The death of Skydiving

[packertom 0]

Guys, let me help you out here... I have a theory that I'm trying out with some success at the dropzone that I jump and work at...

question 1: what gets people to the dropzone
answer 1: Skydiving

question 2: what keeps people at the dropzone?
answer 2: the social life.

why go to the dropzone instead of the golf course or the ocean or the movies etc ? easy, you're afraid you're going to miss something if you're not there.. all of your friends are there and you want to be there for the party even if the weather is shit.

I planned a boogie a couple of weeks ago using that thought process... I put almost no effort into planning jumps, no specialty aircraft etc... but I did plan a big ass blowout 3 day party... we were rained and winded for a large portion of the time (about 35% of the available time, we were on the ground) but we still made 1900 jumps in 3 days. People came out that we haven't seen in 2 or 3 years... why? to see their friends and party and maybe make a jump or two... we had about 200 people show up on the first day and didn't make a single jump... closed the dz at 3 pm and started the party 5 hours early instead and everyone had a blast, almost noone mentioned that they hadn't jumped...

the owners had been actively discouraging the social life for the past couple of years and after talking to them I got their support for the boogie... when asked why they had so few boogies, the response was, the dz always loses money etc... so I said, what if I can throw a boogie that brings in the jumpers and you spend nothing? the answer was, it's not possible... guess what? it happened... why were the jumpers there? the social life, seeing their friends, hanging out with like-minded people...

seriously folks I'm telling you, work on the social life and everything else will follow... invite the students to the party, once they see a real skydiver party going, they will be back

just my 2 cents

Tom

[email protected]
www.velocitysportswear.com
What's YOUR Zombie Plan?

[beowulf 1]

Hell I made $40 that first day playing poker! I think I agree with you Tom. The social aspect is what will get the most people out to the dropzone.

[Krip 2]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Actually, there was one thing that turned me off about skydiving more than anything else. The old Wreck-Dot

This is one of the most pathetic things I've ever read.

--

my thoughts exactly.

Wrong Bozo

It's one of the funniest things I've read in DZ.com.

If you want to see one of the most pathetic things I've ever read. Go to SC and read the responses to the thread on the Starving orphans in Iraq. SC is supposed to have a moderator.

Wreck dot was a unmoderated forum that had some challenges, but the average experience level and maturity of the majority of the skydivers was much higher than DZ.com

"one thing that turned me off about skydiving more than anything else. The old Wreck-Dot" Look around sweetheart your surrounded by the some of the same people.

Line up for milk and cookies children

One Jump Wonder

[bozo 0]

[reply
Wrong Bozo

It's one of the funniest things I've read in DZ.com.

If you want to see one of the most pathetic things I've ever read. Go to SC and read the responses to the thread on the Starving orphans in Iraq. SC is supposed to have a moderator.

Wreck dot was a unmoderated forum that had some challenges, but the average experience level and maturity of the majority of the skydivers was much higher than DZ.com

"one thing that turned me off about skydiving more than anything else. The old Wreck-Dot" Look around sweetheart your surrounded by the some of the same people.

]

Ya know Krip..thats best post I think youve ever done....and ive known you for years and years.

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

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

the average experience level and maturity of the majority of the skydivers was much higher than DZ.com

The last remaining poster on Wreck had 150 jumps and called everyone else "kid" before giving them "advice" and then flaming them.
Signal - zero, Noise - 100.

There are a lot of people with time in the sport who used to read, but not post, and then quit reading.

If a person's only exposure to skydiving was Wreck, they got a very poor picture.

Quote

Look around sweetheart your surrounded by the some of the same people

I know. I've known many for years and still jump with them. I still hang out with the ones who believe that the spirit of skydiving is the fun.

There are more pictures of me on this site with old Wreck posters than you can count.

However, the key word in your post is "some".

If I start to miss the mindless abuse from the others, there is a local zoo where some monkeys routinely fling poo at each other.

[bozo 0]

[replyIf I start to miss the mindless abuse from the others, there is a local zoo where some monkeys routinely fling poo at each other.

Now you have just described the wreck that exists today.

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

[scottjaco 0]

Quote

If the trend continues, and members of the “entitlement generation” are allowed to behave like spoiled children at DZ’s, in 10 to 12 years skydiving will be just a memory.

Dear Mjosparky,

Didn’t you stop jumping a while ago? If that is the case, why continue to complain about the current state of the sport?

You come from the most spoiled generation in American history, the baby-boomer generation. Yuppies that got everything handed to them on a silver platter.

