As skydivers, we know that the sport we love will always carry a degree of risk. However, that risk doesn’t have to define our experience.
Article written by APF Technical Officer, Heath Baird.
As skydivers, we know that the sport we love will always carry a degree of risk. However, that risk doesn’t have to define our experience. While skydiving is thrilling and provides an unmatched sense of freedom, there’s always room to reduce the frequency of serious incidents through training, education, and a structured approach to our progression. This article aims to explore some current challenges facing the sport, the factors contributing to serious incidents, and suggestions to make skydiving safer for all of us.
Contributing Factors to Skydiving Incidents
We’ve all felt it — things haven’t quite been the same since 2020, the skydiving community hasn’t fully recovered. While the core issues we face today aren’t new, they’ve been exacerbated. Membership numbers are down and many experienced jumpers haven’t returned. The absence of major events, like the annual conference, means fewer opportunities to gather, share ideas, and solve problems together. Without these vital community engagements, there is a greater isolation between drop zones.
In addition, the changing demographics of new skydivers are influencing the sport in ways we may not have fully anticipated.
Social media, too, is playing a part. Content has shifted by focusing on more high-end and extreme skydiving, leaving the entry-level side of things underrepresented. This can give newcomers a distorted view of what the sport truly involves, including where their progression should begin and what the ultimate journey looks like.
Training: Gaps and Shortcomings
Experienced skydivers know how important it is to get the fundamentals right. However, basic training covers a lot of material, and sometimes certain elements may not be fully retained as intended. In particular, landing accuracy during AFF is crucial for a reason. These requirements are not just boxes to tick — they’re essential for proving the basic skills needed to safely control and land a parachute. It builds confidence which results in calmer, better decision making. How can we address the persistent attitude that "near enough is good enough," given the concerns it raises?
During AFF training, it is extremely important that students do not advance to the next stage before they’ve truly mastered the previous stage. The mindset, "They’re almost there, so why hold them back?" is a shortcut approach that harms a student’s long-term development. The same issue can arise with Level Slot Dock (LSD) principles in higher end disciplines, like angle flying or wingsuiting. LSD is foundational in all disciplines in skydiving and it is important that it is not lacking in education and practice. These principles should be instilled and acquired from the beginning — starting with basic belly formation, on to freeflying in smaller groups and formations, in order to progress through to angles, wingsuiting, CRW, XRW and large formation belly. No matter the discipline, the LSD principal remains relevant, and it is detrimental if skipped or under-emphasised as people continue through their progression.
While the space between beginner and high-performance skydiving seems to be growing wider, are the skills needed to bridge that gap getting the attention they deserve? Belly formation in small to medium groups is one of the most important stages of skill development and isn’t always given the focus it should. People aim to progress a lot faster than previous generations. After learning solid foundations of belly, the next step should be to expand on the LSD concept with vertical head up flying at a minimum, prior to angle flying. This progression builds awareness and preparation for high-speed manoeuvres — crucial skills in today’s high-performance skydiving world. If these intermediate steps are skipped before progressing to faster, more dynamic jumps the consequences dramatically increase, this can and has resulted in serious accidents.
Expectations vs. Reality: The Need for Skill Matching
Another major issue modern skydiving is facing is the mismatch between the performance of modern parachutes and the skill levels of many jumpers. Parachutes have evolved significantly over the past decade, with modern canopies offering performance that was once reserved for a whole other category. The perception of progression hasn’t kept pace with this change. It is critically important to avoid advancing to high-performance canopies before mastering the necessary skills to handle them safely. What was once considered a high-performance canopy is now perceptually considered a mid-range canopy.
Equally important is not attempting advanced manoeuvres without proper coaching, relying on advice from friends or imitating others. This is dangerous as skydivers may not fully understand the risks, increased speed and descent rate that can be generated, or how to recover and abort without the appropriate experience and proper training.
Are people spending enough time on the lower-performance wings? Fast progression is dangerous if your skills don't match your canopy's performance capabilities, as things can go wrong quickly. The key to safely progressing to more advanced wings is to first master flying lower-performing canopies. This foundational work makes the transition to high-performance gear much safer and smoother. It is easier to recognise when and how much input to use when your skills are honed in than finding yourself in trouble going much faster than you have ever gone. Training for the worst-case scenario is what every skydiver needs to be prepared for.
The Importance of Reaction and Decision-Making Under Pressure
Skydiving isn’t just about doing everything right — it’s about how you react when things go wrong. I have been in a pinch a few times and can tell you that the ability to handle emergency situations is the true test of a skydiver. The worst-case scenarios — canopy malfunctions, aborted landings, freefall break offs, or close calls under canopy — are often where things go wrong because of poor or delayed reactions. Incidents and injuries often occur after committing to landing at a chosen destination, even after passing by safer alternative options.
