Learn To Skydive FAQs

Start Skydiving is conveniently located ~ 15 minutes off of I-75 at Middletown Regional Airport, 1711 Run Way, Middletown, OH 4504. We’re smack dab at the midpoint between Dayton and Cincinnati, right along the beautiful Great Miami River. It’s super easy to get us from most any city within a 300 mile radius of us!

• Dayton, OH – 30 mins
• Cincinnati, OH – 45 mins
• Louisville, KY – 2 hrs 30 mins
• Indianapolis, IN – 2 hrs 10 mins
• Columbus, OH – 1 hr 30 mins
• Lexington, KY – 2 hrs
• Toledo, OH – 2 hrs 30 mins
• Akron, OH – 3 hrs 15 mins
• Cleveland, OH – 3 hrs 30 mins

That all depends on the time of year because, you know, Ohio! We jump until sunset if we have good weather and enough jumpers. We’re always closed on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

MARCH

• Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – Sunset

APRIL

• Monday & Friday: 1:00 p.m.. – Sunset
• Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – Sunset

MAY TO SEPTEMBER – SKYDIVING SEASON!

• Monday, Thursday & Friday: 1:00 p.m. – Sunset
• Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – Sunset
• Tuesday: Office Closed; No Jumping
• Wednesday: Office Hours 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (No Jumping)

OCTOBER

• Monday & Friday: 1:00 p.m. – Sunset
• Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – Sunset

NOVEMBER

• Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – Sunset

MID-NOVEMBER TO MID-MARCH*

• Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – Sunset
• Jumping for licensed skydivers only.

* Jumping for licensed skydivers only. Temperatures must reach at least 40°F on the ground; pilot and staff must be available; and we must have enough jumpers to efficiently send loads. All information ~ off-season jumping is posted on our Licensed Jumpers Facebook page.

Can’t get us on the phone? Leave a voicemail and we’ll return your call as soon as possible, or email us at [email protected].

Yes … although, you’ll be focused on your instructor/coach, so you might not see much of them throughout your training day. Your guests will have plenty to do; don’t worry about them!

We have two large paved patio areas with picnic tables, umbrellas, and lawn chairs, as well as manicured green spaces that are perfect for lounging around. They’ll have a great view of the boarding and landing areas, and will see you overhead as you make your approach for landing.

Encourage your hype crew to pack up their particulars and stay awhile! We recommend that folks bring:

• Camera
• Sunglasses
• Binoculars
• Stereo (clean lyrics and moderate volume, please!)
• Picnic blanket
• Snacks
• Water and drinks (non-alcoholic only; no onsite water fountain)

Onsite, we have a high ropes course and indoor climbing wall, and cornhole, tabletop games, plenty of green space complete with lawn chairs, picnic tables, and shade, and free Wi-Fi.

Our campus runs alongside Smith Park, which has a fishing pond, splash pad, playground, and soccer and baseball fields. Plus, you can kayak on the Great Miami River and bike on the Great Miami River Trail (over 75+ miles long!). And when your adventures work up your appetite, there are several restaurants and hotels less than half of a mile away!

Yes! 5 Minute Call is a shared lodging rental within a one minute walk to the dropzone and just seven minutes to multiple restaurants. Wait out the weather or relax between jumps – there’s a Burble Manifest display in the kitchen!

We also have a campground for tent camping. Call for availability.

Service dogs are welcome at Start Skydiving. For safety reasons, pet dogs are not allowed at the dropzone.

In accordance with a mandate set forth by the United States Parachute Association (USPA), you must be at least 18 years of age in order to skydive at Start Skydiving. Please remember to bring your valid, government-issued, photo ID with you to the dropzone to prove your age and identity. Consent from a parent or guardian will not suffice.

There is no maximum age for skydiving. If you are in reasonably good health and your doctor has cleared you to learn how to skydive, then age is just a number.

Yes. You cannot weigh more than 235 lbs in order to enroll in the Start Skydiving Jump Institute. Not only are most reserve parachutes not rated for individuals over 235 lbs, the more you weigh, the higher your likelihood of injury and discomfort.

Yes, AFF students should be in reasonably good shape. The better your physical condition, the more you will enjoy the learning experience.

