What can we do about Skyride?

[BillyVance 34]

Aww geeez... Look at this...

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/view_press_release.php?rID=9543

The insanity of it all!

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[toronto_bill 0]

Start up 3 competitive companies and flood the market. Buy them out.

Ask the passengers to refund on the spot. (This one has some fun implications...lol)

Thank God Larry Hill is Larry Hill. He disagrees I bet on the principle. This point is conjecture.

Skyride may disappear, but if we're not careful it will rise again. If 6 big DZ's would carry the 1800 DO 1 JUMP. Then it could work.

My short list :

AZ
Zhills
Paul Fayard
Bill Richards.

Cough cough a few celebrities.... it'd be done deal overnight.

Calling Mr Tom Cruise and All Baldwin Boys. Keannu you can pack. Jking I'll pack..lol

We need a giant commune-boogie where all skydiver live. We p[eriodically leave to do tandems and video and FJC in parts of the world and then return. If all skydiving was non profit all student profits are turned back into sport...we could do it.

OKay Ive gone on way too long. You get the idea and then some I know...lol\

Bill

[lisamariewillbe 1]

http://www.pr.com/press-release/4809

Thought this was interesting

Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

From my understanding, Skyride will be an issue brought up at this meeting. If you are in the area, it would be worth it to attend the meeting and get your opinion out there.

So....What can we do about skyride?
Go to the meeting and express your concerns!

http://www.uspa.org/news/index.htm#120605
USPA Board Plans Winter Meeting (12/08/05)

The USPA Board will meet February 17-19, 2006, in Phoenix, Arizona. The USPA General Membership Meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, February 17. All USPA members in good standing are encouraged to attend the General Membership Meeting, which USPA is required to hold each year. The meeting will be held at Days Inn Phoenix Airport, located at 3333 E. Van Buren St. in Phoenix, (602) 224-8244, www.daysinnphoenix.com. For more information, please call USPA, (703) 836-3495.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Pendejo 0]

While on a Delta flight over the weekend I was bored and started looking through the Skymall magazine. Close to the back of the magazine there is a advertisement for guess who.... It was kind of interesting that they claim "as seen on CNN, Letterman" and so on. While anyone can advertise where they please, I think that that kind of name dropping (they made it sound like they were the one's that were show cased on the programs) is sad, but par for the coarse i guess.

Pendejo

He who swoops the ditch and does not get out buys the BEER!!

[BillLockwood 0]

Is it true that the USPA gave them their group membership back?

[ltdiver 3]

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Is it true that the USPA gave them their group membership back?

Doesn't look like it. http://www.uspa.org/news/index.htm#110405

"USPA has been named in a lawsuit filed by the owners of 1-800-Skyride, who primarily allege that USPA violated sections of the Sherman Antitrust Act. USPA has retained counsel and intends to vigorously defend against these claims, which are without merit."

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[pan 0]

Just curious are we mad at skyride or all operations owned by Ben and Cary??

[jlmiracle 7]

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Is it true that the USPA gave them their group membership back?

It appears so. I think this is a good question for the EXECUTIVE committee who backed down and gave it back.

I'm losing faith in the people that were elected, specifically the EXECUTIVE committee.


j

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[marks 0]

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Just curious are we mad at skyride or all operations owned by Ben and Cary??

you should read this thread and see all the things they do and have done and decide for yourself if your mad or not. don't be a follower, decide for yourself if what they do is angers you or not..

besides the fact that your probably stirring the fire, i for one am mad at all the operations remotely related to a business that will steal from a dead man, then proceed to steal from his family during a fundraiser to get those tandems to come to your dz so you can make the money, dirty money that is...

do you like dirty money? if not then you shouldn't be mad

if you like a paycheck where part if not most of it was stolen in some way shape or form, some being white collar crimes then some being just flat out theft, then there is no reason for you to be mad. just carry on with what your doing.

meanwhile, we will carry on with what were doing and try to take away as much of your paycheck as possible.
..........

go ask kelly, one of the packers there, what he would think if i stole his kids lunch money and money he put aside for his kids if he should have some unfortunate accident and die.

just ask him, get his reaction. and then you will have an idea of our reaction. you haven't been in the sport long enough to have known the peeps that ben and cary have done this to.

and i'm willing to bet, if you keep asking questions like that on here, and really do eventually know "the truth", then you wont have a job any longer.

[YISkyDive 0]

Skyride has its problems- but people are missing that this is not just an one company thing.

I looked up all the local DZs in PA, and all of them attempt to attract business from other states especailly upwards of 150 to 200 miles.

Other DZs, through out the country, have redicoulus AFF and coaching programs. Sure "they help the student" but im sorry to see people pay rent costs MORE THAN THE COST OF AN ALTIMITER. Im also sorrry to see, personally, coach jumps from 6,000 ft when a ceiling moved in that cost the student 60 dollars. That student worked a week for that coach jump and was still charged. He opened at 5,000 ft.

Im also very angry to see two non TSO-able rigs sold to forgeiners at redicoulous costs that where sold under the basis of "jumpable and jumpable in the USA" I was there when the reserers where opened, and even if they could have been jumped in another country, had the person needed their reserve they would have had a half. Yet the seller is VERY WELL RESPECTED(??????) in this area. When we went up to bat for them, it was a storm from hell that I couldnt believe.. That seller almost killed two kids, but he has a good DZ name backing them. Its ok. NOT. I dont jump there for a reason.

My point is that Skyride is not ok, Skyride, is what has been said by this thread. Thats peoples both opinions and legal action, (or what have you). Im not defending them- what I am saying though is before we all continue to be upset with skyride and the way the its destroying the industry, we need to look at our own actions first.

Sure they dont happen as often as what skyride does- but they do happen, and each time both a skyride and non skyride related incident happens we may push another good hearted skydiver out of this sport.

Because when some body is forced to rent an altimiter 80 times, at even a marginal cost.. you could have bought one by now. Let alone making a person do only coach jumps up through their 80 jumps... USPA rules are rules.. but if that person needed to be out of the sport they should have had the "talk." Oh, and this person was not "asking" for coach jumps... they where being forced. But its not skyride.. its ok.

fix the problems at home, fix the way coaching is done, fix things that push your business away. At the same time fix skyride, if its your will.

this is just my opinion, but theres a lot of dirt and money hungry people in this industry.. I sure know more than two.

[CSpenceFLY 1]

While I agree with you totally,maybe you should start another thread.


.

[Thanatos340 1]

Two wrong dont make a right no matter how you look at it.

This thread happens to be about the Wrongs that Skyride commits on an on going basis and what we as a Community could and should do about it.

Please feel free to start another thread (And NAME Names!!) about other problems you see in the industry. people should make educated choices about where they jump. If you know of unscrupulous and/or unethical activities going on at other DZ`s.. Get it out in the open so that everyone is aware.. Just make sure to do it in a separate thread if it is not related to Skyride.

[marks 0]

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I looked up all the local DZs in PA, and all of them attempt to attract business from other states especailly upwards of 150 to 200 miles.

i dont see the problem with that.

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Because when some body is forced to rent an altimiter 80 times, at even a marginal cost..

why would they be forced to rent when they could just buy? i dont get it.

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Let alone making a person do only coach jumps up through their 80 jumps... USPA rules are rules.. but if that person needed to be out of the sport they should have had the "talk." Oh, and this person was not "asking" for coach jumps... they where being forced. But its not skyride.. its ok.

really, im not trying to be a dick, but your not making any sense to me.

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fix the problems at home

this problem is "at home" to MANY peeps, and is exactly what were doing.

[YISkyDive 0]

Sorry about that guys- I didnt mean to take it off subject. I was just showng that Skyride isnt the only "evil."

If a mod wants to creat this as a new thread, that'd work.

[marks 0]

ya, start another thread. im wondering about the 80 jump thing, and uspa.

[teason 0]

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Skyride has its problems- but people are missing that this is not just an one company thing.

Have other companies stolen my sight?

You see, there are things that they do that aren't in the grey area.
There are things that they do that are just plain wrong and even illegal.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[YISkyDive 0]

On quote 1- Thats your opinion. And I repspect it. But I hear often times "but they drive past closer DZs...." Same thing, similar evil.

