LizzyDragon 0 #1 February 16, 2007 Hi, first-time poster here. I recently did a tandem jump at Skydive Space Center and absolutely LOVED it. I fear I may have come upon a new addiction. Anyway, as a result I'm thinking of taking the AFF courses and was wondering which DZ might be the best place to go. Does anyone have any recommendations or experiences doing AFF at the different FL DZs (i.e.SSC, Z-hills, Deland, etc.). Any feedback for this newbie would be greatly appreciated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skymama 35 #2 February 16, 2007 My home dz is Deland and I know our instructors are very experienced. I don't know the instructors at other dz's but I also have not heard negative things about any of them. I encourage you to visit each dz that you are interested in before you make your choice. You may fit in with a certain "vibe" at one more than the others which may help you make your decision. Good luck and I hope I get the chance to meet you!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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites klingeme 0 #3 February 16, 2007 Lake Wales is another DZ in that area to consider. I personally did my AFF at Space Center about 8 years ago, but it's a different place (atmosphere wise) now and this is not a good or bad thing, just a fact. Deland has great instructors also. I don't know much about Seb, Lake Wales, or Z-hills student program. Also consider proximity to where you live. This will probably become your home DZ after you finish AFF and while a 30 minute longer drive might not mean that much for your first tandem, it adds up when you are making the drive every Saturday and Sunday for the rest of your life..... Mark Klingelhoefer edited cause I can't spell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 622 #4 February 16, 2007 While I'm sure all of the mentioned DZ's have great AFF programs.... Lake Wales is a pretty slow moving drop zone, how many jumps do you want to get in a day? Z-Hills and Deland are very busy DZ'z although that will also increase canopy traffic for you to deal with...Z-Hills has a HUGE landing area, Deland is kinda small, and AFF students land in the middle of the airport which is a pretty busy airport too. Will you be looking to camp out or just visit during the day? Lake Wales and Deland get pretty dead when the sun goes down, Z-hills has quite a crowd around camping and hanging at the bonfire. proximity to where you live will be important to you as you jump more as klingeme said. where ever you decide to go, have fun, learn a lot, BE SAFE! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumpinjill 0 #5 February 16, 2007 Skydive Sebastian is a nice drop zone as well. Pretty laid back, a little slower moving at times but has the best view in Florida in my opinion. Great instructors and decent night life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 622 #6 February 16, 2007 snap! How did we miss Sebastian????? Lizzy is right.... also don't forget to call them all and compare prices...and I'm pretty sure they all have "packages" to get you to your A license. he said "package" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TMPattersonJr 0 #7 February 16, 2007 And yet you both missed Palatka, quiet airport, moderately busy DZ, have packages for AFF, great vibe, afterhours isn't dead, everyone very helpful. Just my $0.02Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 622 #8 February 16, 2007 WHERE???? oops...I am soooo going to hear from two other dz's..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TMPattersonJr 0 #9 February 16, 2007 Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites saucy_dee 0 #10 February 18, 2007 If you pay for the whole package up front at Sebastian it's $1100. For people who have completed a tandem anywhere in Florida you get a discount on your level 1. Call them for more info or check out the website. It is definitely the prettiest as its just a few miles from the coast. On clear days you can see Kennedy space centre too! www.skydivesebastian.com Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Popeye2000 0 #11 February 18, 2007 QuoteJust my $0.02 Why give your 2 cents when it only costs a penny for your thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkymonkeyONE 3 #12 February 18, 2007 QuoteIf you pay for the whole package up front at Sebastian it's $1100 Exactly what does that get you? Seven "old school" AFF levels? Just clearance to cat H? What everyone needs to understand is that they are a student right up to to the point that their A license proficiency card is complete. That's 25 jumps. Very few of those are solo, unsupervised jumps. Any dropzone you choose in FL is going to get you to the same level of proficiency at that A-license level no matter what system they employ to get you there. Personally, I think the original poster ought to go to the closest DZ to home. I don't think there are any "bad" choices in FL. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LizzyDragon 0 #13 February 19, 2007 Thank you everyone for your input. I really appreciate it. Right now, I'll probably go out to DeLand to do the courses as it's the closest DZ to me. It'll be a little while though before I get out there since it takes $$$ to jump. Thanks again for the feedback and the warm welcomes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. 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skymama 35 #2 February 16, 2007 My home dz is Deland and I know our instructors are very experienced. I don't know the instructors at other dz's but I also have not heard negative things about any of them. I encourage you to visit each dz that you are interested in before you make your choice. You may fit in with a certain "vibe" at one more than the others which may help you make your decision. Good luck and I hope I get the chance to meet you!