might still believe the marketing slogan that "Skydiving is Safe!" and sign their too young kid up, thinking it's just like swimming lessons.
Oct 16, 2006, 8:51 AM
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Re: [JohnMitchell] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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The older I get the more I want people to understand just how dangerous skydiving is. I find people practice more, treat it with more respect, and mature the more they respect how dangerous jumping out of a plane is. People who use denial to deal with this, are just flat out annoying, no matter what age.
Oct 17, 2006, 6:39 PM
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Re: [jakee] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Seriously though, if you look at kids in motor racing they are competing in world championship events in, for instance, 125cc Motogp when they are 14-15 years old. That is dangerous stuff and requires a huge amount of skill and dedication that probably began years earlier. I don't see why those type of kids couldn't apply themselves to skydiving when they're 13 or 14.
Note those kids were allowed to start with smaller bikes, at slower speeds, and work their way up. By comparison they'll likely get to potentially fatal speeds on their very first freefall.
Oct 17, 2006, 7:55 PM
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Re: [livendive] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Idk why I think the age for skydiving should stay at 18 and not go any lower, particularly because Im 18 now and I was dying to jump since I was about 14. As a student jumper off AFF working towards an A license I dont think 14 year olds recognize the potential consequences of skydiving and might look at it as more of a hobby then a dangerous sport. I think it is perfectly fine to allow people as young as ten to do Tandems, however to become a solo skydiver, to me, 18 sounds like the perfect balance for mental readiness and physical fitness.
Oct 18, 2006, 5:29 AM
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Re: [livendive] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Note those kids were allowed to start with smaller bikes, at slower speeds, and work their way up. By comparison they'll likely get to potentially fatal speeds on their very first freefall.
Most certainly. The point I'm making is more that these kids are able to be dedicated to their sport and take it as seriously as any adult (probably more seriously than a lot of muppets out on the road with R1's) at that young age.
Learning to skydive is dangerous - to everyone. I don't think people give younger teenagers enough credit in not believing that they are able to properly grasp that and give skydiving (and other dangerous sports) the respect it deserves.
Oct 18, 2006, 8:52 PM
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Re: [livendive] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Young people in the history of the world have raised families, fought in wars, saved communities, worked harder and longer than most adults. Young people ruitinely compete at higher levels than adults in the olympics. There was a 14, I think, year old polish battle ship captain in ww2, I think thats what it was, anyway. My point is not taking into the consideration a warped legal system. But that skydiving is a great way to teach young people about responsibility, consequences, and to get real. Young people are not getting more mature, I think we're getting less. In the old days every culture on the planet had rituals that youth had to go through to become an adult, the purpose was to get them to not make bad decisions that would fuck up the tribe, like having kids when the tribe couldn't handle it, etc. Skydiving is the best way to get people to learn that they are not immortal, and that we all have fear, and covering it up is bs. When we do not instill this in people they become borderline psychotic adult children. we've plenty of them in this society. I fear those who want to benifit from these adult children, they make money off human faliure. I'm not so sure we should run away from this question, I'm not going to do underage skydiving yet, but I got into this to work with people to help them deal with fear. This is important, and I'm not sure we should allow a failed legal system to keep us from our best as a nation. I know it says skydiving is of no benifit to society on our waivers, but I think we all know this is crap, it is, and its benifited us.
Oct 19, 2006, 4:37 PM
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Re: [AFFI] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Yes, 18 is a good age to start driving an automobile solo. I'd say NOT before. My Son just turned 18 and just got his drivers license, his examiner said he's a fine driver. Time will tell. As for jumping I'd guess somewhere between 18 and 21 would be about right although some would never be ready.
Oct 23, 2006, 11:06 AM
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Re: [CReW] Excluding the current legal system, What age could the average person learn to skydive?
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Yes, 18 is a good age to start driving an automobile solo. I'd say NOT before. My Son just turned 18 and just got his drivers license, his examiner said he's a fine driver. Time will tell. As for jumping I'd guess somewhere between 18 and 21 would be about right although some would never be ready.
T
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Teenagers are allowed to start driving at age 16 in British Columbia, but they must conform to a long list of restrictions. ... mostly about not joy-riding with their friends after dark ...
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It's the ravages of age! 
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