Bay Area Skydiving

There really isn't much more you could ask for from BAS. It's a great place to get started with AFF, do a tandem, or come to fun jump. Sure, there are things that would enhance the experience, but in the overall scheme of things it's just about perfect.

Winds can be an issue here (hence all the wind turbines around). Jump at your own discretion.

Bottom line: go if ya can.

I had a spare weekend while working in the states. Being from the UK with about 100 jumps and never visited another drop zone, I was a little daunted turning up by myself but thought I'd go down anyway.

However, rocked up with my gear first thing in the morning, greeted by welcoming staff and every fun jumper said hi. Gear check, paperwork and DZ brief, I was on lift two!

Lift five I was doing 4 ways with Mad Jon and lift 7 was a 9 way for a birthday celebration. Then we ordered in Tacos for lunch, jumped all afternoon and then had a great party once the jumping stopped. (free beer - result!)

Literally, one of the best skydiving weekends ever and that was a quiet weekend for the Byron crew.

I sat down with Clay the DZ Owner, he has a great outlook on how a drop zone should be run and I recommend anyone to pop in and experience the 'Byron Love'

Thanks guys, I hope to return

Paul from the UK
The one with the bright yellow trainers!

My name is Vic Krusi, and I'm the general manager here at Bay Area Skydiving. Anyone who knows me well, will be surprised that I'm responding to anything on a public forum, as I feel it's unfortunate that a couple of disgruntled people can have such a loud voice.

That said, I have filled out the ratings in what I feel to be a fair manner. I'd like to take a couple of the negative comments at their face value and try to explain the circumstances behind them.

Bay Area Skydiving is a USPA group member drop zone, and therefore, as you know, bound by the group member rules. We are required to follow the FARs and BSRs, so when we ask for certain things, like packing data cards, membership cards, and logbooks, or follow stringent recurrency requirements, it's not that we're trying to single anyone out, it's what we're required to do. Additionally, as I stated before, we have what we feel to be an exemplary safety record, which we guard with pride and without prejudice. If we don't feel what you want to do is safe, we will discourage it and try to give you the reasons why.

Finally, it's unfortunate, but even in the most professional environment, you reap what you sew. If you have an attitude that says 'I don't have to listen to you because I was doing this when you were still wearing diapers', you may not get the professionalism you desire.

All that said, we are aware that the actions of a few reflect unfavorably on the whole, and we are working hard to change that. However, we will continue to guide new and visiting jumpers in the manner we feel is the safest for all concerned, and we will strive, to be friendly and professional when we do it.

Vic Krusi
General Manager
Bay Area Skydiving
(925)634-7575

When there are this many people at a dropzone, there's bound to be a few unfriendlies. Once you know who they are and avoid them, the place is ok. Avoid Gareth, Ego Mike, the older rigger, and one of the owners, Vic. They don't try to be unprofessional, they just can't help letting their natural personalities shine through. Let's just say that if you have questions, ask someone else to avoid a smart-aleck or unhelpful answer. They have a knack of treating a new person like an outsider. Don't worry, there are others that will be helpful.

The hangar is big and really close to the plane. The landing area is a decent size with places for the sky god or the newbie to land. The aircraft is decent, they're using a Pac750XL and I think they have a Cessna.

There's no running water, so port-a-potties are there. Bring your hand sanitizer. The winds during the summer are pretty brutal. Newbies beware there.

Can you imagine being a new dzo and saying, "Hey, I'll put a drop zone near a bunch of windmills and near protected land that won't allow plumbing"?

At least it's sunny there most of the time.

Note: One of the staff members listed above just contacted me with a very nice private message apologizing and explaining things. He made no excuses for the others and took ownership for himself. It was really a stand-up thing to do.

