DZ Reviews and ASC

[keefusa 0]

Am I an imbecile or can anyone else find the DZ reviews? I've looked through the entire site and can only figure out how to write a review. Also, what is the general consensus about Atlanta Skydiving Center? I read a few posts in the newsgroups that blasted the place, but I had a fairly pleasant experience there. Granted I do only have one tandem jump, I'm getting ready to go try and take all 7 AFFs in one weekend. They said I could do it if I passed each level. What do you think my chances are of that?

[sangiro 25]

I"'m working on the DZ Review script.... hope to have the reviews back again soon.
Safe swoops
Sangiro

[cyberskydive 0]

As for the reviews you can find more info in the bug reports forums - I assume the reviews will be back shortly.
I'll let the bashing stay on rec, as I'm kinda biased to skydive monroe because Ihave jumped there 5 years and I write the website http://www.skydivemonroe.com 1-800-SKYDIVE - LITERALLY only 25 miles east of Stone Mountain
And depending on where you live, Skydive Atlanta in Thomaston,?? miles south of Atlanta is a nice place, although I've only been there once on a slow day I've met a few cool folks from there, as others on this forum can vouch for I'm sure.
C-28534
http://www.sunraydesigns.com

[ClayFowler 0]

I wont blast ASC too hard but I wouldnt send a student there even if I didnt like them. The problem with ASC as I see it is this. Ben is way too profit motivated, to the point of deceptive business practices. Since I'm not an "expert" on Tandem safety I wont speak on that subject either. I can tell you I have seen things there that I didnt like. Even though ASC is only 45 minutes from my house, I make the drive (1 and a half hours) down to Thamaston every weekend. The atmosphere and people there are great as well as they have a full time Otter instead of the "plane of the month" at ASC. I have heard good things about Monroe if that is closer but havent tried it yet.

[mountainman 0]

Hey man!
I don't know anything about that DZ, but I may be able to shed some light on getting AFF done. If you go there on a Saturday morning for ground school, you MAY get 2 jumps in on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, you will probably get in about 4 or 5 jumps. This is only if it is a big place with large, fast jumpplanes. It seems to be harder to find all the JM's you need to keep staying in the air and not waiting on the ground a lot.
I spent a lot of time waiting for JMs. This really slowed down our process. Hopefully they'll speed it up a bit soon!!!
Good luck man!!
Our humble corner on the web... HERE

[Dutchboy 0]

If you want to hear some stories, come buy me a beer some day. Personally, I will never jump at ASC again (unless it were to change ownership). It is the closest DZ to my house, but I chose to jump at Atlanta Air Sportz in Rome, and Skydive Atlanta in Thomaston. I haven't made it to Monroe yet (perhaps on a cross-country flight someday?).
My priorities in selecting a DZ are safety, atmosphere, and other jumpers. Facilities are part of the equation, but not the most important thing. Given these priorities I feel most comfortable at Rome and Thomaston.
I think doing all 7 AFF's in one 3-day weekend is more realistic than trying to do it in two days. That is lots of jumps in a day for a student, and you are assuming you will pass every one. I think your chances of doing this at either Rome or Thomaston would be higher, because they are much more focused on up-jumpers and students and not just first time tandem passengers. I think you could realistically and safely accomplish this Friday-Sunday at either DZ. Rome would be somewhat cheaper because they will sell you the whole deal for $1099 and Thomaston will charge you $1150. I think Rome also throws in a free graduation jump.
They are both good places. I don't know which one is closer for you. Either place you'll probably jump a Cessna 182 on Friday. Thomaston would be using the Super Otter the other two days and Rome would probably be using the Cessna.
The Dutchboy
http://www.geocities.com/ppolstra

[pyke 0]

