Throughout the year, we’ve been celebrating new skydiving licences by posting photos of our jumpers with large letters A, B, C and D on our Instagram story. But what do those licences mean? And why the big letters? Allow us to tell all! Skydiving A licence The A licence is the first licence a skydiver achieves after passing their initial skydiving course. Anyone learning to skydive … Read More
Is Skydiving Safe?
Skydiving is an awesome sport that thousands of people enjoy every year, right here at Skydive Langar. With more than 50,000 descents being made in 2023 alone, we’re highly experienced in delivering exciting, memorable, safe experiences to everyone from first time jumpers to experienced hobbyists. But we also know that one of the questions you’ll be asking before your first jump is ‘is skydiving safe‘. The … Read More
Who is skydiving for?
Skydiving is an incredible experience and one which thousands of people come to enjoy for the first time every year here at Langar. But who is most likely to enjoy skydiving? In short, we think everyone can love our sport. To help you work out if it’s for you, here are some trends we’ve seen in people coming to skydive for the first time this year. … Read More
Why don’t tandems wear helmets but their instructors do?
It’s a question that comes up from time to time; why do tandem students not have to wear helmets but their instructors, and other skydivers, do? In short, there is no safety requirement for helmets on tandem students in the UK. Your instructor is primarily wearing theirs as it holds their audible altimeters and protects their head from any potential knocks, which are highly unlikely but … Read More
Langar skydiver lands on unicorn
You may have already seen this in the news and if you haven’t… where have you been? A Skydive Langar staff member has secured nationwide fandom after landing on a unicorn – with the video being shared across news outlets and social media channels across the UK and beyond. The skydiver in question is tandem instructor Jan Zackl, who performed the feat as part of our … Read More
New British Female Head Down Skydiving Record
Female skydivers have set a new British record for the largest number of women to participate in a successful head-down formation jump here at Skydive Langar. The skydive required the women to jump out of an aircraft at 14,000 feet and then fly together in a ‘head down’ position – meaning their heads were the lowest part of their body, in an ‘upside down’ manner – … Read More
Formation Skydiving and Artistics World Cup – Good Luck Everyone!
It’s that part of the season where competitive skydiving reaches its crescendo. Having recently celebrated success amongst Langar staff and fun jumpers at the British National Canopy Piloting Championships and the British National Canopy Formation Championships, and with the Wingsuiting World Championships also on this week, we are excited to wish lots of luck to our friends and colleagues at the Formation Skydiving and Artistics World … Read More
Wingsuit Performance World Cup 2023; Good luck Ryan!
We’re wishing GOOD LUCK to Langar team member Ryan today as he embarks on his first FAI Wingsuit Performance World Cup, taking place this week in the Czech Republic. Ryan is representing Great Britain in the wingsuit performance advanced category in which he will be judged in three criteria – speed, distance and time. While we eagerly await the first round scores and send Ryan all … Read More
Skydiving Displays: What are they and why do we do them?
Last night, members of the Skydive Langar team made a jump into local town Bingham to land in the Bingham Rugby Club. Local residents came out to watch and we were able to entertain them by flying around the skies with coloured fog and landing right in front of them, on the rugby pitch. We like to do these ‘display jumps’ from time to time, and … Read More
Understanding Skydiving Weather
Skydiving is a sport dependent on certain weather conditions being fulfilled to make it safe. For us in the UK, ‘good weather’ can seem harder to find than other popular skydiving locations like the USA… but we have a lot more jumpable days here than you might think! And, being open 364 days a year (every day except Christmas Day), we’re well positioned to make the … Read More
Proper Dink Canopy Formation Boogie 2023
The Proper Dink CF Boogie may be over, but the jorts will live on… Not sure what a Proper Dink is? Want to learn more about canopy formations? Then this post is for you! Here’s our review of the first ever Proper Dink CF Boogie. The Proper Dink Canopy Formation Boogie took place in early July here at Langar and is the first event of its … Read More
Skydivers set new British formation skydiving record at Skydive Langar
Skydivers at Langar set a new British record this week for the biggest ever sequential formation dive to take place in the UK – and then broke their own record two jumps later. 41 jumpers combined to create two consecutive shapes in the sky – the largest number of Brits ever to do so. Two jumps later, they formed three consecutive formations and in doing so, … Read More
4 Way Tips from Chimera
Guest post from Chimera 4 Way Formation Skydiving Team, the current reigning 4 way champions Thank you all for attending the Chimera Scrambles at Skydive Langar. We loved organising it and hope you had a good weekend. We have gathered some general tips and advice based on what we saw at the Scrambles and hope you’ll find all of this useful. Exits In four way, it’s … Read More
What to expect when you add a video and photo package to your tandem skydive
For us, skydiving is a daily activity. Our team of highly skilled staff just love to jump out of planes and for this reason, we do it as much as we can! We know that this isn’t often the case for our tandem skydivers, many of whom visit us to experience our sport as a once-in-a-lifetime deal – one that they’ll remember forever, but not necessarily … Read More
How do we communicate in freefall?
