Newbie 0 #1 December 16, 2003 Anyone have any numbers from 20/10/5 years back of worldwide jumpers? Do any long serving instructors find there is a lot more demand now compared to x amount of years back? Is it steady? It would seem to me to be growing, but i have no idea by how many people. How many people went to the first WFFC and when was that even? "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #2 December 16, 2003 QuoteAnyone have any numbers from 20/10/5 years back of worldwide jumpers? Do any long serving instructors find there is a lot more demand now compared to x amount of years back? Is it steady? It would seem to me to be growing, but i have no idea by how many people. How many people went to the first WFFC and when was that even? Since I have an unfair advantage I'll let others try and answer where, when, and how big the first event that later became the WFFC was. I think in the past 5 years the growth of the sport has seriously slowed. It exploded in growth during the early to mid 90s. I don't have specific numbers though.Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #3 December 16, 2003 Ohhh... The FreakBrothers Conventions! Its well before my time but at least I've taken the time to learn some of the history of the sport. It started in '79 and Roger had his own C130 for it towards the end!Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #4 December 16, 2003 Looking at whats going on locally, I'd say the sport is shriinking. Morris and Kankakee have closed, Ottawa sold a plane, Hinckley used to run 2 otters and a caravan, but now just has one. Jumpers from East Troy continue to migrate to Hinckley and presumably Ottawa. I wonder how long East Troy will be around...? _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nightjumps 1 #5 December 16, 2003 I think its fair to say that interest in the sport has grown steady over the past ten years. But, the current economy directs disposable income to sports that have lower penetration costs. Did I imply enough phallicism in that statement? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MRZOMBIE66 0 #6 December 16, 2003 I started 11+ years ago, and Sabre's were the big thing to have. Does anyone remember the Nova canopy? One jump was $13 dollars in '92 at the DZ I jumped at, though it was a 182, And Caravan jumps were $14. The skydiving industry was kicking ass in early 90's till about '98-'99. ERic Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beej 0 #7 December 17, 2003 I noticed in another thread that attendance was 2700 jumpers at this years wffc...thats about half of the attendance in 1998.. ---------------------------------------------------- If the shit fits - wear it (blues brothers)-- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,660 #8 December 17, 2003 Worldwide ??? USPA membership (as best I can find from various sources): '86 16,435 '87 17,135 '88 17,423 '89 18,484 '90 20,045 '91 21,289 '92 25,867 '93 27,021 '94 27,980 '95 30,000 '96 33,000 '97 33,000 98 34,000 99 34,100 00 34,217 01 34,322 02 33,664 Obviously some rounding occurred in some years! Anyway, explosive growth in the '90s, followed by levelling off in the last few years. (It's the economy, stupid).... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
captainpooby 0 #9 December 17, 2003 QuoteOhhh... The FreakBrothers Conventions! Its well before my time but at least I've taken the time to learn some of the history of the sport. It started in '79 and Roger had his own C130 for it towards the end! Roger didnt own it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #10 December 17, 2003 QuoteOhhh... The FreakBrothers Conventions! Its well before my time but at least I've taken the time to learn some of the history of the sport. It started in '79 and Roger had his own C130 for it towards the end! That C-130 wasn't Rogers. It was ours. It was flown to the convention in 1986 from South Africa with a load of SA jumpers onboard, and was flown back afterwards. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #11 December 17, 2003 Hmm, I calculate about a 4.6% annual growth rate. More than the population growth rate of 2.5%."We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adriandavies 0 #12 December 17, 2003 There is a massive amount of churn ie the number of people starting and stopping the sport, so whilst lots of people take skydiving up an equally large number also drop out. I guess there are many reasons for this, cost, safety and whuffo peer pressure to name three, but I also wonder about the attitude of a minority of skydivers, dzo's, cci's etc who seem to be hell bent on keeping numbers down by being unfriendly and unwelcoming. If we could retain more even a small extra percentage of students we could start to grow the sport again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #13 December 17, 2003 QuoteOhhh... The FreakBrothers Conventions! Its well before my time but at least I've taken the time to learn some of the history of the sport. It started in '79 and Roger had his own C130 for it towards the end! Very good Phree. But my understanding is that it was called FreakBrother Reunion in Big Foot, WI just south of Lake Geneva. I got to fly in there once with the otter and Roger was recounting the story to us. Man, you could just see in his eyes the party there like it was yesterday. Kinda like when I flew into Quincy in between conventions and it was empty. I can still see the party. Party on Roger!Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vonSanta 0 #14 December 20, 2003 Crude chart for the "visually impaired " based on Kallend's data. Kinda surprising, at least to me. See attachment. Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmsmith 1 #15 December 20, 2003 QuoteI think its fair to say that interest in the sport has grown steady over the past ten years. But, the current economy directs disposable income to sports that have lower penetration costs. The total population has also increased during this same period, so it would make sense to look at the numbers as a percentage of the total too. In the seventies when I started jumping, there was a much better distribution of income particularly in manual labor and the trades. Today, skydiver's incomes are very polarized; they are either "rolling in it", or barely able to exist. Despite the fact that modern gear is safer and has an increased service life, the front end cost is a barrier especially to younger people. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nightjumps 1 #16 December 20, 2003 Also true... I spent $350.00 for a Paracommander, Belly wart and H/C brand new. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites