You'll hear these terms all day. Here's a quick glossary so you can follow along like a local.
Dirt Dive — Rehearsing a skydive on the ground before the jump. Teams walk through every formation and transition.
Load — A planeload of skydivers. "I'm on the next load" = their plane leaves soon.
Manifest — The office where jumpers sign up for loads and check in. The operations hub.
Jump Run — The aircraft's flight path over the DZ at altitude, when skydivers start exiting.
Exit — Leaving the aircraft. Groups often exit together in a coordinated "launch."
Breakoff — When a formation breaks apart at a set altitude so everyone can separate and deploy safely.
Canopy — The parachute. Modern canopies are rectangular, not round (except for old-school demos!).
Swoop — A high-speed, low-altitude canopy maneuver that turns vertical speed into horizontal speed across the ground.
Flare — The final input on a canopy that slows it down for a gentle landing. Like a plane's flare on touchdown.
DZ — Drop Zone. The entire skydiving facility and the airspace above it.
Rig — The complete parachute system worn on a skydiver's back: main canopy, reserve canopy, container, and AAD.
AAD — Automatic Activation Device. A computer in the rig that deploys the reserve parachute if the skydiver doesn't open by a certain altitude.
Boogie — A multi-day skydiving festival with organized jumps, parties, demos, and special events. Think music festival, but with parachutes.
Creeper — A small wheeled board skydivers lie on during dirt dives to simulate freefall body position.
Hop & Pop — A low-altitude jump (usually 5,000 ft) where the skydiver deploys almost immediately after exit. Used for canopy practice.
Blue Skies — The universal skydiver greeting and farewell. "Blue skies!" = good vibes, safe jumps.