I went there to begin my AFF last Saturday. I had read and heard great things about this DZ and everything was true. Great, friendly atmosphere with lots of people. All of the regulars are outgoing and no one was a skygod. People want to help you and actually enjoy it. I was there on an extremely busy day, one of the busiest ever I believe, and it was very nice. There are lots of instructors and all of them are great. My ground school instructor was very knowledgeable and wanted to be sure that the class understood. One of my JMs was 23 years old and had just gotten his AFFI rating two weeks prior but I was very comfortable and he did a great job. The other JM was a world class skydiver (was on the 2006 400-way) so it was training for both of us. I really like this dropzone and I am glad it is close by so I can come often. There are a few things people should be aware of. The airport is on "protected wetlands" so there is no running water and there will be none coming in the future. There are port-a-jons so if you are a germaphobe then deal with it or go somewhere else. Also, Byron is in the middle of the middle of nowhere so bring a lunch if you are coming for the day. They do have snacks and drinks available for purchase though. The main problem that I have and it is completely out of control of the DZ is the wind. Byron is located right in the middle of windmill country so wind is very common. Since students have to adhere to the 14 mph windhold, this can present a problem. Don't assume that you are guaranteed a jump when you come, and this is the case with any DZ if you are in AFF. If you show up and you can't jump then try to learn something while you are there. Enjoy hanging out and meeting other skydivers or learn to pack or something. Byron is a great place to be regardless if you can jump or not. You can call ahead to check on the winds but remember they could change and there are windows where you can jump during the day. Overall, this is a great DZ and I would recommend it to anyone no matter what your interests are.

Not long after arriving at the dropzone I had people coming up to me and introducing themselves. Everyone had a great attitude and created a fun atmosphere that I was readily welcomed into.

As I was gearing up for my first jump of the day a couple of people i had met just moments ago invited me on a jump with them. Even though i had little freefly experience they were happy to have me along. I had someone to jump with all day and lots of great help.

It is pretty windy most of the time, but doable, and there are no real bathrooms. But if you can deal with that, Bay Area Skydiving is amazing!

I highly recommend it.

There are few places that you can find the kind of open and friendly atmosphere that BAS provides. I started with a tandom and was hooked on the concept of human flight and the people there from that day on. I returned to complete AFF 1 through 8 and wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I'd be a regular had I not relocated to the East coast. Looking forward to returning some day. Great instructors, craft and a relaxed facility to boot. I highly recommend this DZ.

The Good; friendly people, great vibe, indoor packing, nice landing area right in front of the hangar and a King Air.

The Bad; overcast clouds and wind can be a problem so call ahead, no running water and the hangar could stand to be a little bigger.

The Ugly; bad location, kind of out in the middle of no where and bring lots of food and drinks because there's nothing out there.

Conclusion; the people are what seem to make this a good drop zone, it's small and very friendly and has a great vibe. If your in the area check it out.

I've jumped at Byron the past two weekends and I really enjoyed the experience. I jumped there years ago and the positive vibe is still there, as it was then. Getting to land at the airport is nice. No van ride. Not having running water is the only drawback that I can see. I was told to always call before I make the 60 mile drive out to Byron from San Jose to check wind conditions, but that hasn't been a issue at all the last two weekends. The people are super friendly. It's a family friendly DZ too, as I brought my 18 month old with me the past two weekends and no one seemed to mind. All in all, it is a great place to jump. I'll be back there soon.

Update Sept 2012

Byron still rocks. It is one of the few DZs that runs a thriving tandem business but still treats up jumpers extremely well. Clay, the DZO, wants everyone to have a good experience at his DZ whether they are a tandem passenger, AFF, newbie, expert or whatever. His jump pricing is very fair and in fact its hard to see how he can afford to offer such low prices when running a King Air turbine jumpship. Jamie who runs manifest is tops. She keeps things moving, gives plenty of announcements and is a real asset to the DZ operation. Byron is famous for its good vibe (Byron Love) and its alive and well. There are a huge number of safe outs here if you have to land off DZ, but it very rarely happens. The current pilot watches wind changes and makes his jump runs right where he should to put you back on the DZ for your landing. Even when winds are high everyone, even the AFF students, seems to end up right back where they should.
The DZ benefits from having a DZO who is a very active jumper. Nothing escapes Clay's attention as he is on site and jumping every day they are open. The result is that things are run well. Byron is a great place to do a tandem or to learn how to skydive as an AFF student. I recommend it often as I know the person I refer will have a good time and be dealing with good safe gear and highly skilled professional instructors.




