## Can You Skydive from a Commercial Plane?
Skydiving is an exhilarating and unforgettable experience that involves jumping out of an aircraft at a high altitude and freefalling through the air before deploying a parachute.
While skydiving is typically done from a small plane designed specifically for the activity, there have been a few instances of people skydiving from commercial passenger planes. However, this is extremely rare and strictly prohibited by aviation regulations.
### Safety Concerns
There are several safety concerns associated with skydiving from a commercial plane, including:
– Altitude: Commercial planes fly at much higher altitudes than skydiving planes. This means that skydivers would have to freefall for a significantly longer period, increasing the risk of injury or equipment failure.
– Turbulence: Commercial planes encounter more turbulence than skydiving planes. This turbulence could make it difficult to maintain a stable freefall position and could also cause the parachute to deploy prematurely.
– Passengers: Skydiving from a commercial plane would put other passengers at risk. Parachutes can malfunction, and there is always the potential for a skydiver to land in an unintended area, which could cause damage or injury to people or property.
### Legal Restrictions
In addition to the safety concerns, skydiving from a commercial plane is also prohibited by law in most countries.
Aviation regulations strictly limit the activities that can be performed on commercial planes, and skydiving is not one of them. This is because skydiving poses a safety risk to both the skydiver and the other passengers on the plane.
### Instances of Illegal Skydiving
Despite the legal restrictions and safety concerns, there have been a few documented instances of people illegally skydiving from commercial planes.
In one case, a man named Michael Jones stowed away on a commercial flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in 2019 and jumped out of the plane during the flight.
He landed safely in a field near the airport, but was later arrested and charged with a federal crime.
In another case, a woman named Sarah Babcock jumped out of a commercial plane over the San Francisco Bay in 2015. She was not injured, but was also arrested and charged with a federal crime.
### Conclusion
While it is possible to skydive from a commercial plane, it is extremely rare and strictly prohibited by law.
The safety concerns associated with skydiving from a commercial plane are too great, and the potential for injury or damage is too high. If you are interested in skydiving, it is important to do so from a plane that is specifically designed for the activity and operated by experienced professionals.