The History of Skydiving

Adam Drybrough serves as a self-employed digital and business strategy consultant in Calgary. A former competitive figure skater, Adam Drybrough continues his passion for sports and often enjoys skydiving in his free time.

Although the history of the parachute can be dated back to the 1100s in China, the history of skydiving doesn’t truly start until 1797. In this year, Frenchman Andre-Jacques Garnerin used a parachute to successfully descend from a hot air balloon. 

By 1919, Leslie Irvin completed the first successful free fall jump to ever be recorded, and by the 1930s, records started showing people participating in competitive dives. Yet, the sport did not become mainstream until World War II. 

During World War II, the military started developing parachute technology, and many soldiers were using those parachutes to drop into various areas. Despite the serious nature of these dives, soldiers began having fun and they continued skydiving after they returned home from war. These soldiers put on regular competitions and the popularity of the sport began to grow. 

Before long, skydiving had become a national sport and it has since turned into a popular recreational activity.