Jun 10, 2005, 10:14 PM
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Jump Prices Over The Years
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Here's a question for the group, does anyone know the cost of a jump from altitude (that would be variable) over the last 30 years?
My first jump was $40. I think my SL student jumps (C&P anyway) was $7.50 including gear
My first 12500 jump was #84 and I did another before 100. The extra expense and time where a consideration.
Eventually we learned that the more freefall time the better.
Anyway tomorrow is my 33 anniversary and I've got all the jumps logged (well not the comments yet) into jumptrack put I don't remember what jump prices were back then.
The only one I guess that could tell me for sure would be Mike Burt; his logbook is a marvel of detail and he's logged well over 7,000 now.
Jun 10, 2005, 11:00 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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John,
I started in 1976 and my FJC was $55.00. When off student status and the D-18 came to Perris, around late 1976 early 1977 jump prices to 12,500 feet were $7.50. That was with my own gear.
Jun 11, 2005, 12:11 AM
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Re: [mjosparky] Jump Prices Over The Years
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John,
I started in 1976 and my FJC was $55.00. When off student status and the D-18 came to Perris, around late 1976 early 1977 jump prices to 12,500 feet were $7.50. That was with my own gear.
Sparky
HI Sparky
$7.50 to 12.5 D-18
We remember $3-$3.5 to 7500' in a cessna in the very early 70's. Knees still hurt.
Jun 11, 2005, 4:10 AM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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July 21, 1979, Waynesville Ohio, the FJC was $45.00 because we could not get the minimum of 5 for the group rate. DRCP's, (thats dummy ripcord pulls for you low-timers) were $15, but it went down to $12 for subsequent "student status" jumps. After I spent $250 for a used rig, (SST with a strato-star and round reserve), another $60 for a new hotdog p/c, repair of a rip in the main and a reserve repack, the cost of jumps were $1.50 plus $1.00 per 1000ft,($8.50 to 7500ft).
Jun 11, 2005, 11:07 AM
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Re: [JerryBaumchen] Jump Prices Over The Years
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FJC on 9 Feb 64 was $18 and 12,500 ft was $5.25. But wages were a lot less then. Gas is actually less now but who's counting?
Good point about the wages, if you compare a jump ticket to hourly earnings. My FJC in '74 was only $35, but that was due to a sizeable discount for a large group - basic price was $50, with discounts down to $45, $40, and $35 for groups of 5, 10, and 15+. Second jump was $15, practice pulls were $11. First freefall was $8, plus $5 to the keg fund.
Cessna loads to 7500 were $5, once we got the Beaver we'd sometimes go to $10,500 for $7. First big plane I was ever on was a DC-3 at Z-Hills, they charged $8 to 12,500 and were offering a $10 special for 15,000.
At Perris in 1980 there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when 12,500 went to $10. Back then though I was making probably $8 - 9 an hr at a GOOD union job. For most of my life a good skydive has always cost me a little over an hour of toiling in the mines.
Jun 11, 2005, 11:52 AM
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Re: [tbrown] Jump Prices Over The Years
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At Perris in 1980 there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when 12,500 went to $10. Back then though I was making probably $8 - 9 an hr at a GOOD union job. For most of my life a good skydive has always cost me a little over an hour of toiling in the mines.
Good point When we were pay $3.50 for a 30 sec in 1970 we were going to school on the G.I. Bill $175/ month
A hours wages in a good job for a jump these days sounds about right. But thats a salary of $45K/yr plus, AFF, gear, tunnel time, coach's, packers, flying to boogies, hotels, rental cars, down sizeing every year, medical expenses, lost wages.....
Sounds like the climb to altitude is just the cover charge if you have to go first class.
Jun 11, 2005, 12:58 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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Hey John! The rates quoted so far sound about right. In 70' the FJC was $40 and $30 for a group. Group being 5 or more. This was at Perris when the Kiernans owned it. I remember in the 60's when the manifest was a card table, a blackboard and a cash box. You put your name on the board, the altitude, then you put your $ in the box [made your own change] , and when they had enough names to fill the plane, someone counted the $ and yelled [not sure], and up they went. Bob Palmeri owned the DZ then? Long time ago. Brain cells are floating around the DZ, thanks to Cardinal Puff and SCR, SCS, etc.etc. Too much BEER + other brain cell killing activities. Sandy
Jun 11, 2005, 1:07 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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Boy did I get ripped off!
1976 ~ FJC ~ 75.00.
The little 182 DZ I jumped at in Illinois had two prices, 1.00 per 1000' for non-members... and 50.00 a month for club members...all the jumps ya could make.
Late 70's...the DZ I worked at was 10.00 to 10.5 which was as high as the DZO would let the 'fleet' go.
Jun 11, 2005, 3:14 PM
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Re: [airtwardo] Jump Prices Over The Years
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$40 for FJC. $10 for student jumps, $12 if I wanted an AOD. But an AOD was mandatory and no extra for my first freefall. I do remember 12,500 going from $10 to 12, but I don't remember when.
