Rookie skydiver/seasoned pilot.... now i want to fly jumpers.

[cracky 0]

Hi all. I'm new to the forums. So let me give you a brief history.

I started flying airplanes in early 2006. Thought i wanted to be an airline pilot. 2 years later i started flight instructing and I've been flying Cessna and pipers ever since. My first tandem skydive was in Feb of 2012 @ skydive sebastian. Over the next 4 months i found myself constantly starring out the side window of my little Cessna... imagining I'm all geared up climbing out the door... hanging off the wing strut... backflipping or whatever. I was already dirt diving my exits and freefall. Fast forward to Summer of 2012 and I'm in AFF @ skydive sebastian....



And here i am now. 2700 hours in airplanes. And 55 jumps on an A licence.

I want to be jumping everyday. Living on a dropzone and flying loads of jumpers seems like 10x more fun than flying a bus full of pissed off passengers.

So here's my question.... does anyone need a lift to 13,500?

[EatSleepFly 0]

I really hate posting here, but here is my $.02 as a pilot and a jumper but not a jump pilot. Don't do it. If you want to jump, find a flying job to fund it until you can get a coach/instructional rating, fly camera, etc. so that you no longer have to pay for every jump. Then you get the best of both worlds. Granted, you won't be able to jump EVERY day, but if you fly for a dropzone, you'll probably be jumping even less.

By the way, if you have 2700 hours, quit being obtuse. You know full well that there are other flying jobs besides "flying a bus full of pissed off passengers." Not that I blame you, I wouldn't and don't, but that is enough hours to open up a few other doors aside from the regionals and flight instructing.

Your enthusiasm is great, but I think it could be channeled more constructively to reach your goal of jumping as much as possible while still working as a pilot. Either way, this advice is worth only what you paid for it, so good luck!

[airtwardo 6]

cracky

Hi all. I'm new to the forums. So let me give you a brief history.

I started flying airplanes in early 2006. Thought i wanted to be an airline pilot. 2 years later i started flight instructing and I've been flying Cessna and pipers ever since. My first tandem skydive was in Feb of 2012 @ skydive sebastian. Over the next 4 months i found myself constantly starring out the side window of my little Cessna... imagining I'm all geared up climbing out the door... hanging off the wing strut... backflipping or whatever. I was already dirt diving my exits and freefall. Fast forward to Summer of 2012 and I'm in AFF @ skydive sebastian....



And here i am now. 2700 hours in airplanes. And 55 jumps on an A licence.

I want to be jumping everyday. Living on a dropzone and flying loads of jumpers seems like 10x more fun than flying a bus full of pissed off passengers.

So here's my question.... does anyone need a lift to 13,500?

When I was in college back in the dark ages ~

I was both a Skydiver & a Pilot, as was my buddy the mighty 'Kaptian K'...I worked at the local DZ as an instructor, he flew loads.

I never told the DZO I could fly because I knew the drill.

I was making 15-20 jumps a weekend back in the 182 only days...he'd make 1 or 2 a month.

Yes he was building hours toward a bus drivin' job...but that went south when he, ahhhhh - had some 'trouble' with the feds.

I went on to carve out somewhat of a nitch for myself in the sport and have had a ball doing it.

But THAT being said...don't poopoo driving the bus!

Back in college one of our roomies dad was like # 4 @ UAL, he all but guaranteed 'us' an interview and a letter of recommendation.

I personally was in business school not flight school like they were, but he constantly encouraged me to get all my ratings and get building hours.

But NOOOOOOOOOO.....I'm a SKYDIVER not a fukin 'bus driver'!

it's 35 years later...

I'm married to a bus driver, and believe me when I say ~ I may have made the WRONG choice as far as career paths!

She 'works' 12 days a month, stays in 4 star hotels in Europes most beautiful cities and makes easily double what I did working 60 hour weeks in the corporate world...I can't complain, Skydiving has bin berry berry good to me - but in retrospect I could have done what I've done in the sport, AND a lot more had I thought just a bit more about which open path to choose.

Just be careful what you wish for ~

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[ctrph8 0]

My 2 cents is to do it. Go find a DZ with a really great vibe and go fly for them for a while. Part of the allure is that the skydiving community is a fun bunch of folks to hang out with. You probably won't skydive as much as you'd like but you'll be in good company and you WILL skydive. It will open skydiving doors. The trap is that it is hard to show up at the DZ on your day off because you just spent the last 5 days there.

If you decide to do it, really check out the DZ. Most of them are fantastic. There are some seriously toxic ones too. They are the exception though, not the rule.

[BIGUN 1,053]

All good thoughts and input above. One thing I will add is that "if" you should choose to be Diver Driver; (in my opinion) pilots who skydive made better skydiving pilots...

BUT, if you do go that route, know that being a 182 driver on a smaller DZ is much more of a grind than an otter, casa or van driver.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Guru312 0]

airtwardo

Just be careful what you wish for ~

In this case, as usual, it is wise to pay attention to the advice of airtwardo. You couldn't ask for much more in regard to experience with both flying and jumping.

Notice my jump numbers. Embarrassingly low for the years in the sport. Why? Because I spent more time teaching classes, time as a JM and a pilot flying jumpers. No one can do all three well. Pick one and stick with it.

Everyone is different with different goals but you can't really do both piloting and jumping well. I have 2000+ hours flying jumpers. I made...maybe...50 jumps during that time.

I've been self-employed in a totally unrelated business during the week... with jumping and flying only on weekends. I didn't even do it for the money. I easily made payments on the plane from "rental" of the plane and my pay.

I did it for the love of the people and the atmosphere of the DZ. I can't relate well to non-jumpers. [Because I don't really want to.] There is something VERY special about the world-view held by people who love to jump out of airplanes.

I think you should re-think your goal(s) because you won't be able to do both well.

If your goal is to do both you will achieve mediocrity.

Guru312

I am not DB Cooper

[cracky 0]

hmmm yeah good advice guys thanks! brought up some good points i had not thought of. makes alot of sense though, i cant fly the plane AND jump out of it, bad business plan. haha.

IM happy flight instructing, im sticking with that for sure. maybe i can find a part part-time position flying loads on the busy weekends or events. just to satisfy the novelty of flying loads, without sucking the fun out of both things i enjoy.... thanks again guys!

More advice is welcome!

[airtwardo 6]

BTW...it's not 'Skydiver Driver' ~ ~ ~ It's 'Jumper Dumper' !

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[islander 0]

Hi Cracky,
Guys with pilot experience said their word and it was well based.
I am starting new skydiving operation on small island in Pacific.
We are looking for a pilot with skydiving experience.
The aircraft will be Piper Cherokee-6. The part time job with very busy local carrier can be arranged.

If you are interested, e-mail me: skydivemarianas-barkingdog-rocketmail.com

Blue Sky

[cracky 0]

hey, how is your dropzone doing?