Honestly the absolute best experience I cannot give enough praise the rating score does not go high enough, at first our group (3 generations) was split into separate chalks, they called an instructor on his day off just so we could all go on the same jump. Lonnie was amazing! We drove 2 hrs just to go here 10 out of 10 will do again will go to this exact place too!! read more

Visited this drop zone for the first time weekend and should have done this much sooner. The facilities and planes are top notch. The staff and management were very welcoming, accommodating, and most importantly, very professional. Our team will be back. Thank you. read more

WOW! I can't speak highly enough of this place! We decided to go skydiving for seven year anniversary. And now I want to do it every year. We had a little bit of a wait, and the area had SO much to do while we were there like foosball, table games, a ropes course (we didn't do this but it was cool to look at) and had live videos playing of other skydivers. Plus watching the other skydivers go and land in the zone outside before we went just got us so amped for being able to get up there ourselves. This was our first time, skydiving and they really did so much to help us feel comfortable. We loved chatting with their team and we had such a beautiful day for skydiving. We couldn't have asked for better ..what a memorable experience! We'd love to come back. read more

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Safety is stated as an important component at Start Skydiving. The 2022 season begins today, March 5, with US Parachute Association Safety Day. Lots of skydivers here to refresh and renew important knowledge. The folks that work at Start Skydiving are knowledgeable and dedicated to their craft. Which is a major component, in my mind anyway, that make it the number one drop zone in the Nation! read more

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Lonnie is an excellent instructor and the overall experience was fantastic! Had an absolute blast and will gladly go again.

I couldn't have asked for a better first time skydiving than the experience I was given here. Such a wonderful crew filled with adrenaline junkies who want nothing more than to share their excitement with you! We scheduled our jump time for 12PM, so we showed up at 11:30 to register. The guy who registered us was absolutely fantastic - funny, sarcastic, informative, and so personable. Once we finished, we headed into the main room where all the instructors, gear, etc were stationed. We didn't know where to go at first, so the guy up front told us to walk around and chill until our names showed up on the TV screen. There is a monitor listing the planes, passengers, and wait times on it. Our names weren't on the list yet, so we played foosball and cornhole to pass the time. Once our names were on the board with about twenty minutes until boarding, our instructors greeted and geared us up. Even if you don't pay for a video package, the instructor still takes a GoPro with them to document your jump...which is a good tactic because you're more likely to buy the video afterwards once you see it playing back! It took us 2 hours after our scheduled jump time to actually board, so not too bad. Go as early as you can to avoid super long delays. Once we were in the plane and getting close to the proper altitude, all the instructors got everything ready and explained the proper form when exiting. The free fall is indescribable. It was amazing, but it's something you have to experience yourself to understand! My instructor, Rodrigo, let me take control of the handles once the chute was pulled, which was cool. He took control again when we were close to landing and he did it perfectly. It was fantastic! I don't know how long the entire skydive lasted. Time isn't really on your mind when you're plummeting towards the Earth! We played the plinko game after we jumped and got a free appetizer for Bourbon's Craft Kitchen. Because I checked in on Yelp, I got $10 off the video package, so be sure to do that! Overall, I had a phenomenal time. If I had to suggest anything for next time, it would be for the instructors not to spin so much during free fall. Or at least ask the tandem jumper if they get sick easily. I spun a little bit and it made me kind of queasy, but that's okay. I would 10000% recommend this place if you want to skydive. You won't regret it!! read more

Start Skydiving - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

Rodrigo Lopes was my instructor, coolest guy ever. Was my first time sky diving and he made the experience great. Made sure I was comfortable the entire time and made my video aesthetically pleasing. Def recommend him and this place for sky diving!! read more

