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Skydive Chicago

Average Rating: 4.89 4.89 out of 5 based on 35 user reviews

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Location:
Skydive Chicago (8N2)
Lat: 41.3997778
Lng: -88.7939167

Address:
3215 E. 1969th Road
Ottawa, Illinois 61350
United States

Contact:
815 433 0000
815.433.6806 (fax)
info@skydivechicago.com
http://www.SkydiveChicago.com  (11603 Hits)

Last Updated: 2013-02-11
Aircraft:
2) Super Otters, 2) Grand Caravan, and the token Cesna

Training: AFF, S/L, Tandem

AAD: Not Required

Hook Turns: Allowed

USPA Membership: Required

Rates:
AFF: 195 USD
Tandem: 219 USD
Video: 119 USD
Jump Ticket: 24 USD to 13500 ft




Description:


Skydive Chicago has been setting the standard for skydiving excellence for 20 years and is just getting started. Located just off Interstate 80 in Ottawa, IL, SDC is a 220 acre private playground for adventure seekers equipped with camping space, cabin rentals, RV hook-ups, Eat Up Deli, free WiFi, swimming, disc golf, volleyball and some of the most world-class skydiving amenities available. We operate full-time Mid-March through early December with a fleet of Grand Caravans and Twin Otters and play host to some of the largest events in the skydiving industry such as SummerFest (July 27-Aug 4) and the USPA National Championships of Skydiving (Sep 11-24).
We offer professional services for everyone from the first-time tandem jumper to world champion level teams. Skydive Chicago is also the recent recipient of 15 DZ Awards including: Best Large Dropzone, Best Food, Best Staff & Manifest, Best Load Organizing, Best LO - Rook Nelson, Best Packing Area & Amenities, Best Packers, Locals, & Vibe, Best FS, Freefly, and Novelty Jumps, Best Boogie - SummerFest, and Runner-Up for Best Canopy Activities.
Contact us today to have a skydiving experience second to none!

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Location Map -

Facilities:

  • Gear Rentals
  • Gear Sales
  • Rigging Services
  • Covered Packing Area
  • Creeping Area
  • Team Rooms
  • Video Rooms
  • Coaches
  • Load Organizers
  • Accuracy Tuffet
  • Restaurant
  • Shop
  • Bar
  • Bunkhouse
  • RV Hookups
  • Camping
  • Showers
  • Pool

Upcoming Events:

Start Date End Date Event
2013-06-22 2013-06-23 MWSL Meet #2
2013-07-04 2013-07-07 Freedom Fest
2013-07-25 2013-07-28 RW 60 ways!
2013-07-27 2013-08-04 Summerfest
2013-07-27 2013-07-28 Freak Brother Reunion
2013-08-09 2013-08-11 Flight-1 Canopy Course
2013-08-17 2013-08-18 MMI Invitationals
2013-08-23 2013-08-25 Illinois Women's RW State Record Attempt
2013-08-31 2013-09-01 MWSL Meet #5
2013-09-11 2013-09-24 USPA National Skydiving Championships
2013-09-28 2013-09-29 Rookie Fest

> Post an Event


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Most Recent Photos (See all 12 photos)

tracking First Track Raptor Hand Shake SDC
Add a Video

Most Recent Videos

Havin' fun in 06' pt1 Havin' fun in 06' pt1 Havin' fun in 06' pt2 Havin' fun in 06' pt2 Havin' fun in 06' pt3 Havin' fun in 06' pt3 Summerfest 2008 Chicago!!! Summerfest 2008 Chicago!!!

35 Reviews Written

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The best DZ in the world!


Skydive Chicago Rated 5 by: rigoton95 on 2012-10-02

Pros: Everything!
Cons: I have to take a plane to get there... hehe No cons!
  Professionalism
  Vibe
  Aircraft
  Facilities
  Services
  Location
Skydiving paradise! Everything there was make for us the skydivers and is simply the best place in the world to have fun, learn and become a great skydiver in the world! SDC rocks my friends!

0 of 15 people found this review helpful:
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(Review ID:7652)

Big airplane, big hanger, big landing area.


Skydive Chicago Rated 5 by: Bealio on 2012-07-23

Pros: Hot manifest girls
Cons: Hot manifest girls are slow
  Professionalism
  Vibe
  Aircraft
  Facilities
  Services
  Location
The facilities are beautiful. This is what you picture a dropzone to look like before you ever went to a drop zone. I was hoping the place would be more busy on weekdays.

