Loved your tandem — or know you want more than one jump? The next question is whether to keep doing tandems or learn to skydive on your own. Here's how to decide.
Tandem skydiving: the easy thrill
A tandem jump is the simplest way to experience freefall. You're attached to a certified instructor who handles everything — exit, freefall, parachute, and landing. Perfect for:
- First-timers and bucket-listers
- Anyone who wants the thrill without the commitment
- Occasional jumpers who jump once a year for the experience
You can do tandems forever if you like. Many people do.
Learning to skydive: flying on your own
If you want to jump solo — pack your own gear, fly your own canopy, join the community — that's the Progressive Freefall (PFF) program. It's Canada's accelerated path to a solo license:
- Starts with a full day of ground school
- You're in freefall from your very first jump, with instructors flying beside you
- You progress through a set of skills to earn your CSPA Solo Certificate
- From there, your A Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) clears you to jump at dropzones worldwide
Which is right for you?
Ask yourself one question: do I want the experience, or do I want the sport?
- Want to feel freefall once or twice and check the box? → Tandem.
- Feel the pull to keep going, learn the craft, and belong to a community? → Learn to skydive.
There's no wrong answer — and no rule against starting with a tandem to be sure. Many of our licensed jumpers started exactly that way.
Either way, start here
Whether it's one jump or a hundred, SWOOP is a non-profit, member-run club that's been turning first-timers into lifelong skydivers since 1979.