Many serious incidents share a common theme: the reaction to a critical moment. Whether it’s freezing, panic, overreaction, or simply not knowing what to do, these situations easily end in disaster. That’s why I strongly believe it is every skydivers responsibility to understand and own their risk, upskill, attend canopy courses, know their limitations and stay within them. This would help develop the skills to stay calm and not only think clearly and make the right decisions in an emergency, but also how to avoid needing to.
Rules vs. Accountability of Risk
Skydiving, like any sport or aviation activity, comes with inherent risks. Rules, regulations and standards are put in place to mitigate these risks and protect not just participants but also the public. These rules, often derived from lessons learned the hard way by others, are essential for ensuring the safety of everyone involved — from jumpers to instructors and operators. They may seem like common sense, but they’re the backbone of a safe skydiving environment.
A skydiving regulatory example is the requirement to log jumps. Some jumpers neglect to log their jumps or fail to maintain an accurate logbook and argue that after achieving over 1,000 jumps, logging becomes irrelevant. Proper logging isn’t just about following a rule — it provides an important record and history in the event of an incident, making it easier to defend the individual involved if the correct steps and paperwork is done correctly. The Australian Parachute Federation (APF) spends significant resources when defending individuals. Adhering to these rules helps to ensure the chances of being defended successfully when everything is above board.
However, rules are not the 'be all and end all' - they alone are not enough to ensure safety. As skydivers, we must also hold ourselves accountable. Consistently following rules helps avoid complacency, reducing the likelihood of negligence that could lead to accidents. Accountability means understanding the consequences of our actions and making decisions that prioritise safety at all times. When skydivers take personal responsibility — not just for their own safety but for the safety of others — they help maintain the integrity of the sport and reduce the overall risk.
Ultimately, it's the combination of following established rules and taking personal accountability that creates a culture of safety in skydiving. Without one, the other becomes ineffective, and the risk to everyone involved increases.
Real-Life Incident Analysis
Unfortunately, we’ve seen too many incidents that could have been avoided with better preparation and reaction. Here are some of the most recent serious incidents within the Australian skydiving community that highlight the need for improved training and situational awareness:
Hard landing: Cert F jumper suffered broken bones due to flare technique and procedural errors during flight.
Freefall collision: Cert D jumper sustained a brain injury after colliding with another jumper while leading an angle during break-off.
Fatal high-performance landing: Cert E jumper suffered a fatal impact from split second decision making after a high-performance turn.
Fatal landing: Cert A jumper with target fixation and lack of flare during landing.
Each of these incidents potentially involve a gap in knowledge, poor decision-making, or a lack of preparation for the worst-case scenario. It’s crucial to learn from these situations to improve situational awareness, skills and reactions and continue to educate.
*These examples are used not to point fingers or allocate blame, but to highlight the different levels of experience and that it can happen to anyone.
Conclusion: A Path Forward for Safer Skies
Skydiving is a sport that requires both passion and responsibility. While it offers unparalleled thrills, it also demands a commitment to safety, continuous learning, and personal growth. As we’ve seen, the risks involved in skydiving are not inherently unmanageable; rather, potentially stemming from gap in knowledge, poor decision-making and a failure to fully appreciate the progression necessary for safe skydiving.
The challenges facing the sport today, from dwindling membership numbers to the changing nature of training and equipment, are real. Skydivers must embrace a culture of accountability, ensuring that the basic skills — such as landing accuracy, understanding canopy control, and maintaining proper progression — are never overlooked. It is equally important to align skill development with the performance capabilities of modern parachutes.
Reacting appropriately under pressure is a crucial skill that can make the difference between a close call and a serious incident. Skydivers must not only be able to handle emergencies when they arise but also develop the ability to avoid risky situations in the first place. The ability to make clear-headed decisions in the moment can be the key to preserving not just personal safety, but also the safety of others.
Finally, adhering to regulations, is vital for accountability and ensuring that everyone is following best practices. These rules are in place not to stifle the sport, but to protect all participants and maintain the integrity of skydiving for future generations.
The road to safer skies is a collective effort. By committing to better training, stronger community engagement, and a personal dedication to safety, we can reduce incidents and foster a culture where skydiving continues to be free and exhilarating, can be performed safely as a deeply rewarding sport. The sky may be vast, but it’s the choices we make on the ground — in preparation, practice, and mindset — that ultimately define our experience in the air.
Following is a link to an article on personal responsibility written in 2013 by Terry Wahlen and is still relevant now. In my opinion it is a great article and well worth reading.
Personal Responsibility by Terry Wahlen
Blue skies everyone.
Article written by APF Technical Officer, Heath Baird.
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[Photo sources: Jake Stacy (cover image), TBH Media]