Help! 1st jump in San Diego.

[Red757 0]

I want to purchase gift certificate for 20 year old daughter for Christmas! Have absolutely no experience in the different sites. I believe I have narrowed it down to either Sky Dive Elsinore or Sky Dive San Diego. Both places sound good for someone taking their first jump. Does anyone have any input on these places? Good or Bad? Thank you so much!

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[billymotox 0]

what a great gift. something she'll never forget. be sure to get video.

billy d------------------------- "Escape may be checked by water and land, but the air and the sky are free." (from the story of Daedalus and Icarus)

[skyyhi 0]

I have been to both DZ's and would choose Elsinore over San Diego by far. . .

I am doing my AFF at Skydive Elsinore right now and just love the people there and the professionalism and friendliness of the instructors. I personally have nothing against Skydive San Diego, I was just more comfortable at the dropzone at Elsinore and with the instructors I met.

IMHO

________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

[Chute 0]

I wish I got that for a Christmas gift. I do know I am getting a new Protec helmet though. I saw the receipt . I have not jumped either but heard more things about Elsinore. If you ask the same question in Talk Back you will get alot more feed back.

BTW... Welcome to the forums.

Bottomless Beers and Blue Skies!

* Brother_Brian *
D.S.W.F.S.B. #2

[atsaubrey 0]

both places are great. I would guess she will be doing a tandem. If not i would recommend SD...the winds are almost always out of the west and very consistant. Plus from what i've seen SD is a bit slower paced and they will be able to work her in quicker too. Just depends which is closer....plus the view of the Pacific and SD skyline is worth seeing..although the green lake is pretty too.

"GOT LEAD?"

[TypicalFish 0]

Take a look at Perris, too, I had an EXCELLENT experience with the staff there.

"I gargle no man's balls..." ussfpa on SOCNET

[Nightingale 0]

I've never been to san diego, but I can tell you elsinore or perris are both great. either one of those is a good option.

[YahooLV 0]

Why not come to Jim Wallace Skydiving at the Perris Dropzone, in Perris CA?

We're extremely safe and friendly. We will make sure you enjoy your jump!

JimWallaceskydiving.com

http://www.curtisglennphotography.com

[PlayDough 0]

I've been to Perris and Skydive San Diego. Both are excellent places. I hear many good things of Elsinore... I've just not had the pleasure yet. I did my first tandem at San Diego... I then return 2 weeks later to begin my AFF in August. It's now December and I have logged over 120 jumps at Skydive San Diego. Staff is excellent, and has become a good network of friends.

The winds are consistent and safe... either way she'll have a great time. As you might tell the community is rather dynamic and friendly.

I would say though... it is a most excellent gift... are you adopting?

Have a great time!! Blue skies!

[hanknotdan 0]

Elsinore all the way. Not that SD and Perris aren't great places but Elsinore is one of my favorite in the country and has fantastic people.

[linestretch 0]

I agree with elsinore. I didn't do any tandems there, but it seems much more people oriented, the students can mingle more with the locals, and I think pretty much everyone lands in the same general area. I think the tandems at Perris land in a different field, but I may be wrong. It's been years since I've jumped there. All in all, they are all good reputable drop zones. Elsinore is just my favorite.

my pics & stuff!

[FunBobby 0]

I've spent weekends jumping at Elsinore but am more of a regular at Skydive San Diego. Both are great places, but I would highly recommend San Diego.

The staff is great at both places, but I know lots of the staff at San Diego personally, and some of them I have known and jumped with for years. I had met them at other drop zones across the country. I have every confidence in all the instructors..... apparently, so does the military, as they have contracted all their parachute training in the area to that DZ.

What's your daughter going to do? Does she want to learn how to skydive? Does she just want to do a tandem? If she's doing a tandem, the view at altitude in San Diego is much, much better - coastline, Mexico, Coronado, the city, etc etc etc. Lake Elsinore is pretty, but I've talked to a number of the folks who came to San Diego for a tandem (specifically to that DZ) because of the view. There was even a father / son student team who drove several hours one way each weekend doing AFF (from LA!) because they enjoyed San Diego that much.


Really, both places are great, but I guess I'm just partial to San Diego.

