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DroptheMan04

cost to open dropzone?

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It's gonna cost about as much as you want to spend. Millions if you want an otter, nice facilities, wind tunnel, etc etc to next to nothing if you know someone with a plane you can lease on the weekends and just want to take up fun jumpers who have their own gear.

The first DZ I jumped at was a small operation, one 182, grass runway, small hanger in the middle of BFE, jumpmasters that were pretty much just really experienced skydivers, couple student rigs(no tandem rigs). But it was a really fun place.

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Clearly, you don't speak good English;



don't you mean "you don't speak english well?


If youre gonna insult the guy try not to look as stupid as you are trying to make him look.


I didnt even read the rest of you post because you sound like an ass.


(sorry to everyone but that had to be said)
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I'm sure, dzo "dropzone owner" will always get free jumps like you eat free as own resturant ;)



Well, by free, if you mean a slave to the business, then yes.

If you are planningon starting a DZ where there hasn't been one before You will have to do ALOT of work to get the word out and you will build your own group of local skydivers. but it won't happen quickly.


so those free jumps will end up costing ALOT of money[:/].


mostof the time you'll probably be on the ground running the business while the instructors are jumping.
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Clearly, you don't speak good English;



don't you mean "you don't speak english well?


If you're gonna insult the guy try not to look as stupid as you are trying to make him look.


I didn't even read the rest of you post because you sound like an ass.


(sorry to everyone but that had to be said)



It's too bad that you didn't read my post, or you'd have read the next sentence where I gave him more respect than anybody else that bothered to reply did.

Not being able to speak 'English well' is not an insult, it's an observation. There are billions of intelligent people in the world that don't speak English. If you left your arrogant bubble long enough to see that the world extends beyond the borders of the united states and english speaking people, perhaps you would not have jumped to conclusion so fast.

Your judgement only goes to show that you give little regard to someone who cannot speak English, your post could be considered insulting to billions of people; who's the asshole now?
Matt Christenson

[email protected]
http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software.

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you're still the asshole.


I read the first part where you gave him the benefit of the doubt. good for you.

I did go back and read the rest of your post. but when you preface it with an ashhole remark like the one I pointed out, it makes you look like an asshole.
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I'm sure, dzo "dropzone owner" will always get free jumps like you eat free as own resturant ;)



When a DZO jumps it cost twice as much. For one you are using up a slot that you could put a paying customer in.
SONIC BEEF #1 BASE 708, NC BASE 3
SLI,IADI,AFFI.TIE.FAA Rigger, Single & Multi Commercial Pilot,CFI, CFII, MEI

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I'm sure, dzo "dropzone owner" will always get free jumps like you eat free as own resturant ;)



When a DZO jumps it cost twice as much. For one you are using up a slot that you could put a paying customer in.

Not if they are doing work jumps, they save on paying the instructors fee
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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I was kind of bored, checking out this old thread, and reading the USPA Group Member Initial Application when I noticed on the application form a line asking for an 'airport name'. Do you have to have an airport to open a USPA DZ? The DZ I started jumping at was just a trailer with a dirt runway, but it was not affiliated with the USPA. So my question is . . . Do you have to have a real airport to start a USPA affiliated DZ? (not that I have the money to open a DZ or anything! I just want to be like Truman Sparks someday!)

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The DZ I started jumping at was just a trailer with a dirt runway,



The place you started at was an airport just not a very big airport. If there is a runway, any kind of runway and a plane to land on it you have an airport.

Sparky
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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opening a business legal/government: $15,000
business start up (furniture, computers, copy machines etc.): $15,000



The last time I started a business (LLC) it was less than $100 to the state of Colorado and $200 because I was feeling lazy to have my accountants file the documents opting to be taxed as an S-corp and that was a mistake.

The last time I started a business I spent $200 on furniture and $1500 on computers. Things have goten real cheap now, with $400 computers that are fast enough and $150 network laser printers.

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So you're looking at ~$230,000 to just get started; and you don't even have an office to work out of... a small office for $300/mo.. is another $3600



The last new drop zone I went to ran out of a converted semi-trailer. The one before that actually put a mobile home on the air port.

A canopy to cover manifest and mini-van for gear storage would have worked as well.

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You also need to consider employees. A large place with a good following can get tandem masters cheaper because of how fun and accommodating the place can be for skydivers... but a single Cessna dropzone where there won't be any fun jumps? You're going to have to pay someone some kind of full time wage to keep them...



As far as I know, every DZ I've been to paid the tandem masters by the load; with more money if they brought their own gear.

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and you'll need at least two - so at a conservative $20k each... plus a pilot for $30k, and one person on the ground to handle the phones - $20k...



Pilots payed $10 a load are not atypical. Nice DZOs throw in Lunch.

At small DZs, the owner answers the phone. When he's up on a load he lets it go to an answering machine.

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now you're at ~$325,000.00 for one year, and you haven't even considered fuel prices - which i don't know enough about to quote...



A DZ requires a plane and pilot for some (few) hours a week. It takes instructor and equipment accommodations for students. While not free it's no a fraction of $300K/year.

While it'll get you "some place close for your 4-way team to jump" or "let you do 360 degree hook turns into your back yard" it's not likely to be a real money maker.

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... Do you have to have a real airport to start a USPA affiliated DZ? (not that I have the money to open a DZ or anything! I just want to be like Truman Sparks someday!)



Define "real airport".

There's a public airport - open to the public and run by a government entity (city or county usually).

There's a private airport - often open to the public, but run by a private group or individual. My DZ is located on such an airport. Open to the public, but private property. Regitered with the FAA and it has a 3-letter ID (W34).

There's a real private airport. Only open to the owners. It may or may not be regisered with the FAA.

If it's not, then the owner will be in a tough position when the state highway commission decides to route a highway right across the middle of the runway. (I am aware of this happening, the state basically said "We wouldn't be able to do this to a real airport, but this is just a field that you use as a runway, too bad").

If the proper notams are filed, then you are good to go. I know of a USPA DZ at an unregisered airport.
"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

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Clearly, you don't speak good English;



don't you mean "you don't speak english well?



Clearly, I don't speak good English and/or I don't speak English well. It's my second or third language.
I'm also a DZO.

You both are absolutely right: I am the real asshole!! ;)

No Drogue, no JUMP!!

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You can lose sight of why you are there, what got you there, and who helped get you there when it's your work. For example, looking at a $50k engine repair when someone comes up and bitches about the pro shop not having your visor tends to raise your blood pressure.

Blue skies,

Jim

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