My job as a pilot affords me the ability to travel around the US to many cities. As a skydiver, one of the perks of my job is taking my parachute on the road and trying different drop zones. Pilots are very critical people. Our measurement of other pilots is "would I let my family be flown by this person." As a skydiver, if someone in my family wanted to try skydiving, not only would I want Start Skydiving to be where they would do it, I would insist that it be the only place they try it. I was completely impressed with all parts of this business. Walking in I was greeted by their representatives behind the desk who cheerfully and professionally checked me in and got me through the process. Entering the main facility their instructors patiently and happily answered my questions, even though I am sure they are asked the same questions all the time. I witnessed the pilot doing a great preflight inspection and briefing with the instructors. It was obvious that safety is paramount here at all levels of the organization. In brief, there were no shortcuts taken, no compromises to safety given, and all done with the most incredible and fun attitudes. I can honestly say that this is the best drop zone and facilities that i have come across. The one thing I would change would be to have it closer to home so I could make this my home DZ. If you are a fun jumper, come here. It is amazing. If you or someone you care about wants to do a tandem, I would go nowhere but here. If you are someone that just wants to come check it out, watch some jumpers and get a t-shirt, I am sure you would feel welcome here too. I can't wait to come back. To the owners, John and John, your hospitality and professionalism was greatly appreciated. You have built an incredible place! read more

Had a fantastic time! My group was a size of 9 and there was a chance of rain. They pushed up the time we would be skydiving and still made an amazing time even with all the extra people per said time. I had Alex as my instructor and he was great, along with the rest of the crew. If you are worried about safety, just know that it is a big deal to them. This was my first time skydiving and everyone in my group including myself loved it. We all were a little worried and nervous but afterwards it made it so worth it. If you are going for the first time or have done it before I would recommend Startskydiving cause they know what they are doing. Thanks for reading my review, hopefully it was helpful. Chris Axelson read more

I had the most fun jumping with Lonnie for my tandem and Shea for my video and photos. They are both phenomenal at what they do and do not disappoint. Lots of jokes and fun while feeling safe the entire time. If anyone reading this to get an idea about whether or not to jump, do it!! The only regret you'll have is if you don't go and absolutely get your pics and vids. It's all worth it! read more

We loved skydiving with Start Skydiving this morning! From scheduling our jump online to actually jumping out of a plane, the entire experience was smooth, easy, and just made me want to hop right back on the plane for a round 2! My husband is a quadriplegic and can't move his legs so we love that Start Skydiving has a special jumpsuit that allows the tandem instructor to strap onto your legs to help ensure a safe landing. The fact that they provide FREE skydiving if you are terminally ill or permanently disabled is simply the icing on the cake! Now, on the actual day of, our instructors, Phil and Brian, were the epitome of professionalism right from the start. They cut no corners to ensure that we were properly harnessed and ready to jump! They communicated clearly and effectively to make sure we knew what to expect and what to do. Our videographers, Gila and Natasha, were so much fun and provided a much needed comedic relief prior to our jump. They worked as a team so that no part of my husband's transfer to the plane, take off, or jump went unrecorded per our request, which was so appreciated. The actual jump was amazing! The weather was a little cloudy so we could only jump from about 10K feet but that was okay because I don't anticipate this will be my last time skydiving ;) After our parachutes were deployed, both my husband and I were allowed to steer the parachute! The view was awesome and just being in mid air with nothing but a chute keeping you safe is an unbeatable experience! Like I said, I'm fairly certain this won't be my last time skydiving and, if I got the chance, I would dive here again in a heartbeat. Thank you Start Skydiving and especially to our awesome crew: Phil, Brian, Gila, and Natasha. read more

Start Skydiving - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

What a rush! I felt right away that I was in great hands, and that my first jump would be exactly what I was hoping it would be. The front desk staff was friendly and enthusiastic. I jumped with "G," and Lonnie was my photographer. They made my experience perfect. G explained everything clearly and was patient with all of my questions, which helped to minimize my anxiety about the big jump. Lonnie's energy made for a super fun photography experience, and I am very satisfied with my Rockstar video comprised of G and Lonnie's footage. It's definitely worth every penny! The facility was spotless and had lots of room to hang out while I waited my turn. (And plenty of space for antsy pacing!) :) The second I touched the ground I knew I wanted to jump again and booked my second ever jump for next month. How's that for a testimonial? I can't wait! read more

