Why do you have weight restrictions?... The manufacturers of
parachute equipment and the Federal Aviation Administration have
set stringent requirements on the operating limits under which
parachutes are designed to work. Specific testing of how
parachutes are tested had how much weight they can safely
support and at what speeds they are designed to open are
detailed in FAA Technical Service Order (TSO) 23B, C & D. To
make a very long story short a parachute system is designed for
a maximum exit weight (the weight of the parachute, jumpers, and
gear as they exit the plane). Let's make an example of a tandem;
the parachute itself weighs about 65 pounds, your tandem
instructor might weigh 210 pounds leaving room for a student to
weigh up to 225 pounds. "WAIT A MINUTE, I thought it was about
210 pounds was the limit?" Ok, you're right, let me explain
more... If we have an instructor who weighs less can they can in
theory take a larger student, but, the instructor must be
physically capable of controlling the stu