You’ve been on the hunt for somewhere to skydive near Chicago. While there are a few dropzones known for their freefalling experiences in the area, it’s time to start asking some tough questions to narrow down your choices.
You’re digging into the skydiving centers’ safety records, researching their jump staff and checking for reviews online — all great tips for choosing the right dropzone. But why scour the internet for the tea on CSC, when we can serve it to you on a silver platter?
Here’s what you can expect from the Chicagoland Skydiving Center experience — and why we stand apart from other dropzones near the Chicago area:
1. You’ll Jump with Experienced and Passionate Staff
You can tell a lot about a company by looking at their team. The most telling factors are staff turnover rate and experience.
Employees quit when they don’t enjoy their working environment. Conversely, employees stick around with employers they love. You’ll also find certain industries where companies hire employees and expect them to stick around for a few months or a year before leaving again.
In truth, the skydiving industry is like that, and it tends to have a lot of turnover.
But not at Chicagoland Skydiving.
At CSC, our pilots, instructors, and ground staff have been with us for years. Some of our team has worked at CSC for 20 years, which is an eternity in the skydiving industry.
Our loyal following stems from our strong core values, which represent the respect and trust we have for everyone on our team. When we hire, we also make sure we find the best people who embody those core values so that they’re a good fit for us and jumpers.
There’s also some important work like continued employee training. Some recurring education is mandatory by insurance companies, but for the most part, it’s up to the skydiving center themselves to enforce rules about equipment standards, safety, and ongoing learning.
Years ago, we decided we would hold ourselves to a higher standard and eliminate the wiggle room that other dropzones take for granted. We spend a lot of time, money, and effort on emergency training, cutting-edge equipment, and the overall safety of our dropzone to make it the safest one around Chicago.
This is the team that helps ensure that when you jump with us, you’re in the best hands (and using the best equipment) possible.
2. You’ll Be Safe
As we said above, we go above and beyond with our safety standards — and we’re not just saying that.
Here at CSC, safety is the core value that we take most seriously. As a result, we have a perfect student safety record that goes back to our founding in 1968. That’s more than 50 years of skydiving — thousands of jumps — where everyone who jumped with our tandem instructors has landed safely.
But what makes us safer than other dropzones in the area?
First, it’s our equipment. There’s nothing in our equipment arsenal older than three years. That means it’s all in near-pristine condition and ready for use — no frays, tears, or damage.
Second, it’s the condition of our aircraft. We don’t just buy planes and run them until they’re done. We care for our aircraft and keep them in as good (or better) condition as our equipment.
Finally, and most importantly, it’s our staff.
All of this contributed to earn the “Best Safety Culture” award from Blue Skies Magazine.
We plan to keep that reputation.
3. You’ll Enjoy More than Just Skydiving
CSC is designed to be more than just a dropzone. With a 20,000 sq. ft. facility, there’s always something to do.
Flight Deck Bar & Grill
Skydiving takes up a good portion of your day, and it can be a pain to plan around it if you’re visiting Chicago or on vacation.
That’s why Flight Deck Bar & Grill is on-site at CSC with burgers, beers, and the perfect atmosphere for coming down off of an adrenaline rush. Grab a seat, enjoy a drink, and talk about one of the most memorable experiences of your life.
Special Events
We frequently host public, corporate, and private events on our grounds. Reunions, bachelor parties, divorce parties (no joke), fundraisers, and more all happen on CSC’s campus. We’ve even had the occasional or banquet right in our airplane hangar.
You can also drop in for a quick game of volleyball or live music. Competitive skydiving is a spectator sport too, and our calendar is packed with holiday celebrations that are fun for the whole family.
Camp & Stay a While (or All Summer)
Skydiving is more than a jump for a lot of people. For them, it’s a way of life.
That’s why we have an RV campground on site that lets you stay at CSC for anywhere from a few days to the entire skydiving season.
(Seriously, we have some people who show up in April and stick around until October.)
Our facility has full water, electric, and even WiFi access. More importantly, the jumpers who get a Pro Pass and skydive every day will almost always wind up making a lifelong friend along the way.
That’s why we hear stories all the time about how our community forges lifelong relationships with fellow skydivers, bonding over bonfires and shared skydiving thrills.
Are You Ready for the Best in Chicago Skydiving?
Are you ready to experience the absolute best skydiving experience?
We’re ready for you to be here!
