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Dropzone Database: North America: United States: Texas : Texas Skydiving Center : Reviews

has contributed 9 reviews

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(Review ID:4575)

4 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Great Instruction, you'll want to come back...

Rated by: DeltaBravo on 2008-06-11 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: Very friendly, close-knit and professional staff, relaxed atmosphere
Cons: None worth mentioning

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I did my first jump, a tandem, at Texas Skydiving Center, and was hooked. I've been back several times since and am working toward my A license. I even prepaid my AFF course because I was so pleased with the instruction and the overall experience, not to mention the price!

Cindy, the DZ owner, is always easy to reach by phone, and gets back to you promptly via email. She is very kind and attentive, and really makes you feel at home. The jumpmasters are easy to get along with, enthusiastic, and do a great job at gauging your readiness and ensuring your confidence. Also because the DZ is small, the instruction is very personal and one-on-one. I've already got a couple friends signed on to start AFF courses too.

The facilities are fine, and they've been improved a lot, even in the short time I've been there. The "outhouse" referred to in a previous review is actually just a separate sink and stall attached to the packing room, which also has a full bathroom and shower. There is a covered pavilion with table and chairs, nice place to hang out and eat. There's also a great little restaurant called Melissa's a couple miles away that serves a delicious home-cooking buffet. Or get out there early on Saturday and try out the absolute best barbecue in Texas at Snow's.

The best reason to skydive here is the atmosphere. It feels like a mini-vacation every time you go. Although there's a closer DZ to my place in Austin, I'd rather drive the extra 20 minutes to be in such a relaxed environment away from the city. If you're a first-timer looking for a great experience, you're definitely in the right place. And if you decide you like skydiving, I'll bet you'll be back!

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(Review ID:3894)

8 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

Good Experience!

Rated by: TAndrews on 2007-05-29 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: Great Staff, Nice Atmosphere!
Cons: Not many restaurants in town to choose from.

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I went to the Texas Skydiving Center to take a static line course and wound up taking an AFF course. This wound up being a great decision! The Instructor Staff did a very good job of instructing the first jump course and James was an excellent AFF instructor. The staff was very friendly, they even took me (an older gentlemen 40 YOA) with them to the local town festival. I took a packing course with Gary and to this day I can still pack a chute. I have been packing and jumping my own chutes since jump#15. I had no problem finding the dropzone and I drove there from West Texas (approximately 8 hours) bypassing several other dropzones that were closer. I have been there a couple of times and the people and dropzone have always been great! I can't understand anyone ever having a bad experience! The DZO Cindy has always been very accomodating and willing to do what ever is necessary for everyone to have good time!!

A Great Dropzone!
TAndrews My .02

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(Review ID:3147)

65 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

Dumpy place to go.

Rated by: Joshua on 2007-01-19 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: Good pilots, good rigger.
Cons: Glum employees who are not motivated. Low morale.

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The owner/operator is a control freak who is hypercritical of her trainees. The flight manifests are disorganized, the training short and unsufficient, and the general vibe of the place is poor.

The employees all seem glum and cynical.
It is a long drive from any major city, and not worth it. Go to Salado!

In my self defense (in response to the above contribution), I have to direct other readers to the jumper that had the same problem locating the DZ at TSC. I encountered a similar problem at Salado, but this time it was mutually agreed that most of the last jumpers exited far beyond the DZ. I was never "chewed out" for this at Salado, nor was I asked not to return. On the contrary, I receive regular emails inviting me to jump. I also was not banned from TSC, I merely listened to my recorded conversation with the owner several times, and decided that it was not the sort of training environment I needed or wanted.
I would also like to point out that were I dangerous I would have at least fractured a major bone , or hurt another jumper. I have done neither, but know many experienced jumpers (instructors) who have. Apparently the "zero defect" only applies to trainees at TSC.

