In Florida, I stepped out of a plane 5.5 kilometers up – Silvija Travel Tips 

I like adventure, and the opportunity to experience the World’s Highest Tandem Skydive from an aircraft at 18,000 feet/ 5,486m, almost five and a half kilometers, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I could not miss out on. 

On a recent road trip to the sunshine state, I had the opportunity to visit Titusville on the Space Coast, close to Kennedy Space Center. The Skydive Space Center specialises in high-altitude sky diving. It was exciting and scary as I thought about what lay ahead. What would it be like for one and a half minutes of free fall? What if the parachute didn’t open?

The Skydives usually occur in the morning as the sky is clear, with few clouds and less wind to blow you off course. I checked into the Skydive Space Center. After signing my life away in pages of medical, danger warnings, and indemnity paperwork, I was instructed and trained in the safety of parachute jumps, body position, hand signals, and what to expect.

Next, it was time to get kitted out in a harness to attach me to my tandem skydive instructor. Mick? was Italian and had jumped many times and assured me I was in safe hands. Eye goggles on, I made my way to the King Air aircraft with my instructor, wearing double belts to keep us attached during the jump.

In a matter of minutes, we were up and away with four other crazy jumpers. A 7-minute flight brought up to a height of 18,000 feet. There was no turning back as we moved through the aircraft on our bums toward the door. In seconds, it was my turn to jump. I was sitting at the door over five and a half kilometers up, looking out at the beautiful clear blue sky. 

GO – we were out and falling at 120mile an hour. I imagined it was like a movie screen from MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. It was incredible, face felt like the skin as been pushed around the side of the face and behind my ears. One and a half minutes of freefall straight down. The gound was coming up very fast.

Then the moment the parachute opens. It caught me by surprise as the parachute deployed and slowed our descent. It felt like I was getting pulled softly upwards as I transitioned from the horizontal on my belly free fall position to sitting vertically in my harness. Once the parachute opened fully, I enjoyed the breathtaking scenery, and it was time to enjoy a 7-minute parachute flight.

The landscape of Florida was scenic, spectacularly beautiful, and unbelievably fantastic. In the distance was Orlando, and under my feet were breathtaking views of the Indian River and Kennedy Space Center.

The touchdown was so soft, gentle landing. An EPIC experience of pure adrenaline. I would do it again. 

VIDEO

Skydive Space Center website: info@skydivespacecenter.com

Skydive Space Center
476 N. Williams Ave.
Titusville, Florida 32796, USA