SKYDIVING

also called parachuting use of a parachutefor either recreational or competitive purposesto slow a diver's descent to the ground after jumping from an airplane or other high place. The sport traces its beginnings to the descents made from a hot-air balloon by the French aeronaut Andr-Jacques Garnerin in 1797, but modern skydiving is usually performed from a propeller-driven airplane. At events such as the annual World Free Fall Convention in Quincy, Illinois, however, parachutists are afforded the opportunity to jump from such diverse craft as hot-air balloons, helicopters, and a Boeing 727. Additional reading For information on diverse types of skydiving, a text for both beginners and the more advanced parachutist is Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff, Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook (2000). For information specific to a location, numerous national organizations publish guidelines and recommendations concerning training on and performance of skydiving in their countries. In the United States this national organization is the United States Parachute Association.