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davelepka

Thank god were not in Kansas

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Did anyone see the thing about Skydive Kansas? I saw it in another forum, and this place has got to be kidding. Take a look at skydivekansas.com (I know it not a link, do the work and type it). The expereinced jumper policies? Who came up with this idea? Look at the staff page, only one of them has an AFF rating, how do you do level 1 through3?? Only two of their staff members have over 1000 jumps. The only camera flyer has been jumping for 15 years and has 650 jumps? I've done more jumps than that in 15 MONTHS. I'm just in shock that that place even exists. I know either Rod Stieger or Alan Funt have to coming around the corner any minute now...

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I'd suggest reading the two threads in S&T before getting too het up here.

First thread about getting rejected because of an underpublicized wingloading restriction on the website

Second thread started by part of Skydive Kansas about their DZ

Nope. Not everyone will like it there. But not ever DZ has access to extremely experienced folks, either. They admitted they didn't publicize their wingloading restrictions enough.

Wendy W.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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Sounds like the place I started at. Smallest staff main we had was a Monarch 170, and only Ray was allowed to jump that. When someone (DJ Mike I think) got a Sabre 150 it was a big deal. Good people though.

>I'm just in shock that that place even exists.

There's more than one.

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Then you haven't been around the sport long. Look at the majority of the "big name" skydivers and they came from small cessna DZs to start. I did. 3 Cessna DZ. Student gear was Goliaths and Sentinel AADs. That was SE of Kansas City. I believe Damian Hrdlika (pilot or former pilot for Perris Valley) came from the Kansas area. Shoobi Knutson I'm pretty sure came from the midwest. Mike Eakins from Mirror Image......midwest.....small DZ.
Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

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First of all, watch what you say about Kansas. There are a lot of awesome DZ's in Kansas. I haven't been to Skydive Kansas, so I can't say anything good or bad about them. I can answer your question though. For AFF, they do tandem progression so that you do your first 3 levels with a tandem/AFF jumpmaster. I would also like to point out that Skydive Kansas isn't the only DZ around with these type of restrictions. Skydive Las Vegas doesn't allow up jumpers unless you did AFF there. Skydive Key West is cypress mandatory, no wing loadings over 1.3 and jumps cost $35 to 10,000 out of a 182. Each DZ does whats best for them.

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I also learned at a small DZ. 3 182's. When I bought my TRIATHLON 160 I was hot shit. Started JM'ing students on my 100th jump. I was shooting video for tandems about the same time. Every DZ can't be Perris or Eloy. Hell, Perris and Eloy haven't always been what they are now. I think you will find they are not in the twilight zone, but rather you are.
Dom


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Dan BC... a club DZ in Ohio, Kurt Izenburger same thing. There are a lot of very big name jumpers that started at a DZ where the staff might have only have 1000 jumps between 3 or 4 of them. before every DZ had turbines boogies were anyplace that had a Beech 18, DC3's were a special treat. A 182 can only fly so many loads and students usually get first dib in those seats so I can understand how even today 150 jumps in a year is pushing it at a single or double 182 DZ.

I jumped at a Cessna DZ in Ohio last year a bit and it took up to 6 hours to get on the first load due to a lot of jumpers and students and only 4 slots per load. Not every DZ is blessed with turbines.
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

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Hey Chris, would that of been the old Horizon Drop Zone by any chance?



OMG! Why yes it was. Dana Savorelli and Jerry. Boy, those were the dayz. My first season there was their last in operation. Grrrrrrr....... But it set me on a course to be where I am today.
Chris Schindler
www.diverdriver.com
ATP/D-19012
FB #4125

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I stayed away from the debate in the other forum because, as a student, I don't have enough experience to be debating wing loading with anyone. However, I specifically chose Skydive Kansas after visiting it and others when I was looking for a place to begin my journey into the sky. I chose them for two reasons:

1. You won't find a friendlier dropzone around. I had people greeting me almost as soon as I got out of my car. Everyone on the staff is that way.

2. Their committment to safety. I am not a spring chicken out to prove anything. I am very safety conscious individual in my mid-fifties and want to do everything to mitigate the risk in a dangerous sport. Skydiving has been a lifelong dream and their safety consciousness played a big part in decision to choose them.

I haven't been disappointed in the least.

And we do have fun there.


I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

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The general consensus seems to be that it's a nice place. And you really can have lots of fun without jumping something the size of a tablecloth, or hooking, or swooping hundreds of feet past gawking whuffos. This whole conflict started with one jumper not knowing ahead of time what the rules are. Seems that the DZ has been quick to correct the mistake and make the rules more conspicuous on the website. Kudos to them for that.

In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal

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good reasons.

however I also have those EXACT same reasons for jumping at the places i have..including Eloy, Kapowsin and Perris..everywhere i've been skydivers are a friendly and helpful bunch.

if i ever felt any different at ANY dropzone i wouldnt stay there..

the implication is that other dropzones without such draconian policies about wingloading are less safe than SDkansas is ludicrious.
____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

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good reasons.
the implication is that other dropzones without such draconian policies about wingloading are less safe than SDkansas is ludicrious.



If you take that implication you do it on your own. I don't remember seeing anywhere (and I could have missed it) that they say people who don't have that rule are unsafe. They just say they have that as their rule. The only thing you can ding them on is that they didn't have the rule in a conspicuous place and it seems they have corrected that.

Chris

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2. Their committment to safety. I am not a spring chicken out to prove anything. I am very safety conscious individual in my mid-fifties and want to do everything to mitigate the risk in a dangerous sport. Skydiving has been a lifelong dream and their safety consciousness played a big part in decision to choose them



this while being a perfectly valid reason for picking one dropzone over another implies it.

whats different between their DZ and any other? Draconian control over jumpers wingloadings..everything else ive read (given the limitations of plane availability to 'rack up' jump numbers) seems like its otherwise a nice family oriented DZ. Lets be sure not to pretend that more progressive DZ's are not committed to safety just because they dont feel the need to control what an experienced diver wears on thier back.
____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

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no i'm not judging any DZ. as i've said before they have a right to the policies they chose to run their business. I have a right not to frequent them. I also have the right to point out that DZs without such restrictive policies are still equally commited to safety.

the students comments apply to the students perception of other DZs as my comments apply only to my perceptions.
____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

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As chris said in an earlier post, there are many more DZ's in kansas than just S.K. Wichita has 3 DZ's, KC area has acouple and of course K-State has our dz
www.ksu.edu/ksupc we're all different, some are belly oriented, some are freefly friends dz's. skydive kansas city (not S.K.) is D license or cypres to jump there. other dropzones aren't.

i'd say come around ks when you're here and see what each one has to offer.

blue skies

chris
<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

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