Choosing a DZ in California.

[traceomac 0]

Hi I'm flying down from the Yukon from may 1-15 to california to do my Aff and hopefully get my A licence...

I'm just not sure what dropzone to choose, Im definitely Inclined to choose the Parachute center in Ampco for the cost ($1000 for Aff course). and then i think 15 bucks a jump after...

just wondering if anyone had any input to choosing a drop zone.

must have camping or dorms, Must have a bar or a good group of people that like to party... Obviously...

and last but definitely not least must be a safety conscious place...

hope to hear some of your ideas!

Thanks

[bwg 0]

I can highly recommend Skydance Skydiving in Davis, CA. Skydance is a USPA training center with excellent AFF instructors. They operate very well maintained aircraft. Students are treated with respect and are welcomed into the drop zone social life... but, in keeping with tradition, you will be buying some beer;)

[menopause 0]

Skydance also has a $2000 A license package that covers gear, aff, packing, water training, hop & pops etc.

[chuckakers 425]

Menopause

Skydance also has a $2000 A license package that covers gear, aff, packing, water training, hop & pops etc.

Crusty ol' Texas guy here.

Skydance is a good choice. Feel comfortable there.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[erdnarob 1]

I was at Skydance once and, as non USPA member, I had to take a 3 month USPA membership despite I was a member of the CSPA. Also Skydance is not open every week days.

NOTE : CSPA has a public liability insurance coverage of 3 millions dollars while the USPA insurance coverage is way way way lower than that. I have jumped at many places in the USA and only two clubs ask me to pay for a three months USPA membership ie. Skydance and Titusville.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[format 1]

erdnarob

I was at Skydance once and, as non USPA member, I had to take a 3 month USPA membership despite I was a member of the CSPA. Also Skydance is not open every week days.

NOTE : CSPA has a public liability insurance coverage of 3 millions dollars while the USPA insurance coverage is way way way lower than that. I have jumped at many places in the USA and only two clubs ask me to pay for a three months USPA membership ie. Skydance and Titusville.

Wouldn't it be cheaper just to get USPA licence?
(not to mention the distance of 2500 miles between Skydance and Titusville)

What goes around, comes later.

[grimmie 186]

erdnarob

I was at Skydance once and, as non USPA member, I had to take a 3 month USPA membership despite I was a member of the CSPA. Also Skydance is not open every week days.

NOTE : CSPA has a public liability insurance coverage of 3 millions dollars while the USPA insurance coverage is way way way lower than that. I have jumped at many places in the USA and only two clubs ask me to pay for a three months USPA membership ie. Skydance and Titusville.

Some drop zones that are located on public airports in America have a requirement in their lease agreement that every skydiver be a member of the USPA.

[EOCS 0]

I came over to CA from EU to go jumping and ended up going to a few places before going to skydance. I highly recommend this place. you can read my full review herehttp://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/dropzone/review.cgi?ID=176, should give a good idea about the place. I have also head Elsinore is a good place but didnt get the chance to go check it out.

Avoid hollister! Avoid Lodi!

[topdocker 0]

In early to mid-May in NorCal the weather can be extremely variable, as if Winter and Summer are arguing. It can be pouring rain and cold, or sunny and 105. So understand, the weather gods may have more to do with training than with the particular DZ.

Since you only have two weeks, and of that only two weekends, you need to know which DZ's are going to be able to accommodate such a tight window, given that weather will most likely interfere a bit. Some are only open on Wednesday to Sunday, some are open every day, some don't offer AFF on weekends, others that is the only time.

Also, find out how far they are away from motels, restaurants, if they allow camping, if they have showers, etc. Because if you are travelling, you don't want to drive an hour each way every day to and from a DZ or have to use a hose to brush your teeth.

Then it comes down to who you get the best feel from and sounds like what you want. That is highly variable and depends on who answers the phone and really what you want. Also, most will want some non-refundable deposit, so if it rains for two weeks, you haven't got squat but the chance to come back. Find out the raincheck/refund policy.

Every one will say they are the best deal, have the best gear, have the best planes, yada, yada, yada. Remember, these business compete against each other for a limited number of students, so be aware that they are going to say what they need to so you choose their DZ. And people posting here will have their own agenda, like being an instructor at one of the DZ's, was recently fired at another DZ, or has never been to another DZ so they are posting second hand info.

