Suggestions for DZs in West Central Germany

Hello,

As when I was in Italy, I am soliciting for DZs within 100-150km of where I live, this time Frankfurt, Germany

I know I can use the lookup map at /dropzones/, and being retired I can drive longer and not worry about weekends but I still don't want to spend hours in the saddle and don't own a camper/caravan. I am interested in word-of-mouth because it's the most truthful. Recommendations for DZs have generally been pretty good throughout my skydiving career but they were obtained at my home DZ (Snohomish, WA), here or on rec.skydiving back in the day.

So, starting the Northernmost DZ and going clockwise on the map with Frankfurt as the center of the  radius, I see about 7 to 10 DZs within 100-150km:

Skydive Westerwald

Airsports Pullout Skydive

Mainbullau/Fallschirmsportzentrum Odenwald

Aeroclub Walldorf e.V.

FSC Bruchsal

FSC Mannheim - Herrenteich

Fallschirm Sport Club Neustadt/Weinstrasse

Fallschirmsportcentrum Südpfalz

FSC Trier

Firebird Skydiving Bitburg

-- Any recommendations? Thanks, for this will reduce the amount of time digging thru websites. Also want to go to Empuriabrava this season. Cheers!

Hi Mark,

I can only speak out for Skydive Westerwald, my home dropzone (disclaimer!).
We are currently still in Corona lockdown but are preparing for reopening for restricted operations (only licensed jumpers in the first phase, weekends only) once the authorities allow this. Please check our Facebook page for updates:

https://www.facebook.com/skydivewesterwald/

You can also check it out if you do not have a Facebook account.

We operate a long Supervan, we have rental gear, instructors for al major disciplines, lots of LO events (at least that is the plan) and a large landing area.
Of the DZs you listed, we are certainly one of the largest, but given the current situation, please take that with a grain of salt.
No-one knows exactly how jumping operations will look like regarding restrictions and traffic at this point.
I'd like to see you swing by and check us out!

Cheers
Matze

Hi Mark,

Skydive Zweibrücken (Facebook) is 170 km from Frankfurt but still might be worth a visit as it is a little special:

a) it’s a pop-up dropzone that only operates on certain occasions / boogies, the next being (Corona permitting)
30.05.20 - 31.05.20
11.06.20 - 14.06.20

b) jumpship is a Pink Skyvan

c) the location is a former international airport which is otherwise closed to public jumping

Due to Corona there will be certain restrictions which will be listed on their website the week before the boogie, some of them probably being

1) skydivers must wear a hard-helmet and gloves

2) no visitors, students or tandems allowed (only licensed jumpers)

3) no sleeping in the hangar; if you want to stay there overnight you can bring a tent or camper (electricity and internet is available for free)

4) no food or drinks are being sold on site; no party allowed

If you plan on visiting please register upfront online. Although it is not mandatory it speeds up on-site registration a lot.

Blue skies

Olly

Disclaimer: I am not the operator but they use our manifesting software DZ-Manager and hence we will be running the manifest during the named boogies.
 

Sirs, vielen danke for your replies! I'll be getting a reserve repack in the next couple of weeks, and should be ready to go. I'm a D-holder with about 400 jumps. I have the 3rd-party insurance too but that will lapse in June or July. Are there any other requirements?

Hi Mark,

> I'll be getting a reserve repack

Repacks are valid for 12 months in Germany.

> I'm a D-holder with about 400 jumps.

Be sure to bring your original (not expired) license.

Also you must have done at least 12 jumps within the last 12 months. 
If that is not the case an instructor will provide you with instructions what to do on your jumps (Sprungauftrag) until you reach the named number of jumps.

> I have the 3rd-party insurance too but that will lapse in June or July.

Correct, you need one that covers at least 1,5 Mio EUR.

If yours is expired by then you can always get a temporary one (max. 3 months for 20,- EUR). The application form can be downloaded here
In Zweibrücken you can get that temporary insurance at the manifest when you check in if needed.

> Are there any other requirements?

Some dropzones want to see your logbook and the papers of your rig but in Zweibrücken you only sign that you and your rig qualify for jumping.

Due to Corona there will be additional requirements but we are not yet sure what they will be. 
E.g. it is very likely that you will have to wear a full-face-helmet and gloves in the plane and in freefall.

Hope to meet you in Zweibrücken, blue skies

Olly
 

Re-reading my first post I found two errors but I cannot edit my original post:

> 30.05.20 - 31.05.20

Actually the first boogie will be one day longer, the correct dates being
30.05.20 - 01.06.20

> 1) skydivers must wear a hard-helmet and gloves

That should read:
skydivers must wear a full-face-helmet and gloves in the plane and in freefall

Sorry!
 

6 hours ago, Olly said:

Hi Mark,

> I'll be getting a reserve repack

Repacks are valid for 12 months in Germany.

>>YAY!

> I'm a D-holder with about 400 jumps.

Be sure to bring your original (not expired) license.

>> CHECK

Also you must have done at least 12 jumps within the last 12 months. 
If that is not the case an instructor will provide you with instructions what to do on your jumps (Sprungauftrag) until you reach the named number of jumps.

>> Ruh-Roh (translated: bring lots of Euros)

> I have the 3rd-party insurance too but that will lapse in June or July.

Correct, you need one that covers at least 1,5 Mio EUR.

>>CHECK

If yours is expired by then you can always get a temporary one (max. 3 months for 20,- EUR). The application form can be downloaded here
In Zweibrücken you can get that temporary insurance at the manifest when you check in if needed.

>> GOOD TO KNOW MUCH CHEAPER THAN SWITZERLAND, BUT THEN EVERYTHING IS - HAHAHA

> Are there any other requirements?

Some dropzones want to see your logbook and the papers of your rig but in Zweibrücken you only sign that you and your rig qualify for jumping.

>> COOL

Due to Corona there will be additional requirements but we are not yet sure what they will be. 
E.g. it is very likely that you will have to wear a full-face-helmet and gloves in the plane and in freefall.

>> TOO EASY (zu einfach)

Hope to meet you in Zweibrücken, blue skies

Olly
 

>> BSBD ZU AUCH DIR

Hi Mark,

>> If that is not the case an instructor will provide you with instructions what to do on your jumps 
>> (Sprungauftrag) until you reach the named number of jumps.
>
> Ruh-Roh  (translated: bring lots of Euros)

I am not sure how other dropzones handle this but in Zweibrücken there are no additional cost involved: you pay a normal ticket to altitude, get a briefing by an instructor upfront and debrief the jump with him afterwards.

Blue skies

Olly

Thanks. That sounds a lot more reasonable for a D-holder currency requirement. cheers!