Well, I too won't get into a verbal trash match about ASC and their politics, but I will tell you what I know from my experience there (note: experience isn't plural).
I showed up and it took a while to figure out the process, but having jumped other dzs in NZ, I knew that there would be forms, so I went to Manifest. I registered and told them I would probably do one jump (budget constraints suck!). They asked me for the money then. (Now, having come from NZ, I wasn't used to this, and thought this might be the way things were done) They AREN'T. Asking for money up front is poor form in my opinion.
I got introduced to a few people who seemed friendly enough. I was excited about jumping the skyvan ('cause I had always heard about them - p.s. it isn't there anymore). We planned our dive, did the dive, but I noticed on landing that it was a tight squeeze of a landing area in the trees. The winds were favourable, so landing didn't pose too much of a problem, but for a sub-100 jumper I was still a little weary about it. If you learn there, I suppose it wouldn't be much of a problem and you would get used to it, but my opinion is that a student should have copious landing areas and outs to choose from j.i.c.- and I just didn't see them there, but things could have changed.
The covered a/c'd packing areas were nice, and I can imagine a blessing in the GA summer heat.
So, all in all, I would rate my experience at ASC about a 5/10. It was a good jump, with some good people. I had fun with my dive (considering I hadn't jumped in over a month) and I liked the facilities. I can't say anything about the gear they use for students, or what their tandems are like. I got a sour taste in mouth (figuratively!) from the 'up front' payment plan, and the politics afterwards about their listing in 3 differents states under 3 different names doesn't sit well with my ethics of business practices.
Shortly thereafter, I found a place to call home and I like where I jump. So, I will go back to ASC for a boogie, or a rain out at my home dz, but not for much else.
[/lunch hour diatribe]
Kahurangi e Mahearangi,
Pyke
NZPF A - 2584
USPA C- ?????

[keefusa 0]

I suppose what worries me the most is that nobody has anything good to say.

[SpeedRacer 1]

Pyke, when you say "money up front" do you just mean you had to buy jump tickets in advance, instead of paying up at the end of the day?
If so, then I should tell you, that buying jump tickets before the jump is actually a very common practice, especially at large busy dropzones. It isn't "poor form" its just the only way to insure that all the jumps get paid for on a large, busy dropzone. I know that that's the way they do it at Zephyrhills. In many DZ's, "manifest" means "money first!"
At my dropzone in West Point VA you usually pay at the end of the day, but it's a medium sized DZ where we usually know everybody. But during some boogies when there's suddenly a whole lot of people there, we sell jump tickets before hand.
Speed Racer
"I think I think, therefore, I think I am, I think!"

[pyke 0]

Quote

do you just mean you had to buy jump tickets in advance, instead of paying up at the end of the day?

nope, I mean, they made/were going to make me pay for entire my day of jumping before I jumped.
I am fully aware of the jump ticket option (although at the time I hadn't experienced it, but since then we have used them for boogies at Monroe) And they get collected as you get on the plane (or in Dallas, you get your card swiped at manifest). This I get! and I have no problems with it. (and if this is how thing were to work, I was not made aware of it by ANYONE) Normal jumping days at Monroe are like yours in VA, you pay at the end of the day and everybody knows everybody, or if they don't, then Manifest certainly does !
No, I had made it clear to ASC that I was new to the country and the US way of doing things and I didn't get any support as far as interpretation, orientation, or what have you. I was told what to pay, and what load I was on. I had to ask where and how to get to the plane (packing and manifest are separated from the runway - no biggie, just followed the formation I was in). I have been to other dzs since where you get a full orientation of the grounds, the landing patterns, and what is the happs...and I agree with/like this. Regardless of how 'seasoned' you are...it is nice to be shown around a new dz by the staff. Gives one a welcome feeling.
So, anyway, as I said, I just didn't agree with ASC, but that is okay, because there are 00's of jumpers that do agree with it every week/weekend. I found my 'home' away from home.
Diplomatically yours,
Kahurangi e Mahearangi,
Pyke
NZPF A - 2584
USPA C- ?????

[Dutchboy 0]

I was forced to actually leave them my credit card. I could see swiping the card first, but actually keeping your card? Reminds me of the car dealers that lose the keys to your trade-in so they can keep you there.
The Dutchboy
http://www.geocities.com/ppolstra