If you wanted a job, you joined a union and got overtime, benefits and paid vacation. If you wanted a family, you could afford to do it on a single head of household income.

Because of your generation’s greed, my generation “X” will be left with no social security, no health care and no stock portfolio.

Why? because you kept all the wealth for yourselves. You see, that type of greed has a trickledown effect.

The few things that our “entitlement generation” can afford are now in fact 3 times as expensive. Gas, jumptickets, skydiving gear. You name it, it all costs more because someone on the other end wants to get rich.

You all elected a republican president to keep the wealth exclusive to the top 10% and then you complain about how ungrateful WE are?

ENOUGH SAID.

[Spizzzarko 0]

(musicly) Thread Drift (musicly)

[billvon 2,380]

Please take such material to Speaker's Corner; do not post it in the skydiving forums.

[kelpdiver 2]

It seems a bit fair to bring up, since a core theme in this thread has been the problems with Gen X and Y having entitlement issues.

But most of the issues with the boomers is just the surge in the members of that age cohort. Everyone wants to look out for #1, and there's a hell of a lot of boomers.

[stratostar 5]

See what I mean, bet he lost his chick to the "white top wise one" at the bar & I bet he's in the parking lot right now looking for Sparky's bike.....

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[hukturn 0]

2nd.

[Krip 2]

Quote

Please take such material to Speaker's Corner; do not post it in the skydiving forums.

Disagree

SC why? so it can be turned into some political circle jerk Some of us baby boomers don't go to SC because our old hearts can't take it.

Comments like this (even if a troll) is some funny shit for us baby boomers. No bitching, no flaming from here. I read the post and spit my baby food all over my computer screen.

I enjoy reading this kind of stuff. It make me feel a lot better when I take my meds.

I give it a score of 8.5.

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

Quote

See what I mean, bet he lost his chick to the "white top wise one" at the bar & I bet he's in the parking lot right now looking for Sparky's bike.....

Yeah, maybe its too much confidence in a bud-O-mine, but my money is on Sparky if he catchs someone F-in' with his bike.




Anyway, I'm all for ME keeping MY wealth for ME... liberal, soon to be votin' for Hillary, Gen-X'ers be damed!!!



Now, can we get back to talking about the degradation of America's Youth being all that's wrong with Skydiving??

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, they show disrespect to their elders.... They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their
legs, and are tyrants over their teachers.

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Quote

If the trend continues, and members of the “entitlement generation” are allowed to behave like spoiled children at DZ’s, in 10 to 12 years skydiving will be just a memory.

Dear Mjosparky,

Didn’t you stop jumping a while ago? If that is the case, why continue to complain about the current state of the sport?

You come from the most spoiled generation in American history, the baby-boomer generation. Yuppies that got everything handed to them on a silver platter.

If you wanted a job, you joined a union and got overtime, benefits and paid vacation. If you wanted a family, you could afford to do it on a single head of household income.

Because of your generation’s greed, my generation “X” will be left with no social security, no health care and no stock portfolio.

Why? because you kept all the wealth for yourselves. You see, that type of greed has a trickledown effect.

The few things that our “entitlement generation” can afford are now in fact 3 times as expensive. Gas, jumptickets, skydiving gear. You name it, it all costs more because someone on the other end wants to get rich.

You all elected a republican president to keep the wealth exclusive to the top 10% and then you complain about how ungrateful WE are?

ENOUGH SAID.

And I rest my case. Thanks for the help.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

...

And I rest my case. Thanks for the help.

You don't even have to ask and yet you will receive.


Damn, I bet his foot tastes really funny to him right about now.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

...We often see what we look for. If I want, I can see old farts complaining of how it use to be, ..

Stevie, my son...you will be very hard-pressed to find an old fart complaining of how it use to be.

The young farts can't complain of how it use to be...they have no knowledge nor frame of reference...the fact is, that they have no interest either and expect it to handed to them without the necessary effort being put into it.

I don't want to see it...but it's jammed into my face every day at the DZs I visit. Sad.

Side note: Sometimes we also see what we don't expect to see.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[airtwardo 6]

Because of your generation’s greed, my generation “X” will be left with no social security, no health care and no stock portfolio.

Why? because you kept all the wealth for yourselves. You see, that type of greed has a trickledown effect.

Quote

BWAAAHAAHAA

Game, Set, Match to the 'old fart'!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Krip 2]

Quote

Because of your generation’s greed, my generation “X” will be left with no social security, no health care and no stock portfolio.

