DZ with Strictest Safety Standards/Training?

[Apollinaire 0]

As a newb, I read alot here about boogies here and there and how folks should watch out for people from OTHER DZs that might not have been trained as well on the finer points of safety.

So, that got me to thinking about which DZ iyho has the strictest safety standards and training? I'm in the Southeast and going for AFF but would go anywhere in the contiguous US to do it at the "best" place. I'm not looking for dirt on the bad ones as I can figure that part out. I'm just looking for the one's you respect alot.

Loaded question? Anybody want to weigh in? PM me if that's more comfortable for you. Thanks!

[funks 1]

Quote

Loaded question?

Yes. There is a good majority of the DZ's in this country represented here. You wont catch anybody publicly stating their DZ is unsafe or has a bad track record.

Its the age of the internet...you look hard enough and you can find anything on your own, even info people wouldnt necessarily want you to find.

I would do two things...do a search on this board because this has been discussed before and perhaps edit your post and tell people to feel free to send you PM's. People might be more comfortable discussing specific DZ's in private.


edited to add...I think you edited your post after i responded to your original request....My response was to your unedited post.

[Hooknswoop 19]

I think he is aking for the safest DZ, not the worst ones.

Derek

[billvon 2,998]

>So, that got me to thinking about which DZ iyho has the strictest
>safety standards and training?

"Strictest?" I can think of one DZ that doesn't allow anyone to jump there unless they were trained there. A second that requires cypreses, and third one that has a pretty draconian (1.5) wingloading limit for everyone. Those are all pretty strict. I don't think any of those are significantly 'better' than any others though. Here are questions you may want to ask instead:

-who has the best student program? (still pretty vague)

-who has the best followon (i.e. ISP) program?

-are they USPA affiliated?

-do they have sufficient aircraft to get you up regularly? (overloaded one-cessna DZ's sometimes mean long waits)

-are they near wind tunnels? (may be an issue if you have trouble; wind tunnels are invaluable for solving basic freefall problems)

-do they have good gear? Most student gear is safe, but better DZ's have student/rental programs that allow you to learn on smaller canopies than Mantas/Navigators as you progress.

[Apollinaire 0]

Yes, I am looking for the safest DZ, one that people really respect and look up to. I figured it was a loaded q because everyone would prefer their own obviously. But I know there must be really well-respected ones too that might not be people's own dzs for reasons like distance but they would recommend them for their training/jump standards.

I'll also edit the message to include PM in case somebody wants to give me their opinion privately.

Thanks y'all!

[Apollinaire 0]

Dang, if y'all keep helping me I will finally ask the question I need to ask! You are right, right, right! Those are all q's for which I'll be searching for the answers! Thanks so much for taking the time to write!

There is a wind tunnel pretty close to which I am going to make a visit. I did it when I was just a kid in high school and it was a blast. This time I'm going to try it with the coaching.

Thanks again so much!

[Hooknswoop 19]

The problem is people learn at one DZ. They take one FJC, etc. They can't compare one student program to another since they only took one. If you defined 'strictest safety standards', that might help generate answers.

Derke

[kelpdiver 2]

Quote

I think he is aking for the safest DZ, not the worst ones.

It is much easier to identify the worst than the best. But even then, with 200+ dropzones in the country and ~300 fatalities and a totally unknown number of injuries, the data set is too small to find much of statistical significance.

Knowing what I do now, I would have taken a different route, but more for reasons of convience and weather than safety.

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

with 200+ dropzones in the country and ~300 fatalities...

Um, don't you have an extra zero on the fatalities figure? There are only about 30 fatalities per year on average.

[kelpdiver 2]

oops, mind drifted off when I wrote that.

~300 in the last 10 years.

It doesn't make sense to evaluate a place on events that happened two generations ago.

[beowulf 1]

Ya really need to get a handle on that ADD

[DJL 235]

Strictest safety standards doesn't even mean they're the most safe. If you were to go to a DZ with rules such as the ones that BV posted and then show up at WFFC, you may be unprepared things such as faster canopies in the landing area. Safe has more to do with your ability than your surroundings being strict; you can never explore the envelope if you can't do anything. Look for good coaching programs with knowlegeable and helpfull staff, and above all take it upon yourself to learn, don't wait for someone else to impress a lesson upon you.