Total bucket list worthy! Stephen put me on a plane, then pushed me out if it! Aghhhhhh! One of my closest friend and I will never forget this memory that they made for us. The weather unfortunately did not work with us the way we wanted it to but they kept checking the forcast every 15min for updates. 4 Hours past our reservation jump time we suited up. Videos were great. Pictures.... the best. Smiles all around. Great people, best friend = 5 stars. read more

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Lonnie Kirk is the best!! Start Skydiving is like a big family welcoming everyone in to take part in the adventure of skydiving. Lonnie made this experience for me for my first tandem jump. I will be back! read more

This place is amazing! First tandem jump with friends and had a great time. Larry was my partner and kind of made me feel more safe. Super professional I've already been a second time! Start skydiving now! read more

Great place to go for skydiving. Just like the name, we started with skydiving from here last weekend. It was our (I and my wife) first skydive, and for that matter first extreme adventure, and it became truly memorable, thanks to the folks here - especially the diving instructors. The location is good. About 40-45mins from downtown Cincinnati. Quite inside once you take the exit from I-71 North. There is a residential area on one side of the location but still a lot of free lands available on the other side. There is a free make-shift parking (pebble-surface) available close to their office. The registration process was quick and there was a lady who escorted us to the diving site. Depending upon the rush, you may be diving in 30mins to an hour. So, your registration time is NOT your dive time but they have a large LED that displays your aircraft time and your diving instructor's name so that you know when to be available at the site. They start preparing about 20mins before the dive is scheduled. Our instructors - Brian Marzluf and Kyle Whittier - were great. Kyle was very engaging and friendly but also very meticulous in ensuring all the required procedures are followed. He's great with pictures and videos based on the results in my DVD. The dive was very thrilling and the landing very smooth. On a sunny day, you get really breathtaking views at this location. Brian was great. However, my wife could smell cigarette while talking to him which made her a little uncomfortable. It's better if he quits smoking but otherwise, a better mouth freshener will do. In terms of handling the dive, he was great and meticulous. He could be better in photography and videography. At the time of dive, his hand was more towards left than in front of my wife, where we see Kyle was more effective and captured better shots. The aircraft was good with a seating capacity of 8. We had four divers and five instructors (and of course, two pilots). One of the instructors dived at about 8K feet. They take you till about 11-13K from where the plane stabilizes and the divers dive one after the other. You already start feeling the wind as soon as they open the door. The dive was one of it's kind of experience and landing was very smooth. They were quick with getting our photos and videos DVD which got ready in just about 20-25mins. Overall, definitely a great place to skydive if you're looking for an amazing experience. read more

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The staff was incredibly friendly and upbeat! They made sure that my 50th was special. Stephen my jump instructor was also incredible!! Loved it so much I signed up to jump again. Tony read more

