Cancellation Policy
- You may make any changes to your reservations more than 7-days before your appointment with no penalty.
- If you reschedule or cancel your reservation with less than 7-days notice you will retain your $50 per person deposit / retainer and issue a "rain check" for funds remaining.
- If we cancel or reschedule your initially scheduled appointment due to circumstances beyond our control we will issue you a "rain check".
- Skydive Kentucky is a year-round drop zone. However, if the forecast high temperature for the day is less than 40 degrees (source WHAS-84) and you prefer to wait for a warmer day we issue "rain check".
- Weather. Due to inaccuracy of weather forecasts we rarely take anything more than a 4-hour "forecast" consideration. If you are concerned the weather will interfere with your reservation to skydive call us one hour before you begin your drive out to the parachute center to make your jump(s), we will walk outside and look up. Ultimately, " Skydive Kentucky Staff" will make the final decision to issue you a rain check and schedule your jump for another time due to weather. You can't jump if you aren't at the parachute center. If you decide not to come because "you" think the weather is bad and, we jumped that day you will forfeit your deposit for each person in your group who did not come to jump.
Gift Certificates & Rain Checks
- Restrictions apply; age, weight, weather, cancellation, pricing.
- May be redeemed only at Skydive Kentucky.
- Call ahead, reservation required to redeem certificate and rain checks.
- Gift Certificates void after 1 year from date of purchase.
- Rain Checks are void after 60 days from date of issuance.
- Certificates and rain checks are not refundable.
- Certificates and rain checks are transferable less a $50 fee and any price increases applied the day of you jump.
- Certificates and rain checks which have expired may be reactivated for 60 days for an up front $50 fee plus any price increases.
Discounts
- To receive group discounts a deposit of $50 per person must be received more than 7-days in advance of your initial reservation and, the payment must in one payment, one transaction.
- To receive student discount full payment must be received more than 7-days in advance of your initial reservation. To receive the stucent discount you must present your student ID before the payment for the balance of you jump(s).
- To receive Military discount present your ID at the parachute center when you arrive and before you render the balance of your payment at the parachute center.
Rules
- The first rule: **HAVE FUN! **
- Park in the FBO parking lot. No skydiver's vehicles beyond the ramp gate. The ramp area is off limits except for those with written permission from management.
- A minimum of three gear checks every jump.
- Left hand landing pattern (exceptions will be announced and clearly posted).
- No intentional landing on or within 20 feet of any paved area.
- Do not cross over runway under 500 feet center of runway or 1500 over ends.
- High performance landings must be pre-planned and communicated to all jumpers prior to boarding the aircraft. Plan the jump, jump the plan.
- Do not swoop the buildings or planes.
- No spectators outside of designated areas. No spectators in boarding area. No spectators in landing area.
- Smoking in designated areas only. No smoking within 20' of doors, 200 feet of fuel truck, propane tanks or airplanes.
- Absolutely no open alcoholic beverages during business hours or until management has designated, "the light is on".
- No Drugs.
- No loitering in the airport lobby.
- No one allowed in the large hanger.
- Children are welcome and must be supervised at all times.
- Pets must be well behaved and in your control at all times. You are responsible for any damages and or clean up associated with your pet.
- Items or funds left inactive at the parachute center for one year will be considered abandoned and forfeited. Such items or funds will be sold and monies donated to charity.
Weight Restrictions, and why.
The manufacturers of parachute equipment and the Federal Aviation Administration have set stringent requirements on the operating limits under which parachutes are designed to work. Specific testing of how parachutes are tested had how much weight they can safely support and at what speeds they are designed to open are detailed in FAA Technical Service Order (TSO) 23B,C&D. To make a very long story short a parachute system is designed for a maximum exit weight (the weight of the parachute, jumpers, and gear as they exit the plane).
Let's make an example of a tandem; the parachute itself weighs about 65 pounds, your tandem instructor might weigh 210 pounds leaving room for a student to weigh up to 225 pounds. "WAIT A MINUTE, I thought it was about 210 pounds was the limit?" OK, you're right, let me explain more... If we have an instructor who weighs less can they can in theory take a larger student, but, the instructor must be physically capable of controlling the student in the airplane, in freefall, under canopy and landing. We reach a point where the smaller instructor just can't safely manage the larger student. OK, but in your example above you could take a 225 pound student. Yes, in theory that is correct, but, that is under optimal conditions. OK, what are those conditions? Weather, elevation above sea level where the parachute center is. Weather - On a cool day with weather in the mid 70's and a steady breeze blowing from an open and clear direction at a parachute center which is at sea level, sure, no-problem with taking a 225# student. But as air gets warmer and the higher the humidity the higher the density altitude. Density altitude is a very straight forward term that places a value on how dense the atmosphere is. Just to use round numbers and not get too technical, if we were at an airport which was at sea level on a 95 degree day and the humidity in the 80's the density altitude might be something like 2,500 feet. What that means is that something that flies, airplanes, balloons, and yes, parachutes fly like they were actually at 2500 feet above sea lever. They are just less efficient at higher altitudes and don't work as well. What does all that mean? Exit weight 500 pounds, 70 degrees, 20% humidity, steady 12 M.P.H. winds to land into, landing area at sea level, NO PROBLEM, I would expect to be able to give you a very soft stand up landing. BUT, Exit weight 500 pounds, 90 degrees, 85% humidity, no wind, at an airport say 1500 feet above sea level, NO WAY, the possibility of a harder landing just isn't worth it...
Also each major component of a parachute has a placard on it stating it maximum suspended weight and the maximum speed the parachute components are designed to withstand.
If you still have questions, please call and we will be happy to provide more information.
