For the last seven years I´ve been the videographer on the German national team and therefore I´ve been many times to many different DZs like almost all the major ones in the US and of course the bigger ones in Europe and Germany, so I got something to compare. At the moment I´m focusing more and more onto CanopyPiloting and came for that reason to Lillo - you can be sure, I´ll be back! First off: Jumpers wrote bad opinions about their facilities in this forum and while we´ve been there toilets and showers have been running, been open and clean. About three times per day I´ve been asked by different staffpersons if everything would be ok or if there´s something that could be done any better! Everybody was Very friendly, including the excellent pilots (by the way: spot always perfect, additional altitude many times). One day I wasn´t happy with my last jump ("don´t wanna end the day like that") and they fired up another load for me - in the last daylight! Accomodation was clean and for reasonable prices, same goes for food in the village. It doesn´t matter that the place is "in the middle of nowhere" cause every night jumpers ("first-timers" included) gathered at local bars having a good time. Someone called the landingarea a "demo" - I´m not sure if twice the size of a soccerfield with perfect grass on it just qualifies for being a demo, I think it makes a good landing area. Inexperienced jumpers - who may find the mainlanding for whatever reason too challenging - will find many other options all over the place. The pond has been in excellent condition with the official accuracy course set up and I´d call their rigger "a very good one". Prices for coffee, softdrinks and sandwiches at the DZ where cheaper than I expected and of good quality. The only thing they didn´t take care of were the weatherconditions - they didn´t have to - those have been perfect. UPDATE: Now I´ve been there again, this time in early January. Further improvements have been made: There´s now a very nice little bistro run by friendly spanish locals! For the swoopers: The pond is about getting even better (in preparation for the SpanishOpen/CanopyPiloting). Weather conditions during wintertime: Way better than expected! Perfect blue skies, almost no wind at all and comfortable temperatures in the afternoon. I´ll be there again soon... 2ND UPDATE: Now I´ve been there two more times... In February we´ve experienced a bit of wind but for anything but swooping it was no problem at all to keep on jumping. Swoopers went groundlaunching! There are excellent places just 10 miles away. One site is shaped in a way that it almost looks manmade, you can launch in ANY direction, so the direction of the wind is never a problem. Give it a try - you´ll love it! During this stay we could see that further improvements for the bistro and bar were on their way... Next visit took place in April. By this time the bar and bistro were almost finished, the area is very nice now! During this visit the SpanishOpen of CanopyPiloting took place. I´ve been very impressed by the organisation of this international competition. I´ve been to four Worldchampionships, a Worldcup and an Europeanchampionship, the Malevskycup in Russia and several Nationals and what Skydive Lillo managed to bring on its way with this event was just - WOW! They had FAI-Judges on site, a dream of a plane from the Spanish Army (CASA 235, fits 60 jumpers - for 16 swoopers!) and the pond and courses have been in such a perfect condition that they even could have had there a Worldchampionship or Worldcup for CanopyPiloting... ! See you in Lillo!
Skydive Lillo, Madrid, Spain Swoop Pond
in Spain
UPDATE:
Now I´ve been there again, this time in early January.
Further improvements have been made: There´s now a very nice little bistro run by friendly spanish locals!
For the swoopers:
The pond is about getting even better (in preparation for the SpanishOpen/CanopyPiloting).
Weather conditions during wintertime:
Way better than expected! Perfect blue skies, almost no wind at all and comfortable temperatures in the afternoon.
I´ll be there again soon...
2ND UPDATE:
Now I´ve been there two more times...
In February we´ve experienced a bit of wind but for anything but swooping it was no problem at all to keep on jumping.
Swoopers went groundlaunching! There are excellent places just 10 miles away. One site is shaped in a way that it almost looks manmade, you can launch in ANY direction, so the direction of the wind is never a problem. Give it a try - you´ll love it!
During this stay we could see that further improvements for the bistro and bar were on their way...
Next visit took place in April. By this time the bar and bistro were almost finished, the area is very nice now!
During this visit the SpanishOpen of CanopyPiloting took place. I´ve been very impressed by the organisation of this international competition. I´ve been to four Worldchampionships, a Worldcup and an Europeanchampionship, the Malevskycup in Russia and several Nationals and what Skydive Lillo managed to bring on its way with this event was just - WOW! They had FAI-Judges on site, a dream of a plane from the Spanish Army (CASA 235, fits 60 jumpers - for 16 swoopers!) and the pond and courses have been in such a perfect condition that they even could have had there a Worldchampionship or Worldcup for CanopyPiloting... !
See you in Lillo!