Skydiving is a sport in which one or more people jump from an airplane and fall freely before opening a parachute. Skydiving is also known as sport parachuting. Skydivers typically jump at altitudes of up to 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) and fall at speeds of more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour. They open their parachutes at 2,000 to 3,000 feet (600 to 900 meters) and then glide to earth at about 10 miles (16 kilometers) per hour. On Oct. 24, 2014, American skydiver Alan Eustace set an altitude record of 25.7 miles (41.4 kilometers), jumping out of a balloon over New Mexico. During his fall, Eustace reached a speed of 822 miles (1,322 kilometers) per hour.
In accuracy skydiving, the jumper aims for a target that measures about 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter. In relative work skydiving, a team of free-falling skydivers join together to make geometrically shaped formations.
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There are hundreds of skydiving centers in the United States. These centers offer skydiving instruction to people who are at least 16 years old. More information about skydiving can be obtained from the United States Parachute Association.