On quote 2- I have a problem with DZs not selling a new altimiter to try to cover the cost of their student one. Thats sick. It makes the student pay twice.

On quote 3- let me do some math for you say half of the jumps where coached (which they realistically where) Than 80 / 40 = 40. If the coach jumps cost 60 dollars a piece (slot NOT Included, rental Not included) than 40 * 60 is 2400 dollars. A New used Rig. No one, and I mean No one, should pay 2400 dollars in coached jumps, and not be allowed to skydive with other people. People at that praticular DZ where taking advantage of a "upper class" student.

quote 4- Very valid point, and I agree, but (not meant sarcastically) your DZ doesnt have these problems, but other DZs skyride and non take advantage of students every day. Its sick. Its sad. Its life. Im jsut saying, skydiving itself has an evil in the inudstry- and thats greed. It does not come souly from skyride.

Sorry to take this so far away from the orginal. Not my intent.

And Im NOT defending skyride, Im not defending anyone. Im purely speaking about the industry as a whole, please do not make the mistake of thinking I am trying to defend skyride. I just wont speak up against one evil, and let high class DZs that are guilty of the same stuff go untouched. I dont roll on that band wagon. I roll on the wagon where we try to make the skydiving community a better place.

edited for mis typed point.

[Scrumpot 1]

And "1/2 a reserve". ...What is up with all this??
Yup, sure, absolutely ...all this NEEDS to be discussed too. I'll watch for the new thread on it all then.

Please be prepared to be SPECIFIC too. Allegations like you've intimated above (YISkyDive ...not necessarily the post I am replying to) are CRUCIAL to all of our safety and well being.

-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[Scrumpot 1]

Please tell me about a DZ (or rigging loft ON a DZ perhaps?) supposedly selling absolutely non-airworthy ("TSO-able") gear, but somehow being "legitimized" by their (or their DZ?) "reputable" name.

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Im also very angry to see two non TSO-able rigs sold to forgeiners at redicoulous costs that where sold under the basis of "jumpable and jumpable in the USA" I was there when the reserers where opened, and even if they could have been jumped in another country, had the person needed their reserve they would have had a half. Yet the seller is VERY WELL RESPECTED(??????) in this area.

This is a very serious allegation, and if absolutely factually so, needs to be brought VERY DEFINITIVELY and CLEARLY to light for all of us to beware of. Veiled innuendo only (as this is thus far) in this regard will serve NOBODY'S best interests. Full details, PLEASE.

Thank you.
Blue Skies,
-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[kelpdiver 2]

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On quote 3- let me do some math for you say half of the jumps where coached (which they realistically where) Than 80 / 40 = 40. If the coach jumps cost 60 dollars a piece (slot NOT Included, rental Not included) than 40 * 60 is 2400 dollars. A New used Rig. No one, and I mean No one, should pay 2400 dollars in coached jumps, and not be allowed to skydive with other people. People at that praticular DZ where taking advantage of a "upper class" student.

Post your own thread. It's not the mod's duty to do this for you.

And then explain why anyone would get 40 coach jumps. I believe I did 4. As for the 2400 being a "new used rigs" (??!), so what? Getting an A costs 2-3 grand. Yeah, it's a lot of money.

(Personally, I do think maybe it's time for a What can we do about Skyride II to keep up on all the litigation. Has any one of it actually started procedings yet?)

[vertvid2000 0]

HEY Kids sky ride has a new name on EBAY here it is THRILL PLANET.com Phone numbers match
SKY RIDE
http://cgi.ebay.com/Skydiving-Gift-Certificate-Valid-Nationwide_W0QQitemZ5665640454QQcategoryZ31411QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Edited by slotperfect to make the link clicky!

[kelpdiver 2]

I like the part where it says:

Expires: Feb

the newest trick - sell vouchers that you can only use today!

[Orange1 0]

This pitched up on the latest page of Google News (search term skydiving) - barnstorming here...

http://www.pr.com/press-release/7377

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[ltdiver 3]

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This pitched up on the latest page of Google News (search term skydiving) - barnstorming here...

http://www.pr.com/press-release/7377

Kirk Thompson, 'eh? Wonder what happened to their former promoter, Jeff Golden? Hmmmmm.....

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon