In a statement following Saturday’s incident, Skydive South West said: “As a small, family-run drop zone, this loss has affected us profoundly and personally.
“The UK skydiving community is close-knit and when we lose one of our own, it is felt across the entire community.”
Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were called to the airfield near Honiton at about 13:00 GMT on Saturday.
“Emergency services attended the scene, where sadly a 49-year-old man was confirmed deceased. His family have been informed,” a spokesperson for the force said.
The Dunkeswell Aerodrome is a former RAF site located in the Blackdown Hills area.
According to its website, the site was originally built to be a US naval base during World War Two.