Update Oct 2011,

I really like the DZ. Clay, the DZO, somehow manages to run a thriving tandem business yet offer a very inviting and accomodating atmosphere for up jumpers.

The primary jumpship is a twin turboprop King Air and the pilot who was flying in October is great, a young guy who really understands how to fly a jumpship. The King Air is a strong climber and it can kep the jump flow going even when a lot of tandems show up.

The landing area is huge. Landing out isnt a huge deal either, LOTS of empty fields all around. That is a good safety feature of this DZ.

The vibe is good. Tandems are not treated like lepers, they get a warm welcome from the up jumpers and the more promising ones are encouraged to take up AFF. There are some jumpers with mad skills here and most are willing to help newbies learn the basics.

I've referred a lot of tandems here just because they treat us up jumpers so well. Low jump prices, cheap snacks, friendly and skilled manifest.

It can get windy, but with a good spot and a decent canopy loading you can always make it to the landing area OK. I've see VERY few out landings, even by newbies with huge canopies.

This DZ has more of a family feel than most DZs that do a lot of tandems. They work hard at Byron to give up jumpers a good time even though we dont bring them the profit margines that the tandems do.

If you are considering doing a tandem jump or AFF this is a great place to do it. They are safety conscious, have top notch instructors and dont treat customers like cattle.

Clay, the DZO, is a very active jumper himself so he stays in touch with how things are working for jumpers. He jumps a tiny canopy and does some pretty amazing swoops too. The landing area is right next to the main building so friends and family can watch up close without a long hike or van ride.

I've been coming here for over a decade. I like it a lot. If you've never been here before give it a try. If you live in the Bay Area its your closest DZ and its also a great one.

Blue skies,
Mark

Updated review, 9/25/09.

I started jumping here again after Clay lowered the price of a jump to an astounding $17. With a new PAC 750 doing the lifting I don't see how he makes a dime on up jumpers at that price. Even if it pops back up a few bucks I'll likely keep coming. I have sent a few tandems his way to express my gratitude for the cheap up jumper prices.

I like the PAC 750 mainly because of all the windows. I love plane rides and the scenery makes it a lot more enjoyable when you are seated away from the door.

I hadn't been out there in ages and I didnt get any hassles, just a USPA card/license check and a peek at my reserve data card.

I only know one of the current DZ regulars, but most people I ran into were open and friendly. The vibe seemed good to me. The packer, a Russian? guy named Ed, who speaks almost no English, packed some very smooth openings for me and seemed to really appreciate my tips.

Byron has no running water but aside from having to use porta potties, you really don't notice. There are a LOT of safe places to land out, but I've never had to use them.

I like Lodi and Monterey, but Byron is a lot closer from the SF Peninsula. It has a lot of tandems but you don't get the tandem mill feeling at all.

I have read recent reviews about the dispute(and its resolution). I think that the outcome says good things about the jumper who felt he was being hassled and the DZ that was willing to discuss it constructively.

I am grateful there are any DZOs. Can you imagine leasing or buying a million dollar plane and trying to support it and your other considerable overhead with jump prices at or even below $20? That's why you never see DZOs driving new Ferraris.

Give Byron (Bay Area Skydiving) a try. I think you'll be as pleased as I was.

Peace,
Mark

******************************************Byron is located just on the East side of the Altamont pass, in windmill country.
It has a big hanger for indoor packing and a HUGE hazard free landing area. People are generally very friendly and Sky God attitudes are not encouraged. It can get windy in the afternoons, but that is true for most DZs in the SF Bay Area. The King Air is a good climber and seesm well maintained. One caution for new to the DZ jumpers is be sure to stay clear of the runway line when descending under canopy. The airport is not busy and its easy to forget that planes other than the jumpship may want to use the runway and don't want to fly through canopies on appraoch or departure. Byron has lots of freeflyers, but all types are welcomed. The lack of running water means outhouses and no real food or hand washing facilities, so bring a picnic lunch and some handiwipes. There is a surprising amount of small wildlife to keep the kids occupied. My kids have always found lizards, snakes and other creatures in the gullies. The nearby town is nothing to write home about, but you can get a meal and some groceries. The Byron Boogie in the Fall is a must go event.

