What is your favorite dropzone and why?

Agreed, I have been privileged of jumping in almost 35 states, and 4 different countries. I got my first jump in 1986, and my last license C from USPA about 10 years ago. Never did my paperwork for the D license, I should have, but now that I have sole custody of a 15 year old, I chose to take a vacation until she is older. Blue skies!

It seems to me like a no brainer. Campbell there's Nashville. Never jumped there but it is close.

COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM, MSG(ret) Gene Paul Thacker, who started Raeford DZ and basically "wrote the book" on skydiving, died on 20AUG12 and is buried not too far from the DZ, next to his son. And you're right, all kinds of organizations jump there!
SFC Jack S., more skydiving lore!

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=thacker&GSfn=g&GSmn=p&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=137310308&df=all&

My favorite DZ near FLW is by far Skydive Kansas City, biggest plane nearby and great landing area. It is in Butler, MO has camping and has a king air.

Yes that does look like a big nasty swoop ditch. Did you guys ever use WDI's? Its been so long since my last jump I would want to go out with an instructor. There is an indoor skydive close by. I might run my daughter over there and do that with her just to see what I remember.

SPC David S., we always dropped a WDI at the beginning of the day. However, only a few people could afford their own high performance canopies. Even then, most of them were round, like Para Commanders and Papillons. A few guys had Strato Stars, but that was about it. Most of the club members were jumping 7-TUs, which were 28' USAF reserve canopies. We put out all students on Army T-10 paratrooper canopies. All that to say that forward speed and maneuverability was limited. The spot was critical and jumpmasters are fallible!
There was no tandem instruction back then. You had to make 5 solo static line jumps before your first solo jump and pull (hop and pop). The last static line jump and the first hop and pop had to occur on the same day.
When jumpers were making their 5 static line jumps, the j/m would hold their static line. If we saw them start to go unstable, we'd jerk the static line (called short lining) so the canopy would open more quickly and avoid a bad opening.
I haven't jumped since 31DEC76, and like you, I'd want an instructor, probably do a tandem jump. However, for a Hollywood Army jump, I'd strap on a rig and get on the plane right now! They were easy! Now I would have to tape and brace knees and ankles, but I'd go!
TSgt Hunter Logan
SFC Jack S., more early skydiving lore!

I heard of short lining for low altitude jumps like 500' range. High performance chute not a problem with this DZ. T-10 it would make it very interesting.

Skydive New England's Tiki Bar Boogie over Labor Day is constantly rated as one of the best boogies by blue skies. Also, after last year's tiki bar, was named the most naked DZ.