Skydive Castellon

It is pretty hard to rate a DZ that you haven't even jumped at. I picked a location in Spain for a holiday close to a different DZ from my usual haunt (Empuria). They seemingly jumped every day. I e-mailed them a few times to ask about some Free Fly coaching and got no response. Eventually I got an e-mail just before I left saying they were jumping on the Thursday and Friday that week. I rocked up at just before nine on the Thursday. Firstly it was hard to work out where to go as there was not a sign in sight. Nor was there a single person or even any aircraft that I could see. I wandered around for about 15 minutes and eventually bumped into two guys. They were friendly enough when I approached them - I asked if they were jumping and they said 'at the weekend' - I said, what about the students you were meant to have today and got a simple shrug. I then left somewhat downhearted.

All in all a major disappointment to not even get a single jump in (Saturday it rained and so I didn't even bother). I wouldn't mind if I hadn't expected more.

The location would be awesome to jump with beach landings but as I will never return I will never get to see it from the air.

Just goes to show that you really can't beat Empuria Brava for your fully rounded skydiving experience...

My review concerns ONLY the winter French operation in Castellon! I've never been there in summer when the DZ is spanish operated.

pros:
- Best and most consistant weather available in Europe during winter.
- Good price for europe: 17EUR at 14500ft.
- Easy conditions: sea level, warm (not hot), much less wind than EmpuriaBrava up north.
- The staff is COOL (well it was this year but who knows who's gona be there next year ;-)
- Best place to experience the Atmonaute fly with it's creator (Marco Tiezzi spends the winter season there :-)
- Beach landing is possible 100 meters away of the DZ if you're into that :-)
- With two pilatus PC-6 (9 jumpers/load and 15min/load) you can put as many jumps/day as you like.

Cons:
- Except the beach and a few of small fields it's pretty insane to land of DZ: lots of houses, many small power lines...
As long as you pull at normal altitude you'll make it back.
- Not much to do after skidiving, Castellon feels dead in winter.
- Some weeks may be quite, bring your mates to be sure to have some people to fly with ;-)
- bring your gear: rentals are huge and rare...
- you won't find big RW formation there, this DZ is mostly FreeFly oriented.


Accomodation: you can rent a flat for 200EUR/week for 4/5 peoples.
- Getting there: fly to valencia or Barcelona and rent a car.
- FAI license + logbook + reserve packing up to date, you'll have to get a "foreigner license" like anywhere in France. It's free, just paper work issued localy on behalf of th FFP.
- AFF training available (cost arround 1000EUR). It's not actualy AFF but it's french equivalent: PAC, no worries.
- Operation from midle of december to the end of february (may vary sliglty from year to year)

contact: info@ontop.fr (ontop is the French DZ moving down there in winter.

Definitely a great place to jump in winter, I'll be there next year :-D

Alain