Skydiving social network

[sundry 0]

There was a thought that hit me the other day as I was planning a skydiving trip, and a just wanted to run it by you guys to get some feedback.

The Skydiving community is exceptionally close-knit and I think many would agree that, unlike many other social groups, we actually get along quite well with most people within the sport.

This combined with an ever increasing mobility of the skydiving community, with people travelling to drop zones and boogies all over the world, allows for some unique interaction within the group.

So what I had I mind was to develop a social network making it easier for people in the sport to get into contact each other. Now your thinking; that’s ironic, he’s writing this on the board of the biggest skydiving community forum there is.

But what I had in mind was not really a Dropzone.com thing, as Dz.com is amazing at allowing people to share views, ideas, and make contact. This would be a more one on one thing, focused on the people, people available for contact in the various corners the world, and what social services they might offer, like for example somewhere to crash, eat, hang out, show around town or just pick you up at the airport.

Now you might be thinking; well there is already a social gathering like that, and it is called a drop zone. And that is true, but with thinking like that there would be no Dropzone.com to start with. This would just be a further tool to get people closer together.

I travel a lot, I have made some great friends over the years, and been shown some amazing hospitality, but I also know how confusing it can be to go somewhere not knowing anybody. Another great benefit could be that you actually decide to go somewhere you wouldn’t otherwise have gone just because you found such a warm welcome before you even got there.

I can make myself and example by saying; I live in the south of Sweden, if you ever drop by, you are more than welcome to crash at my place, we have plenty of bedrooms. I live close to the drop zone as well as the international airport.

Of course this is pretty basic, as personal info etc could be added, but you get the general idea.

So, what do you guys think?

[AggieDave 6]

Dropzone.com used to be like that. I can't even count the number of wayward DZ.commers that have slept in my dorm room (way back then), then on my couches, floors and now in my nice guest room. Same for me, I've crashed with DZ.commers I had never met before in real life until showing up at their place for a weekend at their DZ or at their local boogie.

The community has change, though. The joy and happiness is slipping away from the community as a whole here and the bickering has started. Its unfortunate.

As for social sites similarly stated this is pretty much it in that regard. Myspace is there for the postit-note friend circle, but even then you've pretty much have to know people semi-personally in the real world.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[NWFlyer 2]

I think we still have that to some extent on DZ.com, though it really varies from person to person. For me, I need to have met someone personally or they have to come with good references from someone I do know personally before I'm going to invite them to stay in my home. But that's me - it's a safety thing and a personal space thing. For me DZ.com has been a way to walk into any dropzone and not be a stranger. I don't know that we need another place for that - with any social network getting the "network effect" is the challenge and this site has several years' head start on anything else.

"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

[sundry 0]

Yeah I've heard friends, longer in the tooth, say the same thing.

What I am picturing is more of a listing. Based on location foremost, but also on discipline and and other more personal attributes. So it becomes easier to find who you are looking for.

But the core if it all is the attitude of the people participating, that you dont mind random people contacting you. A bit like the Skype Me button in skype, if you use that.

[AggieDave 6]

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I think we still have that to some extent on DZ.com, though it really varies from person to person

Sure, its still here to an extent, but the community is nothing like it was 6 and 7 years ago. Its a bigger community, but all in all in the regular posters realm its about the same in numbers.

Could another site or system be created for networking skydivers? Sure it could, but it would take years to get the overall numbers of people on it that is available here. Other similar skydiving sites have come and gone while DZ.commie has made it all this time.

The other thing I do when I travel to a new DZ is check their website for some sort of dropzone specific forums. Many DZs have their own forums and its a great place to ask questions and look for places to stay.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[diablopilot 2]

I think doing it the old fashioned way, where you rock up to a new DZ, buy some jump tickets, introduce yourself to a few people and make some fun jumps works pretty darn well.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[grannyinthesky 0]

Although I'm pretty new here, it seems there is a pretty big community here now. I've seen a lot of offers of places to stay, rides and so on, going on between regular posters. Like NWFlyer, I think there needs to be some level of familiarity with the person before offers of places to stay make sense. There are many here that I would very likely offer a bed to, but who in the hell is going to come to Idaho?

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[bozo 0]

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There are many here that I would very likely offer a bed to, but who in the hell is going to come to Idaho?

Ive been to Idaho. I was too scared to sleep there though.

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[sundry 0]

Hmm, yeah that is a good point.
But that is why I think it might be good to have a focus on the people, to make it easier to get to know the person better, and not so much on the free bedding

[grannyinthesky 0]

Understandable. I'm a California transplant. Just run whatever vehicle you're driving through a mud bath like you've been out 4-wheeling so the natives can't see your license plate and you'll be fine.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[grannyinthesky 0]

I am really enjoying getting to know people here. Although I do well in most any social setting, I really feel at home here and at the DZ. I think I march to a little different drummer that most, like many here.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[NWFlyer 2]

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who in the hell is going to come to Idaho?

These guys.