FunBobby

[firstime 0]

Hi Dad,
It's been so long, your the best dad in the whole world. Please meet me at the Dz in the morning. Oh
I forgot to tell you... bring beer.. Hey all kidding aside, great gift, enjoy and what ever DZ you choose
get to know the people because they r 2nd to none

Larry

[firstime 0]

hey Fish, did erneast Hemingway really say that, what a great quote!!!! Wish I could
add to it but you wrapped it up brother. Stick with it

[TypicalFish 0]

Quote

hey Fish, did erneast Hemingway really say that, what a great quote!!!! Wish I could
add to it but you wrapped it up brother. Stick with it

He certainly did.

"I gargle no man's balls..." ussfpa on SOCNET

[Nightingale 0]

Perris tandems land on the grass where everyone else lands. Students land in the student circle off to the south a bit. The grass is pretty much right in front of the restaurant/pool and school.

[flyinghonu 0]

I'm a newbie and have never been to Perris or Elsinore. I just did my first tandem at San Diego and am now signing up for my AFF classes (on my way to my A baby ).

Everyone seems to like Elsinore & Perris - its seems that they have great facilities. I'm sure they are both great but SAN DIEGO has to be the best. Its a low key operation with very few (if any) skydiver snobs. The view has got to be one of the best in the country: you can see Mexico, the Coronado Islands, Mission Bay, the mountains and La Jolla. Can't find that in Elsinore or Perris.

Any place you pick she will love . Start saving the $$ for when she comes back to tell you she has re-thought her career ambitions .

"Excuse me while I kiss the sky..." - Jimi Hendrix

[TypicalFish 0]

Quote

Perris tandems land on the grass where everyone else lands. Students land in the student circle off to the south a bit.

Actually, Newbies like me AIM for the circle but sometimes end up short or long in the scrub brush... Oh, well, I'll get there one of these times...

"I gargle no man's balls..." ussfpa on SOCNET

[Nightingale 0]

yeah...

I ended up in a pile of hay on my lev 5 at perris... them haystacks ain't as soft as they look! hay is SHARP!

[Shark 0]

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The view has got to be one of the best in the country: you can see Mexico, the Coronado Islands, Mission Bay, the mountains and La Jolla. Can't find that in Elsinore or Perris.

San Diego is great, but you can see La Jolla and the Coronados from altitude over Elsinore in addition to Catalina and the San Bernardino mountains.

All 3 are excellent DZs with their own personalities. Go to each of them and see for yourself. Don't just take our word for it. You'll be happy wherever you go.

[ChileRelleno 0]

HI! San Diego, my hometown.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[Speer 0]

I know this thread is kinda old, and the gift recipient has probably already jumped, but...

I'm the father who traveled from the LA area (actually Ontario) with my son to do AFF that FunBobby mentioned. I chose San Diego after input from NAVY types, who jump, that I've spent some time with... They recommended Otay (Skydive San Diego) because of the stable winds in addition to the excellent staffs that can be found at all three DZs. Since I was going to take our youngest child (for his 18th B-Day) to jump out of an airplane, my wife didn't really argue when I explained the importance of stable winds for inexperienced canopy pilots on landing.

I continue to jump Otay because I have built a bond with the staff and love the DZ. I have heard nothing but good things about both Perris and Elsinore and I will jump other DZ's but have been putting it off till I have my own kit.

As any reader of these forums will see, most jumpers are fiercely loyal, so getting input usually leads to favorable promotion of their own DZ... and thats not all bad, they are continuing to jump there so must feel it's safe. I was fortunate to get input from East Coast guys who didn't have an axe to grind.

Every DZ has it's own flavor, strengths, and it's own Tyrannosaurus Rex in the garden... in most cases, wherever you jump you'll find people who are passionate about their sport, and their DZ.

Russ

Generally, it is your choice; will your life serve as an example... or a warning?

[stuffit 0]

Quote

San Diego is great, but you can see La Jolla and the Coronados from altitude over Elsinore in addition to Catalina and the San Bernardino mountains.

Hmmmmnn... Dont know about that. I guess it is possible but the view at Otay is ten times better than Elsinore or Perris.