Why? because you kept all the wealth for yourselves. You see, that type of greed has a trickledown effect.

Quote

BWAAAHAAHAA

Game, Set, Match to the 'old fart'!

Hi Twardo

Lets cut Jacko some slack, maybe he's a sleeper puppet for sparky (smart old fart).

Trust no one, believe nothing, even if you read it.
Damn waste of my jar of baby food. We were set up.

DAMN YOU SPARKY

To bad Jacko's post only got 156 hits. It provided some most excellent entertainment.

[Vallerina 2]

How are we the "entitlement" generation when most of us are (gladly) paying for coaching (I keep hearing it was free in the old days, afterall)? It doesn't sound very entitled to me if you're paying for services.

Not a knock on you, your post, or anyone's post, but jerks make up about the same proportion of every generation (they must breed that way.) So, I can't understand blaming an entire generation for any problem based on their personality flaws.

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning

[DSE 3]

Quote

Quote

Please take such material to Speaker's Corner; do not post it in the skydiving forums.

I give it a score of 8.5.

I give Sparky's response a 9.5, points docked cuz he didn't go as far as he could've.
I gotta wonder, Sparky...how many folks here really know your background in the air. Given that I fly a piece of your legacy every day...thanks for all the encouragement and advice.

Even though I'm from the "entitled" generation.

[Krip 2]

Quote

Quote

Quote

Please take such material to Speaker's Corner; do not post it in the skydiving forums.

I give it a score of 8.5.

I give Sparky's response a 9.5, points docked cuz he didn't go as far as he could've.
I gotta wonder, Sparky...how many folks here really know your background in the air. Given that I fly a piece of your legacy every day...thanks for all the encouragement and advice.

Even though I'm from the "entitled" generation.

Hi DSE

Scottjaco stepped into the cow patty big time with his post and was drowning in the shit.

Sparky's got to much class to take a dump on a drowning man that helped him prove his point

I give sparky a 9.9 pts docked cuz he's to young to be perfect.

DSE you worked to hard to get where your at to be considered a member of the "entitled" generation. Irregardless of your jumping age

[Airman1270 0]

...I realize that it is true that a lot of folks view skydiving as a "recreational activity"; especially when it comes to going out to the local DZ and doing a Tandem... However, at the same time, I too raise an eyebrow when I hear skydiving refered to as a "recreational activity". It is not. It is a sport...
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Um, actually it's both. This sport has been my favorite recreational activity since my first jump in 1982. Life's priorities, including a unique geographical situation years ago requiring long day trips to visit "nearby" DZ's prevented me from participating regularly. However, I showed up sporadically, learned the sport (albeit a bit slower than did my peers) and have always been able to enjoy my time in the sky.

I believe the near-extinction of static-line training, coupled with arbitrary currency requirements and a growing culture of the knee-jerk mandatory AAD types are forcing costs higher while establishing an atmosphere that portrays the sport as being more dangerous than it really is. Furthermore, the people who actually want to become skydivers are not thinking about doing occasional solos or small-way belly RW formations followed by a leisurely parachute ride. They want to be real skydivers, people who can fly head-down in large groups and drag a toe the length of the pond as everyone stops what they're doing to watch.

Many of the people who can afford to spend much time at the DZ, and thus learn these things quickly, set the standard for the next batch of newcomers. Visitors see these folks far more frequently than they see me, showing up for a few nondescript jumps, flying around in brakes and taking in the view before it's time to settle with manifest and head home to dinner, kids' baths, etc.

The unspoken message they receive is "If I can't fly real good with these guys, downsize regularly, and swoop effortlessly then maybe I'm not cut out for this."

Of course, I could be wrong. Back in the early '80's I remember seeing more than a dozen people making first jumps on any given weekend. Few stuck around long enough to make a freefall jump. Back then the discussion was to eliminate the use of military style gear and move to modern "piggyback" systems for students, the thought being that they'd be more likely to stay with it if they used the same gear everyone else was using.

Cheers,
Jon S.

[Airman1270 0]

Quote

How are we the "entitlement" generation when most of us are (gladly) paying for coaching (I keep hearing it was free in the old days, afterall)?...
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It still IS free if you happen to show up when I'm available. One problem is when DZ management won't allow a recent graduate to jump with me because I never purchased a "coach" rating. The other is when young jumpers have been convinced that they cannot jump with an experienced older jumper UNLESS he has the rating. Sigh...

Cheers,
Jon

• Quote