When does the 'beer light' come on?

[pchapman 261]

I'm trying to understand the rules at different DZ's as to when beer can be brought out at the DZ.

Feel free to make any comments necessary if my poll categories are poor choices.

A bunch of jumpers at my DZ were surprised on the weekend when the DZO started confiscating beers that had been passed around, because the last load had not yet landed, although the jumpers were all under canopy. Clearly the jumpers' and DZO's opinions on what is acceptable and normal differed greatly. The beer rules have not yet been officially posted anywhere.

(Although he'll accept a Swoop & Chug, the DZO doesn't otherwise want any beer visible until the last load has landed. Too much of a liability issue.)

[IJskonijn 38]

We don't have a specific beer-light or a specific time to start the beers. One of the DZ's I frequent has lots of tandems in addition to lots of sports jumpers, and those passengers (and friends/family of said passengers) regularly enjoy beers after their jumps when the day is still in full swing.

We simply assume everyone is mature enough to not start drinking until they've finished jumping. Seems to work here.

[normiss 622]

Clearly depends on the DZ.

The ones that sell alcohol appear to understand we're adults and are free to make our own choices of jumping or drinking, and when.
I like that.

If I'm at a small dz and have stopped jumping for the day, I tend to grab a beer from my personal cooler and drink at will.

[Remster 24]

At Eloy, the beer light comes on after the last load takes off.

Now, mind you, they're a bar that opens at 11am on the DZ too. I can't say that I've ever seen a regular there, having a drink, and then jumping afterwards, but, besides self policing, there's not much to stop it from happening.

Remster

[StreetScooby 5]

It goes off???

We are all engines of karma

[DcloudZ 0]

When the last load takes off we are free to open beers.

During the day the tandems are only allowed to consume alcohol in the parking lot.

"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts

[NWFlyer 2]

Beer light goes on when wheels are up for the last load. However, while jump operations are ongoing, we can drink in the patio area of the bar/cafe (which is licensed to sell beer, and does). If we drink around the main DZ area from our personal stash or the DZ beer fine fridge while jump operations are still ongoing, we're asked to pour it into a cup. And of course, the expectation is that we're grown ups and won't drink while jumping.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[popsjumper 2]

Different DZs, different rules...there's no standard.

I prefer after the last load has landed and here's why...

Beers came out after last-load take-off. Tandem wuffos commented about drinking and jumping thinking that we had been drinking all day long.

Now, had there been an incident, you can bet that the drinking and jumping issue will come up, probably in court, and it's going to be hard the convince the powers that be.

Better safe than sorry?
Besides, if you can't wait the few minutes it takes for landings, you may have a problem.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[hillson 0]

IJskonijn

We don't have a specific beer-light or a specific time to start the beers. One of the DZ's I frequent has lots of tandems in addition to lots of sports jumpers, and those passengers (and friends/family of said passengers) regularly enjoy beers after their jumps when the day is still in full swing.

We simply assume everyone is mature enough to not start drinking until they've finished jumping. Seems to work here.

Same in my neck of the woods, pretty much. During an adult activity if people act like adults they are generally treated like adults, in my experience.

[DcloudZ 0]

Makes sense! However, where I jump, very rarely are there still tandems around after the sunset load

"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts

[pchapman 261]

popsjumper

I prefer after the last load has landed and here's why...[...]had there been an incident, you can bet that the drinking and jumping issue will come up, probably in court

Yup, that's exactly why the DZO is doing 'after the last load landed', because he's the guy who cares about liability, what with the decades he's put into building up his business.

At the same time, I care more about reality, and not abstract liability, because it is just as true that jumpers have not been drinking when they are jumping, whether or not the beer comes out after the last load took off. He's more about the appearance of liability, whether or not anything is actually wrong.

I need to find a little plastic vodka hip flask, filled with water, to take with me when doing tandems, to take the occasional swig out of...

[DougH 270]

pchapman

I need to find a little plastic vodka hip flask, filled with water, to take with me when doing tandems, to take the occasional swig out of...

I think your being tongue in cheek, but I don't think the humor in this, would out weigh how uncomfortable it would make a tandem student that didn't get that it was a prop.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[skymama 35]

At my home dz (DeLand), there is a full bar and restaurant on the dz. If you're not jumping, I suppose you can drink at breakfast if you want to. Mimosas anyone?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[melanie91 0]

At my dz beer light is on when the last lift has landedand the plane hhas been brought into the hangar... I think this makes sense because it's still an active airfield until everyone and the plane has landed. If an incident occurred on the last lift or while the plane is landing it would be better that the beers weren't already out.

[normiss 622]

Bloody mary's are a regular there!

