About us
The Taupō Sport Skydivers crew are a collective of smiley individuals that come from all different walks of life.
We pride ourselves on being inclusive and gather together to enjoy the skies and embrace what it means to be a skydiving community.
Our priority is to look out for one another so that our jumps get better, bigger, and brighter in the right way.
Taupō Sport Skydivers have got a pretty sweet line up of instructors, coaches and organisers that absolutely love all things sports skydiving.
Whether you’re passing through, recently moved to the area, getting back into the sport, or wanting to learn to skydive, make sure to get in touch with us!
Upcoming events
Sporty Accommodation
Book a bed in the bunk house, pitch a tent in the campsite, or park up your campervan.
TSS has a bunk house with 16 beds available - 12 in mixed dorm rooms
and 4 in a female-only room.
To book a night in the accommodation use the below calendar. Select the date you want to stay and follow the prompts. You can reserve more than one bed at a time if needed.
To stay for more than one night you need to repeat the steps above for each night of your stay.
Accommodation price guidelines are explained when you go to book. Camping in your own tent or staying in a caravan at the drop zone is free and does not require any booking. The campsite is just to the right of the sports hangar.
Gallery
Around the Drop Zone
In the Sky
Meet Our Staff
Our team of dedicated instructors and coaches love skydiving and love to share their knowledge and skills with new skydivers and those who have been around for years. Having gained skills and knowledge from all across the globe they are ready to teach you your next step in our beautiful sport.
Mason Holden
AFF Instructor, AFF Instructor Assessor, Adv. Belly, Freefly, Angle & Canopy Coach, Parachute Technician
Jumping since 2009
9000+ Jumps
Mason leads the jumping team at TSS! His dynamic approach to coaching and commitment to excellence make him a standout mentor for both novice and advanced skydivers.
Mason is committed to facilitate skydive training at a world class level here at TSS which in turn creates capable and well educated skydivers to add to the NZ Sports Skydiving Community.
Mason grew up in Wellington and started skydiving just after his 18th birthday and never looked back. After spending almost a decade working in Australia and Dubai, he’s truly settled back in Aotearoa, making Taupō home.
Liz Holden
AFF Instructor, Adv. Belly + Freefly & Angle Coach
Jumping Since 2011
6000+ Jumps
Feeling nervous, don’t know if you’ve got what it takes to Jump? Liz is your girl that helps you to think otherwise. With the majority of her jumps being student focused, she’s got the knack for individualising training techniques.
Alongside Mason she works hard to look after and develop the sports skydiving scene in Taupō, which also stretches out to the NZ community as whole with her involvement with the NZPF as secretary.
Liz grew up in Auckland, and after spending almost a decade working overseas in Australia and Dubai, she’s truly settled back in Aotearoa, making Taupō home.
Olly Burgin
AFF Jumpmaster, Adv. Belly, Freefly & Angle Coach
Jumping Since
15000+ Jumps
Olly’s passion for the sport never ceases, proving it by making sure to get on as many fun jumps as work jumps just to keep the ratio right.
Skydiving is for having fun! which is what Olly helps all his new students understand when they are taking it all a bit too seriously.
Born in Turkey, Olly has worked in the industry in the UK, USA, Spain, and Norway making the move to NZ in 2012 spending a lot of time at drop zones all around the South Island.
You’ll see Olly at TSS most weekends helping the AFF & Coaching students out as well as offering advanced coaching in freefly and angles.
Hayden Galvin
Adv. Wingsuit, Belly, Angle & Freefly Coach
Jumping Since 2004
15000+ Jumps
You want to learn how to wingsuit? Haydens your man!
Hayden’s an incredibly talented wingsuit, freefly, and angle coach, a real shredder.
Australian bred, Hayden has been living in NZ since 2019 and has truly made a mark on NZ skydiving, especially taking interest in the wingsuiting community.
You’ll see Hayden at TSS every other weekend running camps and offering advanced coaching.
Hamish Funnell
CEO, AFF Instructor / Adv. Belly Coach, Tandem Instructor, Pilot
Jumping Since 1998
15000+ Jumps
It’s a tough gig being at the top, but Hamish takes it all in stride. When he’s not managing the drop zone, throwing drogues, flying planes, or keeping an eye on the jumpers, he makes sure that he gets up there and enjoys the sport himself, XRW anyone?
Hamish works hard to keep the operation ticking away, and has created a welcoming and accommodating atmosphere at the DZ.
Growing up in Taupō, Hamish has witnessed the growth of skydiving in the area and has ensured it remains one of New Zealand’s premier jumping destinations.
Elad Berger
AFF Instructor, Chief Safety Officer, Tandem Instructor
Jumping Since 1998
26000+ Jumps
Elad’s the man that works hard to make sure safety is everyone's top priority, it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt right?
Skydiving has taken Elad all over the word! Beginning at home in Israel, going onto work in Spain, Norway, USA, Portugal, and Australia before moving to Taupō in 2001 where he’s been a valued leader in the team ever since.
Elad loves teaching people how to skydive because of his personal passion for the sport, the joy of sharing that enthusiasm, the fulfilment of helping others reach their goals, and the vibrant, community-focused atmosphere of skydiving.
