This article is part 5 in a series by our intern, Jack. Enjoy!

You never forget your first real jump—and I’m not talking about tandem. I mean that moment when it’s just you, your training, and the sky. Learning skydive techniques for real began that day for me at Skydive Colorado Springs, and it changed everything.

After several training jumps where my instructor, James, pulled the pilot chute for me, I was finally cleared to self-deploy. That meant one thing: hop-n-pop.

Hop-n-Pop – Where Self-Reliance Begins

My first hop-n-pop was from 4,000 feet. Not much freefall time, but enough to put everything I’d learned to the test. Stable exit, check. Controlled deployment, check. Heart pounding out of my chest… also check. But when my canopy opened smoothly and I looked around at the Colorado landscape beneath me, I knew I had crossed into new territory. This wasn’t just about falling anymore—it was about flying solo.

That single jump was the first time I felt what it meant to trust myself in the air. I was no longer just reacting—I was skydiving.

Stretching Freefall – Delays and Discipline

From there, it was all about extending freefall time. Each jump brought a new challenge.

First, a 5-second delay from 5,000 feet. The task: maintain a clean arch, keep my chin up, and stay mentally sharp. That may sound easy on the ground, but when the plane door opens and the wind starts roaring, clarity becomes a skill.

Next up: 10 seconds from 6,000 feet. That’s when it really started to click. I began to sense how my limbs affected my stability, how even subtle leg adjustments could steer my flight path. It felt less like surviving the fall, and more like dancing with gravity.

Finally, I graduated to full-altitude: 8,500 feet. Real freefall. Real responsibility.

A Real Freefall Experience

That high-altitude jump was a game-changer. With more time in the sky, I had room to test what I’d learned. I worked on heading awareness, practiced staying stable during fall, and kept an eye on my altitude the entire time. Under canopy, I refined my turns and paid close attention to my landing pattern.

Each skill built on the last. Every moment of air time was its own lesson. But the biggest test was still ahead—learning to recover from instability.

The Intentional Unstable Exit

My next challenge came from 9,200 feet with Mike, my boss and mentor. The goal was to throw myself into an unstable exit—on purpose. If I wanted to skydive solo, I had to prove I could recover from anything the sky threw at me.

So I did. I tucked into a backflip, intentionally throwing off my balance. For a few chaotic seconds, I was tumbling. But then came the clarity, the control. I flattened out, stabilized, and executed two controlled 360-degree turns in each direction.

When I landed, Mike walked up and gave me the words I’d been waiting to hear: “You’re cleared for solo student jumps.”

Learning Skydive Is More Than Learning to Fall

That moment meant more than just another checkmark on my progress sheet. It was the culmination of every drill, every pre-jump ritual, and every ounce of trust I’d built with my instructors and myself.

Learning skydive isn’t about rushing through levels or chasing thrills. It’s about building habits under pressure. It’s about making mistakes, recovering, and coming back stronger. It’s about knowing your exit, trusting your training, and meeting the sky with both feet off the step and your mind fully present.

From Student to Solo – What Comes Next?

Being cleared for solo jumps at Skydive Colorado Springs is a big deal. You’re now responsible for every part of your jump—from exit to deployment to landing. There’s no one to cue you or pull for you. It’s just you and the sky.

But here’s the thing: I’m not afraid of that. I’m excited. Because I’ve earned every bit of this moment.

Why Skydive Colorado Springs Was the Perfect Place to Learn

From day one as ground crew to now jumping solo, this dropzone has taught me more than just how to jump—it’s taught me how to stay focused, how to manage adrenaline, and how to fall with purpose.

If you’re curious about how student skydivers progress through each jump category, the USPA’s Solo Skydiving Progression Guide breaks it all down—from ground school to solo certification. It’s a great resource for anyone serious about learning to skydive the right way.

Ready to begin your own journey? Book your first jump with Skydive Colorado Springs and start learning to skydive today—one leap at a time.