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| Data Card |
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Every parachute carries a data card with information on the reserve parachute, including type, last date packed, owner, serial number, etc.
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| De-Arch |
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To flatten out or reverse one's body position from the normal arched position. A de-arch results in a slower fall rate than an arch.
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| Decision Altitude |
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The altitude at which a skydiver is trained to begin execution of emergency procedures. Usually 2,500 feet (800 m) for students, and 1,800 feet (600 m) for expert skydivers.
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| Dialed in |
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To be in sync with a teammate or to know the performance parameters of your equipment.
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| Dirt |
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Dive Practicing a dive on the ground before the jump so that all involved understand exactly what will occur in the sky - since there is not much time up their and you can't discuss it with a 125 mph wind going past your head.
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| Dirt-Dive |
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Walking through a parachuting routine on the ground. It sure looks silly but needs to be exercised thoroughly.
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| Door Jam |
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The practice of taking up starting positions in the door, on the ground before or after boarding, before the aircraft begins moving.
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| Drag |
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Being pulled by the parachute while being on the ground. Can easily damage your rig, so don't get dragged.
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| Drift |
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The amount a jumper is blown away from the spot during freefall by unusually strong upper air currents.
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| Drop Zone |
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Common slang for a skydiving center, also DZ.
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| Dummy |
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A dummy handle representing a ripcord which the skydiver student must pull to simulate a real ripcord pull during automatic jumps (i.e. where the canopy is automatically deployed).
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| Dytter |
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The brand name commonly used to refer to an audible altimeter device that beeps for a few seconds when it passes through a pre-set altitude. Just in case you didn't notice.
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| Dz |
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Drop Zone - a place where parachuting operations take place.
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