46 skydiving terms defined, including blue skies, cutaway, canopy, hop n’ pop and snivel, each explained in a single line.
Want to see where all that lingo gets used the most? Discover where skydiving is most popular.
Skydiving terminology is short, blunt and built for the noise of an open aircraft door, which is why so much of it is one syllable. The words related to skydiving below cover the gear, the freefall and the canopy flight that follows, and the words associated with life at a drop zone are in there as well. The skydiving glossary further down repeats every term on this page in one alphabetical list.
Must-Know Skydiving Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- AFF (Accelerated Free Fall)
- Altimeter
- Canopy
- Drogue chute
- Freefall
- HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening)
- Harness
- Jump plane
- Landing zone
- Load
- Malfunction
- Pack
- Pilot chute
- Relative work
- Rigger
- Ripcord
- Skydiver
- Swoop
- Tandem
- Terminal velocity
- Toggle
- Wind tunnel
- Wingsuit
- Burble
- Creep
- Dive flow
- Exit
- Hop n’ pop
- Snivel
- Track
Skydiving Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| AAD | Automatic activation device. A small computer in the container that fires the reserve if the jumper is still falling fast at a set altitude. |
| AFF | Accelerated Free Fall, the standard training program in which instructors hold onto the student through the first freefalls. |
| Altimeter | The instrument worn on the wrist or chest that shows the jumper's altitude above the ground. |
| BASE jumping | Jumping with a parachute from fixed objects rather than aircraft. A separate sport with its own risks. |
| Blue skies | The standard greeting and farewell among skydivers, wishing good weather and safe jumps. |
| Burble | The pocket of turbulent air behind a falling body. Flying into someone's burble makes you unstable. |
| Canopy | The parachute once it is open, a wing of inflated fabric cells that can be steered and flared. |
| Container | The pack on the jumper's back that holds the main canopy, the reserve and the deployment system. |
| Creep | Rehearsing a formation on the ground, lying on a small wheeled board so the moves can be practiced flat. |
| Cutaway | Releasing a malfunctioning main canopy before deploying the reserve. |
| Dive flow | The agreed sequence of moves and formations a group plans to fly on one jump. |
| Drogue chute | A small chute used in tandem and high-altitude jumps to hold the fall speed steady before the main opens. |
| Drop zone | The airfield and facility a jump operates from, usually shortened to DZ. |
| Exit | Leaving the aircraft. A stable exit sets up everything that follows. |
| Flare | Pulling both toggles down on landing to level the canopy off and slow it for the touchdown. |
| Freefall | The part of the jump between leaving the aircraft and opening the parachute. |
| Freefly | Flying in positions other than belly to earth, such as head-up or head-down, at higher fall rates. |
| HALO | High altitude, low opening. A military technique of exiting very high and opening very low. |
| Hard pull | A deployment handle that will not come out easily, one of the malfunctions jumpers train for. |
| Harness | The webbing that holds the jumper to the parachute system and spreads the shock of opening across the body. |
| Hop n' pop | A jump with almost no freefall: exit and deploy straight away, usually from low altitude. |
| Jump plane | The aircraft that takes jumpers to altitude, from a small Cessna to a turbine plane carrying twenty. |
| Jumpmaster | The experienced jumper responsible for the load in the aircraft, from spotting to exit order. |
| Landing zone | The marked, clear area jumpers aim for on the ground. |
| Load | One planeload of jumpers going up together. |
| Malfunction | Any deployment that does not give a canopy you can land. Some are fixable, others need a cutaway. |
| Pack | Folding a parachute back into its container so it will open reliably next time. |
| Pilot chute | The small chute thrown into the air first, which pulls the main canopy out of the container. |
| Precision landing | The competition discipline judged on how close a jumper lands to a marked target. |
| Relative work | Formation skydiving: building shapes in freefall with other jumpers. Often shortened to RW. |
| Reserve | The second parachute, packed by a rigger and used when the main fails. |
| Rig | The whole parachute system worn on the back: container, main, reserve and the hardware in between. |
| Rigger | The certified specialist who packs reserves and maintains parachute systems. |
| Ripcord | The handle that starts deployment on systems built that way. |
| Skydiver | Anyone who jumps. Jumper is the word most often used at the drop zone itself. |
| Slider | The fabric panel that slides down the lines during opening to slow the canopy's inflation. |
| Snivel | A slow, drawn-out canopy opening. A little snivel is wanted, because it makes the opening softer. |
| Spot | Choosing the point over the ground where the load exits so everyone can reach the landing zone. |
| Static line | A training and military method in which a line attached to the aircraft opens the parachute automatically. |
| Swoop | A high-speed landing approach that carries the canopy fast and low across the ground before touchdown. |
| Tandem | A jump with a student harnessed to an instructor under one parachute built for two. |
| Terminal velocity | The steady speed a falling body reaches once air resistance balances gravity. |
| Toggle | The handle on each steering line. Pulling one turns the canopy, pulling both slows it. |
| Track | Flying the body arms-back and legs-back to cover ground horizontally, used to get separation before opening. |
| Wind tunnel | A vertical column of fast-moving air used to practice freefall body flight indoors. |
| Wingsuit | A suit with fabric between the arms and legs that adds surface area and turns fall into glide. |
#1 AFF (Accelerated Free Fall)
The primary method for teaching new skydivers, AFF involves two instructors holding onto the student during their first freefall jump, typically starting around 12,000 to 15,000 feet. It emphasizes rapid solo freefall progression with instructor guidance.