You want a great place to cut loose and jump with every discipline, Go there.
Family owned and operated, and best of all, they have no issues about jumping NAKED.
My home, my people, everyone welcome and treated the same from jump one to jump 10,000.
Visit soon and find out why people travel far and wide to jump with us.
Naked A.J.

The landing area is viewable for everyone, from loved ones watching tandems to other divers watching the swooping going on. The people there are first rate and truly care about everyone who comes out to jump.

Four years ago, I made my first tandem skydive at Bay Area Skydiving. After returning for the first time since then, my videoman and tandem master still recognized me! I wasn't even in the door before a pilot came up to me to welcome me and introduce himself. Lots of people came up to me while I was there just because I was a new face and wanted to say hi. On my second jump, I already had someone wanting to video me in a sit! The only negative I have is that one of the jump runs was too far off the runway and I landed out. But, one of the staff saw my spot and was waiting with a pickup before I was even down. Great job, BAS.

If you're ever in the Bay Area, this is the place to jump. Byron is a DZ with small DZ hospitality and large DZ facilities. One big happy family who looks out for one another and make the most of every weekend. Go!

i don't know too much about other dropzones , but i think byron is pimp. on weekdays it's laid back place to chillbut they only have c-206.
on the weekends they got the king air but it's busy. so it has it's goods and it's bads

I'm just an AFF astudent, so what do I know? the head Instructor 'Freak' is a really nice guy, patient and knows what he's talking about. There is a new JM/I/senior rigger that just arrived from Eloy named Brigitte Liss. I did 2 jumps with her last week, she's very cool and really helped me to relax on the ride to alti, as well as in FF.
The atmosphere is very family oriented, not alot of camping on the weekends, but usually a BBQ on saturday night. Manifest runs fairly smooth, there are LOTS of Tandems on the weekends though, but it seems like lately they've had the staff available to deal with it fairly efficiently.
The only drawback is that it is very dry out there, no running water. The landing area is dry brush, cut to the ground, not a problem for those who like to slide-in thier landings, but not as nice as grass.
Freelflyers and RW'ers seem to get along well, there's not too much attitude, and students are treated well, as are the up-jumpers.
I should be there right now instead of writting this damn review.
In the Bay area? Come feel the Byron Love baby!

Went skydiving (tandem) for the first time with a group of friends in March '01 and had the most incredible experience of my life.

The atmosphere at Bay Area Skydiving is so laid back and fun. We all loved just being there. The people are awesome, from the instructors, employees and other skydivers.

I just did a second tandem (took my pop for his birthday) and it was even better than the first time.

I'm looking forward to starting AFF classes soon.

Well, I have to tell you that Byron is one of the most beautiful drop zones around. It is surrounded by far off hills covered with those propeller like windmills. Big landing area, lots of grass. Extremely friendly group here from staff to regulars. Very laid back and lots of RW jumpers to play with. The winds are pretty consistent and make for wonderfully soft landings. Come check out Byron- it was a 7 hour drive each way for me to get there, and I wasn't disappointed.

I came to Bay Area Skydiving to do just an AFF Level 1 because it's my brother's home dz, and I ended up taking the whole course, even though it entailed driving 5 hours roundtrip every other weekend from Fresno...all because of the people I met there on the day of my Level 1! Shortly after graduating AFF, I pulled up 29 years of Fresno roots and transplanted myself to the Bay Area (yes, I will admit it) simply to be closer to Byron so I could hang with the jumpers there. Anyone there will tell you that there is a very positive, electric atmosphere at Byron, an atmosphere not readily found at other dzs. Come out and experience it for yourself!