After reading all the "Cons" from folks who visit my home DZ; here are some tips I hope will make your stay even more enjoyable with us.
If your from out of town, don't be shy; speak up! Make your needs known and we'll help!
"Middle of nowhere, nothing around, inadequate ammenities, stranded with no car, food sucks, drink machines are expensive"
* Take a look inside the brand new Skyrider Inn on the DZ! Humble on the outside, VERY NICE on the inside. My extended family from Phoenix had our family reunion there. With three single beds per room ( split the bill with your buddies) , TV's, nice bathrooms, and a full kitchen with utensils; its perfect!
* If you fly in to Phoenix or Tucson; rent a car! Everything you might need or forgot is 2 exits up in Casa Grande and now a HUGE mall is being built one exit up from the DZ. This way if you camp or stay at the bunkhouse you are not "stranded." Plan ahead! Get a cooler to throw in some drinks, sandwiches, and snacks in to keep you jumping. The Bent Prop is for partying and not fine dining; however I highly recommend the "Bent Burger"
* If you get drunk; don't ever drive, don't even entertain the thought! - STAY ON THE DZ! The small town Eloy police will be waiting outside the DZ for you like vultures on Tumbleweed Road!
" No internet access or it costs too much, other DZ's have it for free"
* The wireless signal at the Red Roof Inn on the Toltec Rd exit off the I-10 is loose. Cruise into the parking lot with your laptop to tap in for emails.
"Heated air, varying wind or no wind,off landings, scary/crazy canopy traffic, landing patterns, off DZ landings."
* During the summer we start early and finish mostly by noon; for good reasons! The heat coming off the desert floor makes the air thin, unstable,and the dust devils come out....this affects ALL desert aviators! This is our "off season" for good reason! Fall, winter, and spring air is more cold, dense, and thus landings predictable and consistent.
* To the up jumper from a small DZ the canopy traffic from just one Otter or Skyvan with proper group exit order will seem heavy in relation to a Cessna load. Don't be afraid just be aware! Hang in HALF BRAKES letting everbody else land before you, watch the pattern develop, and enter the pattern. Always fly your canopy with your head on a swivel, look before you turn, and keep aware of other canopies around you.
* SDAZ put an end to the 360, 540, 720 diving spirals into the main landing area. No turns over 180 into the main area and nothing more than 90 into the alternate student area. High performance canopy pilots now do hop & pops on a seperate 4500 ft pass.
* If you are going to land "off" those farm fields have deep trenches from the harvesting machinery but the earth is usually soft; prepare to PLF!
* In addition to the office inbrief check in with the local S&TA Bryan Burke for your landing area concerns and questions; he'll steer you in the right direction and keep you safe.
" Military Loads "
* For the most part military jumpers are doing special training for a short period of time. They usually manifest their own plane, open away from the DZ, fly big chutes, and land to pack in the student area.
" Nobody to jump with, skygods, big intimidating operation"
* I started on a small east coast DZ and returned to SDAZ after a 13 year lay off; I'll admit when I arrived at Eloy I was intimidated by the operaton at first but in time it now feels like my first South Carolina DZ back east. If you are moving here it just takes a little time for everyone to put a new name and face together....don't be shy!
* If you are from out of town and visiting go to manifest and speak up! SDAZ has load organizers who are getting PAID to jump with YOU!
* In season SDAZ is a BIG, BUSY operation! Don't be shy! Extend a hand, introduce yourself, and ask questions. What I originally thought were "cliques" were just big grown up kids like me VERY BUSY having FUN on a huge playground. Just think back to being a little kid on huge playground.....just go out and get in the mix!
* I have yet to meet a skygod at SDAZ but have met plenty at little dropzones. SDAZ is more than a dropzone; its a community of skydivers for skydivers - The only way professional teams can survive is through the coaching and teaching of others.
* Yes our DZ has big reputation as a destination dropzone and advertises world class talent in all disciplines; but MOST of us hold down weekday jobs in Phoenix or Tucson. The majority of SDAZ jumpers are not on professional teams; we are just like anybody else who lives to jump every weekend. When it comes to DZ's we just happened to win the location lottery; we count our blessings every weekend.
