I'm an Oldie - Why I'm Disappointed

[RMK 3]

In short, I skydive for fun. I assume this applies to most people on this forum. I regard my time as valuable and if I take the time to get in my car and drive to the dropzone, I want to make as many jumps as possible that day. Small Cessna clubs can be charming int the right locations, but I like many others, are there to jump, not sit around chin wagging the majoritiy of the day. Your post even mentioned people joining in and helping with plumbing and such?? I don’t even do this for my own home, I certainly would not incorporate it into my hobby. On equipment purchases, if I’m spending money, I have no problem with doing so while in a clean and air conditioned shop as opposed to the back of a van in parking lot handing over cash to some kid named “Dave”.

Our sport needs to grow by increasing the numbers and diversity of people. Yes every effort should be made to keep costs affordable, but I’m OK with paying reasonable amounts for a good setup and services. To contrast your experience, I’ve found some large 3-4 plane DZs far friendly to myself as a visitor, than some of the small local 206 clubs I’ve visited.

In recent years, I’ve been on loads with surgeons, physicists, even royalty. This view that the typical skydiver is (or should) be someone with barely two nickels to rub together and a wardrobe of only boogie t-shirts is outdated. I think the mix of people is great. How many other sports could you possibly see people of such varying ages and occupations having fun together.

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[MichaelMoore 0]

I really liked reading your post. It kinda made me think about the old Air Adventures West dropzone in Taft,CA. I had some great times at that place.

When they shut down, I went to Perris for a while. I really appreciated the better amenities but eventually realized it was just too serious of a place with all the military groups and RW teams, presumably trying to win the next Olympics or whatever. People were generally very polite to me but not friendly. On my 100th jump, nobody could have given a rats @$$, so I didn’t even bother bringing it up.

A few weeks later, I visited CalCity and within an hour of mentioning my 100th skydive, I got nailed with 3 whip cream pies in my face.

Getting pied in the face might have pissed off other people, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciated the gesture. I jumped there till they shut down last year and I have been on hiatus from the sport ever since.

I definitely understand what you are saying in your post. It seems like you don’t feel like you fit in anymore. I can’t say I blame you. This sport has gotten so much more expensive than it was 5 years ago, it seems the only people who participate are those who are too self-centered to share themselves with others and too important to care either way.

[billvon 2,400]

> it seems the only people who participate are those who are too
>self-centered to share themselves with others and too important to
>care either way.

So which are you?

[pinkfairy 0]

Quote

This sport has gotten so much more expensive than it was 5 years ago, it seems the only people who participate are those who are too self-centered to share themselves with others and too important to care either way.

Let's make a poll!

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[fastphil 0]

The late 70's and early 80's were defining time for the sport of skydiving. Gear was being developed so fast that by time you could get your new gear made it was already outdated. Those times brought us 3 rings, throw out pilot chutes, BASE and tandems. I guess I was spoiled jumping at a "twin otter" dropzone that also had a twin beech, couple of cessnas and a lot going on, and maybe we were even the root cause of Nicks rantings today. Joe Svec's late 70's comic strip (see below) brilliantly captured life and times at the DZ. I applaud Nick for hanging in there; I jumped ship and moved on...

[riddler 0]

That's the first time I've not read your entire post, end-to-end Not that I won't - I just need to reserve some time to go back and read it later

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[feuergnom 22]

regarding the comic: this was done 19freaking79 - i could be from yesterday

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[GreenLight 5]

Nick, You gotta get out here and skydive again man. You are growing moss on your north side....

Skydiving has changed tremendously in the last 30 years agreed. Has it changed for the better? Well you are going to get a different answer depending on whether you are on the receiving end of the money or the spending end. It's also going to be different depending on whether you are teaching or learning.

People are more apt to believe that this is actually a "safe sport" these days and the younger of our population are a little braver (adventurours) than back in our day Nick. So the number automatically increase because of that. They also seem to have more disposable income (credit cards) than we did back then. This all translates to more money in the sport.

But ask yourself this. Does all that extra money do anything for me? The answer is YES! All that extra money translates into more aircraft in the air, more dzs to visit and better ammenities at the dzs. It also translates into safer airplanes and safer equipment. And it's also because of the "tandem mills" that we have an ever increasing amount of people pouring their money into our sport.

The money can also be blinding to some of the problems that exist at our dzs today that didn't exist earlier in the sport. Training seems to be lacking in many areas now. Quality pilots who don't think that all skydivers are crazy and who jump themselves are becoming fewer and fewer. And the biggest problem I see is too many people in the air at one time. I think we need more drop zones or fewer skydivers. I would prefer to see more drop zones.

The problem with lack of the comoradery that you miss is not one that the DZs can fix. No one can. That is a cultural problem with the masses in this country. Children are not being raised right and have no manners or respect. Nothing you or I can do about that. However it would be nice to have a rule that your kids be left home when you visit the Mega DZs. Dogs too.