So, weed through the posts here, check the "Dropzones" section on DZ.com, call around a bit, think about the logistics of travel, then make an informed decision. And if you get there and something doesn't add up, try another place.

And don't forget to have fun and learn something!
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[traceomac 0]

why would you say avoid Lodi? I'm leaning towards it just because it seems to be the busiest, Open seven days a week, and the cost is a little less than the rest...

Would like to hear any thoughts on Lodi! Pros Cons for doing Aff there as apposed to skydance or other drop zones!

[flailchick 0]

Everyone will have their own opinion, and a right to voice it...
That said. The Parachute Center at Lodi would probably meet your needs the best. Bill Dause, the owner, is committed to getting jumpers in the air. It has been many years since I was a staff instructor at Lodi, but many people have learned to safely skydive there. I believe that Lodi is open for jumping every day which will be important if you have a short window of time. Lodi is not affiliated with USPA, but that does not mean that it is not a great place to skydive. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

[jclalor 12]

traceomac

why would you say avoid Lodi? I'm leaning towards it just because it seems to be the busiest, Open seven days a week, and the cost is a little less than the rest...

Would like to hear any thoughts on Lodi! Pros Cons for doing Aff there as apposed to skydance or other drop zones!

Pros:

Price
Great gear
Lots of loads
Weather

Cons:

Only one AFFI for all 7 jumps
Documented AC maintenance issues
Very "clickish" DZ, be prepared to be ignored by the locals
No seat belts worn in AC
Be prepared to exit right after a tandem when jumping solo

Skydance may be a little more, but worth every penny.

[NWFlyer 2]

You've been given two options in northern California - why not call the DZs and talk about their student programs and see if either sounds like the right fit for you. I'd recommend Skydance, but that's because I know about its student program first hand and can vouch for the quality of it.

Or, California's a big place - you also have several options in Southern California that have student programs (Perris, Elsinore, Skydive San Diego), some of which are open seven days a week. Weather in the southern part of the state tends to be more consistently dry/warm.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[jbyrd 0]

lodi keeps your money if you fail 1000 for the course its worth it if money is an issue i have been an instructor there pretty bare bones no nonsense approach to skydiving

[Nerra 0]

I did my AFF at Skydance. It was a great experience. The locals were super friendly from day one and the training very extensive. Their $2k A licence deal is very reasonable if you look around.

They are normally closed on a Monday and Tuesday.

[nutellaontoast 0]

traceomac

why would you say avoid Lodi?

For as long as I've been skydiving, Lodi has had a reputation for being a bit of a, uh, loose cannon, so to speak. Many people have very strong opinions about it in both directions.

My take on the DZ is this: they do things differently there than at other drop zones. I think that a lot of what they do increases the risk. This doesn't stop me personally from jumping there, but it does make me caution those who cannot be expected to asses the risk themselves away from it. I always steer AFF students and tandems to other drop zones.

So another vote for SkyDance if you're in norcal. The weather in May shouldn't be a problem. I would recommend Byron, but in May it will be windy and they're not open weekdays, so it'd be too tight on a 2 week schedule. If you're in socal, I imagine either perris, elsinore or san diego would be able to accommodate you but don't have first hand experience.

Finally, STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HOLLISTER. Seriously. Almost no one around here will argue with that.

Don't let the fact that I sound like I think that I know what I'm talking about fool you. I know that I don't know what I'm talking about

[gowlerk 2,190]

Quote

and the cost is a little less than the rest...

Like most things in life.....you get what you pay for.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[traceomac 0]

I'm certainly not set on northern california, I'll be flying down so it doesn't really matter where I go.. I just chose cali because I've never been there and figure it would be a nice place to do it... southern cali might even be better because I'll be heading to mexico for a little bit after anyway... so area is not an issue.

[nutellaontoast 0]

If destination is a lot less important than getting the license finished, look into Eloy. They're open 25 hours a day, 9 days a week with 424 sunny days a year. Arizona can be awful pretty, too.

Don't let the fact that I sound like I think that I know what I'm talking about fool you. I know that I don't know what I'm talking about

[topdocker 0]

nutellaontoast

If destination is a lot less important than getting the license finished, look into Eloy. They're open 25 hours a day, 9 days a week with 424 sunny days a year. Arizona can be awful pretty, too.