Jun 11, 2005, 8:00 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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Our club in 1973 was a college club and non profit. We owned our own plane, a Cessna 180. The first jump course back then was $50. After you got into freefall and could spot yourself, jumps were $3.50 to 8,000 ft. We would often rent a DC-3 or Twin Beech from the smokejumpers. To 1,250 ft., jumps were $7.50. You could also buy a military surplus main and chest pack reserve for around $150. Even us poor bastards could afford to jump back then....Steve1
Jun 12, 2005, 11:24 AM
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Re: [airtwardo] Jump Prices Over The Years
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To 1,250 ft., jumps were $7.50.....
Guess smoke jumper planes didn't go higher?
It seems like it took forever to get to 12 five. Back then we didn't know any better. DC-3's and twin beeches were high tech jump planes back then. I haven't jumped a twin beech in about 30 years. It was a real trick to get a fast exit out of one of those. Most of them had this little tiny door. At exit time it reminded me of a herd of long haired prairie dogs diving for the same hole. Needless to say exits were usually really strung out.
I love the today's Twin Otters and king Air's. A huge improvement from what we jumped out of back in the 70's!....Steve1
Jun 12, 2005, 6:55 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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Hi JB!!, Circa early 60's in the Deep South, Jump prices at Hammond La. were $3.50 to 7500' out of a cessna. Depending on who we got the A/C from flat rate or tach. time it averaged out. We hardly ever got to 10,500 or 12,500 in the cessnas especially in the summer!!! When Bob "The Stud" Munn from Louisiana Skydivers in Baton Rouge got the Howard DGA-15P (just like the ones at old Elsinore!) then Skydiving in the area made a quantum leap!! Still $3.50 to 7500' I forget what 10,500 and 12,500 was I think $5.00 and $6.00?? Back then 80 octane avgas was $0.42 / gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not any more man!!!! Oh yes and for your car, reg was $0.29 9/10 per gal.!!!!
Jun 13, 2005, 7:29 AM
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Re: [skybill] Jump Prices Over The Years
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I brought my 32.50 to Southern Parachute in Aug 72 but they had all gone to the nationals.Fearing I would spend all that money....I buried it behind the outhouse in a sweetroll wrapper.I came back the next week and made my first jump.Leon Riche was my JM.
Jun 14, 2005, 6:50 AM
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Re: [itllclear] Jump Prices Over The Years
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FJC (static line) at Z-Hills in 1973 was $40.00. Remaining static line jumps (4) where $40.00.
I taught the course in 1974 and the prices were the same then as for my FJC (july of 73). Ahh, those were the days, teach students, pack T-10s, and jump...
Jun 14, 2005, 3:04 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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After reading the earlier prices, I wondered what they would be in current dollars. A quick search disclosed an inflation calculator for 1878 through 2003 that showed:
A jump in 1960 from 12.5K cost $5.25 now would equal 32.66/26.36 using the CPI/GDP.
A jump in 1970 from 7.5K cost $3.50 now would equal 16.59/13.44.
A jump in 1980 from 12.5K cost $10.00 now would cost 22.30/19.50.
A jump in 1980 from 7.5K cost $8.50 now would cost 18.96/16.58.
There was no data available after 2003 and I didn't know what jump prices were in 1990 and 2000.
It will be interesting to see what happens after 2003 as a result of the fuel price increases.
Jun 14, 2005, 4:50 PM
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Re: [gemini] Jump Prices Over The Years
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Hi Gemini
The cost of a lift ticket taking into account for inflation imo is in the ball park. When you take into account the express ride to altitude it's even nicer
I know that training has got a lot better, safer etc but The initial cost of getting qualified imo has outpaced the rate of inflation. Gear rental/jump
I remember when I was a kid listening to the adults bitching about paying $ .25 for a movie ticket .
Prices will always go up, the type of people that can afford it will change. Thats the way its always been and the way it will be.
I think I'll go eat my can of cat food and take my nap
Jun 14, 2005, 9:23 PM
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Re: [jbrasher] Jump Prices Over The Years
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FJC was $35, and included 3 SL jumps. Not sure how much student jumps were without personal gear, because I bought my full rig ($50) after my first jump.
Hop'n'pops from 2,000' were $2 ... but didn't always quite get to 2,000'.
in the very early 70's. Knees still hurt.
When we were pay $3.50 for a 30 sec in 1970 we were going to school on the G.I. Bill $175/ month
The rates quoted so far sound about right. In 70' the FJC was $40 and $30 for a group. Group being 5 or more. This was at Perris when the Kiernans owned it. I remember in the 60's when the manifest was a card table, a blackboard and a cash box. You put your name on the board, the altitude, then you put your $ in the box [made your own change] 
, and when they had enough names to fill the plane, someone counted the $ and yelled [not sure], and up they went. Bob Palmeri owned the DZ then? Long time ago. 
1
