Here's a bit of fun for those of you who are contemplating skydiving. While the terminology is real and valid, the answers are both entertaining and informational. This is just to help bring a bit of levity to the world of the cyber-skydiver. Although, this does not in any way diminish the seriousness of skydiving, we are human, and like to laugh too. If you would like to see some real answers to questions like these, go to our FAQ page.

AAD Abbr. n; "Automatic Activation Device". A mechanical or electronic device which automatically opens the main or reserve parachute at a set altitude as a back up for the user. Usually used for student and experienced jumper's Reserves.

AFF Abbr. n; "Accelerated Freefall". The most advanced method of learning to skydive. A 7 Level ability based learning progression. It is the course that is accelerated, not the speed of the Freefall. You have a Terminal Velocity of about 120 mph in freefall which ever type of course you choose!

AFF JCC Abbr.; "Accelerated Freefall Jumpmaster Certification Course". This is the Certification Course that must be successfully completed in order for a skydiver to be an USPA Accelerated Freefall Jumpmaster. Most Jumpmasters will tell you it is the most difficult rating to achieve in skydiving.

Altimeter n; Looks like a clock face with a single hand. It shows your height above the ground, in thousand foot increments. Audible altimeters beep when you fall through a preset altitude. These are only a backup for a visual altimeter since if they don't work they don't tell you that they haven't worked, or if you don't hear them they won't remind you. Audible alti's are often used by freefall camera people and freestylists since they cannot look at their visual alti's as often as they'd like.

BIC Abbr.; "Basic instructors course". Attended in an effort to gain a sufficient level of proficiency with reference to teaching.

Boogie n; A gathering of jumpers for the purposes of jumping and socializing. Typically, boogies will have large aircraft, unusual aircraft (balloons, helicopters), special events (record attempts), or some sort of competition as a focal point to attract jumpers from widely diverse regions.

Bounce Colloquialism v; term for landing, after freefall, without the aid of a parachute. Also: hammer in, frappe, go in, burn in.

Canopy n; parachute. Skydiver talk for a 'Parachute'. See Main Parachute, Reserve Parachute, Square Parachute, Round Parachute, and Elliptical Parachute.

Cells n; The chambers in a ram-air parachute, made up of two halves. They are delimited by two load bearing ribs and are split in two by the non-load-bearing rib in between. Most Skydiving Canopies have either 9 or 7 Cells, but they may have as few as 5 or many more than 9 and a Cell may be split into more than 2 parts. A 9 Cell Canopy is generally a more efficient wing than a 7 Cell because it has more ribs and can be a better airfoil, however because they have more ribs and therefore more fabric they do not pack as small.

Chop v; see "cut away"

CFS Abbr.; "Canopy Formation Skydiving". The new "official" term for a discipline of skydiving in which jumpers *under canopy* fly their parachutes together to form various formations. However, most skydivers still refer to it as "CRW". (See CRW.)

Container n; The part of a Rig which contains the Main and Reserve Parachutes.

CRW Abbr.; "Canopy Relative Work" or "CReW". Describes the maneuvering done by jumpers *under canopy* to fly their parachutes together to form various formations. Sometimes referred to as CReW (Crew). See CFS.

Cut away v; To release an improperly functioning parachute, before deploying a backup parachute. From the dark ages when parachute lines had to be literally cut in order to release them.

Dirt Dive n; Practicing a dive on the ground before the jump so that all involved understand exactly what will occur in the sky - since there is not much time up their and you can't discuss it with a 120 mph wind going past your head.

DZ Abbr. n; "Drop Zone". A place where parachuting operations take place. This is may be a designated area, or frequently, a commercial business which supplies aircraft, instruction, gear sales and services.

Elliptical Parachute n; Like a Square except elliptical rather than rectangular. These Canopies are far more radical than Square parachutes doing 360 degree turns in 1-2 seconds, with the Skydiver and Parachute parallel to the ground. There are variations between Square and Elliptical, some called Semi-Elliptical.

FAA Abbr.; Federal Aviation Administration: Aka. the sky police.

FAI Abbr.; Federation Aeronautique Internationale: The international body which administers sport aviation throughout the world.

Fall Rate n; The rate at which you fall, another name for terminal velocity except that it refers the rate relative to other jumpers, rather than an absolute velocity. Fall rate is adjusted by adjusting body position. Different shape and weight jumpers in exactly the same body position will fall at different rates. Fall rate must be adjusted to be the same as everyone else so that the jumper can do RW.

Flare v; to pull down on both of the canopy's steering toggles in order to lower decent rate and forward speed just prior to landing. The forward speed is traded-off for lift. A flare performed too late has no effect, a flare performed too early can result in a stall in which the canopy looses forward speed and drops straight down. A correctly performed flare results in an exceptionally soft landing.

FS Abbr.; "Formation Skydiving". The new "official" term for a discipline of skydiving in which two or more jumpers fly relative to each other *in freefall* in order to form various formations. However, most skydivers refer to it as Relative Work, or "RW." (See RW.)

Formation n; When referring to RW a formation is a group of skydivers forming particular pattern by taking grips on each others arms and legs. The formations that will be done on a jump are determined and practiced (Dirt Dived) before the jump. When referring to CRW it is a formation of Canopies flying together in a predetermined configuration.

