Tandem Skydiving FAQs

We’re located between Austin and College Station at 1055 Private Road 7022, Lexington, TX 78947. We’re off the beaten path, so even the beautiful countryside drive to get here is enjoyable.

Texas Skydiving is open year round and, weather permitting, we’re at it every day from 9am to 7pm (or sunset, whichever comes first!). Reservations are advised, and can be booked online as little as six hours in advance. We can often accommodate walk-ins too, just be sure to call or text first to check availability.

That big ol’ Book Now button on every page of our site will take you right to our reservation portal. It’s quick, easy and secure. Reservations require a $50 non-refundable deposit per person.

Solo jumpers, please call us to book: 979-540-8336.

Prices vary by package and service. Check out our Skydiving Prices page for current pricing.

Tipping is never expected, but always greatly appreciated.

We follow United States Parachute Association guidelines, which require all jumpers to be at least 18 years of age. Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID with you as proof of age. Sorry, permission from a parent or guardian is not acceptable.

If you are physically able to jump, age is just a number! In fact, a Texan recently held the Guinness World Record as being the oldest tandem jumper in the world. He commemorated his 100th birthday in 2017 and jumped again in 2020 at the age of 103 years and 180 days.

If you have health concerns at any age that might affect your jump, please consult your doctor before you book.

Yes, students must be 250 lbs or less and height/weight proportionate in order to jump. A fee of $30 will be applied to students over 220 lbs. Weight limits are imposed by skydiving gear manufacturers for safety reasons; they are not intended to be discriminatory or exclusive.

For your safety and that of our staff, you need to be in good health and reasonably physically fit to skydive. The better your physical condition, the more you’ll enjoy your jump.

All tandem students must be less than 250 lbs (fully clothed) and height/weight proportionate.

Certain medical conditions (fainting/blackouts, heart or respiratory conditions, joint mobility or dislocation issues) may preclude you from jumping. If you have concerns, please consult a physician.

At Texas Skydiving, we believe y’all means you all. We’ll always do our best to accommodate, and will be happy to discuss any unique circumstances. If you have concerns, please consult your physician.

Arrive at Texas Skydiving at your reservation time.

Tandem students should expect to spend between 1 ½ to 3 hours with us. We take great pride in our efficient scheduling practices, and weather, aircraft maintenance, or other delays are rare.  Spend the day with us! We have covered pavilions, tables, and a grill you can reserve and enjoy.

The weather on the ground is not necessarily the weather two miles up. Cloud cover, rain and wind on the ground or at altitude is a no-go. Safety first, always.

If weather at our location is predicted to be unfavorable, we’ll communicate the need for delay or rescheduling with as much notice as possible. Feel free to reach out by text or phone if the weather has you worried, and always have a backup plan in case rescheduling is necessary.

Every reservation requires a $100 non-refundable deposit per person.

To reschedule, you can follow the “Manage Booking” link in your confirmation email or contact us more than 48 hours prior to your scheduled arrival time to avoid forfeiting your deposit (rescheduling due to weather excepted). No-shows will be charged full price.

Dress appropriately for the weather. In warmer months, T-shirt and shorts are fine; when it’s cold, warm thin layers (thermals, long sleeve shirts/sweaters, hoodies, wind-breakers) are a good idea. Avoid extremely bulky items, or those with unsecured collars or flaps. Athletic shoes that lace up are best (tennis, skate, cross-trainers) – no open-toed shoes, heels, boots, or anything with hooks!

We’ll ask that you empty your pockets, remove most jewelry, and tie back long hair before you skydive.

Learn more about what to expect your first time skydiving here.

Yes – eat and drink water as normal before you jump. Low blood sugar and dehydration, combined with an epic adrenaline rush, can result in nausea. No bueno.

Water: yes. Alcohol: nope. No exceptions. You can party after the jump, but you need your wits about you for a skydive.

Cold drinks are available for purchase at the DZ, but not food. Our grill can be reserved and we have plenty of tables and shade. Pick you up some vittles on your way to the dropzone. Snow’s BBQ, Herk’s Store & Grill (a DZ fave), Granny’s (legit Tex-Mex), and Fresh Donut will fix you up some grub, and Hildebrandt Meat Market has what you need to make a feast.

A word to the wise – Snow’s is consistently voted Best BBQ in Texas. They’re open Saturdays only from 8am til the meat’s gone, and there’s usually a long line. Don’t miss your skydive!

We have two small cabins for rent on site as well as ample camping space at the DZ – all first come, first served. Overnighters have access to a fridge and microwave, our charcoal grill and a pellet smoker, and clean restrooms with showers.

