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
Formation Skydiving: How to Become an FS Jumper
Formation skydiving is one of the most popular disciplines in modern skydiving. That’s because it’s the first one you’ll learn after gaining your A licence, and the one which gives you the skills and ability to jump with others. And, after all, sharing the sky with your friends is what this is all about! Here, we’ll outline the steps you need to take to gain your … 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
AFF Skydiving training completed
Congratulations to Alice Gomm who has been making the most of some beautiful winter weather to complete her AFF skydiving training today! If you’d like to join Alice in the sky, head to AFF information page for details of how to sign up for a course with us. This is our most intensive course, so you will be in a group of no more than 4 students, ensuring … Read More
Raising money for the Nottingham Hospitals Charity
Yesterday we had the pleasure of jumping with the Chief Nurse of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust. Mandie has been raising money for the Nottingham Hospitals Charity and has done an awesome job of raising over £1000! The staff here at Skydive Langar would like to say a Merry Christmas to all the dedicated healthcare workers of our NHS! Book now
Did you know Skydive Langar has a display team?
Did you know Skydive Langar has a display team? The display team consists of National Champions, National medal holders, current members of the National teams and both World and National record holders, with a combined total jump numbers of over 30,000 skydives between them, all flying high performance parachutes with expert skill. Yesterday the team jumped into the John Deere 50th anniversary celebrations, as a thanks … Read More
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