I disagree with the worry about wuffos thinking we're slamming em back and hauling PAX up to jump.
I use words with visitors. I have made it VERY clear about the rules regarding alcohol.

Nobody takes my cars keys away from me until sunset.

We're adults here kids.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

This varies WILDLY from dropzone to dropzone. On dropzones which have bars/ restaurants, it's never really "off" during business hours, except for tandem students yet to jump and jumpers still wishing to skydive. Some will even sell you beer at manifest while jumping is going on, but before their DZ bar opens (like Zihills).

[erdnarob 1]

Hi Peter, I can recognize Joe's way to warn the jumpers. He just applied the unsaid rules about alcohol use. Years ago in France, everything stopped at noon for two hours at lunch time. I saw people (including myself) taking beer or wine at the restaurant. Even at the DZ they were offering beer or wine. At two o'clock, we were resuming your skydiving. I have never seen somebody drunk in the airplane.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[Divergert 0]

pchapman

I'm trying to understand the rules at different DZ's as to when beer can be brought out at the DZ.

Feel free to make any comments necessary if my poll categories are poor choices.

A bunch of jumpers at my DZ were surprised on the weekend when the DZO started confiscating beers that had been passed around, because the last load had not yet landed, although the jumpers were all under canopy. Clearly the jumpers' and DZO's opinions on what is acceptable and normal differed greatly. The beer rules have not yet been officially posted anywhere.

(Although he'll accept a Swoop & Chug, the DZO doesn't otherwise want any beer visible until the last load has landed. Too much of a liability issue.)

You guys don't have beer loads?

[potatoman 0]

You guys jump sober?

Wheels up on last load. Sends out bad vibes to visitors if they see beer while operating, not pro.

You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is.
Davelepka - "This isn't an x-box, or a Chevy truck forum"
Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD.

[grue 1]

Redline says we have to tie down the truck before the beer front moves in.

cavete terrae.

[Southern_Man 0]

Beer Light at my DZ goes on at Wheel up on last load. My personal beer light doesn't go on until all the packing is done. I guess I would pack my own rig while/after drinking a beer but not anybody else's. Hasn't come up since I am usually on first load, not last.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

I've always thought "wheels up on last load", with a place away from the general operations area so that tandems can have one after they jump, but before the end of the day (we always made them go over by the firepit).

Personally, I can't see anyone getting drunk enough to be a danger to themselves or others from the time the plane takes off until it lands and gets put away.

But I can see how the appearance could create issues, so I fully agree with "DZO's decision", even if I didn't vote for it.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[skypuppy 1]

pchapman

I'm trying to understand the rules at different DZ's as to when beer can be brought out at the DZ.

Feel free to make any comments necessary if my poll categories are poor choices.

A bunch of jumpers at my DZ were surprised on the weekend when the DZO started confiscating beers that had been passed around, because the last load had not yet landed, although the jumpers were all under canopy. Clearly the jumpers' and DZO's opinions on what is acceptable and normal differed greatly. The beer rules have not yet been officially posted anywhere.

(Although he'll accept a Swoop & Chug, the DZO doesn't otherwise want any beer visible until the last load has landed. Too much of a liability issue.)

yup. I trust you to pack my student chutes, and tandem rigs. I trust you to drop my s/l students. i trust you to take up my tandem students, and train and jump with my pff students.

But do I trust you to know when you can have a beer? Do I even just tell you to hold off for a few minutes? No I actually have to go around and TAKE your beer away from you.

and next week there'll be another post about something else, and then the week after, something else. but you stay there, Peter...

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[Andy9o8 0]

THIS:

Quote

But do I trust you to know when you can have a beer? Do I even just tell you to hold off for a few minutes? No I actually have to go around and TAKE your beer away from you.

Is not an answer to THIS:

Quote

Although he'll accept a Swoop & Chug, the DZO doesn't otherwise want any beer visible until the last load has landed. Too much of a liability issue.)

If the DZO has an incident and has a shit-storm of extra problems due to allegations (fair or not) about alcohol, his business and livelihood could be devastated. In the meantime, the regular jumpers will all sympathetically, and then just find another DZ to jump at. Just like all the bitching about the occasional DZO who bans hook turns, etc.: Until it's your own legal and financial ass on the line, don't be so fast to judge.

[pchapman 261]

skypuppy

and next week there'll be another post about something else, and then the week after, something else. but you stay there, Peter...

Yes, if I want to get working jumps done, at my convenience, at a location near friends and family, it unfortunately happens to the the best place for me. I mostly take my fun jumps elsewhere.

And yes I expect that every time I post about something that is silly at the DZ, you'll tell me to get out of there. You left, and and are enjoying your new place. Every DZ has its pluses and minuses.