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(Review ID:3603)

7 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

nice place to jump and work

Rated by: l.a.k. on 2007-01-01 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: some of the best student training to be found anywhere
Cons: small DZ, small plane, not a large volume facility

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I have to respond to Joshua's review, since I was there both times when he jumped and completely missed the DZ by more almost a mile while everyone else on the load had no trouble landing in. The DZO's concern as well as the whole staff was Joshua had absolutely no recall of what he did under canopy or what he saw or which direction he faced at any time... and his story changed every time he told it. Scary! I would not want to be under canopy at the same time as someone so disoriented. I have not experienced the DZO treating students badly even when they make a mistake. The focus is on trying to do corrective training.

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(Review ID:3537)

75 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

Instruction

Rated by: jimattackpilot on 2006-11-18 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: Pilot and rigger
Cons: See below

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As a military instructor pilot, I can identify with Joshuas concerns for finding an unmarked drop zone from 2000 feet. Aerial observation is a skill that is trained for years to be of any use to a helicopter pilot attempting to find an unfamiliar target location. If the ground location is new to the skydiver, I sure it would take several jumps to properly i.d. and then land at the correct location. Josh is a friend of mine, and one of the most level headed and safety conscious persons I know. Perhaps the fault lies with the instruction at TSC. I've learned from years of instructing, that it's often not what the motivated student does wrong that must be corrected, but rather the direction and technique that the instructor uses to address the issue. I submit that the instruction is inflexible and flawed. I know that airplane fuel is expensive (as is the time for a commerical pilot to be hired), but maybe more aerial familiarization with the landing zone is in order. Aerial photos will be bst utilized to properly verifying the LZ from the aircraft. I am curious as to why the TSC doesn't use panel markers or some other highly visible means to identify the landing area. Looking into similar shaped fields from the air can make each square look the same from higher altitudes. I would look for a place with more professional instruction for my sky diving.

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(Review ID:3331)

11 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

I learned how to sky dive here and I'm staying

Rated by: ptrowe on 2006-08-14 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: A small cozy DZ that CARES about everyone and is safety conscience
Cons: It's in the middle of BFE

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I did a Tandem is San Marcos and then I found ASC by doing a Google search. I found the people there to not only be nice and encourage learning, but also very tight knit and always more hospitable than most larger DZs. The DZ owner is always courteous and the workers just plain and simple want everyone to succeed.

The guy that wrote that post below, Joshua, had consistently not listened to directions when going through his AFF course. The first time he did a 270 degree turn below 300 feet to turn in to the wind and he was politely corrected not to do that again. This was his 10th jump. The very next weekend he failed to locate the DZ on the very same load I jumped on and flew his canopy downwind several miles. The DZ owner had a sit down discussion with him and asked him why he couldn't locate the DZ and his answer was "I don't know." She asked him what signs to look for to help locate the DZ like other jumpers, land marks, etc and he couldn't think of anything to help him locate it. She then started quizing him on items in the ISP and SIM and he could not seem to remember any of those either and then later admitted that he hadn't read them. She asked him not to return to Austin Skydiving Center. I then also learned that he was also asked to leave Saledo for the same reasons.

-Paul Trowe
USPA Coach, Austin Skydiving Center

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(Review ID:2610)

52 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

Very-Very small dropzone

Rated by: seanstill on 2005-09-21 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Texas Skydiving Center
Pros: Friendly staff
Cons: It's very remote

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The Good: Nice people and very laid back relaxed enviorment. Large landing area.

The Bad: The facilities could use some improvement, it was kind of like jumping in someones back yard, that was the impression I got. The bathroom was as close to an out-house as I've ever seen. It has indoor packing but it's small and pretty tight, not a big deal because there's not much of a crowd. A little bit of a wait for a plane. When I went it was called Skydive Austin but not really anywhere near Austin so I'm glad they changed the name.

The Ugly: This dropzone is pretty remote, while going there you get the impression that your lost. The Cessna took a long time to get to altitude and we were dropped pretty far off course (I pulled high and barely made it back). But if the biggest con is the fact that the landing area and the whole DZ really blend in with surroundings. Even under canopy it wasn't easy to spot. A really big marker would go a long way here.

Overall the place was worth visiting, if your from a large DZ you might be disappointed but if not you will most likely enjoy the laid back atmosphere, I did.

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