My Skydive Checklist

When I head out for a skydiving day, it’s a day dedicated entirely to skydiving. No errands beforehand, no rush to get back home, and I always try to arrive well before the activities begin so I have enough time to get properly organized.

Of course, everyone manages their day differently according to their own constraints.

Even my schedule may vary depending on whether I’m instructing, training, doing fun jumps, or filming.

But 99% of my checklist remains the same and follows me to every drop zone I jump at worldwide.

I hope this list helps you stay organized on your skydiving days, and most importantly—become safer skydivers!

💡 Why a Checklist?

My list is primarily about safety:

✅ My personal safety and the safety of those around me.

✅ Taking care of my gear—preventing wear and malfunctions.

✅ Taking efficient breaks—without distractions that could stress me out or make me rush to my next jump, which again ties back to safety. 😊

Morning Preparation

• Thorough gear check - Inspect rig, helmet, jumpsuit, shoes, altimeter, audibles, cameras, etc.

• Practice emergency procedures

• Check manifest & first loads

• Stretching (focus on neck, shoulders, back, ankles)

• Weather check (entire day trend + wind)

Before Every Jump

• Three gear checks (before putting on, before boarding, before exit)

• Check wind conditions (ground & altitude)

• Landing pattern review

• Be ready 15 minutes before boarding

• Know who is on the plane & exit order

• Mentally rehearse the jump (multiple times)

In the Plane

• Sit in exit order

• Seatbelt fastened until 1,000-1,500 feet

• Helmet strapped, gear check

• Mental jump rehearsal

• Final self-check at 10K feet

• Pilot chute awareness when door opens

After Landing

• Stow toggles immediately

• Gather canopy without dragging

• Clean off sand/debris before entering packing area

• Lay out the canopy, check steering lines & slider

• Remove jumpsuit, hydrate

• Log the jump & debrief if necessary

Detailed Checklist & Explanations

First Thing in the Morning

• Thorough Gear Check Check your rig, helmet, jumpsuit, shoes, altimeter, audibles, cameras, and any additional equipment you have or need.

  If it's the start of a weekend (Thursday or Friday), my parachute is usually unpacked, so I pack it that morning. (If I jumped the day before, not necessarily.)

  The morning gear check is extra meticulous because, throughout the day, we rarely have time to inspect everything in detail. This is the best time to check for any strap wear, ensure my BOC (bottom of container) is in good condition, make sure handles look good, confirm my hook knife is accessible, and notice any other small details.

• Emergency Procedures Review Watch a malfunction video, do a harness drill, practice your emergency procedures—these things apply to everyone, no matter how many jumps they have.

  One reason I love teaching harness drills is that it keeps me extra alert to all scenarios. Every day and every jump, it’s crucial to practice emergency procedures precisely and review malfunctions with a focus on realistic simulation and accurate execution.

• Manifest Check-in From experience, there’s no need to rush to the first load of the day. The first jump carries a bit more risk because until the first group lands, conditions are still just a forecast.

  Getting real data from the field changes everything. So, until everything is perfectly ready, I prefer to let an experienced jumper go first and check the conditions. (Besides, I’m not gonna make both Load 1 and Load 2 anyway 😉).

• Morning Stretching Focus on the neck, shoulders, back, and ankles.

  I’ve seen (and unfortunately experienced) many injuries that could have been easily avoided with just a bit of stretching. It also helps in case of a rough landing, a hard opening, or even an exaggerated arch during freefall. 😂

• Weather Check

• Review the conditions for the first load and scan the entire day’s forecast, plus check wind conditions at the landing area.

  I like looking at the overall weather trends for the day—not just the current conditions. Is the wind expected to pick up or change direction later? Is there a specific time when this will happen, meaning we need to be extra aware during that jump?

  This doesn’t replace checking conditions before every jump, but it prepares us for potential changes, which could help prevent surprises or even injuries.
  

Before Every Jump

• Triple Gear Checks 1️⃣ Before putting my gear on. 2️⃣ Before boarding the plane. 3️⃣ Before exiting the plane.

  This is the bare minimum.I personally check my handles many more times. A good tip is to combine your gear check with an emergency procedure drill.

• Environmental Awareness Wind conditions on the ground and at altitude (strength, direction, gusts).

• Landing Plan Review Check the drop zone location, and if possible, watch the previous load land to observe their approach and landing.

• Be Ready for Boarding at Least 15 Minutes Before

  And be aware of who else is on the plane.

  I want time to check myself and rehearse my plan, but I also want to understand the jump order:

  • How many groups are exiting before and after me?

  • What’s the expected spot?

  • What’s the expected traffic under canopy?

  • Is there a high-loading canopy leaving after me?

  • Is there a low-loading canopy leaving before me?

  Already during boarding, I’m gathering information about expected airspace traffic.

  For example, if there’s a large exit group (8–10 jumpers) before me, I know I’ll need more separation than usual because someone might open higher or fly longer than expected.

• Mentally Rehearse the Skydive (Multiple Times)

  On the ground, we can repeat and visualize as much as we need—it’s free!One mistake in the air because we momentarily forgot what to do? Not so fun.

  If I hesitate on the ground, it’s almost certain I’ll struggle in the air, where things happen faster and require automatic reactions.

  So, I practice my jump over and over until it flows smoothly. Precise preparation on the ground reduces confusion in freefall and gives confidence to execute the skydive correctly.

In the Plane

• Exit Order Awareness Try to sit in order of exit—this keeps the process smooth and prevents unnecessary movement.

• Seatbelt Safety Ensure your seatbelt is accessible—put it on and tighten it as soon as the door closes or as soon as the plane starts moving.

  Two quick seatbelt notes: 1️⃣ Don't fasten it before the plane moves, in case of an emergency, we want to exit quickly. 2️⃣ Tighten it properly—in case of a hard landing, it’s there to anchor you safely.

• Helmet strap buckled—and double-check your handles.

• At 1,000–1,500 feet – unbuckle seatbelt and touch reserve handle (so you know exactly where it is).

• At 2,500 feet – unclip helmet buckle and touch main handle.

• Scan parachutes in the plane—to estimate the landing order.

• Jump Visualization - Run through my jump mentally, I personally like visualizing it from multiple perspectives.

• Coaching - If I’m coaching, I try not to talk too much in the plane, allowing others to focus. At key altitudes (4K and 9K), I’ll give brief reminders, but I mostly encourage mental rehearsal.

• Final Check at 10K Feet Around 10K feet, I do a final self-check and emergency drill.If I need to check someone else, I do that first, then check myself last, as close to exit as possible.

  When the door opens—I’m aware of my pilot chute, ensuring it’s secure before exit.

Post-Jump Routine

• Canopy Handling

  • Stow toggles before touching anything else

  • Gather canopy carefully (no dragging!)

• Packing Area Etiquette

  • Remove debris before entering

  • Lay out the canopy properly, check lines & slider

• Self-Care & Logbook

  • Remove jumpsuit, hydrate

  • Log the jump & debrief if needed

This is my personal checklist and an essential part of my skydive routine—hopefully, it helps! But make sure to consult a supervised instructor if any of the steps are unclear or simply don’t suit your routine—that’s completely fine!

There are so many ways to do everything!😊

Be safe and Blue Skies!