Dawie Du Plessis
AFF Jumpmaster, Adv. Belly & Freefly Coach, Tandem Instructor, Parachute Technician
Jumping since 15th Oct 1995
15000+ Jumps
Dawie leads a life of adventure, whether it’s cycling down the coast of the USA to helping to run a skydive operation at the top of Mt. Everest, he’s always out to achieve something great.
He’s your go to guy if you are after any skydiving gear or a custom made jumpsuit. He’s also the CEO of the NZPIA to top it all off.
Originally from South Africa, Dawie has worked in DZ’s in South Africa, UK, and Nepal before moving to New Zealand with his family in 2016.
Dawie enjoys helping out the TSS crew with AFF and coaching, he enjoys sharing the skydiving dream to all his students.
Andy Godfrey
AFF Instructor, Tandem Instructor
20000+ Jumps
Growing up in the City of Sails, Andy has spent countless hours both on and under the sea. He thought, why not expand his reach by adding the sky into the mix.
A valued member of the Taupō crew since 2000, Andy is known for serenading his passengers with a flute during freefall.
With his kind and encouraging teaching style, Andy quickly becomes a favourite among his students. However, if any beer fines come up, he’ll make sure to hold you accountable—especially since he loves sharing his world-famous home brews at TSS!
Mark Funnell
CEO, Chief Pilot
12,000 Hours + Flying
Fixed or rotor winged Mark can show you how to fly it. It’s not often you’ll find his feet on the ground but when you do he’s always up for a good yarn.
Mark plays an integral part in bringing to life the sport skydiving scene at TSS. He facilitates a welcoming Drop Zone with the sports best interests at heart.
Growing up in Taupō, Mark has witnessed the growth of skydiving in the area and has ensured it remains one of New Zealand’s premier jumping destinations.
Mark dabbled in a bit of Skydiving himself in the past, we all still hold hope that he’ll make his comeback one day.
Affiliated Companies
We partner with some of the best companies around to provide you with the greatest skydiving equipment and coaching.
Parachute manufacturer
Jyro is a New Zealand company specializing in manufacturing high-performance parachutes for skydivers.
They've been at the forefront of technology and design, creating canopies that cater to jumpers of all skill levels - From beginners to seasoned pros.
Altimeter manufacturer
Alti-2 Technologies is driven by a team of passionate engineers who firmly believe in providing the best, proven technology for skydiving instrumentation.
They prioritize safety and excellence, ensuring their altimeters meet the highest standard.
Helmet manufacturer
Cookie Composites is a company that specializes in designing and manufacturing high-quality skydiving helmets and accessories.
We use protective Cookie M3 helmets for our student training jumps.
Container manufacturer
Skydive Wings is known for producing high-quality harness & container systems for skydivers.
We have a fleet of Wings Containers for our students and rentals.
Sports skydiving coaches
FunJumpNZ are NZ coaches who are pushing the sports skydiving scene in New Zealand to new heights.
They offer coaching to all levels of skydivers weather you want to learn to skydive or sharpen your already gained skills.
Jumpsuit manufacturer
Intrudair is all about crafting high-quality gear for skydivers and BASE jumpers. They’ve got a wide range of jumpsuits for every discipline.
We have a large lineup of Intrudair student suits for training and rentals.
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What is the weight limit to learn to skydive?We currently have a weight limit of 100KG. This is due to parachute systems having maximum suspended weight and speed limitations put on them from the manufacturer.
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Can I learn to skydive at your Drop Zone?Absolutely! 😊 We offer skydiving lessons at all levels, whether you’re just starting out, looking to improve your skills as a sports skydiver, or aiming to become a coach or instructor.
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How much does learning to skydive cost?For a full break down of prices head over to our learn to skydive page.
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How long does it take to learn to skydive?The time to learn to skydive depends on a number of factors, the main one being weather. We find it generally takes a minimum of 4 days to complete AFF and be jumping solo.
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What are the requirements to learn to skydive?To learn to skydive you must be at least 16 years old with parental consent or 18 without it. You must have a reasonable level of health and fitness. Skydiving is considered a sport which does require physical exertion.
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Is skydiving safe?It does come with it's risks so it’s important to treat it with respect and adhere to all rules and regulations.
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How long does ground school take?The Ground School is the longest component of the training, typically taking most of the day to complete. We usually begin at 8:30 AM and it can take between 6-8 hours. Please plan to dedicate a full day to this course.
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Do you offer rental gear?Yes, we have a large range of rental gear available. We have containers to fit a large range of people with parachutes ranging from 269 to 160 available. We also have Altimeters, Helmets and goggles, Jump Suits and Life jackets for you to use.
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Can I jump at TSS with a foreign license?To jump in Taupō, everyone is required to have an NZPIA license, regulated by our local aviation authority, the CAA. Most overseas licenses can be converted with a bit of paperwork at the drop zone. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
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How much is a jump ticket?You can find full price lists on the Learn to Skydive and Sport Skydiving pages of our website.
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Do you do skills camps or events at your DZ?Yes we run regular skills camps and events here at TSS. Check out our events section on the website to learn more.