I first went in Oct of 2009 at their Lebanon location with a group of friends. We were able to book as a group and get a discounted rate. It definitely helps to have other people you know there with you while you wait and wait... :) When you jump, if you are still on the adrenaline high, and not thinking all that straight, you have the option of pre-purchasing your next jump at a greatly reduced cost. (Currently that is $109) So, as you may have already guessed, I did just that. Here it is almost a year later and I need to hurry up and use my pass. I just jumped at their new location in Middletown. I really like their new location. It's a very nice facility. There is a large, comfortable, fenced in area to the left of the hangar as you approach that has seating and umbrellas to get you off your feet and out of the sun. Your friends and family not crazy enough to jump with you can patiently wait here and watch as you descend slowly from the sky. Currently, their only bathrooms are port-o-potties, but I hear that they are working on a restroom facility. You need to make a reservation for your "class time" online or you can call and do this over the phone. Then just show up, park and walk to the back side of the big, blue hangar, through the door marked: "enter here." If it's your first time, you will pass up the check in desk to your right, and walk straight back to the left to check in for your waiver and safety video. Once you have this paperwork complete, you will walk back up to the check in desk and they will process your payment and ask you to wait. They recommend expecting to be there for something between two and six hours. It all depends on how you line up with the available planes, your instructor's schedule, and the number of people wanting to jump. Honestly, the most difficult part of the whole process is the waiting and the anticipation. This is why having friends, family or something to occupy your time and mind is your best bet. Be sure that you've had something to eat, but don't eat a big meal right before you show up. Inside the hangar is a bustle of people filled with excitement. It's palpable. People are packing their parachutes to the right, to the front of the hangar, the group jumpers are practicing their stunts/routines or in many cases, engaged in group prayer. It can't hurt, I guess. ;) The experienced staff that will be jumping tandem with you are always upbeat, kind, and knowledgeable. They put you at ease immediately and are used to dealing with peoples' nerves or jitters. Everything is explained thoroughly throughout the process to keep you from having to think about it. You walk out onto the small airfield and stack into the tiny plane like sardines in an only slightly thicker can. It's a surprisingly long ride up to 12,500 feet. When the little plexiglass garage door is slid open and you can feel the air rushing by and see the ground below, it gets real. You shuffle off to the side, lean out, and on the count of three it's too late to change your mind. Arch back, don't panic, and breathe through your mouth. Better yet, scream in delight or fear, no one will be able to tell the difference and you can claim whatever you want when your wobbly legs are on stable ground again. After you reach a stable fall, you open your arms up and settle in for the fall. The chute gets pulled at 5,000 ft, so you have some time to take it all in. Let your instructor know if you want to do a standard jump from the plane or a tumble maneuver. If you are motion sick or particularly scared, I would avoid the latter. You may also do some horizontal spinning during the initial fall. If you aren't up for this, you may want to alert the guy on your back. If you want to pull the chute, talk about that before you make your way onto the plane. It's a great feeling when the chute opens and your breathtaking descent is suddenly and abruptly interrupted by what feels like being pulled upwards rapidly by your shirt. Then, settle in for a long, slow, lazy and serene glide to the ground. Again, there is the option to do some spinning at this point which can be slow or very quick. This is something you will want to discuss with the guy holding the reigns. The landing is easy and painless. The hardest part is not running back in and booking the next time slot. You will notice people of all ages, creeds, sexes, etc. Don't think this is only for the adrenaline crazed youth. read more

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When I was 17 I wanted to go skydiving but was told you aren't allowed until you hit 18. When that happened I lost my nerve and put it off as one of those things I'd get to someday. Well, as I've gotten older my life list has gotten much much longer and sky diving still nagged at me because I've been over 18 for quite some time now. I was sitting at home when I got a text message. It was from my mom.."Did I tell you what I'm doing this weekend? I'm going skydiving! Wanna go?" I looked at the text, put my phone down and just sat there. You see, my mom is the most conservative woman ever. She doesn't take crazy risks, and often tries to get me not to either. So to get this text from her.. wow. Of COURSE I had to go. My first piece of advice.. get there EARLY!!! We were one of the first groups there and still had a short time to wait. If you get there later the wait gets longer and longer, so jump in the morning. When we arrived we had to go into a room and watch a safety video. You could feel the electricity in the air from all the people who were buzzing with excitement about their first jump. The t.v. comes on and starts going into the safety bit. I look up and there is a man talking very seriously about the risks of jumping out of a plane, who looks like he came out of a ZZ Top video. Come on now.. how can you take that man seriously?? Maybe he was there to ease the nervous tension? Once the video is over you go to the hangar and meet your tandem jumper. We got the video and photo package too so the videographer comes over and does a quick interview with you. You get suited up in your jumping outfit and then you wait for the plane. I was with a crazy spikey blonde haired guy who was perfect for this type of job. Sometimes you can just look at someone and know what they do.. you may not have been able to guess right away with him, but you'd probably come close with any extreme sport. He joked around with me and we headed to the plane. The plane ride is amazing and much smoother than a commercial flight. We all got quiet as we looked down at the land below us and took it all in. I watched my boyfriend who was strapped to an older man go first, then my mom as she snuck a quick glance back at me, and a wave.. and then it was my turn. We were on the edge of the plane and the videographer went first... We jumped and my breath was taken away for a moment.. When you first jump you're in a freefall and it doesn't feel like you are falling as fast as what you really are. It's incredible. It was raining so it was actually ice when it was hitting me.. The videographer was below me getting the expression on my face the whole time and the ground was showing up faster and faster... Finally he pulled the chute and we were ripped back upwards into the sky. You glide for a little bit and he let me take the handles to spin us around. It was the most peaceful feeling I've ever felt in my life. The landing was completely smooth as we slid in on our butts. It was the greatest experience of my life and I will definitely do it again someday. All of us came down with huge smiles on our faces and that was the coolest thing in the world to see.. my conservative mom standing there telling me she wanted to go again. Awesome. :) The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because I purchased the video and pictures. I didn't care about the video because I really only wanted to get pics but you can't buy them separate. Well the video turned out awesome, but there are absolutely 0 pics of me in the sky. I was so bummed. My mom got AMAZING still shots of her on her pics and I really wanted something to share with everyone besides a video. : ( The other thing is that another photographer snaps shots of you as you land and they take you back in the hangar to view the pics. These pics are separate.. and honestly if I could do it again I wouldn't buy them. You don't really need to because your videographer catches alot of the same pics. But if that's the only complaint I have.. well it was worth it. I loved the actual place and the jump. I will go back. read more

