Skydiving is a high thrill activity that can offer its participants an unparalleled experience. However, enthusiasts who do not live near popular skydiving destinations like California or Florida must travel long distances to get their fix. Fortunately for those living in or visiting Illinois (IL), there are several skydiving facilities nearby that provide excellent options for skydiving in Chicago and the surrounding area.
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Skydiving in Illinois
Skydiving facilities can be found throughout Illinois, with most skydivers living in the major metropolitan areas of Chicago and St. Louis. Skydiving is offered directly from most airports near these cities or at nearby skydiving centers that are accessible by car or public transportation. Skydiving conditions vary depending on location.
For instance, skydiving is possible year-round in Chicago because of its close proximity to large bodies of water that help regulate the climate. On the other hand, skydiving in St. Louis can be limited to certain months because of its location on the plains and distance from major bodies of water.
For locations near or within Chicago, consider these skydiving centers:
Skydive Chicago
located at the DuPage Airport, Skydive Chicago is accessible by train and offers group rates for parties of 10 or more individuals. The drop zone also includes a skydiving school that provides training to first-time participants.
Contact Information:
3215 E 1969th Rd, Ottawa, IL 61350
Phone: (815) 433-0000
Skydive Midwest
located about 40 minutes southwest of Chicago, Skydive Midwest is accessible by car. The center includes a large packing area and landing zone that can accommodate several jumpers at once. There are also three different aircraft on site to ensure multiple flights per day.
Contact Information:
13851 56th Rd, Sturtevant, WI 53177
Phone: (262) 886-3480
It should also be noted that there are a number of other skydiving facilities in Illinois. These include Skydive Chicago II in Sugar Grove and Sky Adventures in Bradley. In addition to offering skydiving in Chicago, these locations also provide customers with a variety of other air sports.
Is Skydive Chicago Safe?
As we know, Skydive Chicago, like most reputable skydiving centers, takes every precaution to ensure each skydive is as safe as possible. To prevent malfunctions during freefall and parachute flight, all jumpers must undergo a safety check in which tandem instructors inspect their equipment for any defects that could cause problems while airborne.
Jumpers are then required to complete several skydiving exercises that, with practice, can be learned in five minutes or less. These include the stable position (in which jumpers assume the “hocks up” jumping stance), PLF (parachute landing fall) and canopy control drills.
Skydive instructors also adhere to a conservative approach when opening parachutes. This is to ensure there is enough altitude for the parachute to fully inflate before they assume control of the chute using their toggles.
A final precaution it takes during skydiving is its highly experienced staff. All tandem instructors are USPA rated and have completed hundreds (if not thousands) of jumps in their career. To ensure its record of safety, Skydive Chicago regularly reviews and updates its emergency procedures as well as aircraft equipment and other factors that could affect the quality of a skydive.
How much does skydiving cost per person?
The cost of a tandem jump (not including equipment fees) is $225 per person. However, most skydiving centers offer discounts for students and military personnel.
Is freefall scary?
For most first-time participants, freefall can be intimidating; however, the experience is completely safe thanks to the extensive training required of all USPA rated tandem instructors. During freefall, jumpers are securely attached to instructors (who wear four-point harnesses) and provided with helmets, goggles and gloves.
Instructors also talk throughout the skydive in order to ease the concerns of their customers and communicate necessary information like altitude and air speed. Skydiving centers like Skydive Chicago also vary the amount of freefall time in order to ensure a comfortable experience for novice jumpers.
Who owns Skydive Chicago?
As we know, Skydive Chicago is a family-owned company that was started in 1964. In addition to its facilities at the DuPage Airport, the center also owns two other drop zones (in Ottawa and Sturtevant) which it acquired in 2012.
How high is the first skydive?
In most cases, the first skydive is from about 14,000 feet. However, some centers may start new jumpers at 12,000 feet or higher to provide a more gradual introduction to freefall.
What age can I go skydiving?
In most cases, the minimum age for a tandem skydive is 18 years old.
How safe is skydiving?
Skydiving is an incredibly safe activity when performed by a reputable company like Skydive Chicago. In fact, in 2013 there were only 21 fatalities out of 3.2 million jumps in North America (which is about a 0.0007% fatality rate). This number may seem high but can be easily explained by including fatal accidents that occur during BASE jumping and other skydiving-related disciplines (such as wingsuits flying, canopy collisions and night operations).
Why should people go skydiving?
The sky is a vast and beautiful place that many never have the opportunity of exploring. By taking the time to become an experienced skydiver, individuals not only experience the thrill of freefall but also see a whole new perspective of their world. Skydiving can also be used as a learning tool for other exciting sports like BASE jumping and wingsuit flying.
Is there any way to get discounts or group rates on tandem sky dives?
Skydive Chicago offers discounts for students, military personnel and people who are part of larger groups (such as college organizations). These individuals are able to go skydiving at lower prices than regular customers simply by showing proper documentation when they make reservations.
What are the most popular/best times to go skydiving?
The best time to book a tandem jump is on weekends during prime time (mid-morning hours). These are the busiest times for drop zones and therefore allow customers to take advantage of promotions that reduce the price of their experience or provide them with extra gear for free.