In-air coaching is a big part of how we teach people to skydive. So being able to communicate effectively is important. Lots of people ask us how we communicate when we’re falling at speeds of around 120mph – and how our students manage to respond in those conditions too! The aim of this post is to explain how we communicate while skydiving and hopefully whet your … Read More
Coach the Cameraflyer: How to Film for Bigway FS
During Boogie One, Pete Harries, camera flyer at Skydive Langar and videographer for national championship winning team Chimera, hosted the first Coach the Cameraflyer workshop, focusing on how to film for bigway FS. This post is a write up of that talk, and also contains a video of his presentation plus the presentation slides themselves. If you’ve got any questions, feel free to contact us or … Read More
Corporate Team Building
Looking for your next corporate team building event? Take your team building to new heights with a group tandem skydive experience! Skydiving is a unique activity that takes participants out of their comfort zone to do something incredible. What better way to build team camaraderie and culture than a once-in-a-lifetime shared experience? Activity duration: 2+ hours, depending on group sizeActivity group size: 1 – 40Activity location: … Read More
What Does Skydiving Feel Like?
Skydiving is one of the most incredible experiences you’ll ever have. And it’s unlike anything else in the world! Because skydiving is so unique, it’s difficult to explain how it feels. But lots of people want to know so we’ll do our best to explain how skydiving feels here. Is skydiving exciting? Skydiving is definitely exciting! Imagine how you’re going to feel when that plane door … Read More
Equipment requirements for tracking and freeflying
Ready to start your journey toward TR1 or FF1? You’ll need a coach and the right equipment. The aim of this post is to outline specifically what equipment you’ll need so that once you have it, you’ll be ready to get coaching. Remember, you can always seek advice from an instructor or coach at the drop zone and our coaches will always check over your gear … Read More
High Performance Landing Area
Definitions High Performance Landing – Any landing where speed is deliberately increased for landing. PLA – Parachute Landing Area – A suitable area where it is intended parachutists will land. HPLA – A landing area reserved for parachutists intending to do a final turn greater than 90° Why have a HPLA? High performance landing areas keep traffic predictable. Skydivers who have declared a landing in the … Read More
Is there a ‘best time’ to learn to skydive?
Learning to skydive is, we think, one of the best things you can ever do. Not only do you learn a new skill, you also open up a whole new world of opportunity, community, excitement, personal growth and achievement that is pretty much incomparable. As a training centre of excellence, we’ve welcomed thousands of people over the years who have come to learn to skydive with … Read More
Tandem Skydive Christmas Sale: Now On!