Start Skydiving - Your air taxi - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

While I was visiting some friends in Cincinnati, OH, we attempted to jump in 2010. It seemed like the right time to celebrate: 1/ Celebrate being alive and kicking for three decades ( milestone birthday ). 2/ Celebrate my friends's undergraduate survival ( graduation ). We made a reservation online, and purchased four tandem skydive spots, and of course video of our jump. Have I mentioned I have a mild form of what's called " acrophobia ", that is fear of heights. I thought jumping from the sky might overcome my fear. We drove couple of hours to Middletown Regional Airport, and it was nice clear day to Jump! The staff at Start Skydiving were AWESOME, friendly and made us all feel comfortable. We checked-in and we were prepared to skydive. When our turn came up, our jump was cancelled due to inclement weather. They were so flexible to reschedule, and to transfer my spot to another friend, since I was just visiting Cincinnati. My friends did their jump few months later, and they highly recommend Start Skydiving. Four and halfYelps. read more

Start Skydiving - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

This place is absolutely wonderful. I had the best experience here. And considering it was my first time jumping out of a plane, I would say that is very important. Every single person I dealt with here was great. Super laid back atmosphere, but very safe. I paid about $135 for my groupon and an additional $99 for the video and stills (which is so worth it, trust me - if you go, GET THIS PACKAGE!!!!!) I plan on coming back and jumping with these guys again. I felt nothing but safe. Awesome experience. Amazing people. Great prices. :) read more

Start Skydiving - Amazing - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

This was my first time skydiving, and I was definitely nervous. But the staff is super friendly and the chill attitude of all the "experienced" skydivers made it so easy! There isn't a lot of time to overthink the whole jumping out of a perfectly good airplane thing-- I was in and out of Start in a hour and twenty minutes. This even includes the 20ish minute wait for our dvds. Amazing! Definitely get some sort of video package! They offer three different kinds. I just got the video and stills done by a camera person for $100. The cheapest was 75$. My tandem instructor was insanely experienced. I asked how long he had been skydiving and he said over 10 years this was a "family profession" (mind you this guy looked to be early thirties, tops!) My bf's tandem instructor was equally as experienced at 10 years of jumps and walked us through the process and what to expect once in the air. If its your first time, Start Skydiving is no better place, if you've gone before wait and visit a place with nicer scenery. read more

Start Skydiving - Shortest 45 seconds - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

I have never been skydiving before, so I don't have the best basis for good or bad skydiving establishments. However, I know that everyone here was very helpful, encouraging, and personable. I purchased this experience for my girlfriend and me. We signed up for it online about 15 hours before. As long as you pay online the day before you will get a better deal. We paid $169 for the weekday deal. It would have been $199 if we paid the day of. They were also very accommodating here. It was suppose to rain in the afternoon, when we were suppose to jump. We called early in the morning and they told us to come ASAP, and we jumped as soon as we got there. Awesome service!! For those worried about jumping for the first time, don't be worried! The instructors make you very comfortable and it is totally worth the experience. The biggest rush in the world to be falling to the ground from the sky. GO DO IT!!! read more

