Safety Check: Experience, Risk, Anxiety and Self-Confidence in Skydiving
Safety Check
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Photo by Bobby Page.
Skydiving is a sport that demands both skill and mental fortitude. Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned jumper with thousands of jumps, safety should always be on your mind. Experienced skydivers know that complacency and overconfidence can be as dangerous as a malfunctioning parachute.
A recent study by skydiver and sports psychologist Dominic McNeil and colleagues, which examined the psychological factors affecting skydivers, found that as the number of jumps increases, skydivers feel more confident in their abilities and less anxious about the risks involved. This anxiety reduction is directly tied to experience. But, while experience builds confidence, it also brings a potential danger: complacency.
Human error, not equipment failure, is the most common cause of skydiving accidents, especially among experienced jumpers. According to McNeil’s study, incidents often occur when jumpers become too comfortable and lose respect for the risks inherent in skydiving. Even after hundreds or thousands of jumps, it’s essential to stay vigilant, follow safety protocols and avoid the mindset that nothing can go wrong. Respecting the danger and treating every jump as your first is one of the best ways to stay safe.
Preparation is another key factor in mitigating risk. Experienced skydivers often report that their confidence stems from planning and rehearsal. Every jump should begin with thorough equipment checks and dirt dives. Pack your parachute correctly, and scrutinize your gear before donning it, boarding the plane and exiting the plane. By trusting in your gear and your preparation, you can feel more in control and focus more on your jump.
Regardless of your experience, rehearsing emergency procedures can make a critical difference. Spend time mentally rehearsing scenarios such as deployment or canopy malfunctions or the need to cut away and deploy your reserve parachute. Skydivers who have been through close calls know that preparation and quick decision-making can be the difference between a safe landing and a severe incident. Drawing from the experiences of others by studying incident reports can also sharpen your skills and keep you prepared for the unexpected.
The study by McNeil and his team also highlights how learning from past experiences, whether your own or someone else’s, contributes to a deeper understanding of the sport’s risks. Skydivers who have faced dangerous situations or witnessed accidents develop a heightened sense of awareness that helps them avoid similar issues. Learning from near-misses and taking notes of mistakes made by others can keep you grounded and prepared for the worst.
Skydiving is an inherently risky sport, but those risks can be managed through experience, preparation and vigilance. Confidence builds over time but should never give way to complacency. You can enjoy a long, safe skydiving career by respecting the sport’s dangers, thoroughly preparing for every jump, and constantly learning from past incidents. After all, every jump is an opportunity to improve your skills and reinforce your commitment to safety.
Ron Bell D-26863
USPA Director of Safety and Training
More information on how experience and psychological factors influence the skydiving experience is available in the journal Psychology of Sport & Exercise, Volume 73, “Exploring Jump Experience, Risk Perception, Anxiety, and Self-Confidence in Skydiving” by Dominic G. McNeil, Michael Fell, Natasha M. Loi, Timothy P. Chambers, and Suzanne M. Cosh, available here: tinyurl.com/2srs283u