#2 Altimeter
A critical device worn by skydivers, often on the wrist or chest, that displays the current altitude and aids in determining when to deploy the parachute. Altimeters contribute to a safe skydiving experience by informing jump timing.
#3 Canopy
Refers to the modern parachute itself, which is made of fabric cells that inflate with air, allowing for controlled flight after deployment. The canopy enables a skydiver to steer and land gently.
#4 Drogue Chute
A small parachute used primarily in tandem skydiving and high-altitude jumps that stabilizes and decelerates the skydivers before the main parachute is deployed. In tandem jumps, it ensures a safer and more controlled freefall.
#5 Freefall
The period during a skydive when the jumper is in unpowered descent after exiting the aircraft and before deploying the parachute, experiencing the sensation of gravity-induced freefall is the highlight for many skydivers.
#6 HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening)
A type of skydiving jump where the exit is made at an altitude typically above 15,000 feet, but the parachute is deployed at a much lower altitude, often below 3,000 feet. This technique is used for military operations to allow jumpers to stay under radar detection and reduce exposure time in the air.
#7 Harness
The gear that a skydiver wears, which attaches them to the parachute system. A harness ensures that the skydiver is securely connected to the parachute and spreads the forces of deployment and landing evenly across the body to reduce the risk of injury.
#8 Jump Plane
The aircraft used for taking skydivers up to the desired altitude for their jumps. It can vary from small Cessnas to larger turboprops, designed to climb quickly and efficiently for multiple loads a day.
#9 Landing Zone
A designated and usually marked area where skydivers aim to land after their jump. It is chosen for its clear, open space, to minimize hazards for both the jumper and people on the ground.
#10 Load
Refers to a group of skydivers on board the aircraft who will jump together during the same flight. The term can also denote the process of organizing and boarding the aircraft in preparation for the jump.
#11 Malfunction
Any instance where the parachute does not deploy or function as intended. Malfunctions can range from minor issues that can be corrected to severe problems that require the use of a reserve parachute.
#12 Pack
The process of folding and securing a parachute into its container before a jump. It’s a precise and careful process that ensures the reliable deployment of the parachute in mid-air.
#13 Pilot Chute
A small parachute used to deploy the main canopy. It is released by the skydiver to catch the air and pull out the deployment bag containing the main parachute.
#14 Relative Work
Also known as formation skydiving, it is the art of building formations in freefall with other skydivers. Precision and teamwork are crucial in this discipline, which is often competitive.
#15 Rigger
A certified professional responsible for packing and maintaining parachutes. Riggers ensure that all components of the parachute system are functioning correctly and safely, a crucial role in the sport of skydiving.
#16 Ripcord
A device used on some parachute systems to initiate the deployment sequence. The skydiver pulls the ripcord to release the pilot chute, which then extracts the main canopy from the container.
#17 Skydiver
An individual trained and equipped to perform jumps from aircraft using a parachute. Skydivers aim for precise landings and may perform aerial maneuvers during freefall and under canopy.
#18 Swoop
A high-speed parachuting maneuver where the skydiver generates horizontal movement across the ground before landing. This technique is typically executed by experienced skydivers and often in competitions that judge speed and landing accuracy.
