December 2025 at Skydive Seneca Lake: Wrapping Up an Incredible Season

As of November 3, our season at Ovid Airport has officially come to a close, and before we turn the page to winter, we want to take a moment to look back on what was a truly standout year.

This marked our second year of operations at the Ovid Airport, and the growth we saw in 2025 speaks volumes about the community that’s formed around this drop zone. Over the course of the season, we welcomed more than 2,500 jumpers into the skies above the Finger Lakes. That’s nearly 500 more skydives than last year, and every single one of them helped shape what this place is becoming.

To everyone who jumped with us, brought friends, shared photos, left reviews, or just hung out around the hangar, thank you. You helped make this season something special.

Fun Jumper of the Month: Chuck

This month’s spotlight goes to a skydiver who was nominated more times than we could count and who just happens to be just about everyone’s favorite person around the drop zone.

The legend himself: Chuck Schmutz.

Chuck has been skydiving since long before most of us ever thought about jumping. He came up during the early days of competitive skydiving, right as the sport was taking off, and made his mark in both accuracy and style. That foundation still shows every time he lands.

At 82 years young, Chuck is still logging more jumps per year than most sport jumpers, and he does it with a grin that never seems to fade. You’ll find him laughing his way around the drop zone, sharing stories that somehow get better every time, coaching newer jumpers one-on-one, organizing four- to six-way belly jumps, and sticking the target with a level of consistency most of us can only hope for.

He’s also the first to text us if a start time hasn’t been posted yet, because Chuck plans on being on first load. Every time.

Chuck brings deep knowledge, decades of experience, and some of the best energy you’ll find anywhere in the sport. We’re grateful to have him as part of the Skydive Seneca Lake community.

Thanks for flying with us, Chuck.

Have a nomination for an upcoming spotlight? Send us a message. We’ll be featuring our fun jumpers every Friday throughout the winter.

Season Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead

With the colder weather settling in, we’ll be staying grounded for the winter months. Our next season officially launches on March 1, 2026, and we’re already counting down the days until we can welcome everyone back.

The off-season gives us time to reflect, reset, and plan for what’s ahead. If this past year is any indication, next season is shaping up to be even stronger. More jumps, more familiar faces returning, and plenty of new ones discovering what skydiving over the Finger Lakes is all about.

If you’re missing the sky already, keep an eye on our socials over the winter. We’ll still be sharing throwbacks, updates, and glimpses of what’s coming next.

Moments from the Season

Some photos capture exactly what a season feels like, not just how it looked.

One of our favorite images from Facebook this year shows that unmistakable mix of excitement, relief, and pure joy that comes after a skydive. It’s a reminder of why people keep coming back and why first-timers walk away smiling a little wider than when they arrived.

Those moments are what stay with us long after the planes are parked for winter.

From the Community

We’re incredibly grateful for the feedback we receive from our jumpers. Reviews like this one remind us why we do what we do:

“Skydive Seneca Lake is the best!!! I accidentally booked my experience for the wrong day. I live about an hour away, so once I noticed I called and they were able to accommodate the change for me. The sun was shining that day, everyone was so nice and welcoming. My skydiving instructor was awesome and made me feel at ease during the experience. I would say that was my once in a lifetime experience, but I’m glad I did it with Skydive Seneca Lake!”

— Antoinette K.

Thank you, Antoinette, and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experience.

Until Next Season

As we head into winter, we want to say one last thank you for helping make our second season at Ovid Airport such a success. We’ll be back in the air on March 1, 2026, and we can’t wait to see familiar faces and new ones alike.

Until then, stay warm, relive the memories, and we’ll see you back over Seneca Lake before you know it.