Before we went, we emailed the DZ and made bunkhouse reservations and got travel instructions from Moscow. It was very helpful. It was a long and very crowded train from Moscow to Kolomna, it makes a lot of stops and people smoke and urinate between cars. This is Russia and not the DZ, just cannot omit these details. When we arrived at the DZ, we had the woman we had been corresponding with via email help us get checked in and fill out wavers. She was lovely and very helpful. But we found out that jumpers with less than 100 jumps are required to do a check dive similar to AFF level 5/6 for ~ 2000 py. (I had 90 and a B license) After that was completed, my self and my friend with 160 jumps tried to do a 2 way. We were told by someone doing a pseudo load organizing in Russian that we were students and must do a solo jump. After that we were allowed to jump together. Something to prepare for if your are newer and looking to increase your numbers. Rules - I dont know what Russian rules are regarding skydiving, but there are some notable exceptions to USPA standards here. No seat belts on the aircraft - only helmets until 300m, Exit order is dictated based on the feel of the load organizer but the jumpers don't usually follow, so freefly is interspersed with belly fliers and then maybe a 4 way with camera. Some of the rental rigs aren't equipped with an RSL. You are basically required to jump with a suit - "t-shirts will get caught in reserve handles." Some of the things I did like. They count the jumpers out of the plane and on the ground for every load. There is an onsite medical room and they pick you up immediately with minor injuries and treat you there. They use an all computerized manifest system with cards preloaded with your money. They turned a ton of loads, they were running 3 L-410 aircraft and a helicopter. There were 50 loads after a weather hold until 11 am. Helicopter loads don't cost extra, but you have to catch it before it breaks down. It was a good experience and a lot of fun. Just be ready to adjust to a different jumping climate.