#19 Tandem
A type of skydiving where a student is harnessed to an experienced instructor with a parachute system built to carry two people. Tandem jumps are popular among first-time jumpers seeking the experience with the safety of an expert.
#20 Terminal Velocity
The constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium (air for skydivers) prevents further acceleration. Skydivers typically reach terminal velocity within a few seconds of freefall.
#21 Toggle
A control handle attached to the steering lines of a parachute. By pulling on the toggles, a skydiver can manipulate the canopy’s flight, affecting turns and the rate of descent.
#22 Wind Tunnel
A facility used to simulate free fall conditions on the ground, allowing skydivers to practice and refine their aerial maneuvers. Wind tunnels blow air upward at high speeds, creating a column of air strong enough to support a person’s weight for indoor skydiving training.
#23 Wingsuit
A specialized jumpsuit that adds surface area to the human body with fabric under the arms and between the legs, enabling a skydiver to glide horizontally while falling. Wingsuits are used to extend free fall time and control movement through three-dimensional space.
#24 Burble
The area of turbulent air or wake behind a skydiver’s body during freefall. When another skydiver flies into this area, they can experience erratic airflows, which might affect stability and fall rate.
#25 Creep
A ground practice technique where skydivers rehearse their in-air formations by moving across a creeper, a small wheeled platform. It helps in perfecting the dive flow and understanding the relative positions of jump partners.
#26 Dive flow
The predetermined sequence of maneuvers and formations that a group of skydivers aims to achieve during a skydive. Having a clear dive flow is crucial for safety and for executing disciplined relative work.
#27 Exit
The act of leaving the aircraft or jump plane to begin a skydive. The exit method may vary depending on the type of jump, and a stable exit is vital for a successful jump sequence.
#28 Hop n’ pop
A skydive where the jumper exits the aircraft and deploys their parachute almost immediately, typically from a lower altitude than a freefall jump. Often used for practice or in situations where a full freefall is not possible.
#29 Snivel
A term used to describe the slow, gradual opening of a parachute. A longer snivel is sometimes preferred as it can be more comfortable and less jarring for the skydiver.
#30 Track
In skydiving, tracking refers to a technique where jumpers position their bodies to maximize horizontal travel over the ground. It involves extending the arms and legs back in a streamlined position to cover more distance in the air before parachute deployment.
FAQ
What do you call jumping from a plane?
Skydiving, or parachuting. A first jump is normally a tandem, harnessed to an instructor. Military jumps where a line attached to the aircraft opens the canopy are static line jumps, and jumping with a parachute from a fixed object such as a cliff or a bridge is BASE jumping, not skydiving.
What two-word phrase do skydivers use as a greeting?
“Blue skies.” It works as hello, goodbye and good luck at the same time, and it is a wish for the clear weather that makes jumping possible.
What is a snivel in skydiving?
A snivel is a slow, gradual opening, with the canopy taking its time to inflate as the slider comes down the lines. Some snivel is wanted because it makes the opening softer, but one that goes on too long counts as a malfunction.
What is the term for the constant speed at which skydivers fall?
Terminal velocity, the point where air resistance balances the pull of gravity and the fall stops getting faster. Body position changes it: a belly-to-earth flyer falls slower than someone head-down.
What is skydiving gear called?
The whole system worn on the back is the rig: container, main canopy, reserve canopy and the deployment hardware. Add the harness that holds it to the body, an altimeter, and on most rigs an automatic activation device that fires the reserve if a jumper is still falling fast too low.
They divide into gear (rig, canopy, reserve, altimeter, toggle, slider), freefall (exit, track, burble, terminal velocity, relative work), landing (flare, swoop, landing zone) and drop zone life (load, jump plane, hop n’ pop, blue skies). The skydiving glossary above lists them alphabetically.
What are some Skydiving terms for beginners?
“AFF,” “Altimeter,” and “Canopy” are some Skydiving terms beginners should start with, introducing them to the training program, altitude measurement, and the parachute used after the freefall.
What are some funny Skydiving terms?
“Burble,” “Creep,” and “Snivel” are some funny Skydiving terms that add a bit of humor to the sport, referring to air disturbance, pre-jump preparation, and slow parachute deployment.
What is a famous Skydiving phrase?
“Blue skies, black death,” is a famous Skydiving phrase reflecting the beauty and risks of the sport, often used as a greeting or farewell among skydivers.
