Unstable 8 #1 August 9, 2007 Okay, without opening a can of worms, I am looking for some opinions. The happiest and healthiest dropzones I see seem to me, to have a wide and diverse customer base - and I want to hear what experienced jumper have to say about their own home dropzones. For example, some obnoxious places are interested in Tandems, thank you very much. They fill their little bug-beater with first-timers strapped to someone else, and that economy fuels their operations. I've been to a few dropzones where there were only students - no Tandems, not really any fun jumpers, just students, and that's all the DZO is interested in. I've been to a few dropzones (one that I know of went under....) that hardly had a tandem or student operation at all! Just fun jumpers, load after load after load. I would imagine that a healthy dropzone would need a happy mix of all three to survive...Tandems to pay for the plane, students to keep the dropzone busy and ensure a busy tomorrow, and upjumpers to fly the hell out of the plane and make a good atmosphere to foster our sport to the next generation.... Well, in your opinion, how is your Dropzone?! I think KSUPC is a nice happy mix - we limit ourselves to no more than 4 tandems a day, but we are heavier in students than most other dropzones, and our up jumper base is always ready to meet the next load. However, I think we would be happier if our FJC's were a bit more full, we need to all chip in and make sure our club has enough $ to pay for the unexpected.=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
illusioneer 0 #2 August 9, 2007 Skydive The Point in Vigrinia is a happy mix of all three. One of the oldest skydiving clubs around it has a great mix of rank beginners up to the Queen who has almost 16,000 jumps. Focus on fun, teaching new jumpers, and providing an enviroment for very experenced jumpers to jump together has led to the long term success of my home DZ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hackish 8 #3 August 9, 2007 This is the first year for my DZ. I am the only student at this time. There are 2 TM's and a handful of regular jumpers. I've talked at length with the owners as I am a business man myself and they feel that the tandems pay the bills while students and fun jumpers are important to feeding the tandem business. I think that is the right attitude. -Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
countzero 7 #4 August 9, 2007 Skydive Houston, "The Country Club of Skydiving", has a pretty decent mix. i always see tandems, i'm always meeting new students, and there's always fun jumpers.diamonds are a dawgs best friend Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #5 August 10, 2007 The place I have seen recently would be Chamberburg Skydiving Center in Pa. It has the feel of what Skydive Atlanta was when I started back in '98. Damn I feel old sometimes. I tend to look for that atmosphere now a days. I have a few small DZs I want to visit this fall. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thepaintballguy 0 #6 August 10, 2007 My home home DZ (In Spokane WA), Westplanes Skydiving, has a good mix of all 3 as well. There are always students, always tandems, and always fun jumpers. I love jumping out there! It's so much fun and the people are all awesome! The fun jumpers are always there to talk to about stuff and different disciplines. I can't wait to go jump there again with them all Sept. 1st!!! On place that I am jumping right now is Skydive Santa Barbara. They are mostly focused on tandems. It is sort of annoying to me because they don't focus on students (which I am) that much. There is a lot of waiting. But I might just be spoiled from WestPlains. Non the less I am still able to jump so I am happy. JoshQ: Why would someone ever want to jump from a perfectly good airplane? A: Why Not? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryguy 0 #7 August 10, 2007 Z-hills... I was on a load this past weekend with 2 wing suits, 3 tandems, 2 aff, 1 student solo, 2 way freefly, 3 way freefly, 6 way rw. This is a pretty normal mix, the only jumpers missing on this load was the hop and pop swoopers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 8 #8 August 10, 2007 QuoteMy home home DZ (In Spokane WA), Westplanes Skydiving, has a good mix of all 3 as well. Hey - doesn't that place have a Caravan during the Summer full time? I might be Crazy, but if you do, I think I have a bunch of jumps out of that Caravan. Could it be that AIrcraft is the limiting factor? What does your current DZ jump?=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #9 August 10, 2007 I was on a load last week there was 4 tandems, 2 videos, an AFF lv 1 a 3 way head down and a 6 way RW. We have a 182.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #10 August 10, 2007 Quote I was on a load last week there was 4 tandems, 2 videos, an AFF lv 1 a 3 way head down and a 6 way RW. We have a 182. now that's one 'diverse' and crowded Cessna ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #11 August 10, 2007 Quote I was on a load last week there was 4 tandems, 2 videos, an AFF lv 1 a 3 way head down and a 6 way RW. We have a 182. Go dig up the thread about midget skydivers. I think we trademarked and registered the idea of a "midget farm." (I think your DZ owes us royalties) The were doing Little-Big-ways out of 182's and 206'sMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #12 August 10, 2007 If you cut off the legs and arms, you can pack more in. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 8 #13 August 10, 2007 Okay, I'm seriously confused....Explain? =========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #14 August 10, 2007 Quote Okay, I'm seriously confused.... It's ok, you've come a long ways just recognizing that a healthy business normally caters to multiple segments of its market base. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 8 #15 August 10, 2007 Quote It's ok, you've come a long ways just recognizing that a healthy business normally caters to multiple segments of its market base. Thank you. Wow - 4 years of University DID pay off!! What I'm confused about is the 6-way with a 182...=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #16 August 10, 2007 Quote Thank you. Wow - 4 years of University DID pay off!! What I'm confused about is the 6-way with a 182... business school, it's very clear You're the only one gutsy enough to ask him (and it's written as a 22 person load, not 6). The rest of us just mock him and pretend we're in on the joke and nod knowingly. And, there's also a narrow body Cessna style - things are really clown cars. I like jumping from a Cessna, it's like going home. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ttoy 0 #17 August 10, 2007 I lived in Chambersburg, PA when I was 10. I remember watching the skydivers coming down above our house and still have photos of them. So cool! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #18 August 10, 2007 Oh come on now, your laughing at me, not with me. you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumper03 0 #19 August 10, 2007 Quote Okay, I'm seriously confused....Explain? They hook a wagon to the back of the cessna.Scars remind us that the past is real Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #20 August 10, 2007 Quote They hook a wagon to the back of the cessna. Well we used to use that, but the wheels on the wagon were to much drag, so now we use a 3/4 inch sheet of ply wood with some seat belts, a tow rope we ripped off from the sail plane guys. Fly's mo- aero-de-namic now. Had a 707 call the FAA to report a flying carpet dogfighting a 182 about a month ago.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 8 #21 August 10, 2007 QuoteHad a 707 call the FAA to report a flying carpet dogfighting a 182 about a month ago LOL! I've always wanted to see that.=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #22 August 10, 2007 Quote Quote They hook a wagon to the back of the cessna. Well we used to use that, but the wheels on the wagon were to much drag, so now we use a 3/4 inch sheet of ply wood with some seat belts, a tow rope we ripped off from the sail plane guys. Fly's mo- aero-de-namic now. Had a 707 call the FAA to report a flying carpet dogfighting a 182 about a month ago. {{Chuckling. Nodding knowingly.}} ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildfan75 1 #23 August 10, 2007 Quote If you cut off the legs and arms, you can pack more in. And more jumpers for Pieces of 8...Do I hear a new record coming on?Editted fer speling. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
