“What does it feel like?”
Like nothing, you can experience on the ground. It does not feel like a rollercoaster. You do not feel like you’re falling. There is no “stomach drop”. You will experience a lot of noise (from the wind) and some pressure pushing your arms up. Just smile and enjoy yourself. Smiling also helps prevent the dreaded “tandem mouth“.
“Will I be able to breathe?”
Yes. We wouldn’t expect you to hold your breath for a full minute. Some students will mention they couldn’t breathe during the jump, or will feel they can only breathe if they cover their face or mouth. It is 100% psychological. There is no impediment to breathing at high speeds.
“Can I jump with my glasses/contact lenses?”
Yes. There are goggles made specifically for students who wear glasses, they fit over your frame and keep your glasses safe. If you’re wearing contact lenses, you may wear a normal pair of goggles and they’ll be safe too, just make sure your goggles are tight.
“Will my prosthetic fall off?”
It shouldn’t. For your dentures, just keep a toothy smile and clenched teeth and they should be fine. Prosthetic eyes should be fine under the goggles. Wigs/toupees will fly off immediately, so don’t wear them or ask to wear a fraphat/helmet at the dropzone. Hearing aids must be left on the ground. Prosthetic limbs are generally not allowed as if they become loose they could do some damage falling. Most dropzones will allow you to jump as long as you remove the limb and can be safely harnessed.
“Can I wear my own helmet?”
Probably not. Assuming you don’t own a skydiving helmet, you may be thinking your motorcycle helmet will work. It won’t, it’s just too bulky and heavy. Some dropzones won’t allow you to wear a helmet at all, preferring that you wear a fraphat, which is a type of soft “beanie”. This is to protect the instructor from impact with your head. Skydiving helmets are meant to protect from small bumps and light impact, so a soft leather hat such as a fraphat is protection enough.
“Can we go through a cloud?”
No. USPA and FAA rules require tandem jumping to be done with plenty of cloud clearance. In practice, it does happen sometimes. Clouds feel moist and warm, they are water vapour after all. Think of being in a sauna, but not as hot.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/SkyDiving/wiki/first_jump_faq
