UK Parachuting

What UK Parachuting does

UK Parachuting (legal entity UK Parachute Services Ltd) is a privately-held skydiving center founded in 1986 and headquartered in Beccles, United Kingdom. The company operates two drop zones — Beccles Airfield in Suffolk and Sibson Airfield in Peterborough (Cambridgeshire) — covering the Greater East Anglia region, with the Peterborough location described as one of the oldest drop zones in the country. Its core offering is tandem skydiving from 13,000 feet (50 seconds of freefall at 120+ mph), priced between £179 and £260 per jumper depending on altitude and day of the week, with group discounts for 5+ and 10+ bookings.

Beyond tandem experiences, UK Parachuting monetizes a broader product surface including Accelerated Freefall (AFF) solo training courses, professional video and photography packages (£139), gift vouchers valid for 12 months, rigging services for licensed skydivers, flight training and aircraft hire, and a dedicated early-evening tandem special at £199. The underlying operational technology consists of aircraft for parachute jumps from 13,000ft (tandem) and 7,000ft (introductory), modern square gliding parachutes, and the Burblesoft booking platform that powers online reservations, gift card sales, and calendar integrations.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with bookings secured by a £50 deposit and balance payable on jump day, and has built a parallel charity skydiving channel that partners with hundreds of UK nonprofits — predominantly hospices, air ambulances, and healthcare/social-services charities — for scheduled fundraising events at both airfields. Customer segments span first-time skydivers, licensed/experienced skydivers, group bookings (corporate, stag/hen, birthdays), and charity partners. Marketing is conducted through a website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, Vimeo), TripAdvisor reviews, and email newsletters. The company is led by Director and Business Owner Jason Thompson and is independently owned with no disclosed venture or private equity backing.

Name

UK Parachuting

Legal name

UK Parachute Services Ltd

Website

https://ukparachuting.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK Parachuting operates two skydiving centers in Greater East Anglia (Beccles and Peterborough), offering tandem skydives, AFF training, video packages, and charity fundraising events to individual consumers, groups, and hundreds of UK charity partners since 1986.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skydiving Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other (487990), Flight Training (611512), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Skydiving Centers & Drop Zones (Tandem, AFF Training) (THAAAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Extreme Sports Training, Certification & Coaching (Skydiving/Bungee Safety Courses) (THAAAMAJ), Skydiving Experiences (Tandem, AFF, Scenic Jumps) (THAAAMAA), Paragliding, Skydiving & Airborne Adventure Sports (THAJABAJ)

Keywords

• Tandem skydiving experiences
• Skydiving training courses
• Charity fundraising jumps
• Aircraft hire services
• Parachute rigging services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beccles

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tandem Skydiving: Primary revenue stream from tandem skydiving experiences where customers are harnessed to instructors and jump from aircraft. Pricing ranges from £179 for introductory 7,000ft jumps to £260 for full 13,000ft tandem jumps, with group discounts available.
2. Video and Photography: Professional video and photography packages to capture skydiving experiences, priced at £139.
3. Gift Cards and Vouchers: Gift vouchers for tandem or solo jumps available for purchase, valid for 12 months.
4. Accelerated Freefall (AFF) Training: Professional skydiving training courses for individuals wanting to learn to skydive solo, including ground training and supervised jumps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UK Parachuting is a skydiving operator that sells tandem skydiving experiences from up to 13,000–15,000 feet with BPA-licensed instructors, Accelerated Freefall (AFF) training courses for aspiring licensed skydivers, charity fundraising skydiving events, video and photography packages, skydive gift vouchers, flight training, aircraft hire, and parachute rigging services from two airfields — Beccles (Suffolk) and Sibson (Peterborough). The offering is targeted at individual thrill-seekers, first-time jumpers, charity fundraisers, group bookings, and licensed skydivers needing rigging or aircraft support.