You can and you should! Not only does sharing the experience make it all the more awesome, groups also get a discount. Groups of 6 to 9 people get $20 off per jumper; groups of 10 or more get $30 off per jumper!

We have two stellar aircraft, a Cessna 182 and a Cessna 206, each able to carry two tandem pairs per load. Each load takes approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy watching your group members and record each other’s takeoffs and landings!

Absolutely! Our spectator amenities are great – we have plenty of parking, lots of shade, picnic tables, a grill and cold drinks. Encourage your guests to pack a snack and water too!

Not only are they friendly, they’re practically family! During your time at TXS, you’ll likely meet donkeys (Cricket, Huck, Finn, Patches, and Snickers), and 4 llamas  (Mama, Drama, Quarantina, and baby Shadow). Show them some love – the donkeys especially enjoy a good chin scratch!

Folks skydive for all sorts of reasons, most of which involve a celebration. If you’re planning to propose, usher in a milestone birthday or anniversary, or mark the end of an era – tell us! If we can make it even more meaningful and memorable, we’d love to get in on the action. Connect with us and we’ll see about hatching a plan.

Each jumper must purchase their own media package. In order to adequately capture the skydiving experience, a videographer jumps with each student and instructor pair individually. To maintain a safe distance from one another, tandems leave the plane in a staggered fashion. Jumpers can, however, appear in each other’s footage on the ground.

Per USPA Guidelines, student and novice jumpers may NOT wear cameras of any kind in the air. This privilege is reserved for experienced skydivers with a C License or above. Feel free to capture your before-and-after experience on the ground, film your friends’ landings, the farm animals and so on, but leave the sky-high footage to the professionals.

At Texas Skydiving, we require you to do at least one tandem jump before taking the AFF First Jump Course if you don’t have previous skydiving experience. A tandem jump provides an excellent introduction to our sport, with the least time and money commitment.

For students interested in becoming licensed, we offer a “working tandem” whereby the student wears an altimeter, is taught how to deploy the parachute, and receives extra training in how to fly the canopy and land safely.

Freefall is like nothing else on this planet … making it kinda hard to accurately describe. Most folks will tell you that it’s the most exhilarating feeling of freedom humans can achieve. The air at freefall altitudes is cool and crisp, you fly hella fast (120mph), and you never feel like you’re falling. It’s not at all like a roller coaster or bungee jumping. With skydiving, there’s no sudden acceleration – you go from flying fast in an airplane to flying a little faster without one! And once your parachute opens, you’re treated to a peaceful glide back to Earth. The only way to truly understand is to do it …

Thanks to modern parachutes, the landing force is like jumping off a curb or a step.

Unlike old-school round parachutes that are at the mercy of the wind and simply sink, the aerodynamic, rectangular canopies of today fly like the wing of an airplane or glider. The jumper is afforded exceptional maneuverability, allowing them to land tip-toe soft, wherever they choose. The days of landing like a sack of bricks are history. Many first-time jumpers land standing up!

In accordance with FAA regulations, all jumps must be made with a single harness, dual-parachute system with both a main canopy and a reserve canopy. In other words, you have a spare parachute in case the first one fails to open properly.

Additionally, the technology utilized in today’s sport parachuting equipment is light years ahead of the old military surplus gear used in the 60s and 70s. The materials are stronger, lighter and more durable.

Plus, modern packing procedures are simpler and the deployment sequence is much more refined, providing smoother openings and softer landings. The main canopy is always packed either by a rigger or by experienced packers under a rigger’s direct supervision. Reserve canopies are subject to even further scrutiny. Reserves must be inspected and repacked every 180 days by an FAA-rated parachute rigger – even if it has not been used during that time.

In the event the canopy pilot is unable to deploy the parachute, an AAD – Automatic Activation Device – will automatically deploy the parachute at a specific altitude.

At Texas Skydiving, we offer a USPA-sanctioned AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) program. The program requires students to progress through 7 prescribed – and progressively less expensive – levels accompanied by an instructor. Upon successful program completion (in as few as 7 jumps), you will achieve Solo Student status, meaning you can jump alone without an instructor!

On the way to accumulating the minimum 25 jumps required for your A-license, you’ll study the Skydiver Information Manual (SIM), perform a number of coached jumps, learn group jump skills and safety procedures, become a USPA member, and learn to pack a main parachute.

It’s a significant investment of time and resources but, as experienced skydivers will attest, it’s worth every minute and every penny. Remember, all of this can be accomplished at your own pace.