You can now get 10% off all of our tandem skydiving gift vouchers*! Give your loved ones the gift they’ll never forget this Christmas with a tandem skydiving gift voucher. They’ll experience the ultimate thrill as they jump out of a plane and descend from 14,000 feet, first at speeds upwards of 120mph in freefall and then gliding back down to earth under their parachute. Choose … Read More
FS1: The Key to Jumping With Your Friends
FS1 stands for formation skydiving 1 and is the first qualification you’ll aim to get after your A licence. While formation skydiving is a whole discipline in itself, the name FS1 for this qualification is a little misleading, because that’s not really what it’s about. Instead, think of FS1 as your gateway to jumping with other people. Because you can’t jump with anyone other than a … Read More
Buying your first gear
You’ve just qualified and gained your British Skydiving A Licence. Well done! The good news is that jump tickets get a whole load cheaper, the bad news is that you’ll have to shell out for some kit of your own. This can be a daunting process, there are a lot of options from a lot of different manufacturers, so here’s some guidance to getting on the … Read More
Skydiving World Championships 2022: Langar Teams Represent GB
The Skydiving World Championships are taking place right now in Arizona, USA, where skydivers from across the world compete across various disciplines to be named the very best on the planet. It’s especially exciting for us because there are a number of Skydive Langar staff, sponsored teams and fun jumpers in attendance. We’re really proud of all of our skydivers who are representing Great Britain; the … Read More
How to stay warm when skydiving in winter
Skydiving is an all-year sport. In fact, we skydive every day except Christmas Day (weather permitting). The main difference between jumping in the warmer summer months and the cooler winter months is the temperature, and the aim of this post is to share our top tips on how to stay warm as we move into winter. Should I skydive in the winter? Yes! Absolutely! There’s no … Read More
We’re hiring! Jobs at Skydive Langar
We’re looking for full time and freelance staff for the 2023 summer season. Could you be part of the Langar team next year? Currently seeking: Tandem Instructor – full time and freelance Packer – full time (negotiable) If you are interested in applying for either of these roles, please email ops@skydivelangar.co.uk letting us know which role you’re applying for and any relevant experience you have. Tandem … Read More
How to get the most out of your tandem skydive video
Many tandem skydivers choose to add the skydive video and photo package to their jump – and it’s easy to see why! Whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, or the start of a new and incredible journey, having your skydive captured on video and photos means you can treasure – and share – the memories forever. Here are our tips for getting the most out of your … Read More
Tips for Putting Together a Freefly Team for Nationals
Skydive Langar is proudly hosting the Artistic Skydiving Nationals for the first time ever at the end of September, and so we thought it would be a good idea to take some time and explain what ‘Artistics’ actually means, and why all Langar’s freeflyers should think about taking part. Freefly and Freestyle Essentially the difference between the disciplines boils down to the number of performers. Freestyle … Read More
Introduction to the British Skydiving Operations Manual: What Does It Mean?
An introduction to the British Skydiving Operations Manual (Ops Manual) is an essential part of earning your B licence. You must be introduced to the Ops Manual to get your B licence signed off. But what does that actually mean? The aim of this post is to shed some light on why this brief is so important and what the Ops Manual can empower you to … Read More
What is CF? Your guide to Canopy Formation
Skydive Langar is proud to be hosting the British National Canopy Formation Championships for 2022. To mark the occasion, the aim of this post is to tell you all you need to know about CF (also known as CRW, or Canopy Relative Work) and how CF jumpers compete. What is Canopy Formation and who can do it? Canopy Formation, or CF, is the discipline of building … Read More
How to Become a TR Coach – Top Tips
With tracking growing in popularity, there is even more demand than ever for TR coaches. The aim of this post is to outline the general steps you can take to become a TR coach; it’s worth noting that every coach’s personal journey is different, but this should help you plan your own route. If you’ve got any questions on becoming a coach and coaching at Langar, … Read More
What is Wingsuiting?
Wingsuiting is something a lot of our students ask us about. Sometimes referred to as ‘squirrel suits’, wingsuits are jumpsuits that allow skydivers to fly for longer in the sky using their ‘wings’. Skydive Langar is home of the British Wingsuiting National Championships for 2022, taking place this weekend. The purpose of this post is to give you an introduction to the discipline and tell you … Read More
Do I have to wear a jumpsuit to skydive?
In short, the answer is no, you do not have to wear a jumpsuit to skydive. But there are many reasons to choose to do so anyway. The aim of this post is to explore some of those so you can make better informed decisions about what to wear on your next jump. Do I have to wear a jumpsuit for a tandem skydive? If you’re … Read More
Skydiving Currency: What it means and why it’s so important
Skydiving is often compared to skiing; it’s high adrenaline, weather dependent and typically comes with an epic community of awesome people. But unlike skiing or snowboarding, skydiving currency is an incredibly important part of our safety. While you might go skiing one Christmas and then not visit the slopes again for another couple of years and still be fine, if you’re getting into skydiving, you need … Read More
B Licence to C Licence: What’s Next?
You’ve got your B licence and you’re absolutely rocking that full face helmet! But what’s next? British Skydiving’s guidelines provide a good pathway for B licence jumpers to take, and the aim of this post is to explore those in more detail and also to consider the many other ways you can enjoy this part of your skydiving journey. As always, if you have any queries … Read More
Load Organising at Langar: What to expect and how to become an LO
Load organising is the term used to describe group skydives which are planned, briefed and debriefed by a load organiser, or ‘LO’. Load organising happens across disciplines and here at Langar, we regularly host ‘invitational’ load organising (where participants receive an invite to join) and ‘walk up’ load organising, which is where you simply turn up on the day and join in. It’s a great way … Read More
Father’s Day Gift Idea: Skydiving Gift Vouchers!
