The weight limit for skydiving in Australia

The tandem skydive weight limit in Australia varies depending on which skydive operation you choose. At Skydive Jurien Bay we have set a maximum weight for a tandem skydiving customer to not be greater than 115kg. At other skydive operations throughout Western Australia (and Australia) maximum skydive weight restrictions range from 100kg to 115kg.

Why your weight is important

Weight restrictions for skydiving exist for one reason, safety. The weight and size of a customer can have an impact on various aspects of the tandem skydive including:

• How the harness and equipment fits (if you’re very short and very heavy the harness will not be overly comfortable)
• The ability to move inside the aircraft when the plane is climbing to jump altitude (everyone needs to be able to move around in a confined space)
• How the parachute opens after being deployed (Our instructors are conditioned to take a few beatings each day but if someone is above 115kg the parachute opens too hard and can injure the instructor)
• The landing (each customer needs to be able to lift their own legs to ensure a soft landing)

If you’re a fit and agile 115kg person then there is no worries at all (all of the aforementioned points do not apply, generally speaking). It becomes challenging when someone is very heavy, unfit and physically unable move easily or lift their legs when landing.

Whilst doing a tandem skydive requires the customer to do very little training and preparation they are still required to assist at various times during their skydive. An example of this is when coming into land. The tandem customer is required to lift their legs up at a 90 degree angle (for a few seconds) to ensure a smooth landing. If someone is so heavy and unfit that they are unable to do this then there is a possibility that they and the instructor will have a rough landing.

Another reason we need to know your weight before you skydive is because aircraft are very sensitive to weight and we need to accurately understand how much each person weighs to ensure we keep the total weight of everyone on the aircraft below the aircraft’s maximum take off weight limit. It’s the same as when you travel on a commercial airline where each passenger is only allowed to bring a specified maximum weight of baggage and also why they charge such a premium for excess baggage. Any situations where an aircraft is overloaded (too much weight) can cause excess stress on it when taking off or landing.

Do heavier people get charged more?

Skydive Jurien Bay is Perth’s only skydive operation that does NOT charge an additional amount for customers that weigh above 90kg. A number of Perth’s skydive operations (excluding Skydive Jurien Bay) will charge a customer up to $75 extra should they weigh above 90kg. If you’re skydiving anywhere other than at Skydive Jurien Bay make sure you read the fine print closely otherwise you may be hit with some unwelcome surprises on the day of your skydive that will leave a hole in your wallet.

Is there a minimum weight?

There is no minimum weight limit.

Summary

Now you understand what weight restrictions exist for tandem skydiving and why. Whilst skydiving is a fun and exciting adventure activity it still is an extreme sport so safety always remains our number one priority. It’s for this reason that Skydive Jurien Bay has a flawless safety record.

If you’re over the weight limit but really want to go tandem skydiving then why not use it as your motivation to get down to your target weight below 115kg. If you need a Personal Trainer to help you get there, we recommend Milla at Nes Fitness.

We hope to see you soon. You can view prices or book online directly on our website.