5 of 33 people found this review helpful:
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(Review ID:7489)

this place can be life changing


Skydive Chicago Rated 5 by: scottayerSDC on 2011-02-23

Pros: Everything you ever wanted in skydiving and more
Cons: It's addictive
  Professionalism
  Vibe
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I did my Tandems and AFP at SDC right before they moved to their present location. Everyone knows by now that the place is a resort that would be a great destination even if you weren't a skydiver. A person can go from never having flown in a plane to jumping out of one in a few short hours. Over the years I have taken it so much farther than that. What you have to remember is that fun can be a lot of hard work and if you apply yourself you can go far. I attained my pilots license with the help of SDC. I acquired almost all of my gear and almost all of my jumps in trade for work. I reached the 500 jump mark without actually paying for a jump since jump 20 something because of barter. I became a coach and then a tandem master. Giving someone else that first time experience is amazing. Now at 1500 jumps I can't stress enough that Anyone can get to this level it's not that hard. I have participated in dozens of demo jumps and a lot of them paid me. I have jumped over soldier field and intentionally landed in Lake Michigan. I have jumped from a helicopter and flown with a Jeep Commander to land with it and ride in it to display it to the media and Chrysler execs. and then made ESPN's top ten plays of the day. I received my pyrotechnics license with the help of SDC and all I wanted to do was blow off a couple of professional fireworks. Now I run both fireworks shows each year at SDC. I have participated in the UFO jumps. I have jumped from hot air balloons, bi-planes, many different jump planes and helicopters. I have made tons of friends and amazing memories. I wasn't any different from anyone else coming to SDC for the first time. With a little effort you can transform yourself and choose from many different options available with the help from SDC. Yes anyone can do this. I have read some of the reviews and most people get it. This place is an adult playground. You can go to wallmart the YMCA or even your local church and get some of the same experiences that SDC has...but nothing comapres to the fun that is within reach at SDC...nothing. People that live anywhere close to this place, and dont go to it, just dont understand what they are missing. I have used this place to generate maximum fun for myself and I urge everyone to do the same. Pick whatever level of SDC you want and go for it.

16 of 48 people found this review helpful:
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(Review ID:6245)

Top notch training and safety, amazing facility


Skydive Chicago Rated 4 by: travrois on 2010-04-01

Pros: Great facility
Cons: None
  Professionalism
  Vibe
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Got my A license here and jumped for several summers. First off: I've never seen anyone take safety for granted here especially the employees. The AFP program is great and I'd highly recommend it especially for students who still have doubts well after their first AFP classes. I think there could be more integration to being a non-student jumper once one gets their A license.

Summerfest is a blast and worth the trip.


0 of 22 people found this review helpful:
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(Review ID:5634)

Great Place, needs few improvements


Skydive Chicago Rated 5 by: waterboy3412 on 2009-06-03

Pros: Professional Employees, HUGE landing Area, AFP in A Week
Cons: Unorganized AFP program
  Professionalism
  Vibe
  Aircraft
  Facilities
  Services
  Location
Okay I have made all 25 of my jumps at SDC and I love the place to death. They have a huge plot of land so if you don't make it to the holding area there aren't any power lines to hit, you'll just end up in the corn fields (but they'll send someone to get you). Their Tandems are great and they actually teach you to skydive. They give you an altimeter and actually want to you to pull the pilot chute.

I really want to review the AFP Program, so here it goes:

I recently completed AFP In A Week. It is a great program, it costs around 2600 bucks but if you can afford it you'll be better off. The Transistion course (what you take after your 2 tandems) is okay. As soon as I got there I felt as though I had no idea what the instructor was talking about. They would use terminology and not explain it in detail. However you do get hands on experience in the classroom, which is nice. You will need to take a test, but if you get questions wrong, it doesn't really matter because they go over it as a group and explain the answer. All in all the class is good but if they would explain parts of a parachute in more detail it would be easier for a beginner to understand.

I loved making my AFP jumps at SDC, the instructors are great, funny, knowledgeable, you name it. My problem with the jumps was the videos. They give them to you on tapes. I don't know how many of you have VCR's still but I don't. Plus if you want to post them on facebook or YouTube you will have to pay them 10 dollars to copy your videos to DVD. I heard they are switching over to flash drives but I don't know when thats going to happen. Another problem was that you don't jump with the same instructor everyday. So one instructor might have your videos on a flash drive, or there computer, or on your tape. They always seemed like it was never high on their priority list to get you your videos. Even when you did get them, getting them in order is next to impossible. My last problem with the videos was on my graduation jump (the most memorable and fun jump) my video was taken by a "pro" photographer on an HD camera. After I landed I saw the video on the big screen but when I asked for a copy he was unable to give me a working one. The file was corrupted. So I have no footage from my grad jump, but I'm over it. Also After you make your 20 instructor jumps and you are on your own, be prepared to buy your own goggles and altimeter. They stop providing you with those. So there went another 200 bucks. Anyway on to the positive stuff.

The staff is amazing, although new to the sport, the first night we were there we were invited to a BBQ with the staff and other jumpers. It is an amazing atmosphere. The DZO Rook is sweet, we talked for a good amount of time which I thought was cool. Also the jumpers there are always willing to give advice which is awesome. After I got my license the Manifest made an announcement over the loud speaker and everyone applauded, which made me feel good. I also learned a ton! Like i said before, I didn't know the difference between the risers and toggles but I feel like I have a great base of information to build on.

Final Thoughts:

I couldn't think of anywhere better to skydive, the view is better than you think it would be, the staff is great, the super otter is SWEEEEEEEET, and they have competitive prices. If they could organize their AFP a little more it would be perfect. If you have never been to SDC, I recommend it.

13 of 65 people found this review helpful:
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(Review ID:5153)

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