Father’s Day is just around the corner and with many of us still wondering what to buy, Skydive Langar has you covered with tandem skydiving vouchers – the perfect Father’s Day gift. We know how hard it can be to find a present that shows your dad just how special he is, so why not give him a once in a lifetime, completely unique experience? How … Read More
3 Way FS Dive Pool
The recent changes to FS1 mean that 2 and 3 way formation skydives are becoming much more commonplace as people build their experience and confidence ahead of achieving their 4 way endorsement. But did you know that even before the changes, which were brought in by British Skydiving in February 2022, 2 and 3 way jumps and even 3 way competitions were popular in helping people … Read More
How to become a Progression School Coach – FS, FF and TR
Our Progression School was created to make more, better coaching available to our jumpers. Since its launch, we’ve welcomed an array of new coaches across FS, FF and TR, and we plan to look in more detail at disciplines like CF and WS in the future. The aim of this post is to describe the process of becoming a Progression School Coach and unlocking the benefits … Read More
A Licence to B Licence: What can you do?
The journey from first jump to A licence is clearly defined. You decide you want to skydive, you book onto either an AFF or a Category Systems course and you progress through the levels until you reach A licence status somewhere between 18 and 25 jumps later. Once you have your A licence, you’ll want to start working toward your B licence. The aim of this … Read More
Sky Games 2022: 20 Way Formations
The Sky Games are back for 2022 and this time our formations are even more challenging! We’re pushing the boundaries of what’s technically possible, using the skills of some of Langar’s best FS jumpers to make it happen! And we’re sharing all of the formations here, should anyone want to use them for inspiration, or to flat out copy them from us. If you do use … Read More
4 Way Formation Skydiving (FS) Dive Pool
Fancy trying your hand at 4 way FS? Whether you’re in a team getting ready to compete, or just having some fun with friends, the 4 way dive pool gives you loads formation skydives to try. You can find the full dive pool, drawn by Pete Harries and checked for accuracy by FS judge Lucy Westgarth, here (last updated May 2022): 4 way randoms 4 way … Read More
How long does a skydive last?
Skydiving is probably one of the most exciting things you’ll do in your lifetime. But while you can be certain of a great time, there are other things about our sport that you might be wondering about – like, for example, how long a skydive lasts for, how long you’ll be falling in freefall and how long it takes to fly the parachute to the ground. … Read More
What to Wear to Go Skydiving
We’re often asked ‘what should I wear for my skydive?’. Well, here’s your answer! In short, you should wear something comfortable that you can move easily in. Most people choose to wear something like joggers or leggings with a jumper, plus trainers. If you have that, that’ll work. Here are a few more things to consider… What clothes to wear to skydive The clothing you wear … Read More
How to use instructional tools to benefit your coaching briefs
British Skydiving has provided British Skydiving instructors with a number of frameworks designed to help us to be more effective instructors. These frameworks apply to coaching, too – and with our Progression School, we aim to upskill our coaches to be able to make better use of these tools that we as instructors already use to teach our students. You can find another blog post on … Read More
What is a Skydiving Boogie?
If you’ve spent any time on the drop zone, it’s likely you’ve heard excited voices talking about Boogies… but what exactly is a Boogie? Here’s everything you need to know. What happens at a Boogie? A Boogie is essentially a skydiving festival. A Boogie typically has even more jumping with even more organised jumps, too. There are usually more parties and more social activities going on … Read More
Methods of Instruction for Instructors and Coaches
Everyone from budding coaches to fully fledged and experienced instructors will know that there is a set of methods of instruction intended to guide our coaching and instructional techniques. Those techniques are most commonly taught as part of the methods of instruction brief needed to start on your coaching journey. But their power lies not in that initial introduction, but in the way they are practically … Read More
Skydiving Jumpsuits: What Should I Buy?
New to skydiving and wondering what jumpsuit to buy? This blog post is for you! Your choice of jumpsuit is influenced by a number of factors. While we’re not going to recommend any specific manufacturer (there are lots, each have their benefits), we will share insight into the considerations you need to take when choosing what to buy. This post is intended mainly for those of … Read More
You’ve got your A licence…. what now?
Congratulations, you’ve achieved your skydiving A licence! A whole world of new experiences, new people and new fun in the sky awaits… And while your journey from novice to A licence holder has been pretty well defined, what comes next is relatively open. The purpose of this blog post is to help you understand what happens once you’ve achieved your British Skydiving A Licence. If you … Read More
What’s New with FS1?
