Ottawa DZ's??

[Gixxer 0]

Hey everyone... I am living in Ottawa and looking for opinions and info on the DZ's that are around the area. I've been reading on the forums a lot about how the DZ is better rated if they use a bigger plane... is it just so it can go through more people?

Any info would be much appreciated... I just want the first of many to be a great one!!

[mdrejhon 8]

I'm an Ottawan here. These are the ones I am the most familiar with:

45min - Arnprior - Mile High www.milehighskydiving.com (2 Cessna, I think)
1.5hour - Skydive Gananoque www.skydivegan.com (3 cessna, plus long-weekend Twin Otter)
2.5hour - NouvelAir www.nouvelair.ca (Farnham, near Montreal) (Full time Twin Otter)

All three have various advantages. I like all of them for different reasons. You must visit all of them if you plan to become a skydiver. Gananoque is my home dropzone, great rural scenery, and the biggest bonfires (while I was around anyway), and the biggest landing areas of any of them (fewest "don't land" areas near main landing area). NouvelAir is very well established, very modern, on-site restaurant and great amenities, and the biggest within a daytrip's range of Ottawa, but also the most expensive (you pay for the luxury of a Twin Otter versus Cessna). Mile High is conveniently close, more neighbourhood like, you can even do occasional winter jumps and it's conveniently close to Ottawa (Call them up if you're looking for a winter jumps, they are open spontaneously throughout the winter on mild sunny winter days to experienced jumpers).

About Twin Otter versus Cessna. You notice you have to drive further to get better airplanes. Many of us prefer the Twin Otter - Twin Otter is much faster to altitude, but you can have longer waits between loads if there is only one active airplane flying. A great compromise is Skydive Gananoque; you can get tons of jumps in one day, they often fly all 3 Cessna's on busy days so loads are often taking off every 15 minutes on the busiest days. (i.e. It is easy to get 8+ jumps, even 10+ jumps on a busy sunny Saturday, at Gananoque even if you decide to miss a few loads). So this is really good for any Cessna dropzone. Or, if you find it easier to take a 1-week vacation than to visit a dropzone 4 weekends in a row to finish student training, NouvelAir is often open during the week... Then again, you know a buddy that carpools to one dropzone such as Mile High, and maybe you don't have a car, that may cinch your decision...

There's paramax in Alexandria in Alexandria (1 hour), but I'm unable to access their website and I haven't heard from them lately so not sure if they're still operating (?).

[Gixxer 0]

Wow! Thanks for all the info... I'll probably look into Gan first then... because it comes so highly recommended and it is kind of close...

More to follow.. .

[Gixxer 0]

Quote

45min - Arnprior - Mile High www.milehighskydiving.com (2 Cessna, I think)
1.5hour - Skydive Gananoque www.skydivegan.com (3 cessna, plus long-weekend Twin Otter)
2.5hour - NouvelAir www.nouvelair.ca (Farnham, near Montreal) (Full time Twin Otter)

http://www.milehighparachuting.com (Arnprior DZ) sure I would love to go to Denver to skydive, if I could afford it!! hehe

[Gixxer 0]

I am so excited to get started....! Is there a preferred choice for the first jump? Only the Mile High in Arnprior offers the SFJC, and I have heard that that although there is no free fall, it is exhilirating to go on your own...

Any comments on tandem or solo for first jump?

Thx

[Andrewwhyte 1]

If you have already decided to become a skydiver I recommend you go to Nouvellair and buy the package. There is a reason they are the largest centre in the country

[mdrejhon 8]

Quote

If you have already decided to become a skydiver I recommend you go to Nouvellair and buy the package. There is a reason they are the largest centre in the country

They are a rather nice dropzone, and they are also hosting our next boogie as well. Fun place!

Ultimately, where you decide to learn to jump is your decision. Amongst other things, one consideration that might affect your consideration is what atmosphere you prefer. Dropzones range from tiny cozy lodges/shacks all the way to highly commercialized-with-colorful-logo operations with amenities such as restaurant/gear store/etc. Mile High being the former, with NouvelAir being the latter, with Gananoque neither but they have the biggest hangar, a big World War II plane, and they do have the trailer park/bunkhouse if that suits you.

In either situation, wherever you jump, you won't be doing solo freefall on your first jump anyway. You have a choice of either solo or freefall. Tandem + AFF/PFF will probably get you to full solo freefall in fewer jumps. On the other hand, dropzones that do IAD (or static line) may be cheaper per jump, but require more jumps in order to complete.

And - thanks for correcting the web address. Yes, I goofed. Ooops. (My apologies to Buck!)

[Gixxer 0]

Thanks for your ideas guys... Tandem it is... ($$$ right now..)

Is it okay to suprise someone with a day of skydiving....? (providing they've already professed an interest in the sport!!) hehe... Cant wait!

Do I have to book ahead in order to reserve a spot? I would like to go in April if one of the three DZ's are operating this early... Or is it pretty much call before you go?

[flr169 0]

hey guys , I'm down in northwestern, ontario....

how much are jump tickets up there...

cesna...?
twin otter ...?

I may be visiting Ottawa this summer


Mike

Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting - "fcuk me what a ride!"