Your numbers here explain a lot about your logbook!

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[headoverheels 333]

If you are considering Lodi, contact Ed. He is mostly
based there, but teaches his own students. I think he
will charge more than the DZ, but he is for sure
an excellent instructor. He is busy quite a bit on
weekends with his wingsuit activities, but it should
be easy to get the AFF completed during the week.

Contact Ed@WestCoastWingsuits.com He posts here
as bodypilot1.

p.s. I'm assuming that he is still teaching AFF. I've been
down for 1.5 years with shoulder issues, so I haven't seen
him lately.

[earth2eric 12]

I also recommend Skydance, not only because it's my home dropzone and I love it, but these reasons also:

-We are all awesome and friendly. You'll have no trouble finding people to jump with when you have your A. Before you get your A you have so many coaches here who would love to jump with you.
-As with most of the dropzones in California, we have extremely talented skydivers from all disciplines that will give you tons of advice and help.
-The planes are all very nice and fast. We typically have one Grand Caravan running, sometimes a Pac, that are well kept and safe. Not to mention amazing pilots!
-We have a pro shop where you can buy gear and order gear. The rigging loft is located in the back. This means goggles, altimeters, audibles, etc all just 50 feet from the hangar. Comes in handy.
-Plenty of space to camp, with warm showers on site. Davis is a short drive away which is a really nice college town.
Plenty of bars restaurants and fun things to do.
-Huge landing area close to the hangar. Our pattern is very easy to understand and follow.

People here are friendly, safe, and experienced. We have a DZO who takes care of his facilities and aircraft. Your experience will always be top notch, guaranteed.

Getting your A shouldn't be about how fast or cheap you can do it!

We hope to see you out here! Blue skies.

[377 22]

NORCAL DZs. All ratings just my personal opnion. Others disagree.

Lowest Prices: Lodi (Parachute Center)
Warmest Vibe: Byron (Bay Area Skydiving)
Best Planes: Yolo (Skydance)
Best Views: Monterey (Skydive Monterey Bay)

There are also DZs at Madera, Cloverdale, Lincoln and Hollister but I have not jumped there so cannot opine.

If you really want to stretch your dollars, LODI's prices cannot be beat anywhere.

Check schedules, some DZs are not in operation on weekdays.

SF is a GREAT city to visit and you might want to choose a DZ that is commutable from SF.

We NORCAL residents are blessed with an abundance of DZs and even a wind tunnel in Union City.

I am not an instructor but my guess is that you'd benefit hugely from learning how to fly stable in a wind tunnel before starting AFF. Instructors can weigh in on this as they know more than I do about teaching and learning skydiving.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[LyraM45 0]

earth2eric

I also recommend Skydance, not only because it's my home dropzone and I love it, but these reasons also:

-We are all awesome and friendly. You'll have no trouble finding people to jump with when you have your A. Before you get your A you have so many coaches here who would love to jump with you.
-As with most of the dropzones in California, we have extremely talented skydivers from all disciplines that will give you tons of advice and help.
-The planes are all very nice and fast. We typically have one Grand Caravan running, sometimes a Pac, that are well kept and safe. Not to mention amazing pilots!
-We have a pro shop where you can buy gear and order gear. The rigging loft is located in the back. This means goggles, altimeters, audibles, etc all just 50 feet from the hangar. Comes in handy.
-Plenty of space to camp, with warm showers on site. Davis is a short drive away which is a really nice college town.
Plenty of bars restaurants and fun things to do.
-Huge landing area close to the hangar. Our pattern is very easy to understand and follow.

People here are friendly, safe, and experienced. We have a DZO who takes care of his facilities and aircraft. Your experience will always be top notch, guaranteed.

Getting your A shouldn't be about how fast or cheap you can do it!

We hope to see you out here! Blue skies.

^Generally what he said ^

Really though, I'll echo what others have said in that Skydance is a little bit more, but worth every penny IMO. Facilities, vibe, aircraft fleet and quality, diversity of talent and different types of flying, and reputation/track record make it the top of my list for area DZ's in NorCal/Bay Area.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)