Why New York, NJ, and Pennsylvania comes Skydiving with the Above the Poconos Skydivers at the Northeast Pennsylvania Skydiving Center....
Skydiving Experience
The Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords, your Above the Poconos Skydivers, has been serving the New York, NJ and Pennsylvania skydiving community since 1961 making us THE oldest continuously running, same management, USPA member skydiving center in the World. The Northeast Pennsylvania skydiving center is run by Don Kellner, the man who holds the Guinness World Record for the most sport parachute jumps. Our areas of expertise include skydiving lessons, exhibition skydiving, freefall photography, and government certified parachute rigging.  Our center continues to be on the forefront of skydiving instruction.  Our  main skydiving instructors have a combined total of over 60,000 skydives and 90 years experience. Other skydiving centers say that their instructors are experienced, but none can compare to us! See what our customers have to say on our facebook page:
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Skydiving SafetyHazleton, PA skydiving landing area
Not all skydiving schools are the same!  Safety is our top priority and our record shows it. We have maintained a 100% tandem skydiving safety record since we started our tandem skydiving lessons in 1984.  No other New York, NJ or Pennsylvania skydiving school can boast of this. This does not mean that you can't get hurt, but we will not sacrifice safety to look cool.  All of our staff are appropriately licensed and certified through the United States Parachute Association and we hold them to higher standards than the USPA requires.  Our jump aircraft, a  Super Cessna 185 and a Super Cessna 210/5, are meticulously maintained and are recognized as the safest in the industry.  We have a mile long, easy to spot and obstacle free landing zone.

Beauty
Our Pennsylvania Skydiving Center is located in the foothills of the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The views from altitude are breathtaking, and are an easy drive from New York and NJ straight out Interstate 80.
Check out the view from the web cam based at
Penn State Hazleton Campus for a taste of the sights. 

Get away from the hustle and bustle of city life,
and come for a Pennsylvania skydiving adventure weekend getaway.

Pleasure
Each customer is assured personalized attention and maximum enjoyment, because we refuse to overbook confirmed reservations.  Also, our skydiving instructors work for a living at normal jobs, so just like you, they are looking forward to skydiving rather than it being work. They enjoy sharing the thrill of the sport with you.   
Operating Hours:.

We skydive weekends year round, weather permitting.
Winter (November - February) hours
Saturday and Sunday 10 am until Sunset, weather permitting
Spring (March - April)
Friday afternoon by appointment.
Saturday and Sunday 10 am until Sunset, weather permitting
Summer (May - October)
Thursday and Friday afternoon by appointment.
Weekends 9 am until Sunset.
Our weekday hours are limited because just like yourself, we have normal jobs and skydive on our time off. This means that we look forward to skydiving and don't consider it work.

new york skydiving line

Our tandem skydiving instructors have a combined total of over
60,000 skydives and 90 years experience and are recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the most jumps in the World!


So you know who you are talking to when you come to the airport, here's a look at the Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords skydivers, your Above the Poconos skydiving center staff including skydiving instructors, skydiving videographers, and parachute packers, just click on their picture to send them an e-mail....
Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords, Inc. Skydiving Center Staff

Chief Pilot - Dave
Chief Skydiving Instructor - Darlene
Most Experienced Skydiver - Don
Dave Price
Co-Owner - 1,000+ skydives
Chief Pilot - well over 18,000 hours
Skydiving Jumpmaster/Instructor
IAD and Static-line
Darlene Kellner
Chief Instructor - 15,000+ skydives
Videographer, Pilot, Rigger
Jumpmaster/Instructor/Examiner
AFF, Tandem, IAD, & Static-line
Don Kellner
Co-Owner - 40,000+ skydives
Guinness Record Holder
Jumpmaster/Instructor/Rigger
AFF, Tandem, IAD and Static-line
Harry Spriggs
Harry Spriggs
Senior Rigger, Demo Team Crew Chief,
and so much more.

Rob Walbridge
10,000+ skydives
Skydiving Coach/Instructor
IAD & Tandem

Kyle Singley
2000+ skydives
Skydiving Coach/Instructor
Tandem, IAD & AFF
Senior Rigger & Videographer

Christoph
Christoph Streicher
2000+ skydives
Skydiving Coach/Instructor IAD & Tandem
Videographer & Commercial Pilot

Marie Baragona (and Tony)
4000+ skydives
Skydiving Coach
Videographer & All around Fun people

Sal Trasente
4000+ skydives
Skydiving Coach/Instructor
IAD & Tandem

Paul
John & K Jason

Paul Mayza
1000+ skydives
Skydiving Coach/Instructor
IAD & Tandem

John & Kathleen Snurkowski
Skydiving Instructor Tandem, IAD & AFF
Videographer & All around Fun people
2000+ Skydives each

Jason Love
500+ Skydives
Skydiving Coach & IAD Instructor
Videographer, Wingsuit flyer


Our Mission
Is to create an atmosphere where each skydiver can safely practice the art of skydiving so as to achieve personal growth, satisfaction, and skill progression, while enjoying the fellowship of the fraternity of skydivers.  We do this by being inclusive rather than exclusive; our equipment, facilities, instructional staff, videographers, riggers, packers, pilots and managers are world-class.  We recognize and value the importance of each jumper, where each person is responsible for him/her self AND everyone else in the air and on the drop zone.

Our Vision
Is to be a World Class Skydiving Center where each participant is welcome and practices the art of skydiving safely, to achieve the maximum personal satisfaction and skill progression with state of the art equipment and facilities and the attention of a caring, dedicated, professional staff.  

new york skydiving line
Return to the Skydiving HOME PAGE
First Skydive Skydiving Directions Adventure Packages About Us Skydiving Lessons Skydiving Events Skydive Gifts
1-888-654-7529 (PLAY)
1-570-788-2476
Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords, dba
Above the Poconos Skydivers c/o
Hazleton Muncipal Airport
200 Old Airport Road
Hazleton, PA 18202
info@PAskydive.com
1-888-654-PLAY
pennsylvania skydiving email

This Pennsylvania skydiving page is maintained in Pennsylvania by Darlene Kellner. Updated June 18, 2012