Australia Skydiving

[DemolitionDarby 0]

Hey guys,

I’m traveling to Australia here pretty soon and I’m wondering if someone could help me find a DZ that will allow me to make a beach landing.

I won’t be traveling with my rig either, so I’ll need to rent a one (minus alti and goggles)

I’ll be in Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sydney. Anything within an hour or two drive in any direction from those locations would be ideal.

Thanks for the advice in advance!

-D

[hcsvader 1]

If the jump numbers on your profile are correct you will not be able to land on the beaches here.
Minimum for most locations is 200 jumps, many more require min 500, and a lot kid them are staff sand tandem only.

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)

[DemolitionDarby 0]

Seriously? You need 200-500 jumps to make a beach landing? That sucks!

Why is that by the way? Obviously it’s a safety reason, but, what’s the specifics on it?

[gowlerk 1,901]

DemolitionDarby

Seriously? You need 200-500 jumps to make a beach landing? That sucks!

Why is that by the way? Obviously it’s a safety reason, but, what’s the specifics on it?

Beaches have a dangerous hazard close by. Usually the ocean. They often have a tree line running parallel to the first hazard. Be patient, life is long. You must prove your skills before someone will be willing to risk losing their permission to land on the beach for you.

Aren't you the guy that posted only a few months ago about accuracy problems? Accuracy comes with practice, accuracy is absolutely needed for beach jumps.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[obelixtim 100]

It amuses me how over the years, so many things which were once quite normal, are now considered really dangerous.

I can remember doing beach jumps with 50 jumps in total, on roundies...no problem. Beaches are quite big, with soft sand.

Back then we were allowed to do things like night jumps, demos, cross country jumps with very little experience, this was done to build that experience.

We had proper briefings and safety equipment, and knew our limitations and as far as I can remember, no one got injured or killed doing these things. We learned how to look after ourselves.

And became better, safer skydivers for it.

I think a better approach, instead of imposing restrictions, outlining what we can't do, is to allow people to try things and show them how to do it safely.

The problem comes of course from the commercial skydiving centres, who are very protective of their safety record and have allowed the authorities to over regulate things to the point where they suffer sanctions if a mistake is made. Most small operators no longer exist.

It does suck.

Welcome to the PC world where we must be wrapped in cotton wool for our own good!

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[Joellercoaster 6]

obelixtim

It amuses me how over the years, so many things which were once quite normal, are now considered really dangerous.

Is that a) because people suddenly became much more fearful and rules-oriented, or b) we figured out that the things we thought were normal, actually were dangerous, because people got hurt and killed?

We also used to ban people from jumping a square until they had 200 jumps. After that, those tiny 170s were going to kill everyone. Is that because we have become less fearful and rules-oriented, or because the things that we thought were super dangerous, actually turned out to be normal, because people didn't get hurt and killed?

I am so confused. Please tell me how to think about modern skydiving.

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[riggerrob 558]

Poorly informed people mis-calculate risks.

[obelixtim 100]

Quote

Is that a) because people suddenly became much more fearful and rules-oriented, or b) we figured out that the things we thought were normal, actually were dangerous, because people got hurt and killed?

I would say A.

I don't think the danger level has increased at all. Being killed under perfectly good canopies never really happened back in the day, and gear is much better today.

People are always going to get injured/killed no matter what we do. That is the nature of the sport. I think poor decision making is a big part of that, and that comes from a lack of knowledge/experience.

People in positions of authority today seem much more reluctant to make difficult decisions/take responsibility for others, hence the "can't do" attitude I see more of these days.

As I said it may be the commercial side of it trying to maintain a "good" record, it may be the fear of litigation, but whatever it is, I don't think it is necessarily healthy.

You've got to be prepared to trust people and let them off the leash after training them properly.

Remember, the noobs of today are tomorrows instructors, tasked with taking the sport forward.

Wrapping them in cotton wool doesn't really prepare them properly for that role.

Quote

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

• Quote

[rrobinn 0]

If you just want a good dz to jump at, (without beach landing) i would say Skydive Ramblers Toogoolawah. Did my AFF there, really good place and really friendly people around the dz. And Kangaroos in the landing area

I did a gear rental on a icon with a pilot 168 for 30 days for 530 AUD at MEE LOFT in Brisbane. Koppel that runs the loft is a really nice guy that will help you with everything you need.