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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klingeme 0 #3 February 16, 2007 Lake Wales is another DZ in that area to consider. I personally did my AFF at Space Center about 8 years ago, but it's a different place (atmosphere wise) now and this is not a good or bad thing, just a fact. Deland has great instructors also. I don't know much about Seb, Lake Wales, or Z-hills student program. Also consider proximity to where you live. This will probably become your home DZ after you finish AFF and while a 30 minute longer drive might not mean that much for your first tandem, it adds up when you are making the drive every Saturday and Sunday for the rest of your life..... Mark Klingelhoefer edited cause I can't spell Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #4 February 16, 2007 While I'm sure all of the mentioned DZ's have great AFF programs.... Lake Wales is a pretty slow moving drop zone, how many jumps do you want to get in a day? Z-Hills and Deland are very busy DZ'z although that will also increase canopy traffic for you to deal with...Z-Hills has a HUGE landing area, Deland is kinda small, and AFF students land in the middle of the airport which is a pretty busy airport too. Will you be looking to camp out or just visit during the day? Lake Wales and Deland get pretty dead when the sun goes down, Z-hills has quite a crowd around camping and hanging at the bonfire. proximity to where you live will be important to you as you jump more as klingeme said. where ever you decide to go, have fun, learn a lot, BE SAFE! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumpinjill 0 #5 February 16, 2007 Skydive Sebastian is a nice drop zone as well. Pretty laid back, a little slower moving at times but has the best view in Florida in my opinion. Great instructors and decent night life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 622 #6 February 16, 2007 snap! How did we miss Sebastian????? Lizzy is right.... also don't forget to call them all and compare prices...and I'm pretty sure they all have "packages" to get you to your A license. he said "package" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TMPattersonJr 0 #7 February 16, 2007 And yet you both missed Palatka, quiet airport, moderately busy DZ, have packages for AFF, great vibe, afterhours isn't dead, everyone very helpful. Just my $0.02Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites normiss 622 #8 February 16, 2007 WHERE???? oops...I am soooo going to hear from two other dz's..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites TMPattersonJr 0 #9 February 16, 2007 Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites saucy_dee 0 #10 February 18, 2007 If you pay for the whole package up front at Sebastian it's $1100. For people who have completed a tandem anywhere in Florida you get a discount on your level 1. Call them for more info or check out the website. It is definitely the prettiest as its just a few miles from the coast. On clear days you can see Kennedy space centre too! www.skydivesebastian.com Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Popeye2000 0 #11 February 18, 2007 QuoteJust my $0.02 Why give your 2 cents when it only costs a penny for your thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkymonkeyONE 3 #12 February 18, 2007 QuoteIf you pay for the whole package up front at Sebastian it's $1100 Exactly what does that get you? Seven "old school" AFF levels? Just clearance to cat H? What everyone needs to understand is that they are a student right up to to the point that their A license proficiency card is complete. That's 25 jumps. Very few of those are solo, unsupervised jumps. Any dropzone you choose in FL is going to get you to the same level of proficiency at that A-license level no matter what system they employ to get you there. Personally, I think the original poster ought to go to the closest DZ to home. I don't think there are any "bad" choices in FL. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LizzyDragon 0 #13 February 19, 2007 Thank you everyone for your input. I really appreciate it. Right now, I'll probably go out to DeLand to do the courses as it's the closest DZ to me. It'll be a little while though before I get out there since it takes $$$ to jump. Thanks again for the feedback and the warm welcomes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
jumpinjill 0 #5 February 16, 2007 Skydive Sebastian is a nice drop zone as well. Pretty laid back, a little slower moving at times but has the best view in Florida in my opinion. Great instructors and decent night life. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #6 February 16, 2007 snap! How did we miss Sebastian????? Lizzy is right.... also don't forget to call them all and compare prices...and I'm pretty sure they all have "packages" to get you to your A license. he said "package" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TMPattersonJr 0 #7 February 16, 2007 And yet you both missed Palatka, quiet airport, moderately busy DZ, have packages for AFF, great vibe, afterhours isn't dead, everyone very helpful. Just my $0.02Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 622 #8 February 16, 2007 WHERE???? oops...I am soooo going to hear from two other dz's..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TMPattersonJr 0 #9 February 16, 2007 Blue SkiesBlack DeathFacebook www.PLabsInc.com www.SkydiveDeLand.com www.FlyteSkool.ws Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saucy_dee 0 #10 February 18, 2007 If you pay for the whole package up front at Sebastian it's $1100. For people who have completed a tandem anywhere in Florida you get a discount on your level 1. Call them for more info or check out the website. It is definitely the prettiest as its just a few miles from the coast. On clear days you can see Kennedy space centre too! www.skydivesebastian.com Don't put off 'till tomorrow what you can do today Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Popeye2000 0 #11 February 18, 2007 QuoteJust my $0.02 Why give your 2 cents when it only costs a penny for your thoughts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #12 February 18, 2007 QuoteIf you pay for the whole package up front at Sebastian it's $1100 Exactly what does that get you? Seven "old school" AFF levels? Just clearance to cat H? What everyone needs to understand is that they are a student right up to to the point that their A license proficiency card is complete. That's 25 jumps. Very few of those are solo, unsupervised jumps. Any dropzone you choose in FL is going to get you to the same level of proficiency at that A-license level no matter what system they employ to get you there. Personally, I think the original poster ought to go to the closest DZ to home. I don't think there are any "bad" choices in FL. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LizzyDragon 0 #13 February 19, 2007 Thank you everyone for your input. I really appreciate it. Right now, I'll probably go out to DeLand to do the courses as it's the closest DZ to me. It'll be a little while though before I get out there since it takes $$$ to jump. Thanks again for the feedback and the warm welcomes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