Start Skydiving - Had a Blast! Can't wait to do it again! - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

A truly amazing experience with a top notch staff. Start Skydiving has become the standard in the state of Ohio from Class A-H certification as well as tandem diving. So what should you expect the first time you arrive at this business? PROS: Parking is never a problem at 1711 Hook field. With ample parking around the hanger and an overflow lot next to it, you can bring all your friends along for this unique adventure. The staff is professional and is dedicated to your safety as well as insures you know what your getting yourself into. The instructors at Start have a varied background. Some are ex-airforce and army. While others have commercial licenses. These instructors Jump an average of 70 times a week in the busy months and many have 20 to 30 years of experience in diving. Cons: Time: Plan 6 hours to be free to jump. With varied weather patterns and occasional plane maintenance you could be waiting for this once in lifetime experience. Disclaimer: Even though the instructors make you comfortable this a business. You must be certain you want to do this. In the summer time 18 Jumpers go out on each plane. Do not hold up a seat unless you can commit Helpful Hints: The best skydiving experiences are during the week. It's a little slower with more 1 on 1 conversation between instructors and it is cheaper. I have jumped for the first time this summer and have gone back for another experience. Given the nature of this sport, I would not give them a second chance unless I was thoroughly impressed with there commitment to safety and professionalism. -Frank read more

Things I liked about the place- 1. Great blend of business and thrill. 2. Pretty experienced sky divers. It was Adam's, my tandem sky diving instructor, 1324th jump. 3. A right balance between assertive and friendliness was seen in instructors approach to mentally prepare you for jump. 4. Schedule screen that shows your estimated jump time along with the instructors name. 5. They take you all the way above 10000 feet. 6. Cheaper as Compared to other places. read more

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This place is the absolute best for beginner sky diver and experienced just looking for a nice jump ! I had my first jump last year and had Butter as my tandem instructor , I booked a 2nd jump and was not able to make it but the staff at Start Skydiving saved my missed reservation to my account . I finally was able to make it back a year later and they had my credit on file , although the rate I had purchased at the time was expired they provided discounts for my jump and I paid a minimal difference. This time I had Jeff as my tandem instructor who turned out to be the trainer or my first instructor ! This jump was so amazing , I really had an amazing time and communicated with me the whole time and made me feel so comfortable! If you're skeptical about skydiving I say do it , and do it at Start Skydiving! read more

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I was very nervous but Steven and the other Instructors made me very comfortable. Over a great experience and amazing staff !

Start Skydiving has always been amazing! I have jumped there twice and my boyfriend has jumped there 5 times. The employees are great and really make a fun atmosphere and a great experience. They put safety as a top priority and will only let you jump if the weather conditions are just perfect. I would recommend Start Skydiving to any of my friends! read more

It's been 15 minutes since I landed from my jump. Wow! What an experience! Expect to freak out, get your stomach in knots and love every second! The landing was super soft, the plane quality it excellent and I love that they have a door shut while climbing to altitude. It helps the nerves a lot. I am paralyzed from the chest down and this company has an awesome special jump suit for people with paralysis to jump! Talk about inclusion! I loved it all. Can't wait to see my video! read more

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This was my first skydiving experience and it was wonderful. The instructors and videographer were reassuring and confident which help dispel my fears. I thought this would be a once in a lifetime bucket list jump but I already have plans for my second jump. I would encourage anyone who is looking to have a good first jump to try this company. read more

Friendly, informative and enthusiastic instructors made my partner and I feel comfortable jumping for our first time!

