Where to Jump if You Live in Jacksonville
If you are coming from the Jacksonville, FL area there are 4 skydiving centers from which to choose. In this post we look at some of the factors that may impact your decision.
Coming from the Jacksonville, Florida area?
Here are your choices for skydiving centers.
| Name | Aircraft | Price of Tandem | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skydive Amelia Island (A) | Cessna 182 | $249 | not offered |
| Skydive Deland (B) | PAC, Twin Otter, Skyvan | $189 | AFF total $1460 |
| Skydive Jacksonville (C) | Cessna 182 | $199 | not offered |
| Skydive Palatka (D) | Cessna Caravan and 182s | $185 | AFF total $1300 |
Looking to make your first jump and you want it to be a tandem skydive?
Skydive Amelia Island offers lovely views, but operates a plane that can only accommodate 4 people (2 instructors with 2 students at a time), and you jump from an altitude of 10,000 feet.
Skydive Deland is the largest skydiving center on this list. They can easily accommodate large groups in a variety of aircraft, but they are the furthest away from the Jacksonville area. You jump from 14,000 feet at this dropzone.
Skydive Jacksonville....read the reviews first before deciding on this place, and please call first as the rumors are that it recently closed.
Skydive Palatka is a medium-sized skydiving center that is only open Friday through Sunday. We can accommodate large groups with our Cessna Caravan (12 jumpers total) and jump from 13,500 feet.
Skydivejax.com appears to be a scam site since it does not list a physical location.
Options for Certification
There are only two choices for you: Skydive Deland or Skydive Palatka.
Skydive Deland is a large dropzone while Skydive Palatka is a medium sized dropzone. We both offer AFF courses and gear rental for when you are ready to jump on your own. If you have the chance, then you should visit both places before choosing to see which "DZ personality" fits you best.
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Skydiving Center
From understanding USPA membership to their video services, choosing the right dropzone for you can be difficult. Here's five simple tips to finding the right skydiving center for you!
1. Is this actually a skydiving center (dropzone)?
Unfortunately there seems to be many third-party internet sites that are popping up lately. They sell you a tandem at a marked up price and then make the reservation for you at the skydiving center. Make sure that you can find a physical address for the company and that it is located on an airport.
2. Is this skydiving center a USPA member?
The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is the only nationally recognized governing body for parachuting activity in the United States. As a group member, the skydiving center pledges to follow the training and safety standards set by the USPA. While USPA membership is not mandatory, it can be an indication of how seriously the skydiving center believes in safety and training.
3. What altitude will I jump from?
The answer to this question is directly related to how much freefall time you will receive: more altitude equals more time in freefall. Smaller skydiving centers generally employ Cessna 182 aircraft and will climb to about 10,000 feet. Turbine aircraft, like our Cessna Caravan, are able to climb higher and the current industry standard is 13,500 feet. If a skydiving center is promising altitude above 14,000 feet then the pilot must have access to supplemental oxygen, and if you are going to 15,000 feet or higher then all aircraft occupants must receive supplemental oxygen to combat hypoxia, according to federal regulations.
4. What sort of video services do you offer?
With the arrival of the GoPro camera it has become easy for instructors to strap one onto their hand and offer a “hand-cam” video. While the quality of the video can be decent, we don’t believe that it matches what can be done with an outside videographer. Also, hand-cam videos can require a lot of attention from the tandem instructor to ensure that you remain in frame…attention that can be better spent by the instructor on doing the necessary equipment checks and keeping an eye on altitude.
5. What will the experience be like?
Many skydiving centers have succumbed to the pressure to offer Groupons or other such coupons. We know because we tried it too. Ultimately, low priced jumps lead to low quality jumps. In an effort to eke out a profit with such coupons skydiving centers are forced to think about quantity over quality. Make sure that you are willing to sacrifice a personalized experience before pressing the purchase button at a discount site. At Skydive Palatka we pride ourselves in making sure that every individual receives a unique experience as we welcome you to the world of skydiving.