Every jump will require you to stretch and reach, crouch, squat, arch your back, and lift your legs. Additionally, you will be required to wear around 35 lbs of equipment, endure opening shock, maneuver the canopy, land, and possibly trudge great distances on foot. You will experience 30 degree swings in temperature, atmospheric pressure changes, and 5 to 8 hours of lecture.

If you have specific questions about the physical requirements of skydiving, get in touch and, as always, talk with your doctor.

At Start Skydiving, we are committed to making accommodations for people with disabilities whenever we can. In fact, we’re the only skydiving center in the United States that specializes in taking quadriplegics skydiving.

We welcome people who are living with paraplegia and have superb upper body strength to learn how to skydive with us. Unfortunately, we are not able to enroll individuals who have a hearing or visual impairment or who are living with quadriplegia in the Start Skydiving Jump Institute.

Of course, each disability is different. If there are any concerns about whether your disability may affect your skydiving experience, please get a doctor′s opinion. We cannot tell you how skydiving may affect you – only you and your physician can make the judgment.

Learn more about skydiving with a disability with us!

It is not mandatory to first make a tandem skydive before enrolling in the Start Skydiving Jump Institute, but it is highly recommended. Your first freefall skydive is overwhelming. Most people find it difficult to focus and correctly perform all of the necessary tasks to successfully pass their first AFF jump without any previous experience with freefall.

Should you be steadfast in your mission to jump straight into the AFF curriculum, enroll in our First Jump Course and check out our guide on how to prepare for your first solo jump. After six to eight hours of ground school training, you will make your first jump that same day (weather permitting).

Yes, you must reserve your spot for the First Jump Course at least three days in advance of the class. All AFF First Jump Courses take place on Fridays and the first Sunday of every month beginning at 8:00 a.m.

At Start Skydiving, our ground school curriculum takes between six and eight hours to complete. All AFF First Jump Courses begin at 8:00 a.m.

Otherwise, if you wish to book a reservation for the Accelerated Free-Fall First Jump Course, please select a date at least three days in advance.

Yes! If you have grasped the information covered during ground school and the weather is favorable for your first jump, then yes!!

You set the pace for your learn to skydive journey. Some people complete the curriculum in as few as 7 days; others stretch it out across the season.

To stay current, you must perform at least one skydive every 30 days. More than 30 days between jumps requires that you repeat the First Jump Course as well as the previous completed category.

If you elect to pay as you go, the cost to learn how to skydive is more than $4,000. Save some money by paying a portion of your program tuition or save big when you pay in full up front. Check out our AFF Skydive Prices page for details.

Yes, save by paying in advance! Prepay for half(ish) of the program and receive a discount. Prepay for the full program in advance and save big! Check out our AFF Skydive Prices page for details.

A deposit is required to reserve your spot in the First Jump Course. The remaining balance required to complete AFF Category A must be paid in full upon arrival. See our AFF Skydive Prices page for details.

We accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard, VISA, and cash. We do not accept checks.

All deposits are non-refundable.

First Jump Course reservation changes must be made at least one week prior to the reservation, or the student’s account will be charged the full course fee, whether the slot is back-filled or not.

Accelerated Freefall training prepaid packages are non-refundable but are transferable to another individual for a $25 fee. AFF training jumps expire at the end of the calendar year during which they were purchased.

Like most outdoor activities, skydiving is weather dependent. Jump operations are suspended in the event of:

• Strong steady winds or gusts
• Low clouds and fog
• Rain
• Lightning, thunder; storms
• Temperature below 40°F at ground level
• Wind chill factor below -30°F at altitude

For additional details, check out our weather page.

Prepaid jumps are held on your account through the end of the calendar year. Training jumps not fulfilled by year end will expire.

Yes! And they make an amazing gift for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and other celebrations. We offer gift certificates for specific experiences – including AFF training, lift tickets, observer flights, tandem skydiving, and media packages – and for Start Bucks, which can be applied to any service at the dropzone. Start Bucks are available in $25, $50, $100, and $200 increments.

Gift certificate purchases are nonrefundable. Check out our Gift Certificates page for more info.

Start Skydiving gift certificate values are good for five years from the date of purchase however, any discounted rates are only good for the specified period. If the specified period has expired, the funds can be applied towards the full price of the specific experience. Gift certificates are nonrefundable, but are transferable, and should be treated like cash.