[freefallfreak 0]

keefusa,
Dude, I did my AFF there. It isn't as bad as some would want you to believe but I do agree that it is a money making place. I don't have anything against that either but I kinda disagree with the whole "leave your credit card with us" thing and the paying up front. The bit about them misrepresenting themselves as three different places in three different states also left a sour taste behind cause I don't think it was very ethical. And everyone is right about the landing area - it is kinda small for a student (I know, cause I was a student there), but it forced me to learn how to land in a small space. Ben is sorta money oriented as is Cary, but I think that is why they opened the place - to make money - it is a business of sorts. And they are both good flyers, with Cary the crazy one and Ben the conservative flyer. The people I met were kinda' clickish but that could have been my fault cause I don't care what I say to anyone or who hears what I say (never learned to be very tactful), so again that could have been my fault. One thing I will state is this - if you think you are gonna get all 7 levels done in two days there, you better think again. It will not happen. There are too many tandems that will go ahead of you. I know this from experience. On the positive side, they truly do have a few great fliers there. Ann, Charlie Mullins, Danny Page, Ben (when he will get out there and fly), just to name a few. Over all, like Pyke, I'd say if I had to rate it, it would be 5/10. I also like Monroe. I wish they would cut the grass a little more often, tho. (Oh, hi Pyke) I got hooked on Skydive Hotlanta cause it is more open and flat (not landing on a hill behind trees like at ASC) and the people are really great. They took a low time, know nothing and helped him (me) learn without having to ask. Suggestions were mine for the taking. And no one laughed as I learned. Then I discovered Raiford and Tony Thacker. Since, I have jumped at a bunch of different places, but I will always migrate back to Dutchboy's Dike (or is that Dutchboy's Dyke?? And no, I am definately not plugging the hole in the dike...or is that dyke?). That is where I feel safest, welcomed and most at home.
FFF

[ClayFowler 0]

No the policy is that you PAY UP FRONT! I mean they want to hold on to your credit card all day or cash up front. To be fair they will set up an account for you. You are still paying up front and as long as their math is correct you wont have problems. I think jump tkts would make people feel better....not that it would bring me back.
Keefusa: The staff will tell you anything if it gets you to the DZ. They would probably be willing to tell you you'd have a D License in a weekend if they thought it would get your money. The other big problem I had was...Who the Hell charges tax on lift prices? Last I checked I paid $21 a jump there. $19 plus tax.........Let's talk about jackasses swooping non-jumping spectators at the picnic tables. Not only stupid but very danegerous to the DZ's existence. I saw several near disasters in my weekends there. I dont think those old people and kids had any waivers signed?
The landing area has been much improved although it is still the top of a hill. In recent times power lines and trees have been removed and the new AC packing area is very nice. The spool riding was an awesome spectator sport!!!! Once again...I just dont think that the atmosphere was good there. I had the feeling that if I burned in on a jump I would be on my own to call an ambulance because the staff would be too busy getting the next tandem or AFF on the plane. Just my opinion!

[lazerq3 0]

I know at my DZ skydive ogden,ut they say they like people to pay before they jump but they dont hold it to you nor do they ask to hold any credit card. I know when we had the super otter weekend they had it set up to buy jump tickets so you could buy say five jumps at one time and then just give manifest a ticket to get on the next load. But usaully they use a honor system which I think is great. To me I see skydiving as a disipline just like say martial arts, and one of the biggest parts of any disipline or anything in life is integrety and zi think anyone caught intentional skipping out on paying for a jump they made at the begining of the day outa be kicked out from that DZ and have other DZ's in the area notified of this person !!!! It may sound harsh but I'm the kind of person that doesnt like to pussy foot around was people like that!
jason
A-38658

[mouth 0]

I've jumped there once and had an ok time.
1. they took my credit card and kept it
2. landing area was small with few outs
3. we jumped with Mr. Pink so we knew who we were jumping with thus no problem with who to jump with
4. I saw lots of tandums but few AFF....we got bumped for a tandum once
Everything you have already heard.
I have also jumped at Monroe. The people were nice enough, the plane ok (it was a king air), and the landing was fair. There were some outs. You land right next to the taxiway.
I personally like Skydive Atlanta. We have a Super Otter, great large landing areas with lots of outs, a large hanger for packing, and wonderful instructors. There is a new student area that was just finished last week (haven't seen it but it should be nice...with AC!) Everyone is friendly and helpful to jumpers of all disciplines and experience levels.
Actually if you want to really try to get it done all this weekend why don't you call Trey or Jen 1-800-276-DIVE and honestly ask their opinion. We are going to have a group there Friday so you may even get to pull off a jump or two then hopefully from the Otter not a Cessna.
Whatever you choose good luck...hope to see you at SD ATL if that is your choice. Look me up.
Lisa