CGE
FADGood for you,
nerves of
steel! Start
by booking
a compre-
hensive jump or
accelerated free-fall course,
which will provide classroom
instruction on safety rules,
body technique, equipment
use, and flying the canopy on
your own. In the U.S., you’ll
need to make 25 jumps to be
eligible to take the test for
askydiving license.WHAT IF I
LOVE IT?A/THE RIGHT
CLOTHES
Stuff that’s comfortable for
the weather on the ground,
or a little warmer, with-
out strings or pulls. Bright
colors are best for photos.B / TIGHT-FITTING
SHOES
“I lost a shoe once,” says
Woznack. “It was a lost
cause. You’ll never find that.”C / CUTAWAY
HANDLEAND RESERVE
CHUTE HANDLE
Between you and the
instructor, where you’reunlikely to freak out and
grab it, is a handle that will
disengage the main para-
chute, in case it comes
out twisted or damaged.
A second handle deploys
the reserve chute, which is
attached to your gear and
cannot be disengaged.D / ALTIMETER
It’s very difficult to tell how
high you are in the sky by
vision alone, so skydivers
wear altimeters made by
companies such as LB.
“Most instructors also have
an audible altimeter to give
them an audible reminder ofcertain altitudes in addition
to the visual numbers,” says
Woznack.E / MAIN CHUTE PULL
Usually shaped like a golf
ball, this sits at hip level and
deploys the main parachute.F / PARACHUTE BAG
The reserve chute is at
the top. Main chute on
the lower back.G / GOGGLES
OR HELMET
Eye protection is required,
but which you use is up to
your instructor.In addition to performing
live stunts, Provenzano
competes in indoor skydiv-
ing competitions through
iFly, a company that builds
vertical indoor wind
tunnels that create an
experience that’s remark-
ably similar to actual
skydiving. You can learn
to do all kinds of flips and
twists in an indoor skydiv-
ing rig, but you’ll start by
flying on your stomach:Think of your body like a
plane. To move or spin left,
dip your left wing (arm)
and bank.
To move or spin right,
dip your right wing (arm).
To move forward, create
more drag by laying your
legs out flat and pulling your
arms in like chicken wings.
To move backward, do
the opposite, but bend
your legs at the knees.How to
Stomach Fly
@PopularMechanics _ April 2019 19