Skydive Palatka has been around for decades with the most current owner purchasing it back in 2005. Art Shaffer has owned the business since 2005 and it is more than just a business to him, it is also his passion. Skydive Palatka has been a great training center that offers extensive training to newcomers or a place to learn new skills and become a more comfortable and experienced skydiver. Skydiving is seen as a sport to many people and is often done for the adrenaline rush or for competition.
Skydiving is not for the faint of heart however and has very strict requirements for those that are looking to participate in the sport. This is considered an extreme sport that most people should experience at least once within their lifetime if they meet the requirements. Jumpers must be at least 18 years of age, have a government issued ID, in good health, not overweight, safely fit tandem harness, and have not had any alcohol consumption 8 hours prior to jump.
The process of skydiving at Skydive Palatka is a relatively easy one. The process starts with a quick safety briefing before being assigned an experienced instructor to jump with. The flight to the altitude where the skydiving commences is about a 20-minute flight. Customers can enjoy the view of the town below as the climbing of the plane commences. A great view of the St. Johns River and Florida’s east coast can be seen while in the air. When the altitude is reached, the jumpers are checked to ensure each one is securely attached to the designated instructor and prepped to experience the rush of a freefall from over 13,500 feet. Skydive Palatka owner Art Shaffer has well over 14,000 combined jumps in his long career of a Skydiver. The aircraft used for the skydive jumps at Skydive Palatka is a Cessna Caravan that can take 12 jumpers to altitude at a time. Skydive Palatka also has 2 Cessna 182s for light days or team training.
