The 3 best dropzones in the US?

[fkulaga 0]

Hi all,

This summer i plan to travel the states for 2 months, and i'm also keen to do a couple of jumps too!
I would like to ask you for suggestion as to what are the best DZs out there, and if you could also provide some basic info (jump and rig rent price, location, etc) it would be much appreciated!
Thanks in advance, and hope to see you there!
blue skies,

Franco

[jlmiracle 7]

What are you looking for in a DZ?

Are you looking for only turbines?
Multi aircraft?
Quick ride to altitude?
Organizers?
"Family" feeling dz?
Wind Tunnel close by?
What facilities do you want the dz to have?
Pool?
Bar/Restaurant?
Location relative to other attractions (non-skydiving)?

Once you have answered some of these questions, we might be able to point you in the right direction, then I suggest reading the reviews about the dropzones in the directory.

Judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[fkulaga 0]

Sorry for not detailing what i exactly need in the DZ, so here goes:
I'm looking for a big and well organized dz with plenty of facilities/gear rent/rigging/the works, with multiple turbine planes, quick ride to altitude,etc.. I dont really care about "family" feeling, location, pool and other non-skydiving attractions..
Also i'm not interested in the windtunnels.
What i'm looking for is a nice big well run dz with all of skydiving-related facilities, where i can do plenty of skydives and drink a cold beer in the dusk while watching the sunset and eventually a turbine fly-by
Thanks!!

[aresye 0]

I strongly suggest Emerald Coast Skydiving in Alabama, and Skydive Elsinore in California.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[Thanatos340 1]

Quote

I'm looking for a big and well organized dz with plenty of facilities/gear rent/rigging/the works, with multiple turbine planes, quick ride to altitude,etc..

Sounds like:
Eloy
Perris Valley
Z-Hills
Deland
Skydive Chicago

Quote

What i'm looking for is a nice big well run dz with all of skydiving-related facilities, where i can do plenty of skydives and drink a cold beer in the dusk while watching the sunset and eventually a turbine fly-by

This sounds like:
Skydive The Farm
The Ranch
And I am sure many, many others.

[Broke 0]

Well depending on who you talk to they will want you to visit their home DZ.

Here are some of my favorites

Skydive Chicago

Zephyrhills

Connecticut Parachutists Inc

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[fkulaga 0]

Excellent work guys, please keep the suggestions going!
thanks & blueskies!

[tfelber 0]

Eloy
Elsinore
Perris
The Farm

[skyjumpsteve 0]

That first list (Eloy,Perris Valley,Z-Hills,Deland, Skydive Chicago, the Ranch) looks accurate. If you go in the middle of the summer I think Skydive Chicago is going to be one of your best bets given the weather and the amount of jumping activity. Keep an eye out in Skydiving and Parachutist (or DZ.com calendar) for big boogies....those are worth traveling to as well and are not always at the biggest DZ's. Lost Prairie in Montana is sweet as an example.....

[diverds 0]

Skydive Chicago - Worlds best facilities bar none. Great friendly vibe, lots of jumping.

Skydive The Farm - Super nice people, beautiful property, great vibe.

Lincoln Sport Parachute Club - Club dropzone thats been in continuous operation for 50 years. Small Cessna operation but it's my home dz so there

Skydive Radio

[grimmie 186]

There are some great boogies at smaller DZ's in the summer you may want to attend also.

[Remster 30]

Quote

That first list (Eloy,Perris Valley,Z-Hills,Deland, Skydive Chicago, the Ranch) looks accurate. If you go in the middle of the summer I think Skydive Chicago is going to be one of your best bets given the weather and the amount of jumping activity.

Yeah. Give the criteria, I think that pretty much answers it.

Remster

[RoryJ 0]

During the summer they are not as busy, but for an amazing view, I cannot say enough good stuff about Sebastian, FL.

And just based on being biased, Cross Keys is a blast on the weekends and they will have a nice array of aircrafts this year.

Not again!

[Unstable 9]

I'm not going to vote for my home DZ, that would be pretty bias, don't ya think? And I'm not going to instantly go for the big turbine centers with weight rooms. Here are my personal favorites, and here is why. I would say that I've jumped at close to 30 different DZ's in the US.


1. Skydive Dallas.

Reasons: It is a large, multi-Turbine DZ, which somehow still maintains the Midwest family-DZ feel. They have some of the cheapest turbine lifts in the US, and I know the DZO tries his hardest to keep skydivers in the air. Safe, knowledgeable staff, and the free bunk rooms are always nice.

2. Skydive Mesquite, NV

Reasons: I don't know if they are currently a Turbine Operation, but each time I've been there they've had a couple different aircraft. Just a good feel, and the jumpers there do a good job of making everyone feel at home. The DZO does a good job of keeping the landing area safe, and on every load there is a discussion on the AC, involving all on the load, reminding everyone and reinforcing the landing pattern and policies. I like that.

3.Freefall Express, MT Vernon, MO

Reasons: WHAT??!? That's not a full time Turbine DZ! That's not Eloy! Surely I made a mistake!!! Well, That Dropzone just feels like home. They fly their cessnas for everyone, Tandems, students, upjumpers, and their homegrown gang just welcomes everyone. The DZO and his wife are wonderful people, and What I like most about their DZ is their family feel. Last time I was there, the Lynn, the DZO's wife, was having all the skydiver draw easter bunnies all over the hangers deck. Safe landing area, and I know they try their best for skydivers.

=========Shaun ==========

[Amazon 7]

I would have the OP opt for something up north in the summer. UNLESS he likes either tropical weather where it rains every day in the afternoon.. or the upper midwest that has very hot and humid continental climate with storm systems moving thru that shut down jumping for several days at a time.( IT is a good thing that CORN loves this kind of weather because it grows very high (12') and poses "interesting" landings to loads that get bad spots.)

Desert SW in the summer... great if you like that nice hot weather where it gets to 110 to 120 degrees F daily and all jumping is done for the day by 10 am. Even the Southern CA DZ's in CA get interesting things happening at them during those hot summer days...."Wrath of GOD" sized dust devils with colums of dust up to 2000' come to mind.

Skydive Mesquite... Turbine in the winter( Big Bird leaves and goes to Spokane at the end of this month)..Summer time its very hot and Brad only has the small airplane. Winter time I LOVE this place.

Florida.. summer is the slow season...hot humid.. buggy..I spent my summers in FL as a child and lived there for several years as an adult. Great place to fly around huge cumulus clouds

I would recommend someplace like Orange MA....or the Farm in NY....or hell just hit the boogie circuit....

Lost Prairie has near perfect weather for the 10 days it runs at the end of July 1st week of Aug.. not too hot.. not humid... and the Skydive AZ airplanes that come up to escape the heat lets you jump as much as you want all week long.