Stardust 0 #1 January 9, 2006 I have a question: recently, a friend of mine was hosed at a dropzone by another packer. The other packer was leaving for the day and said to my friend, those two packs in the plane? Leave them for me, I'll do them tomorrow. My friend said, why don't you do one and I do one (cuz my friend's keen to pack). The other packer said, no, I'll do them tomorrow, and had the jumper put the gear in another room. Is that kosher? It seems wrong to me. At my dropzone and from stories I've heard from other dropzones it's first come first serve, elbows out, running to landing area to get packs. If you leave, you forfeit. So, is it dropzone packing politics? Packing bullies? Is it like that at a lot of dropzones? Or is the other packer just a jerk? "It is never easy to keep reaching for dreams. Strength and courage can sometimes be lonely friends. But those who reach walk in stardust." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #2 January 9, 2006 Most of the places I jump the jumpers have whoever they want pack for them.They tried the first come method once but no one would own up to shitty pack jobs and I quit using the packing concession.I like to know who is packing mine. . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #3 January 9, 2006 I've never understood why anyone would leave their packing to a "packing company" (no disrespect for Packing Cathy or others)...am I just an anomaly in that I only let someone known and trusted to pack for me the very few times that I need/want it done for me? Maybe it's a hold-over from the 70s when they drilled into me that packing your own was a very good idea.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #4 January 9, 2006 At some DZ's, there are full time workers and part time workers. Us part timers try to defer to the full timers, because we're not trying to pay the rent by packing or tnadems or whatever. Why did your friend not just grab a chute and say "Well I'll pack this one."? Is there a pecking order you're not aware of? If all the packers are equal, your friend should just pack whatever he/she wants. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stardust 0 #5 January 9, 2006 QuoteWhy did your friend not just grab a chute and say "Well I'll pack this one."? Is there a pecking order you're not aware of? If all the packers are equal, your friend should just pack whatever he/she wants. I guess my friend didn't want to continue the apparent pissing contest or be a shit-disturber. It isn't his home dropzone, but one at which he used to feel at home. He also needs to pay rent. "It is never easy to keep reaching for dreams. Strength and courage can sometimes be lonely friends. But those who reach walk in stardust." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #6 January 9, 2006 QuoteHe also needs to pay rent. Why anyone relies on packing money for rent is beyond me, but I realize it's partly the nature of the industry. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thepollster 0 #7 January 9, 2006 QuoteQuoteHe also needs to pay rent. Why anyone relies on packing money for rent is beyond me, but I realize it's partly the nature of the industry. Duh, because it is a job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 561 #8 January 10, 2006 If I didn't pack 200+ reserves and more mains than I care to remember per year, I would be forced to get a real job. ... tried real jobs, but did not enjoy them. As to the original poster's question: buddy was acting weird! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #9 January 10, 2006 QuoteWhy anyone relies on packing money for rent is beyond me Maybe they like having a roof over their heads... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #10 January 10, 2006 QuoteQuoteWhy anyone relies on packing money for rent is beyond me Maybe they like having a roof over their heads... So would working at McD's or another place that had more consistent employment...but I'm not doing that either. My point being that it is highly risky for not a large potential sum to rely on packing (mains) money for anything other than supplemental income. Not realizing this is to one's own folly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #11 January 10, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteWhy anyone relies on packing money for rent is beyond me Maybe they like having a roof over their heads... So would working at McD's or another place that had more consistent employment...but I'm not doing that either. My point being that it is highly risky for not a large potential sum to rely on packing (mains) money for anything other than supplemental income. Not realizing this is to one's own folly. One can make much better money packing than one can make at McD's. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #12 January 10, 2006 QuoteSo would working at McD's or another place that had more consistent employment...but I'm not doing that either. I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying it's better to sling burgers and be unhappy than to pack parachutes and be happy? imho it's far better to be happy in what you are doing and how you are living your life, even if you aren't making a whole lot of money, than to be stuck doing something you hate. Quote My point being that it is highly risky for not a large potential sum to rely on packing (mains) money for anything other than supplemental income. Are you saying that those who choose to live their dream of making a living in the sport are somehow not as good as you are because they've chosen a "risky" way of supporting themselves? Or that they are not due respect because they don't feel they need to make a lot of money to be happy? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #13 January 10, 2006 QuoteAre you saying that those who choose to live their dream of making a living in the sport are somehow not as good as you are because they've chosen a "risky" way of supporting themselves? Or that they are not due respect because they don't feel they need to make a lot of money to be happy? Neither. It goes back to the taking responsibility thing you and others mentioned back in the Shayna thread. No whining - just deal with it. Working retail, you more or less have consistent work at a consitent wage. Deal or do some other work. Packing is much has a bigger upside in $$$, but there is no bene's (like insurance - even Workers' Comp, 401(k)/pension, etc.) and amount of work is much more volatile, with a potential unavailability of work during whole seasons. Packing is also much more dependent on the customer choosing to use one packer's services over another. I don't see how it is much different than the "need a million to start a DZ" thing or "not possible to make a living (in the) skydiving (industry)" talk. Economically/statistically speaking, there is probably a lower expected value packing than working retail or some other "wage" job ( E(packing income) < E(working retail) ). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teason 0 #14 January 14, 2006 Actually, the OPs question was about pecking order for packing, not whining about how mauch can be made in a day. What happens when one packer feels he has right to get all the pack jobs ... even when he's not on the DZ. That's the issue.I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #15 January 14, 2006 My point still indirectly applies. A packer can whine all they want, but I have the right to choose who I give my money to pack my canopy. If I have a preference and another packer thinks they have 'dibs' or whatever, I'll pack myself if the DZ wants to be so draconian about their policies....or it may incent me to jump elsewhere. I'm the customer and they are the service provider. They don't have to give me service and I don't have to use their service either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stardust 0 #16 January 14, 2006 I don't think that anyone, really, is disagreeing with your right as a consumer to choose who will service your needs. Quality wan't the issue. It was a pissing contest. "It is never easy to keep reaching for dreams. Strength and courage can sometimes be lonely friends. But those who reach walk in stardust." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 561 #17 January 15, 2006 QuoteActually, the OPs question was about pecking order for packing ... What happens when one packer feels he has right to get all the pack jobs ... even when he's not on the DZ. That's the issue. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Good point! Number one - in the pecking order - is only number one when he/she is on the DZ. Leave for the day and they lose their top slot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