British Skydiving has changed the way we award FS1 (the qualification needed to jump with other people, usually obtained just after A licence). The change to the rules is a fairly simple one but it does have a knock on effect to the way we award the qualification – and what you can subsequently do in the sky – so the purpose of this post is … Read More
Introducing the Progression School
One of the best things about our sport is that there are so many different routes for progression! You really can never get bored. Whether it’s working toward your FS1 straight after getting your A licence, learning to fly like a plane with WS, getting to grips with all the angles through FF and TR, developing your canopy knowledge with CT, or learning to capture the … Read More
Is a Tandem Skydive a Good Christmas Gift?
Is tandem skydiving a good Christmas gift? The short answer, as you might expect coming from a skydiving centre, is YES! Absolutely! Tandem skydives – available in the form of gift vouchers – are a fantastic gift. But we also know you want to make sure you’re buying the best possible present for your loved one, so the purpose of this post is to explore the … Read More
How to Use the Wind Tunnel as a Tool for Skydiving
Wind tunnels are great fun. Pitched as “indoor skydiving simulators”, they offer skydivers and non-skydivers an opportunity to try body flight in a different environment, and have been popping up across the UK since 2005, most recently at the Bear Grylls Adventure in Birmingham. While we believe that no experience can ever come even close to that of a real life skydive, we do recognise that … Read More
British Freefly and Freestyle National Championships 2021: Results
We are very proud to have hosted the 2021 British Freefly and Freestyle (Artistics) National Championships. Here are the final scores. Thank you so much to everyone who attended and who helped to make the event great. Fancy joining in next time? Check out Chris Cook’s blog post explaining the rules and some top tips to put together your freefly / freestyle team. Freefly A Team … Read More
UPT Sky Games 2021: 20 Way Formation Skydives
We’re very excited to be hosting the first ever UPT Sky Games during Boogie 2. Having watched events like the Arizona Challenge and the Power Games in awe, we wanted to create something of our own to push the boundaries of bigway skydiving, and to have a lot of Boogie fun! The event is invitational and is being run by Chimera with support from UPT. The … Read More
8 Way FS Dive Pool and Tips for a Scratch 8 Way Team
So, the 4 way formation skydiving championships is over for 2021 – but the 8 way version is still to come! Whether you’re in the early stages of training, are thinking of putting two 4 way teams together or just fancy doing something fun with some buddies, this post is here to help you, with some tips from some of our 8 way friends from Microclim8 … Read More
How to Catch Tandems
In mid to high winds a 300-400 sqft Tandem Canopy will act like a sail and drag the Tandem Student and Instructor. For the instructor this can be difficult to stop whilst attached to the student. It’s very useful to have “catchers” assistants who help collapse the canopy after landing. We’re always happy for anyone to help with this. It’s a great way to help out … Read More
Thinking about Nationals? Tips for putting together a last minute 4 way team…
The British Skydiving National Championships are just around the corner. Whether you have a team ready, or you’re thinking about whether or not to throw one together, this blog post is for you! Skydive Langar proudly sponsors Chimera, the top ranked open FS team in the UK, and Chimera have put together all their advice for FS jumpers in the run up to Nationals here. Tips … Read More
Guiness World Record Skydive: Most High Fives in Freefall!
The media are calling them “daredevils”, but we know them as Josh and Emily… the Guiness World Record holders for the most high and low fives done in one skydive! Let’s face it, for those of us who know them, it should come as no surprise that skydive instructors Emily and Josh are great at high fiving. But now they are officially the best in the … Read More
Bingham Cub Scouts Visit Skydive Langar
Cub Scouts from Bingham have been enjoying a glimpse into skydiving life, with a special event hosted by Skydive Langar. We invited the Cubs, who ranged from 8 to 10 years of age, to come and learn more about skydiving, as the skills and behaviours we use in our sport mirror many of the values of the Scouts. We had a lot of fun walking 8 … Read More
I Pushed Tubbo Out of a Plane: Behind the Scenes with the Skydivers
It’s always a lot of fun to welcome known personalities to the drop zone – and TommyInnit and best friend Tubbo were no different! If you’re one of the nearly 6 million people who has watched I Pushed Tubbo Out of a Plane since it went live 24 hours ago, you’ll know that the YouTube and Twitch sensations came to Skydive Langar to make a tandem … Read More
Out Of My Comfort Zone and Onto The Drop Zone
Over the years, we’ve welcomed hundreds of new skydivers who experience the thrill of the jump as a tandem skydive and then come back to learn to jump alone through our AFF skydiving course. One thing that every one of those individuals has in common is an absolute love for the sport of skydiving. Whether that love is derived from a long term ambition to jump, … Read More
Getting the most out of your consols
Consolidation jumps are a chance to practice the skills you’ve learnt during your AFF Course levels and also learn some extra skills. To achieve your A licence you’ll need to complete 10 consolidation jump and your Level 8 (Hop and Pop) after the 7 Level Skydiving Course. After your A licence you’ll probably want to start learning how to jump with other people, this is the … Read More
“PANIC!” – What happened to CH1?
