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ReLLiK75

ATTN: Augusta, GA Skydivers: Skydiving Club?

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I've been pretty spoiled in the past on how close I live to a DZ. Now I live in Augusta, GA and the nearest DZ is about 1.5 hours away (2 hours for a full service DZ). Being accustomed to having a DZ so close has gotten me thinking....

People familiar with the Augusta area know that Daniel field is a pretty nice size federally funded municipal airport. This means that getting permission to use it for skydiving is not all that difficult. What I'm really curious is how many people on DZ.com are close enough to Augusta to support a skydiving club (part-time DZ). I'm thinking that if we could get enough people who were willing to commit once a month (weather permitting), finding a plane should be doable.

Basically, all monies would go to the pilot since there would be no DZ facilities to maintain. The pilot would easily be able to justify the weekend based on profit margin.

There are some slight logistical issues such as packing area and such, but those things can easily be worked out.

So is an idea like this doable? How many people would be interested? Is anything like this currently being done?

__________________________________________
Have you Got Flare?

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Good luck with the economics. Better off just driving and camping in the hanger.



They don't authorize camping in the hanger - you know better!:P

Would have loved to have had a dz in Augusta when I lived there. With the right manager, the post would have been able to keep a small dz stay alive. Most of the people I knew in Augusta that jumped either abstained or made the drive to St. George or Monroe.

I truly believe a dz could exist - even if on tandems alone - in Augusta. Someone with enough marketing skills could make enough to break even.:)

Katie
Get your PMS glass necklace here

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I live in the Augusta area. There used to be a DZ nearby at Barnwell, SC but the DZO had serious health issues. Haven't done it in a while, But we occasionally bring in a plane there and jump. We normally keep the plane busy.

Blue 111-
Jeff

"When I die, I want to go like my grandmother, who died peacefully in her sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in her car."

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I'm not saying don't do it, just work out the economics.

Just having a bunch of locals knock out a 182 would probably work for what you want to do. There could already be a cargo 182 in the area ready for jumping. To spin a turbine you'll need about $180 minimum per load just to break even so you'd probably need >20 fun jumpers committed just to get an operator interested. That's not including the ferry costs. Sure, you could line things up a month out and get some tandems, but then you need to consider airport approval, waivers, video dubbing, tandem rig rentals.

Spence has extensive experience in this area- used to bring in a 182 to jump into his yard a few times a year. Maybe you could do the legwork for a 'RoamingDZ Augusta'?

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I live one hour south of Augusta, that would be really nice for a bunch a people including my wife and I. But, have you look at an aerial photo of Daniel Field? Have considered the proximity to Bush Field? Have you......?????
Besides economics that are lot of other things to consider and believe me, just because is federally funded airport does NOT mean that getting permission to use it for skydiving on the regular basis it's easy.
PM me if like to discuss it further.
I do what Katie said...I drive to Monroe or to St. George.
Vic

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