Product overview

UK Parachuting operates as a skydiving experience provider with two locations: Beccles Airfield in Suffolk and Peterborough (Sibson Airfield). The core offerings include tandem skydiving experiences from 13,000 feet, Accelerated Freefall (AFF) training programs for solo certification, video/photography add-ons, gift vouchers, flight training and aircraft hire services, and professional rigging services. The company also facilitates extensive charity skydiving events and partners with numerous UK charities for fundraising jumps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tandem Skydive Two-person tandem skydive from 7,000 ft up to 15,000 ft attached to a BPA-licensed instructor, available to first-time jumpers aged 16+ (no upper age limit) at both Beccles and Sibson airfields.
• Accelerated Freefall (AFF) Training Course Multi-level Accelerated Freefall course for individuals who want to progress towards becoming a licensed solo skydiver, delivered at the company's UK airfields.
• Skydive Video & Photography Package Professional video and still-photography capture of a customer's skydive, including handcam and outside footage, sold as a keepsake package alongside the jump.
• Skydive Gift Vouchers Pre-purchased voucher for a tandem skydive (or other package) sold as a gift, redeemable for a booked jump slot by the recipient.
• Flight Training & Aircraft Hire Aircraft hire for skydiving operations and flight training services offered to qualified pilots and skydivers using the company's airfield facilities.
• Parachute Rigging Services Professional parachute packing, inspection and rigging services for licensed skydivers and parachute equipment owners.
• Charity Skydiving Events Organised charity skydiving events in partnership with hundreds of UK-registered charities, enabling fundraisers to complete a tandem jump in aid of their chosen cause, often on set event dates at the Beccles and Sibson airfields.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 seconds of freefall at 120+ mph from 13,000 feet
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Burble SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the booking platform (bookings.burblesoft.com and store.burblesoft.com) used for online reservations, gift card sales, and event management. Both UK Parachuting locations use Burblesoft systems.
• Autism AngliaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerRegistered charity partner at Beccles, hosting dedicated tandem skydiving events for autism support. Contact: [email protected]. Specific booking codes provided.
• East Anglian Air AmbulanceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor charity partner hosting 'The Big Leaaap' events at both locations. Registration fee £50, fundraising target £350. Multiple dates scheduled including Oct 2026, May 2027, Oct 2027.
• MAGPAS Air AmbulanceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEmergency care charity partner hosting skydiving events. Fundraising target £300. Provides free T-shirt and fundraising pack.
• Little LiftsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBreast cancer support charity hosting events at Beccles Airfield. Fundraising target £375. Event includes world record attempt on World Skydiving Day.
• Headway EssexflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBrain injury charity partner. £50 deposit, £400 fundraising target. Hosts events at Beccles Airfield.
• St Helena HospiceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHospice care charity partner at Beccles. £50 deposit, £595 fundraising target. Event date July 19, 2026.
• St Elizabeth HospiceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHospice charity partner at Beccles. £50 deposit, £395 minimum fundraising target.
• St Nicholas HospiceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLife-limiting illness support hospice partner at Beccles. Event August 16, 2026.
• Star ThrowersflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNorfolk cancer support charity hosting summer skydive August 15, 2026. £50 registration, £395 fundraising target.
• Keeping AbreastflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerBreast cancer reconstruction support charity at Beccles. July 25, 2026 event. £50 deposit, £330 fundraising (charity covers £190 fee).
• Break CharityflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCare-experienced children support charity at Beccles. July 29, 2026. £50 deposit, £400 minimum fundraising.
• LeewayflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerDomestic abuse support charity at Beccles. August 30, 2026 event.
• Royal Papworth Hospital CharityflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHospital charity partner at both locations. Events scheduled including August 15 and September 12, 2026 at Beccles.
• St Clare HospiceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHospice charity at Peterborough. September 5, 2026. £50 registration, £400 fundraising target.
• LOROS HospiceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHospice charity at Peterborough. September 19, 2026. £50 registration, £400 fundraising.
• Lakelands HospiceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPalliative care hospice at Peterborough. August 2, 2026 (25th anniversary). £50 registration, £400 fundraising.
• Little MiraclesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren with additional needs/disabilities charity at Peterborough. September 26, 2026. £50 deposit, £400 fundraising.
• The Road Victims TrustflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerRoad collision support charity at Peterborough. Events September 12 and 20, 2026.
• NIAflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerWomen's domestic/sexual violence support charity. Event July 10, 2026 at Peterborough.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Experience Days (Virgin Experience Days / Buyagift): Major UK experience day aggregators and resellers that list UK Parachuting's tandem skydive packages alongside other operators. They function as a distribution channel and price-discovery layer for the gift voucher / first-time skydiver segment, influencing demand and pricing benchmarks across the category.
• British Skydiving (British Parachute Association): UK national governing body for sport parachuting that licenses UK Parachuting's tandem instructors and AFF program. Functions as the industry's regulatory and certification authority and competes indirectly for member/club affiliations from licensed skydivers across the UK.

Direct peers

• Skydive Headcorn / Skydive Kent: UK tandem and AFF operator from a Kent airfield, structured around consumer-facing tandem experiences similar to UK Parachuting. Comparable on product (tandem jump + video packages), direct-to-consumer booking, and group discount structures for parties and stag/hen groups.
• Netheravon Parachute Centre (Army Parachute Association): Wiltshire-based skydiving facility affiliated with the Army Parachute Association offering tandem skydiving and AFF/skydiving courses. Comparable as a UK tandem/AFF drop zone with a heritage brand, operating from a single airfield in the south of England.
• Black Knights Parachute Centre: UK skydiving operation based at Perranporth in Cornwall, providing tandem skydiving, AFF training, and charity events. Comparable as a single-site UK drop zone competing for the first-time tandem and licensed skydiver segments with similar charity partner-driven customer acquisition.
• Hinton Skydiving Centre (Target Skysports): Long-established skydiving centre in Northamptonshire (Hinton-in-the-Hedges) offering tandem skydiving, AFF courses, and parachute sport services. Direct UK peer with overlapping geography (central England) and a comparable product mix including video/photo add-ons and charity skydive events.
• Headcorn Parachute Club: Kent-based drop zone offering tandem skydiving, AFF training, and licensed skydiver facilities. Operates from Headcorn Airfield in the South East and competes in the same UK tandem/AFF segment with similar charity fundraising packages and group bookings.
• Langar Skydiving (No.1 Skydive): One of the UK's largest and longest-established skydiving centres operating tandem and AFF training from a single airfield (Langar, Nottinghamshire). Directly comparable as a UK-based drop zone with dual focus on first-time tandem and AFF progression, and a charity partner program. Closest like-for-like competitor on the East Midlands side of the UK.

Emerging players

• iFLY Indoor Skydiving (UK): Operates indoor vertical wind tunnel skydiving facilities in the UK (Manchester, Basingstoke, London) offering an alternative, weather-independent introductory 'first flight' experience. Adjacent rather than direct competition - they capture customers who want the sensation of freefall but not the outdoor jump - and increasingly partner with skydive operators like UK Parachuting for cross-promotion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ukparachuting
• YouTubevimeo.com/user95252685
• Facebookfacebook.com/UKParachuting
• Instagraminstagram.com/ukparachuting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uk-parachuting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UK Parachuting