And Skydive Rablers is about a 1.5 h drive from Brisbane.

Have fun mate

[koppel 3]

Thanks Robin - the kind words are appreciated.

I should add the the rental is unlimited jumps so if you want to make 100 jumps in that month you can for the same rate

I like my canopy...


...it lets me down.

[HUPRA 0]

DemolitionDarby

Hey guys,

I’m traveling to Australia here pretty soon and I’m wondering if someone could help me find a DZ that will allow me to make a beach landing.

I won’t be traveling with my rig either, so I’ll need to rent a one (minus alti and goggles)

I’ll be in Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sydney. Anything within an hour or two drive in any direction from those locations would be ideal.

Thanks for the advice in advance!

-D

Check out Moruya, its south of Sydney. Super nice DZ and people there. Its right by the beach and they often land on the beach.

[JohnMitchell 14]

obelixtim

It amuses me how over the years, so many things which were once quite normal, are now considered really dangerous.

JM'd my first student when I had 46 jumps. My first demo, 115 jumps, flew a two-stack into a community college quad.

Dinosaur stories. . .

[hcsvader 1]

not that beach jumps are really dangerous, its more that many dzs that offer beach landings tend to have dramas with the council or neihbours who own beach front property and dont like aircraft noise, so having someone land off in a built up area or requiring rescue from the ocean gives them ammunition in their argument against dzs having access t landing areas on the beaches.


Basically its a fragile agreement and unless you can demonstrate the skills and experience required to be approved and complete these jumps without incident dont get upset when we set the bar rather high.

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)

[johnmatrix 21]

HUPRA

Check out Moruya, its south of Sydney. Super nice DZ and people there. Its right by the beach and they often land on the beach.

+1

[JohnMitchell 14]

johnmatrix

***
Check out Moruya, its south of Sydney. Super nice DZ and people there. Its right by the beach and they often land on the beach.

+1

That place is beautiful. Some of the best scenery I've jumped over.

[JohnMitchell 14]

hcsvader

Basically its a fragile agreement and unless you can demonstrate the skills and experience required to be approved and complete these jumps without incident dont get upset when we set the bar rather high.

Very good reasons for setting the bar high. Thanks for the input.

[obelixtim 100]

hcsvader

not that beach jumps are really dangerous, its more that many dzs that offer beach landings tend to have dramas with the council or neihbours who own beach front property and dont like aircraft noise, so having someone land off in a built up area or requiring rescue from the ocean gives them ammunition in their argument against dzs having access t landing areas on the beaches.


Basically its a fragile agreement and unless you can demonstrate the skills and experience required to be approved and complete these jumps without incident dont get upset when we set the bar rather high.

That's what happens when you don't fight your case strongly and allow yourself to be walked over. If you are having dramas, it is often because you are not doing things properly yourself, or you are acting as a doormat.

Kowtowing is not a good policy. I would contend that the people making these decisions have no clue about skydiving, and are basing their views on quite irrational fears. And they always want more.

I've seen plenty of cases where people allow themselves to be intimidated by "authority", and then got shat on.

I've also been involved in a lot of similar scenarios and been able to demolish the opposition by having a sound and reasoned argument to back up my views.

Most of the opposition is based on ignorance, or the views of a shrill few (take the Quiet Skies loons for example) who really have very shallow arguments.

I battled CAA idiots for many years and invariably won my arguments when they wanted to impose restrictions on us. They were never as "expert" as they made themselves out to be.

I, (and many others) have been fighting such ignorance all my skydiving life, and what we got didn't ever come easy. If you don't fight your corner you will lose. Never give an inch, because if you let them get one unreasonable decision against you, its the thin edge of the wedge and you are on the slippery slope. Their "threats" are usually hollow.

It really saddens me to see things we battled hard for over many years, given away so easily, by a bunch of wimps who kowtow to these naysayers.

Unfortunately, the horse has already bolted in many cases.

Harden up princesses!.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[GD64 1]

A bit off topic (by me), but what you just posted obelixtim are Great life living skills not just for skydiving. Well stated!