I’ve seen and heard a lot of rumour and speculation recently about the proposed changes to the canopy system used in the UK. There seems to be a great disturbance in the Force with much worry about what the Dark Side are trying to impose. I was not part of the working group but I am, as a Chief Instructor, a member of Safety and Training … Read More
Fitness Inspiration for the Skydiving Season
Good news! It looks like we aren’t too far from skydiving in the UK starting up again. The bad news? Given the winter lock-down following on from Christmas, most of us haven’t felt the inspiration to keep our fitness at a decent level for sports. Last year, we found that once jumping started after the first lock-down, a lot of experienced skydivers were reporting niggling injuries … Read More
Langar Zoogie!
Lockdown regulations may have kept us at home for a while, but that didn’t stop us bringing together a few hundred of our skydiving friends for an all day (and all night!) online Boogie – the Zoogie! Check out all the videos from the day, plus some extra resources, here: Ally Milne: A Beginner’s Guide to the Basics of Tracking Ally has been skydiving and instructing … Read More
Parachuting vs Skydiving – What’s the difference?
One of the most common questions for first time jumpers is “what’s the difference between a parachute jump and a skydive?”. Well really they’re the same thing. At the end of a skydive we deploy the parachute and safely glide back to earth. All skydives involve a parachute, so skydiving is also parachuting, and a skydive is also a parachute jump. The History of Parachute Jumps … Read More
Chimera Book of Bigway Skydiving Formations
Are you looking for inspiration for your next bigway skydive? Perhaps you’re load organising and in need of some new ideas? Or just jumping with your friends and want something new to do? Bigway skydiving is so much fun, but working out which formations to build and how to transition between them can be tough. Even if you’re the most experienced bigway organiser, sometimes you just … Read More
We’re Open!
UPDATE: As of 1st August, Advanced booking is no longer mandatory for qualified jumpers. Visitors to the airfield agree to having their temperature checked and will need to sign a symptom declaration upon arrival. Social distancing will be maintained at all times and protective equipment will be worn by staff and visitors when necessary. Hand sanitising stations have been added around the DZ. Tandem Skydives We … Read More
COVID-19 Staff Training
This week we completed a staff training programme to trial skydiving again under new social distancing measures. We aren’t yet at the point of being able to resume operations, but it’s a step in the right direction! The situation changes day to day and we’re watching closely ready for when we can open. Below are some of the new procedures that have been introduced. Arriving at … Read More
A Safe Return to Swooping
This is a weird situation for me. I haven’t gone over a month without at least one skydive since 2010. When we do get back jumping this is going to provide me with challenges that I have never had to deal with before. The one that concerns me the most is not being current under my parachute. Most people know what it is like to feel … Read More
Does your first skydive have to be a Tandem?
The most common start to a licenced skydiver’s journey is with a tandem skydive thinking it would be a one off then they end up loving it so much they go on to become licensed skydivers themselves. A Tandem Skydive is where you are harnessed to the front of a fully qualified tandem skydive instructor jumping from 14000ft. Experiencing adrenaline packed freefall reaching 120mph, followed by … Read More
Why should you skydive? 5 reasons that will make you want to leap out that plane!
