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chaoskitty

What attracts you to a drop zone?

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Say you live in an area where there are several choices of dropzones within a weekend trip traveling distance...
I am interested in knowing what sorts of things attract you to a drop zone.
What are the basics?
What do you consider a neccessity vs. a bonus?
Is there one thing that the dz must provide (other than an aircraft..) before you will consider spending a weekend jumping there?
What would a dz have to offer for you to travel away from you home dz?

Just a few random questions ;) I am interested in any and all responses.

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Well, nice manered pilots to fly the planes...

But seriously the whole package. People. Services: rigging, sales, coaching.

Minimum bad people skygods and commanderring staff.

Restaurants, bars, beds and bathrooms.

Pools are nice in the summa. Jets are nice somtimes too.

But no really its the aircraft, helos and balloons the cheaper the better. Who cares about how they're maintained.

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Aircraft and Vibes; I want to jump and have fun.
If the vibes are good and the altitude is right, everything else is a bonus.

Oh yeah, AND FREEFLYING GIRLS! :P:ph34r:
The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

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Vibe is the most important to me, but they better be putting loads up too or I am off. Course, I am spoiled here because I have sooooo many choices.
________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

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Vibe is what it is all about. Some of my most fun jumps have been out of a cessna. Don't get me wrong, I love jumping out of turbines, but if I don't get the right vibe at a DZ I won't be back too often, no matter how many otters they have.

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location, location, location.

I like to visit other Dz's further away, but first consideration will be location. Now, it needs to have a plane and bathrooms and stuff for me to stay or come back.

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

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Aircraft. Is there anything else? ;)



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Aircraft.
Well-maintained aircraft.

After that it takes dollars to attract me, lots of dollars, meaning lots of tandem students, lots of freefall students, lots of reserves due for repacks and lots of sewing.

I make my living skydiving full time and only stick around busy DZs.

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The people, the friendly atmosphere....a place where everyone gets along regardless of shape, size, ethnic backgrounds, positions, titles. Everyone just becomes one big happy family.

I like to hang out at my home dz is b/c it's a place where I go to relax and forget the everyday rat race. It's also a place where I'm allowed to be me whether to be loud & obnoxious (not to the peeps), or quiet in my own little world.
"Love is doing small things with great love."

Lacrosse: Legally beating men with sticks since 1492

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I go to a place because of the people there and the vibe.. that being said the DZ has to have lift capacity. If the little airplanes are continually full of tandems and students there is a very strong message to the upjumpers that they are not welcome.

We skydive... and until we can miracle out butts up to altitude they have to have pilots and aircraft that will get the job done. The aircraft need to be maintained so that flying in them does not give you an "Oh shit" feeling every time you get into them and roll for takeoff. The pilots need to be trained and get the job done as well.

The manifest needs to keep things running smoothly and keep the airplanes flying.. not just sitting on the ground waiting for the next group of tandems to get trained because that is where the profit margin is.

The DZ needs to strike a balance for all who come there.. if the DZO wants to have strictly a tandem factory with what few upjumpers who remain as worker bees who are trying to live the "cutaway" dream but rarely get in fun jumps.... then the vibe is gone.... as well as the fun.
The families and friends of the tandems come to watch the new student take thier first step into the sky... but while they are waiting they get to see a bit of what the DZ is like. They also watch the experienced jumpers doing all that cool stuff of flying and landing these little pieces of fabric .If its a fun place... maybe they too will come back and make a jump.

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Say you live in an area where there are several choices of dropzones within a weekend trip traveling distance...



it just so happens that I'm in exactly that situation.

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I am interested in knowing what sorts of things attract you to a drop zone.
What are the basics?



The basics are clear, a plane, the higher, faster, bigger, more comfortable, the better.

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What do you consider a neccessity vs. a bonus?
Is there one thing that the dz must provide (other than an aircraft..) before you will consider spending a weekend jumping there?



Nope, plane go up, me come down.

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What would a dz have to offer for you to travel away from you home dz?



Well, a plethora of hot chicks would be great, but it's no necessity.

:D

Never go to a DZ strip show.

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