Starting a skydiving business?

[DasRind 0]

Hey everyone, glad to have found this forum.

I'm thinking of getting into skydiving business, so hopefully someone around here can shed some light on it for me. Is anyone here involved in it? I'll have some money saved up in a couple of years and think it's a fun investment. I'm a skydiver myself, though not a frequent one, but that's because I haven't enough time for it ...yet.

Anyway, if you know or think you may know, how much is needed to start such a business? Thanks

P.S. I'm aiming to do it here in Canada, but I'd appreciate comments from other countries as well, mainly the U.S.

[quade 3]

There's an old saying in aviation, if you wanna make a small fortune, start with a large one.

Seriously. I can't even imagine trying to start up a skydiving business in this particular time period.

Good luck to you!

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[bfilarsky 0]

Ditto - I work as a flight instructor. Its a really hard business to make any decent money at, because there are so many people that want to do it and are ok with making very little. I imagine skydiving biz is similar.

[Isfrael 0]

Elaborate on business. Do you mean opening a drop zone, a gear shop, gear design/manufacturing, etc, etc...?

[DasRind 0]

A drop zone.

[marcandalysse 0]

sun path's building in zhills is up for rent....got any sewing skills?

"The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton

[likestojump 3]

Quote

A drop zone.

haha !

you'll do better taking your savings and spending them in a windtunnel - at least it'll leave you with some positive feelings and skills instead of lots of stress. Both will result in a depleted bank account.... fast.

[riggerrob 558]

Location?

Location?

Location?

[camamel 0]

It cost so much money to start such a business here that you better be at least 3 or 4 investors.
In order to run a DZ in Canada you have to earn a certificate from MOT, 12 month of paper work, and in order to be elligible to apply for one you have to own a plane. Otherwise you can operate under another DZ certificate and lease a plane but the other DZ will be 100% responsible because for MOT this is there DZ.

So to start a DZ you need at least one C-182 ($80000 +), two tandems ($10000 to $15000 for used ones) and two students rigs ($8000 + for used ones). You also need a trailer or two for the manifest, your rigs, a packing area ect.

Don't expect too much help from your bank for trailers, or used rigs, that's why you need a good amount of money to start up with. If you have only one C-182 you won't attract up jumpers at your place and thoses up jumpers are your staff!
Even in Canada it is now turbine fever!!
Remember you also need an airport or some kind of a strip.

All in all it is harder and harder to start such a busines thoses days. But nothing is impossible.
7 years ago I start my business from scratch with a C-182 and a leased T206. Next year we will be the first DZ in Canada with two full time turbines,two Gran Caravan.

Hope that can help.

When you think you're good...this is when you become dangerous.

[grimmie 173]

Spend a summer working at a DZ. Get some CSPA ratings. Pack. Clean toilets, empty the trash. Teach the first jump course. Make some jumps, have some fun.
Then do it again all of next summer and the next. If you still love it and want to start a DZ, go for it.

But I think most of Canada is pretty well covered for jumping.

[dynamicedge 0]

Starting a drop zone in canada would probably not be a very good investment. I live in Canada and there's a park behind my house. If you start a dz there you'll definitely have me as a regular customer