Jumpsuit - An overall designed for skydiving.

Main - The primary canopy.

PLF - Parachute Landing Fall. A technique used to minimize injury during rough landings, a PLF distributes the landing shock along feet, calves, thighs, hips and shoulders.

Reserve - Auxiliary parachute carried on every intentional parachute jump.

Rig - Slang for the entire canopy, including main and reserve canopies and the harness/container.

Rigger - Someone who is qualified to pack and check the rig.

Ripcord - Deployment system on all reserves and most student parachutes. The ripcord is a piece of cable with a handle at one end and a pin at the other. When pulled, the pin comes out of the closing loop holding the container shut, and the pilot chute is released.

RSL - Reserve Static Line. A backup device for automatically deploying the reserve if the skydiver cuts away. Only effective in malfunctions where the main canopy is at least partially deployed.

RV - Rendezvous.

Skygod - Skydiver whose ego has grown faster than his ability.

Stall - When the angle of attack becomes too high to sustain lift.

Steering lines - The lines that run from the steering toggles to the trailing edge of the canopy.

Stering toggles - Handles attached to the ends of the steering lines.

Swoop -1) To dive down to a formation or individual in freefall.

-2) To aggressively approach the landing area in order to produce a long, flat flare and exciting landing.

Tandem - Two skydivers share a rig, one of whom is in a separate harness that attaches to the front of the other harness.

Terminal velocity - The speed at which drag matches gravity, resulting in a constant fall rate. Generally terminal velocity for formation skydiving is 120-135 mph.

Track - Body position that creates a high forward speed. Used to approach or veer away from other skydivers in freefall.

Wave off - Before deployment a skydiver makes a clearly defined arm motion to indicate to others nearby that he is about to open his canopy.

Wing loading - The weight a canopy can carry in relation to its surface area.

Wuffo - Slang for a person who doesn’t jump.

Andy McNab