Yes I would like to move to a place where there is a smaller DZ locally but economics of today just won't guarantee that it will be around for long. It takes a Mega DZ to be able to get through the tough times and Mega DZs will have Mega Problems associated with the operation. I applaud anyone who can keep a place like Perris running for 30 years and continue to improve their facilities all along the way. And if it's friends you are looking for, come on out and see all the "Old Guys And Gals" who are still jumping, still belly flying and still trying to help the newbies stay safe and have a good time to boot.

Go get current Nick and come out and see the friendships that are abound on the DZ today. Take off the old fogie glasses and get out here and skydive. Then after about 10 jumps if you still feel the same way you can always go back to sitting on the side lines and complaining about something you no longer have an interest in.

Come out and I will buy you your first jump back into the sport. If you don't have a smile on your face afterwords I will kiss your ass......

Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."

[NickDG 23]

Thanks, Larry, but it's only been two years since my last skydive, so things haven't changed that much . . .

NickD

[grimmie 173]

fastphil, great comic! How true!
GreenLight, wonderful idea, I'm in on Nick's jump and will go halves on the ticket!

Yeah, skydiving has changed a bit, but the last time I checked so has the rest of society and the world we live in.

I used to go to the DZ and it was all belly flyers, after a while then it was mostly freeflyers. Big deal, we did hybrids and I started freeflying, not well but trying.

I went to an exotic boogie once and thought it was sort of lame, so I started my own.

The tunnels came along, I thought it was a dumb idea. So I got in, those damn glass walls can't stay in their slots. Guess I wasn't all that after all!

I go to other DZ's often and get welcomed with open arms. I'll jump with any newby. I went on some leaps with Josh Hall of Perris Fury when no one would jump with him. He had 32 jumps. Now look, he owes it all to me!

I made my first jump in 1980 on a T-10, belly mount reserve and pounded into a cornfield in Ohio.
I'm glad I experienced it, but I'll take my Katana and an Otter to 13,000 over that anyday!

As in life, you reap what you sow at the DZ.

Come on out Nick, let's make a leap and then go make a BASE jump!

signed,
T-Rex

[NickDG 23]

And as I said upboard, I was trying to provide some perspective into a time in the sport some may have missed. And I left the DZ to go back to school after 25 years of teaching skydiving. Instructing was something I thought I'd do until I keeled over, but you can't live on that pay anymore.

I actually think it's better to go out and become a success in some wuffo field and then become a jumper later in life. I did it the other way around. So while I have a few good years left I wanted to try out something else.

I'm sure I'll at least fun jump again someday, so ease up you Mofos . . .

NickD

[Broke 0]

You know nick I recently visited CPI. When I got there and started introducing myself around I had more fun there then I have had in a long time at my closest DZ. In fact I could have driven to 4 different Turbine Dropzones in the time it took me to get to CPI. They were flying a 206 and a 182. Like I said I had a blast. No attitudes, and everyone was friendly. Also because of the turn around with the smaller slower planes you could actually ak instructors questions durring the day, and they could answer them. Sometimes the faster turbine dropzones just lose what it is really about. Sharing knowledge, and having a crapload of fun jumping out of those tiny planes.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[DougH 270]

Quote

You know nick I recently visited CPI. When I got there and started introducing myself around I had more fun there then I have had in a long time at my closest DZ. In fact I could have driven to 4 different Turbine Dropzones in the time it took me to get to CPI. They were flying a 206 and a 182. Like I said I had a blast. No attitudes, and everyone was friendly. Also because of the turn around with the smaller slower planes you could actually ak instructors questions durring the day, and they could answer them. Sometimes the faster turbine dropzones just lose what it is really about. Sharing knowledge, and having a crapload of fun jumping out of those tiny planes.

If only your tent didn't get bitch slapped by that thunder storm it could have been a perfect weekend. So when are you coming back to visit? =P

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

[Douggarr 6]

Oh NickDG, I feel your pain. I came up the hard way on the dope rope at a small place in central New York. We had a turbo Cessna 206 which was luxury in those days (1969). I bought a PC used and stuck in an extended military pack, borrowed reserve chest packs, packed rigs for free jumps.

In those days, skydiving was still vaguely disreputable, and that's what you really miss. I miss that, too. But then everything grows up or grows old. Heck, I was on line for a legal jump off El Cap and it took outlaw BASE guys just two months to screw that up for the rest of us.

Yes, I remember one-page liability waivers -- just signed one five pages long and initialed it in I don't know how many places. That says a lot right there, doesn't it?

Despite what the USPA says about popularity, the sport is losing numbers. Membership is falling. I don't think it's possible to save a sport that never understood the word salvation anyway.

I've always been attracted to lost cause sports -- amateur wrestling, squash racquets, and skydiving. They all have two things in common: they never grow dramatically in popularity, and they have a great sense of camaraderie.

There may be no crying in baseball, but I'm happy to still see there's a lot of hugging in skydiving.

Let's be thankful that squares and Otters saved our knees....

SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

[Broke 0]

All part of the experiance.


get your Yungling orders in now I'll be up there in 2 weeks Weather permitting.

Oh yeah and I am bringing supplies for Smores

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192