Our History
Skydiving NC & SC Since 1986
Skydive Carolina has been an industry leader for nearly 40 years. What started with three parachutes, a borrowed plane, and 1,200 jumps has grown into an internationally-respected dropzone that annually sees more than 30,000 jumps. Our steadfast commitment to our values of safety, customer service, quality, and professionalism have served us well, and today we are the chosen dropzone for tandem skydivers, AFF students, fun jumpers, and world champion skydivers.
Our Humble Beginning
Our Dropzone Owner (DZO), Danny Smith, was once a suited and booted banker by day and a footloose and fancy free skydiver the minute he left his desk. He made his first jump in 1966 while in the Air Force, and joined the mighty Charlotte Skydivers Club once he settled into the Queen City.
In time, the Club activity wound down and so – with the encouragement of his mentors, who included Roger Nelson, Gene Paul Thacker, and Paul Fayard – Danny took up the mantle and pursued the perfect spot. His search ended at an old military base in Chester, South Carolina populated only by a glider operation. It featured three 5,000-foot runways in a tidy triangle and 600 acres; still one of the biggest landing areas of any skydiving center in the country.
Skydive Carolina opened as a weekend-only, Cessna 182 dropzone in July 1986. That first year of operation saw 99 student jumps and 1,217 total jumps.
Our Formative Years
Holding a parachute rigger rating, USPA instructor ratings, and an FAA private pilot rating, Danny was in his element. He frequently worked into the night, rigging, packing parachutes, and seeing to the aircraft. By 1988, word had spread about the little-dropzone-that-could down in Chester, and a second aircraft proved a necessity.
Danny periodically sweetened the deal for the region’s skydivers by bringing in other aircraft – a zippy twin-engine, spacious King Air – which grew the Skydive Carolina customer base and student program exponentially. In 1994, Danny officially traded in his business suit for his jumpsuit and, with gratitude for the good years, left corporate America far behind.
Everything clicked into place. The glider operation moved away, Skydive Carolina moved into the hangar, and the rest of the dropzone was developed to meet demand. Today, our campus boasts a dedicated manifest for licensed jumpers, a student training center and gear store, professional videography services, on-site dining, and two Cessna Supervans.
Our Future
Almost 40 years since our founding, Skydive Carolina is the top-rated dropzone in the Carolinas, one of the best in the country, and we’re renowned throughout the skydiving world. From 2009 to 2019, we hosted one of the sport’s most famous boogies: CarolinaFest. In 2024, after a COVID-inflicted hiatus, we brought a truncated version of the event back. And we’re happy to share, it’s here to stay!
Every year (every month!), we make incremental improvements to the dropzone. Some are obvious and cosmetic, others are behind-the-scenes and of exciting significance. Driven by our shared values and the spirit of our pioneering DZO, we will continue our pursuit of excellence:
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We will passionately introduce newcomers to our sport, sharing the joy and freedom that is human flight.
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We will teach aspiring skydivers to be responsible, competent and confident, leading by example with a safety-first mindset.
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We will welcome licensed skydivers of all disciplines from our incredible international community, demonstrating zero tolerance for complacency.
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We will proudly share our skies with our sport’s competitors, acknowledging our role in the advancement of our industry.
Wherever you fall on our spectrum of professional offerings, we invite you to become a member of the Skydive Carolina community. Come jump with us!
