Elliot Byrd Skydive Midwest

Staff Spotlight: Elliot Byrd

June 5, 2023

Perhaps one of the most accomplished skydivers to call SDMW home is Mr. Elliot Byrd. You might know him from the absolutely incredible photos he takes as Byrd’s Eye Studio. For him, the end product of every project is more than just a memento for the memory book, it’s about capturing an experience in which people are genuinely having a good time and sharing that energy with the world.

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can you skydive while pregnant

Can you Skydive while Pregnant?

May 22, 2023

You might be surprised to find we get this question a lot. When you consider about half the people who come out for a tandem skydive are women, it makes sense. Occasionally, women find out they’ve got a baby on board after they’ve already made an appointment to skydive. So, now what? Can you still skydive pregnant?

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Quitting Over Canopy

Quitting Over Canopy

May 8, 2023

Quitting Over Canopy The struggle is real.  One of the most common challenges to new skydivers is mastering landing a parachute. The reality is, it’s not an easy thing to do well. It takes lots and lots of practice and continuing education. If you’re a student or new jumper and you feel the struggle, you’re…

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The Science Behind Being Scared

The Science Behind Being Scared

April 24, 2023

Long term fear is not healthy. However, short experiences in a controlled environment can have a lot of benefits. This isn’t true for everyone. There are some people who just don’t like roller coasters, scary movies, haunted houses or other heart-thumping activities. The fear outweighs the fun for some and that’s totally ok. However, the vast majority of people enjoy the little bursts of brain chemicals released when doing something a little bit scary.

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Tandem Exiting an Aircraft

Why Jump Out Of A Perfectly Good Airplane?

April 10, 2023

Safety in skydiving has evolved a ton in recent years. It has become quite mainstream as an amusement and entertainment experience. Many celebrities and even past presidents have done it. Tom Cruise, Tiger Woods, David Blaine, Nicole Kidman and Patrick Swayze (to name a few) even became licensed skydivers.

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Ben Statler Skydive Midwest

Staff Spotlight: Ben Statler

March 27, 2023

Statler was voted the staff member with the best attitude by the staff and fun jumper community for our 2022 season. This guy always shows up with a smile on his face and spreads his positivity around. He’s also the guy who keeps us entertained on weather days. From backflips to wheelchair tricks, he’s always up to something and making us laugh.

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Chicago Skyline

Skydiving in a City Near You

March 20, 2023

If you type “tandem skydiving near me” in your google search, you’ll find quite a few results claiming to be the skydiving center nearest to you or nearest to a major city. In the Midwest, you’ll find Skydive Chicago, Skydive Milwaukee and Chicagoland Skydiving Center…but are any of them actually located where their names suggest? Buyer beware: you might find yourself disappointed if you choose your skydiving center based on name alone without doing some research.

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Who Can Make a Tandem Skydive

Who can make a Tandem Skydive?

March 13, 2023

One of the beautiful things about skydiving is it’s a pretty accessible activity for most people. There are some things to take into consideration but only a few hard and fast rules when it comes to the criteria for making a tandem jump.

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Tandem Parachute Landing

What is Tandem Skydiving?

March 6, 2023

Tandem skydiving has made the sport accessible to almost everyone. Prior to 1983, the only way to experience it was to learn to jump solo or jump for the military. Thanks to the innovation of the tandem harness and container system, more people can feel what it’s like to fly with a relatively small amount of training and commitment. Millions of skydives are conducted nationwide annually.

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Kristin Beasley Skydive Midwest

Staff Spotlight: Kristin Beasley

February 27, 2023

Bees is the owner of The 14K Kitchen and we LOVE that we no longer have to pack a lunch to stay fed on the drop zone. We love her sense of humor; she can take a joke just as well as she can dish them out. She’s tough, hardworking, creative and determined. She’s so incredible, in fact, we have a whole ‘nother blog on Bees and The 14K Kitchen.

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