Geez, I sound like fucking Yoda.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[darkwing 5]

Impossible question to answer the way you want to. Just go and jump. Make yourself the safest you can.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[MarkM 0]

Quote

I'm in the Southeast and going for AFF

Pretty much any of the big DZs in Florida would suit the bill. They're typically well staffed with very experienced instructors, have a good selection of gear, nice planes and see a lot of students. Plus you have wind tunnel access in Orlando.

That doesn't mean the smaller DZs aren't often better. I was a student at 5 dropzones and one of best instructors I had was a guy at a small cesna DZ up in Indiana.

The best thing you can do though is to just go out and interview instructors at dropzones. Get a feel for the ones that are going to give you the attention you need and have an attitude that best meshes with yours. You can have a guy who has the most ratings in the world, but if you don't vibe with him he won't be a good instructor for you. What makes a "good" instructor often varies from person to person.

[Apollinaire 0]

All such good points! Thanks to all for your advice!!!

So much to consider. Thank God for this forum to learn, learn, learn from the wisdom and insight of others!

[skyyhi 0]

You are getting some really excellent advice here. Most any DZ with an instructor can teach you how to skydive. You really just need to check out the DZ and see if it makes you feel comfortable. I had been to the 3 DZs in my area for visits and chose to do my course at Elsinore because it clicked with me. . .the other DZs in my area have excellent programs of learning and excellent safety records but the vibe fit me better at Elsinore. . .I mean one of the DZOs sat down with me and chatted a while before I ever even thought of becoming a skydiver.

________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

[jonmyob 0]

USAFA Colorado Springs

[happythoughts 0]

Fatalities don't necessarily reflect safety either.

We have had visitors hook themselves in.

After a person gets a license, they get to determine their life. Half the fatalities are under good functioning canopies. Many landing injuries are an overestimation of personal skill, not the safety policy of the dz.

A dz with a swoop pond will have more landing injuries than a dz without. It is like a swimming pool. It adds to the possibility of injury because it is an "attractive nuisance".

[Hooknswoop 19]

***USAFA Colorado Springs

I wouldn't call a solo 10-second delay on your first skydive the strictest safety standard/training. There is a reason they put AAD's on their mains and reserves there.

Derek

[riggerrob 643]

Yes, every DZ has it's individual "vibe."
For example, you might feel more "at home" at a hillybilly DZ just outside Red Neckville.
Fiercely competitive, "Type A" skydivers may prefer all the coaches and facilities at Perris, California or DeLand, Florida.
Hard-core accuracy competitors will fit in better at old-school DZs like Raeford.
Some DZs have great night life ... unless you don't enjoy the company of drunks and stoners.
Also consider your family. Your wife and kiddies may be more comfortable lounging in the swimming pool at Perris.

etc.

The bottom line is: look around two or three DZs, chat with instructors in the evenings and learn at whichever DZ "feels right."

[Apollinaire 0]

Yeah, that's something I've been considering too about finding a home dz because I'm coming to the realization that buying into this whole sport is like buying into a new family. And this is a family I actually get to pick so why not pick the one that suits my personality best. At the moment (I say NOW because I seem to be undergoing rapid change lately) I'm not terribly competitive in life so a true boo-yah kinda joint would probably freak me out a little. Hillbilly joints wouldn't necessarily get me so that's probably not a great idea either. Although the thought of jumping hillbillies does kinda give me a giggle cause I can barely believe those exist but I'll take your word for it. I like to party a little but gotta admit I like to go to sleep earlier than most and rise early so a hard core party place would find me their play toy after I pass out I'm sure and start writing things on my face,etc., I imagine. I'm pretty mellow for the most part and will, completely sober, sing a round of kumbayah (sp?) from time to time. I'm married so a place that embraces that would be good. Geez, I feel like I'm writing a personal ad. I guess I need to just get my butt off the couch and head out to the DZs closeby. Good advice! Thanks!

BTW, I'm a chick married to a `cool dude. I guess my name made people think I'm a dude. I got it from the author of the quote I saw in the Mental Training for Skydiving and Life book I've been reading. The one that goes, "Come to the edge. We can't we're afraid. Come to the edge. We can't we'll fall. Come to the edge. And they came to the edge. And he pushed them. And they flew." by Guillaume Apollinaire. I love, love, love that quote because that is truly how I felt the first time I jumped. Beautiful!

Thanks again for the advice!