Just got done with my first jump and it was amazing!!!! Stephen was a great guide and was super professional I recommend you get him and he was very descriptive on sight seeing locations very cool experience. Thank you STEPHEN!!!!! read more

Top notch outfit. Well run. Organized. Very safety conscious and aware of surroundings. Thank you to the staff and Team Fastrax! #RLTW

First time for my husband and sons. Everyone was thrilled and looking forward to the jump. Lonnie and Brian were great and made it really fun. Santiago however was a mean and unprofessional instructor, threatened to "cut you off" and put him on a "no fly list". He did his best to follow the instructions and completely ruined a $265 bucket list experience. If you go make sure you don't get Santiago read more

First tandem skydive experience was a success! I was flying into the Columbus, OH area for the weekend for my adrenaline junkie of a boyfriend's birthday. After considering many, many other places - I choose StartSkydiving for 2 reasons 1) the great reviews on Facebook and Yelp and 2) the fact that a deposit is enough to secure your jump. Other locations were asking me to pay upfront, which was a deal breaker for me because I was only there for the weekend and that was the only day I was available to jump. Pros: - Quick! Our appointment was at 10am and we were out of there by 1130 (with videos and photos burned onto a CD!). After reading some of the reviews, we thought we'd be here for HOURS, but we were suited up within minutes and on the plane in no time. - Phil, who I skydived with, was AWESOME. We got to the edge of the plane and I legitimately forgot everything because I was so scared, but he was so nice! I told him my ears were popping as we were making our way down and he gave me suggestions on what would help that. He also asked me if I typically get motion sickness and I said sometimes so he brought us down slowly. He even showed me how to steer the parachute - he was phenomenal! - Prices seemed better than other skydiving locations within the area. - Reliable. I was reluctant to skydive after watching the mandatory video and signing off your life on the waiver, but after seeing all the Facebook reviews for StartSkydiving, I was reassured that this was a safe place to have my first jump. Cons: - Slightly disappointed in my photographs/video. The videographer was so close to me that the background/view weren't photographed very well. However, my boyfriends photos/video came out amazing! His photographer maintained a good distance to shoot (did both close ups and further away) and his photos looked amazing! - Photograph/video package was supposed to have 150 pictures + video. We both had less than 115 photos each and some of the photos were blurry and others we weren't even in. Expected a little bit more paying $99/person. Tips: - They have lockers (without locks), but next time I'd probably leave valuables in the car or bring my own lock. read more

I purchased a groupon for Start Skydiving last October, and finally used it a couple weeks ago ($119 for the tandem jump... not much less than their regular price, but hey it got me to buy it). Overall it was a great experience. We were scheduled for the 12pm slot and finally jumped around 2pm, so the wait wasn't as bad as it seems to have been for others. I'd recommend scheduling for early in the morning - it seemed to get more crowded as they day went on. The instructions went pretty quick, and before I knew it I was being suited up. We ended up getting the video and stills after my boyfriend's mom offered to pay for half. Getting interviewed by the friendly videographer made us all the more psyched for the jump. The shots of us free-falling were pretty amazing, and I'm glad we have them: it's pretty pricey, but the videographer takes up another spot in the plane. The guy I was attached to was awesome. He had a handle-bar mustache and was superfriendly and encouraging. We land very softly on our feet. It's definitely an experience I'll never forget. Even though it's scary being 13,000ft in the air and then free falling at such a high speed, I never felt unsafe. I was nervous, but I didn't feel in danger. I may do it again if the opportunity arises. read more

As an experienced skydiver I have been to quiet a few dropzones. I was really happy with Start, the facilities were nice. The Staff very friendly and accommodating. The operation as a whole seemed to run very smooth, it also looked like tandems were taken care of and left with a good experience. read more

I would certainly have been most willing to give this place 5 stars if not for two small hang-ups: the INSANELY bitchy woman working the cash register the day we were there and the INSANELY long wait that we experienced because we came on a Saturday, like most people who have 9-5, M-F jobs. We were told to make sure we arrived no later than 1pm. I'm not so sure what the rush was. You fill your paperwork out before watching the video (which seemed a bit un-necessary, because you have plenty of time to wait AFTER you watch the video too.) The girl at the front desk seemed extremely put out when one member of our group was about 10 minutes late. She missed a minute or so of the video, which consists of a guy with a really long beard sitting in a 1970s wood paneled office telling you that nothing's perfect, and that you could die from this, but now you know that, so you can't blame anyone. Got it! We then took our paperwork to pay, and we hadn't decided yet if we all wanted to pay for video/stills, etc... The video/still package costs $89, but is worth it if you have some extra cash to burn. I'm very glad I bought mine. We were there from 1pm until about 7pm, easily. If you go to Start Skydiving- BE PREPARED TO WAIT. Luckily, I still had the deck of cards which was the gift at the last Yelp Elite event on me... and that killed the time fairly quickly. We played a heated game of Egyptian Rat Screw and one of the videographers for our group joined in and ended up hustling all of us! The instructors at Start Skydiving are GREAT. They will put you at ease if they sense that you need it- and/or get you psyched up if they sense that you are an adrenaline junkie. I'm a little bit of both, and my instructor was GREAT. I was SO scared when it came time to jump- in the video, you can see my instructor prying my hands off the bar to get me to go. Once I got into free-fall, it was smooth sailing from there! IT was SUCH a great experience, and I'd DEFINITELY reccommend this company to anyone who wants to take the jump. It's a thrill unlike anything I've experienced. Just be willing to wait for it... read more

My friend has been battling cancer for the better part of 8 years. 4 years ago, he got a well-deserved break from chemo. We bought Groupons for a skydive to celebrate. He didn't get healthy enough to handle the jump, so we decided to postpone it indefinitely. My friend got his money back from Groupon, obviously, due to his illness. I did not. In 2015, he got a longer break from chemo and was doing much better, so I decided to book the jump for a Saturday in mid October and pay for the whole thing myself. When I called SS, I initially got push-back for my expired groupon. I explained that the deal expired, not the value, which is clearly stated on the voucher. The guy on the phone told me to bring it and he'd apply the value towards the price of the jump. Then, a few weeks before my jump, I got an email saying my jump had been pushed back to the following week on a weekday. I was only in town for the weekend, so I was very concerned. I called and the same guy had no explanation for why the jump had been moved. He moved it back to the original date. If it had been a busy summer Saturday, I could have potentially lost my spot. There were only a handful of other jumpers the morning we jumped, but the cashier temporarily lost the paperwork we had just filled out. Needless to say, I wasn't super impressed with the staff up to that point. BUT once we got out to the hanger, it was a whole different story. It was a well-oiled machine. We geared up and got a little pep talk from our tandem partners. We waited maybe 30 minutes, then our partners grabbed us and loaded us into the plane. Fair warning: the plane ride is the scariest part. It's steep and loud and quick. Once in the air, one of our partners took an unsanctioned pic of us (and later emailed it to us), since I couldn't afford the picture package. I won't say who it was because I don't want to get him in trouble. The jump itself was very fun and smooth. I have some neck problems, but it didn't bother me at all. I do feel it's worth mentioning that anyone with even the slightest tendency for motion sickness to be prepared. I DID take my dramamine beforehand, so I assumed nothing would bother me. However, my tandem partner asked, while we were floating down to earth, if i wanted to do some spins. I stupidly said "yes" and immediately regretted it. It took everything in my being not to puke when we landed. That was totally my fault, I don't blame him. Overall, the experience was great. I felt very safe, and our partners made sure to make my friend's bucket list experience a memorable one. I might even jump again someday. Many thanks! read more

Start Skydiving - Skydiving Near Me - Middletown, Ohio

Jumped on 5/18/2014 This was my second time skydiving and my first time at Start Skydiving. Start Skydiving provided a better overall experience by a wide margin. The facilities are very clean and everyone is friendly and professional. There is a large monitor that shows you exactly what time you'll be jumping. There are corn hole sets and comfortable patio chairs so that you can be outside and relax while you wait. Kirk (my tandem partner) and Melanie (my videographer) were both awesome! I highly recommend spending the extra $$ to upgrade to the video so you can show your friends. The only reason I'm not giving it a 5-star is the large pothole as you enter the parking area. Several cars bottomed out. Fill that in and it's a 5-star! read more