I just got back from a week at Skydive Arizona. I was apprehensive at the idea of heading there because I'm such a new and low jump idiot who has only been to a few smaller dropzones and they are such a huge dropzone with so much going on.
It took about fifteen minutes with manifest to get everything figured out, and once you get on board with the exit separation and landing pattern system they have things couldn't be easier. Two full Otters running and I don't think I was ever in the air with more than three other canopies at my altitude and never had a problem with crowding in the pattern. Two huge landing areas and more outs than anyone should need are right below you.
Even more important to me was the total lack of skygod type mentality there. People of all experience levels were happy to jump with and help out anyone who was willing to participate. I jumped loads with 10000 jump freeflyers and 30 jump A licensees and the really experienced folks did what they needed to do to make it all work. The instructors at Axis helped me out tremendously with exits (these were my first Otter jumps) and helped me find folks to jump with. I can't say enough nice things about Nik and Brianne, they are very talented and equally humble which is a rare and pleasant combination.
I got to make a couple balloon jumps while I was there also. If you are there between November and May I highly recommend jumping in with Burner. The ride up is qucker than I thought it would be. I ended up making several jumps, it's better than eating breakfast if you're up at that hour.
The bunkhouse is, well, a bunkhouse. They have air conditioning which keeps the place about ten degrees cooler than outside but it's a lot like camping. If you do use the bunkhouse bring your own key for the lockers as they have none at manifest. Someone is always at the dropzone with a car and happy to run to Casa Grande for supplies.
I also met some of the coolest people I have ever had the pleasure of jumping with in that week.
If you're a newer jumper looking to get a lot of jumps in but nervous about the size of the dropzone, take the plunge. It's really not scary as long as you follow the recommendations and keep your head on a swivel.
The only gripes I have from the trip is that it's sometimes difficult to locate the organizer. They put a picture up next to manifest of the organizer(s) for the day in a t-shirt but rarely can you recognize them in a full jumpsuit and helmet. Often you are left using hand signals next to the Otter to indicate the number of people you are jumping with and whether you are a belly or free flyer. The first few jumps get you thinking, but after a bit it's almost automatic lining up to get on.
Bigways hog the Skyvans, so if that's on your list you might be disappointed.
Skydive Arizona
in Arizona
It took about fifteen minutes with manifest to get everything figured out, and once you get on board with the exit separation and landing pattern system they have things couldn't be easier. Two full Otters running and I don't think I was ever in the air with more than three other canopies at my altitude and never had a problem with crowding in the pattern. Two huge landing areas and more outs than anyone should need are right below you.
Even more important to me was the total lack of skygod type mentality there. People of all experience levels were happy to jump with and help out anyone who was willing to participate. I jumped loads with 10000 jump freeflyers and 30 jump A licensees and the really experienced folks did what they needed to do to make it all work. The instructors at Axis helped me out tremendously with exits (these were my first Otter jumps) and helped me find folks to jump with. I can't say enough nice things about Nik and Brianne, they are very talented and equally humble which is a rare and pleasant combination.
I got to make a couple balloon jumps while I was there also. If you are there between November and May I highly recommend jumping in with Burner. The ride up is qucker than I thought it would be. I ended up making several jumps, it's better than eating breakfast if you're up at that hour.
The bunkhouse is, well, a bunkhouse. They have air conditioning which keeps the place about ten degrees cooler than outside but it's a lot like camping. If you do use the bunkhouse bring your own key for the lockers as they have none at manifest. Someone is always at the dropzone with a car and happy to run to Casa Grande for supplies.
I also met some of the coolest people I have ever had the pleasure of jumping with in that week.
If you're a newer jumper looking to get a lot of jumps in but nervous about the size of the dropzone, take the plunge. It's really not scary as long as you follow the recommendations and keep your head on a swivel.
The only gripes I have from the trip is that it's sometimes difficult to locate the organizer. They put a picture up next to manifest of the organizer(s) for the day in a t-shirt but rarely can you recognize them in a full jumpsuit and helmet. Often you are left using hand signals next to the Otter to indicate the number of people you are jumping with and whether you are a belly or free flyer. The first few jumps get you thinking, but after a bit it's almost automatic lining up to get on.
Bigways hog the Skyvans, so if that's on your list you might be disappointed.