Skydive Arizona
in Arizona
If your from out of town, don't be shy; speak up! Make your needs known and we'll help!
"Middle of nowhere, nothing around, inadequate ammenities, stranded with no car, food sucks, drink machines are expensive"
* Take a look inside the brand new Skyrider Inn on the DZ! Humble on the outside, VERY NICE on the inside. My extended family from Phoenix had our family reunion there. With three single beds per room ( split the bill with your buddies) , TV's, nice bathrooms, and a full kitchen with utensils; its perfect!
* If you fly in to Phoenix or Tucson; rent a car! Everything you might need or forgot is 2 exits up in Casa Grande and now a HUGE mall is being built one exit up from the DZ. This way if you camp or stay at the bunkhouse you are not "stranded." Plan ahead! Get a cooler to throw in some drinks, sandwiches, and snacks in to keep you jumping. The Bent Prop is for partying and not fine dining; however I highly recommend the "Bent Burger"
* If you get drunk; don't ever drive, don't even entertain the thought! - STAY ON THE DZ! The small town Eloy police will be waiting outside the DZ for you like vultures on Tumbleweed Road!
" No internet access or it costs too much, other DZ's have it for free"
* The wireless signal at the Red Roof Inn on the Toltec Rd exit off the I-10 is loose. Cruise into the parking lot with your laptop to tap in for emails.
"Heated air, varying wind or no wind,off landings, scary/crazy canopy traffic, landing patterns, off DZ landings."
* During the summer we start early and finish mostly by noon; for good reasons! The heat coming off the desert floor makes the air thin, unstable,and the dust devils come out....this affects ALL desert aviators! This is our "off season" for good reason! Fall, winter, and spring air is more cold, dense, and thus landings predictable and consistent.
* To the up jumper from a small DZ the canopy traffic from just one Otter or Skyvan with proper group exit order will seem heavy in relation to a Cessna load. Don't be afraid just be aware! Hang in HALF BRAKES letting everbody else land before you, watch the pattern develop, and enter the pattern. Always fly your canopy with your head on a swivel, look before you turn, and keep aware of other canopies around you.
* SDAZ put an end to the 360, 540, 720 diving spirals into the main landing area. No turns over 180 into the main area and nothing more than 90 into the alternate student area. High performance canopy pilots now do hop & pops on a seperate 4500 ft pass.
* If you are going to land "off" those farm fields have deep trenches from the harvesting machinery but the earth is usually soft; prepare to PLF!
* In addition to the office inbrief check in with the local S&TA Bryan Burke for your landing area concerns and questions; he'll steer you in the right direction and keep you safe.
" Military Loads "
* For the most part military jumpers are doing special training for a short period of time. They usually manifest their own plane, open away from the DZ, fly big chutes, and land to pack in the student area.
" Nobody to jump with, skygods, big intimidating operation"
* I started on a small east coast DZ and returned to SDAZ after a 13 year lay off; I'll admit when I arrived at Eloy I was intimidated by the operaton at first but in time it now feels like my first South Carolina DZ back east. If you are moving here it just takes a little time for everyone to put a new name and face together....don't be shy!
* If you are from out of town and visiting go to manifest and speak up! SDAZ has load organizers who are getting PAID to jump with YOU!
* In season SDAZ is a BIG, BUSY operation! Don't be shy! Extend a hand, introduce yourself, and ask questions. What I originally thought were "cliques" were just big grown up kids like me VERY BUSY having FUN on a huge playground. Just think back to being a little kid on huge playground.....just go out and get in the mix!
* I have yet to meet a skygod at SDAZ but have met plenty at little dropzones.
SDAZ is more than a dropzone; its a community of skydivers for skydivers - The only way professional teams can survive is through the coaching and teaching of others.
* Yes our DZ has big reputation as a destination dropzone and advertises world class talent in all disciplines; but MOST of us hold down weekday jobs in Phoenix or Tucson. The majority of SDAZ jumpers are not on professional teams; we are just like anybody else who lives to jump every weekend. When it comes to DZ's we just happened to win the location lottery; we count our blessings every weekend.