"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

[grannyinthesky 0]

True, and that's only about 3 hours from me. If I can figure out when the next Bridge Day is I plan on going over to watch and do some photography.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[bozo 0]

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Understandable. I'm a California transplant. Just run whatever vehicle you're driving through a mud bath like you've been out 4-wheeling so the natives can't see your license plate and you'll be fine.

I live in Utah. The mud is an everyday event. LOL

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[AKCrash 0]

I think your proposal is a great idea
Establishing a new network system would be very hard though. I think it would be best to utilize already existing networks such as DZ.com to serve the purpose on focusing on the individual member.
Skydiving is indeed exceptionally close-knit. This one factor that attracted me to this sport. Skydivers do look out for each others, at least in my home DZ. From my end, if any of you guys coming to Z-Hills, Fl, just hit me up .

-Amer

"Those who would give up Essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" Franklin

[grannyinthesky 0]

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In Reply To
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Understandable. I'm a California transplant. Just run whatever vehicle you're driving through a mud bath like you've been out 4-wheeling so the natives can't see your license plate and you'll be fine.
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I live in Utah. The mud is an everyday event. LOL

Well, you;'d fit in just fine in Idaho. Don't be afraid!

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[c1sc0 0]

Ning allows you to setup just that & no , I'm in no way affiliated with them

http://www.ning.com/

[redlegphi 0]

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I think doing it the old fashioned way, where you rock up to a new DZ, buy some jump tickets, introduce yourself to a few people and make some fun jumps works pretty darn well.

You left out the bit about bringing beer.

[LongWayToFall 0]

I like your idea, but as others have posted I think it is a bit much to invite someone to sleep at your house without meeting them. I do believe though, that we should have DZ/area specific threads that might list: local bars, hotels, things to do, etc. so when traveling to an area, you have a rough plan of whats going down. Someone coming to your area might post, and you could let them know about special events and things to do

[peregrinerose 0]

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I like your idea, but as others have posted I think it is a bit much to invite someone to sleep at your house without meeting them. I do believe though, that we should have DZ/area specific threads that might list: local bars, hotels, things to do, etc. so when traveling to an area, you have a rough plan of whats going down. Someone coming to your area might post, and you could let them know about special events and things to do

If you only have 14 jumps, you haven't had much exposure to jumpers yet, but inviting strangers to stay at our homes is much more the rule than the exception.

Every time I've posted on here that I was going somewhere, I've had offers of places to stay, generally from people I've never met.

Every year for the local rigging course, we let someone crash at our house for free since we're right up the street from the loft... so far, 2 people that I've never talked to before they walked through the door stayed with us for more than a week. Several others have stayed here for other reasons and shorter times too.

Hell, I even drove more than 2 hours each way to pick up a sewing machine for a rigger, just because he needed someone local to the ebay auction to pick it up and I was one of the closest he found on here. I never met him before he came to pick up the machine from my house several weeks later.

We're a fairly open and generally giving bunch. You'll see that in time

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[ninjaswooper 0]

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I like your idea, but as others have posted I think it is a bit much to invite someone to sleep at your house without meeting them. I do believe though, that we should have DZ/area specific threads that might list: local bars, hotels, things to do, etc. so when traveling to an area, you have a rough plan of whats going down. Someone coming to your area might post, and you could let them know about special events and things to do

The day of my second AFF jump (this was in late December and the dropzone wasn't a very lively place) I met a fellow skydiver. When he asked what my plans were for the evening and I told him to grab a bite to eat and stay in the bunkhouse, he said that I should come with him. Really it was my 3rd jump but this guy welcomed me into his home, simply because at that point, I simply wanted to be a skydiver.

This is how the community should be... I got a home cooked meal, entertainment for the evening, beer!, and got to work my first ground crew. All he asked of me is I do the same for another brother of the sky someday. And that's the way it should be.

[sunshine 2]

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Every time I've posted on here that I was going somewhere, I've had offers of places to stay, generally from people I've never met.

Me too. I've also been picked up from the airport by people i've never met. I will generally offer the spare bed in my trailer on the DZ to anyone visiting and i have gone to chicago to pick people up from the airport too. So far i've only had one dzcommer i regret letting stay with me. He wasn't scary or anything, just a big slob. I felt like his housekeeper or something cause he left his crap all over the place.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[grannyinthesky 0]

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If you only have 14 jumps, you haven't had much exposure to jumpers yet, but inviting strangers to stay at our homes is much more the rule than the exception.

I feel like the people I've been meeting here are far from being strangers and the few people I've met so far at the DZ have all been people I like. I guess it would be hard for me to find a stranger. It's a welcome change to find myself becoming a part of a community like this.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[sundry 0]

Yupp, it is hard to argue with the success of DZ.com. But sometimes you get the feeling DZ.com is more about the opinion than the person.

An alternative might be to add a "the people at DZ.com" section here at DZ.

Something that would be cool is if skydivers start moving around even more because of people the met here.

And I can’t stress enough that the main objective is not so much about offering free bedding, as it is getting to know new people, that is just an example of what further interaction might lead to

[DSE 3]

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that the majority (Jen, Krisanne, Pat) that have been invited to stay in various homes are of the female persuasion. if you're a male, expect fewer offers from skydivers.