1. Skydiving is a bucket list favourite So, do you want to jump out a aeroplane? How many people do you know who have said their tandem skydive was “indescribable”, “lost for words”, “cant describe it”? Its a major bucket list contender that brings a feeling that you could never experience through videos, books or a blog. 2. Awesome instructors You are bound to be nervous, … Read More
Meet the Team – Gary “Swoop”
How and when did you start jumping? RAPS at Halfpenny Green – 1993. Had wanted to jump since I was 10 and finally did when I had some money doing a summer job. Didn’t tell my folks until I got onto freefall. I came to Langar in 1994, after Halfpenny Green shut – Dean dispatched me on my cat 8 jump! How many jumps do you … Read More
How to Jumpmaster
The role of the jumpmaster (JM) is to organise and take care of the skydivers on board the aircraft. This job starts on the ground by making sure everybody has been checked on the flightline, and spans all the way to ensuring that everyone exits from the correct spot, with several other elements along the way. There are many aspects involved in being JM and often … Read More
5 Pro Tips for your First Skydive
Skydiving’s an awesome experience that’ll give you a whole new outlook on life. Here’s our top 5 tips to make sure you have the best time ever on your first skydive. 1. Dress for Success We’ll provide you with a jumpsuit to protect your clothes, here’s some advice for what clothes you should wear. Shoes – Trainers or tennis shoes are best. Flip flops or other … Read More
Meet the Team – Richard Wheatley
How and when did you start jumping? I did ground school on the 25th June 1989, trained partially by newly rated Potential Instructor Tony Danbury (now we call them Basic Instructors) followed by my first jump (static line round) from the islander on Thursday 29th June – flown by Angela, dispatched by Dave Hickling. How many jumps do you have? 11200 give or take a few. … Read More
4 Way Tips: From FS1 to The Podium, by Chimera
4 way formation skydiving is one of the most popular ways to get into competing in our sport. Combining speed with technical detail and flowing performance, 4 way is accessible to anyone from the point you gain your FS1 qualification. Recently, I hosted a live webinar for Skydive Langar where I shared my tips for 4 way FS, based on my experience as a 4 way … Read More
Our response to COVID-19
Following the latest advice from the government regarding COVID-19, Skydive Langar will be temporarily suspending operations. We greatly encourage all of our customers and staff to follow the advice to avoid all non-essential travel and unnecessary contact with others. We aim to begin a staged reopening plan from June. All Tandem Skydives are currently postponed until July 1st. Anybody who is due to jump or take … Read More
D-FLOH gets an upgrade!
For those who missed the news at this weekend’s Christmas party (as if you weren’t there! Shameful) – our second Cessna Grand Caravan D-FLOH will be going for an engine upgrade in the new year. That will leave us with 2 Blackhawk caravans based at Langar – one of the fastest jump plane fleets in the UK! As those who have jumped D-FBPS will already know, … Read More
4way Team Rates 2018
This year Langar is proud to present our new Blackhawk caravan upgrade, and to make the most of it we’re offering great deals on team training rates throughout the season! The best rates can be had by joining us midweek on our ‘team weeks’. Standard rate for pre-booked teams during these weeks is just £90 per team jump, a saving of £20 for a 4-way team on … Read More
Reasons Not To Do A 4-way Season
The 2018 skydiving season is fast approaching, we’re all fantasising about those long summer days and wearing one layer under our jumpsuits. Do you have any plans for your 2018 jumping? Have you thought about a 4-way team? No? Maybe you’re unsure what’s next because you only got your FS1 recently, or you did rookie last season but your team has canned it. When we chat … Read More
Rise of the Pumas
Just over a year ago Matt, Sam, Jamie and Paul met at Langar bar, with an average of 50 jumps each, chucked their names in an anagram generator for inspiration and Pajama Pumas 4way Skydiving Team was born! After choosing some slots and spending some confused time looking at the draw of formations for the next day, we were ready to go. With bucket loads of … Read More
Angry Birds – Wingsuit Nationals 2017
May Bank Holiday weekend saw the UK Wingsuit Performance and Acrobatic Nationals take place at Skydive Netheravon, and Langar was proudly represented by the ‘Angry Birds’ Wingsuit Team. With the Nationals being so early in the season it was difficult to find suitable weather weekends to train, especially with one of the team, Ellie, studying abroad. However we were incredibly lucky to be blessed with a … Read More
Chimera 6 way Competition
Six way is hugely underrated. That’s what we think anyway. Bridging the gap between the speed of 4 way and the precision of 8 way, it’s an awesome discipline for FS jumpers at all levels. So when Skydive Langar approached us to organise the event, we jumped at the chance to run a 6 way competition! We had the dive pool (thank you to Milko) and … Read More
Skydiver Profiles – Dean Fisher
Skydive Langar instructor Dean has been jumping for over 50 years and still going strong! Here he is talking to Tom Shorten about the good old days. An interview with Dean from Skydive Langar on Vimeo. TS: Do you remember when Skydive Langar opened?DF: Yes, April 1977. A guy called Tom Sawyer I used to jump with at Ashborne, he came over to Langar earlier in the 70s, but he … Read More
Skydiving as a University Student: Sara Anderson’s Story
Starting university comes with its fair share of challenges. Like for example, learning how to cook (finally) or figuring out how the washing machine works. But for some of us, these challenges just aren’t enough. So we learn how to do something even better – skydiving anyone? I started skydiving in my first year at university. Like most students, I decided to do the Static Line course because, … Read More
Skydive Langar is officially the place to be in 2017!