Freefly v; A discipline of skydiving in which the jumper falls sitting, standing, or on their head (also known as "head down")

Grips n; Sausage shaped things attached to the arms and legs of a jumpsuit for skydivers to hold on to in formations.

Hook turn n; A high-speed turn with either the steering toggles or the front risers performed at very low altitude in order to build up speed before landing. See "turf surf."

Harness n; The part of a Rig which consists of webbing and metal hardware which you wear and which the Container is attached to.

ICC Abbr.; "Instructor certification course". The course one must attend and successfully pass in order to obtain an instructor rating.

JM Abbr. n; "JumpMaster". A jumper trained and certified to supervise students and/or novices during their jump. Main n, the primary parachute.

Main or Main Parachute n; The primary parachute. The parachute you use first. If it doesn't work you use your Reserve. This happens very rarely and there are Skydivers with thousands of jumps and no Reserve rides. The Main parachute is usually much higher performance than the Reserve. There are many types and brands available, in custom colors for no extra cost if you want, and they come in all sizes from 69 esq.. 9+ Cell parachutes, for very small, light and/or highly experienced Skydivers, to 280-300 sq.ft. 7 or 9 Cells that students usually use, to 520 sq.ft. 9+ Cells for large Tandem parachutes. These are all Square parachutes. Round parachutes are only used as mains for special applications - water jumps and Pilots Rigs for example.

Mal n; Short for "malfunction", hopefully referring only to the main parachute.

Malvina n, Also short for "malfunction" - "whoa!"

Malfunction n; When the Main Parachute doesn't work properly. There are different degrees of malfunctions, the bad ones of which cause you to use your Reserve.

Opening shock n; The force experienced by the jumper due to the sudden deceleration from terminal velocity due to the deployment of a parachute. Also what many skydivers experience when the window shade is opened before 8 am.

Parachute n; An aerodynamic deceleration device. (Federal Aviation Administration)

Parachutist n; A person who uses a parachute. A Parachutist is not necessarily a Skydiver. A Skydiver is only a Parachutist because they have to be. Note for non-jumpers: do not call a Skydiver a Parachutist and don't ask them about 'their Parachuting'.

Pilot n; A person who likes planes but usually does not jump out of them.

RW Abbr.; "Relative Work". Skydiver talk for Formation Skydiving where Skydivers in Freefall link up to create formations. This can be done in any numbers from 2-person (called a 2 Way Skydive) and up. Competition RW is mainly done in 4 person teams (4 Way Teams) and in 8 Ways & 16 Ways. See also FS.

Reserve or Reserve Parachute n; the secondary, or backup, parachute. The parachute you use if your Main Mals. Reserve parachutes must be tested to very strict standards & must be inspected and repacked by a specially licensed packer at regular intervals, (every six months in Australia), whether they have been used or not.

Reserve Ride n; To use the Reserve Parachute.

Round or Round Parachute n; A round parachute. (We do not use these at Skydive New Mexico). These range from non-steerable to a bit steer able and the user is mainly at the mercy of the wind. Cannot really be flared and give fairly hard landings. Works by providing drag to slow the descent of the Skydiver.

SkyGod n; We've heard about these, but have never actually seen one. We're not sure how to identify one properly.

Square Parachute n; An airfoil shaped ram-air parachute which is actually rectangular with aspect ratio's from less that 2 up to more than 3.5. The parachute is termed a 'semi rigid wing'. It is held in a wing shape by the air rushing in the front, keeping it pressurized. Squares work not by providing drag to slow the descent but by providing lift as they fly at about a 3:1 glide angle. They therefore must fly quite fast! and speeds up to 40-50mph in a straight line depending on the Canopy and the weight of the Skydiver are possible. They can be flown into the ground at in excess of 80 mph if one wants to. The most common configurations are 7 and 9 Cells and they can be made of porous material or non-porous Zero Porosity material.

Static Line Training n; The type of training in which a Static Line - a piece of webbing connected from the airplane to the students Rig opens the parachute. Like in the old war movies where the soldiers are hooked up and then jump out, and their parachute opens immediately. (The static line is like in the old war movies, the rest of the course and the gear isn't anything like it!).

Tandem n; The passenger and Instructor are harnessed together and use a the same main parachute, the student may participate as much or as little as he or she wishes.

Terminal Velocity n; The speed at which a Skydiver falls when the friction of the air on their body is equal to and counter acts the force of gravity so that they no longer accelerate. It is about 120 mph in a flat stable position, lying on the air, face down. The Skydiver can fall faster or slower, up to a point, by changing their body position.

Track n; To track is to assume a body position which gives a very high horizontal speed.

Turf surf v; (also, to "surf it" or "swoop") a high-speed style of landing. The jumper builds up speed (see Hook Turn) and then flares mere moments before touchdown, resulting in a spectacular landing in which the jumper skims mere inches above the ground at 30-40mph, for up to 100 yards. Or, if the jumper flares too late, resulting in a spectacular landing in which the jumper impacts the ground, leading to medical bills, orthopedic surgery, and/or death. Attempt this maneuver at your own risk!

USPA Abbr. n; "United States Parachute Association".

Whuffo Colloquialism n; A person who is not a skydiver (from the often-asked phrase "Whuffo you jump out of them airplanes?").

Zero Porosity n; "ZP/Zero-P". Means Non-porous to air. (Not technically the correct term, but it's the one Skydivers use). Air does not go through it making ZP Canopies very efficient wings.

TANDEM

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