Even Rokne, father of the Innhopp, gives some pointers if you’re thinking of the unique, high-adrenaline experience of an innhopp…
Photo: Innhopp Project
What is an Innhopp?
An Innhopp in its basic terms is nothing more than jumping outside a regular DZ. This could also be called a bad spot, an off-landing or a planned landing elsewhere using the skydiving aircraft as a means of transport. Jumps outside a regular DZ could also be a demo jump, mountain flying or swooping… and in that sense an Innhopp is like a demo jump without the audience…
Photo by Antonio Gamito
What are the qualities of an Innhopp?
The perfect Innhopp location is totally isolated, meaning that your landing areas are your only choice if you decide to join in.
The ideal Innhopp location has minimum of two, preferably three, landing options in increasing levels of difficulty. The size of the biggest (main) landing area defines the minimum requirement for the jumpers according to the national skydiving regulations.
The landing areas should be within reach of each other once under canopy. The optimal deal is that you need to make your decision as to which to choose by 1,500 feet at the latest (so 1-2 km apart). This gives peace of mind once the decision is made, and full undistracted focus of the canopy pilot on the chosen landing area.
What are the effects of an Innhopp?
Sole responsibility
A common feature of many skydivers is to oppose authority:- or ‘don’t tell me what to do!’. Innhopps give a great opportunity to make decisions for yourself.
Nothing makes me happier than a skydiver choosing not to jump but to stay in the aircraft if he/she doesn’t feel like making the innhopp. This means this skydiver has maturity and strength beyond peer pressure; it means listening to one’s own feelings; but it also may cause a feeling of failure. This is not the case; this is a good choice.
Remember, nobody is forcing you to go, the decision is all yours and you have no-one to show for, nothing to prove – they are all skydivers, and some of them with probably more jumps than you have.
Photo by Antonio Gamito
You get immediate feedback
If your setup is not optimal, you will have immediate feedback on how well you performed.
You get connected to the Innhopp location
Because your sensory apparatus is on ‘All-Systems-Go’ mode, your brain stores heaps of information as far as the nature and surroundings on your jump. This has the effect that, when you return to a spectacular Innhopp area – where you have actually felt your fear, your adrenaline has been released, and you have been sharp, focused, concentrated, and in your FLOW – your body starts to react even miles away from the landing zone.
You never forget an Innhopp. After doing more than a hundred Innhopps into all kinds of different locations, I realized looking back, I could remember each and every one of them. I couldn’t necessarily list them in a full complete report, but whenever anybody gave me a clue or a hint, I could always relatively easily find that specific Innhopp from my memory bank. The reason for this I later connected to that very same adrenaline-release, making us so much more capable, strong, reactive, and observant (as long as it’s below our stress tolerance level).
Innhopps allow you to attach cultural elements to your memory experience. This means that any cultural input you are able to weave into the Innhopp itself, may later be triggers to unfold the full memory of that particular Innhopp experience.
Adrenaline
You will have an automatic high level of adrenaline. Even on big, unobstructed areas, you will feel your level of adrenaline increase, simply due to the fact of not actually having seen the landing area. Your individual stress tolerance level is crucial. The classic ‘fight or flight’ response may lead to you freezing up, as there is nowhere to ‘fly’ [escape] to.
Mental Aspects
It is you who makes the decision to attend the jump or not, you may suffer:
- peer pressure
- mindfuck
- healthy doubts.
How do you tell the difference?
Peer pressure comes in two variants:
- You belong to a group and, because they go, you think you should go
- You look at the other jumpers attending and think, ‘if they can, I can.’
Mindfuck comes in three stages, before take-off, before exit and after opening. The same challenge may appear very different at these stages.
There are three levels and stages of mindfuck:
- The first is before take-off; you still have an option of not going.
- The second is after take-off and before exit; you still have an option of not jumping.
- The third is after opening; this is the first time you really feel what you are capable of today.
Healthy doubts has to do with, how you are feeling today. Are you, for example:
- Sharp?
- Not hungover?
- Distracted by other stuff in your life?
- Confident in your performance under canopy?
- Happy with the wind and weather conditions?
- Aware of the consequences of a less than perfect performance?
What are the issues with organizing an Innhopp?
If you are to organize an Innhopp, this is what you should think of:
Cover all hazards and identify all relevant safety information:
- Size of the landing area
- Surface of the landing area
- Elevation of the landing area
- Obstacles and hazards at the landing area
- Obstacles and hazards around the landing area
- Elevation of terrain within the spotting radius
- Other issues; boat on the water, communication with rescue department
- Prepare briefings for: The DZ S&TA, the pilots, the Jumpmasters, the jumpers
- Do the main briefing on sketches or model boards
- Offer googlemaps if necessary
- Obtain the necessary permissions according to the country’s aviation requirements
- The size and difficulty of the main landing area gives the limitations / restrictions set for any jumper attending (minimum experience level, requirements, etc)
Photo by Ralph Wilhelm
How can you prepare yourself for an Innhopp?
Before attending an Innhopp, what should you do?
- Canopy courses
- Learn how to fly and maneuver your canopy
- Be ready to take it down and land on brakes in a straightforward approach
What should you think about at your Innhopp Experience?
If you are to attend an Innhopp, this is what you should look for:
- Know your capabilities as far as what size of landing area you are comfortable with
- Allow the mindfuck to take place; study it, embrace it, use it to strengthen yourself
- Avoid too much information contrary to what you want to hear
- Feel the 3 stages of the mindfuck; before take-off, before exit and after opening
- Enjoy the spectacular scenery! 🤩
Photo by Ralph Wilhelm
The InnHopp Project
We at The Innhopp Project truly believe it’s the most exciting type of skydiving and we invite you to join our events. The next, April 10-16 2024, is quite spectacular. It’s a 350km+ journey, landing on 14 locations on 9 stunning Seychelles islands, some of which have never been landed on before. We take only 16 participants on that trip.
We also plan a 2024/2025 innhopp trips to Namibia and my home nation Norway. Please visit www.innhopp.com and sign up for the newsletter to stay updated!