We think Skydive Langar is one of the best places in the world to experience our incredible sport – but don’t just take our word for it! We’re featured on a list of the top 10 dropzones in Europe. Check out the list here. Whether you’re taking your first steps, doing a tandem skydive for charity, learning to skydive with us on one of our solo training courses, or joining us … Read More
Skydive Langar Team Profiles – Angry Birds Wingsuit Team
The ‘Angry Birds Wingsuit Team’ is an acrobatic wingsuit team, consisting of Jonathan Charles and Ellie Marshall as performers and Ollie Ellis as the camera flyer. The team was founded in late 2016, with combined aims of wanting to push the boundaries of acrobatic wingsuit flying, to encourage participation in wingsuiting and to hopefully win a couple of medals along the way! JC has a history of … Read More
Skydiver Profiles – Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver (no, not that one) is the drummer for long-standing punk band U.K. Subs. He’s a regular face around Skydive Langar after completing his AFF course with us in 2016. Here he is talking to us about what made him take the leap… Hi Jamie, let’s start with the important stuff… Custard Creams or Bourbons?I’m going to have to go with custard creams. The only … Read More
2017 is shaping up to be a busy year!
Skydive Langar is the place to be this coming season! If you’re into formation skydiving, freeflying, wingsuiting, or developing your canopy skills we have you covered. There will be events for everyone, ranging from high level skills camps to low level walk up groups. Here is a small selection of what we have in store… 2017 is our 40th Anniversary. There will be events throughout the … Read More
6 Way FS Competition
On the 1st and 2nd of April FS team Chimera will be running a 6 way competition here at Skydive Langar. A few years ago the 6 way competition was a regular feature on our calendar, so we’re hoping to restore it in all its glory, but to achieve that we need you! To give you a head-start, we’re publishing the 6 way divepool so you … Read More
Skydive Langar Team Profiles – Chimera
Skydive Langar is proud to sponsor FS4 team Chimera. Formed in 2016, Chimera comprises five local jumpers who all call Langar their home DZ – with four out of the five having trained here from day 1. As our sponsored team, Chimera is on hand to provide coaching, organising and advice for aspiring through to advanced formation skydivers. Chimera regularly host events at Langar; check out … Read More
Skydive Langar Team Profiles – 4mula
2017 sees Langar-sponsored 4way Formation Skydiving team 4mula heading into the season aiming big – they want the British National crown, and that prized slot at next year’s World Meet in Gold Coast, Australia. Former World Champion Joey Jones, player-coach extraordinaire, continues with the team for the fourth season, helping deliver British National silver medals in 2015 and 2016. With over 25 years in the sport, he’s seen it … Read More
Tips to improve your canopy flight
Canopy flight is a lot like summer football mania. Some people absolutely love it, and can’t get enough, whilst others just want it to be over as quick as possible. Whichever camp you fall into, here are some simple tips to help improve your experience under canopy and keep everyone safe! Have a plan Sounds simple, right? That’s because it is! In any aviation activity, it … Read More
Top Tips for Tandem Skydiving
So you’re booked on a tandem skydive, the day is approaching and the nerves are building. Here are some top tips for making your experience one to remember – for all the right reasons! Relax Yes, seriously. It’s easier said than done for some, but by reminding yourself the instructors here at Skydive Langar are some of the best in the business, you can rest assured … Read More
What is AFF and is it for me?
Accelerated Freefall (AFF) is the fast-track route to becoming a qualified solo skydiver. This is our most intensive course, so you will be in a group of no more than four students, ensuring individual attention. The programme is termed ‘accelerated’ because the learning process is faster than alternative training systems – sorry, you don’t fall faster! To achieve this, AFF Instructors accompany you in freefall and provide … Read More
Langar Airfield – A Brief History
2017 marks the 40th anniversary of parachuting at Langar airfield. We’ll be recognising the anniversary throughout the year, starting with this article on the pre-parachuting history of our airfield. Learn more about British Airfields at The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. RAF Langar was opened in September 1942 and during World War II it was used by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force … Read More
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