Skydance skydiving DAVIS, CA

[chrisngo 0]

I was planning to go tandem skydiving at Skydance skydiving in DAVIS, CA.

Does anyone know where I can find accident or fatality rate information at this dropzone?

I tried to call Skydance but they refused to comment and I tried calling USPA but they said they dont have information on specific dropsites.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please let me know.

[bodypilot1 0]

Try here>>>http://www.skydivingfatalities.info/

There are plenty of other options in the area.

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[chrisngo 0]

Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
6/22/2002 Skydance, CA DMAL 27 0 Y/Y
Description: A preliminary investigation revealed that the pair's main parachute failed to open, and when the reserve chute was activated, it became entangled around Enney's body, causing both men to spin to the ground under a partially opened chute.
Lessons:



Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
4/18/1998 Skydance Skydiving, CA MAL 28 2500 Y?/Y?
Description: A Main-reserve entanglement of some sort. Details are sketchy.
Lessons:-
#

Date Location Category Age # Jumps AAD?/RSL? Dropzone.com Report Dropzone.com Discussion
4/18/1998 Skydance Skydiving, CA MAL 26 1 /
DropZone.com Description:
Lessons:




All malfunctions

[diablopilot 2]

Considering you've provided no information about yourself I'd be reluctant to answer your questions as well.

I know the owner and DZ manager at SkyDance quite well, and they have nothing to hide. If you really are a potential student I'd advise you to contact them again, explain who you are and what your concerns are and I'll bet they would be happy to meet in person with you.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[chrisngo 0]

I dont see why everyone is making it so difficult to just get information about how many people had fatalities at that dropzone in the last 5 years.

Its only right that I have all the info necessary before deciding which dropzone to jump at in order to prevent some instructor who was HIGH from making some mistake that gets us killed.

[NWFlyer 2]

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I dont see why everyone is making it so difficult to just get information about how many people had fatalities at that dropzone in the last 5 years.

No one's making it difficult. You've been provided links to the raw data and information on how you might be more likely to get information from the dropzone's owner and management. Not sure what else you're expecting, but you're unlikely to find it here.

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Its only right that I have all the info necessary before deciding which dropzone to jump at in order to prevent some instructor who was HIGH from making some mistake that gets us killed.

There's a word I'm looking for here... what is it... it's on the tip of my tongue.... starts with a t....

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[McBeth 0]

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There's a word I'm looking for here... what is it... it's on the tip of my tongue.... starts with a t....

Does it end with roll?

[jsaxton 0]

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I dont see why everyone is making it so difficult to just get information about how many people had fatalities at that dropzone in the last 5 years.

Its only right that I have all the info necessary before deciding which dropzone to jump at in order to prevent some instructor who was HIGH from making some mistake that gets us killed.

If that is your concern just ask each dropzone if they drug test their employees, I know that Perris and Elsinore do.

[diablopilot 2]

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I dont see why everyone is making it so difficult to just get information about how many people had fatalities at that dropzone in the last 5 years.

Its only right that I have all the info necessary before deciding which dropzone to jump at in order to prevent some instructor who was HIGH from making some mistake that gets us killed.

And it is only right that should you be requesting that information from the DZ, or here for that matter, you identify yourself as someone other than a reporter, lawyer, or pot stirrer.

Good luck and I hope you have a good time on your jump.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[skybytch 259]

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I dont see why everyone is making it so difficult to just get information about how many people had fatalities at that dropzone in the last 5 years.

I've been jumping there for the past three years. Nobody has died since I started jumping there.

Does that help?

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Its only right that I have all the info necessary before deciding which dropzone to jump at in order to prevent some instructor who was HIGH from making some mistake that gets us killed.

You can avoid that issue completely by doing an AFF jump where you are relying on yourself to save your ass instead of a tandem where you are relying on someone else to save your ass.

[SivaGanesha 2]

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If that is your concern just ask each dropzone if they drug test their employees, I know that Perris and Elsinore do.

I believe the instructors at Skydance are technically independent contractors, not employees, although I don't know what effect this would have on drug testing, if any. As of the last time I jumped there, when you pay at manifest for tandem/AFF, manifest gives you an envelope with cash enclosed to give to the instructor. This may mean that, legally, the instructor is working for you and not Skydance--since you pay them directly in cash--although I am not a lawyer and cannot claim to be certain about this.

I'm not a big fan of drug testing at the DZ or anywhere else. At the DZ, or anywhere else, I want an atmosphere where the people trust one another--and nothing conveys an atmosphere of mistrust more than drug testing. If you need to test people for drugs before you can be sure if you can trust them, then something is very wrong with the relationship from the beginning.

That being said, I think Skydance is as safe as anywhere else in this sport. I think they've had a few fatalities in the past but not out of line with what you'd expect given that Skydance is a fairly large DZ that has been around for awhile.

It seems that about 1 jump in 100,000 jumps ends in fatality. I think the way to look at this is that if you only intend to make one jump, the risk is very very low--it probably is indeed safer than the drive out to the DZ. But on the other hand if someone makes it their career and ends up doing 10,000 or 20,000 jumps--then the probability that their life will eventually end skydiving becomes significant.

Activities at Skydance have been featured prominently in many recent issues of Parachutist magazine, including an article in the current issue. If there were anything going on there that was an embarrassment to the sport, I doubt they'd be getting this kind of positive publicity.

"It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

[tiggershunny 0]

It's absolutely valid to have concerns about who you're jumping with when you're in a tandem situation. Having been a part of SkyDance for many years I will personally say that I would trust the staff to take anyone in my family on a jump and trust them with my own safety as well. Not being involved in your particular situation I can't comment about the response you say you recieved from the dropzone, but I would recommend calling and asking to talk to the chief instructor about your concerns.

Wherever you decide to go, I hope you enjoy your skydiving experience and feel like you were in safe hands.

~I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter~

[chrisngo 0]

Thanks for your reply.


So anyways in case anyone else is interested, I got this response from the Owner at Skydance in Davis, CA


"The last Tandem incident that resulted in a fatality here at SkyDance Davis, CA was in 2002. The Tandem pair landed hard under a malfunctioned Reserve canopy. The instructor and student survived, but the student died during surgery. We were told that the student was asthmatic and this complication caused a lack of oxygen.

Prior to that we had a Tandem fatality in 1997."

[chaoskitty 0]

So, how does that make you feel? Still want to skydive? You could die.

[chrisngo 0]

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So, how does that make you feel? Still want to skydive? You could die.

Im without a doubt going. And if I die, it wont be because my instructor used me as a cushion like at skydance in 2002.

[DFWAJG 4]

With that attitude, if I were a tandem instructor, I wouldn't take you. It sounds to me like you are trying to stir up shit, rather than truly asking for information. There is tremendous comraderie in the skydiving community. If you want to criticize tandem masters, you aren't going to find support here.

[chrisngo 0]

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With that attitude, if I were a tandem instructor, I wouldn't take you. It sounds to me like you are trying to stir up shit, rather than truly asking for information. There is tremendous comraderie in the skydiving community. If you want to criticize tandem masters, you aren't going to find support here.

No if I wanted to stir up shit: I would enter HTML search tags to allow searches on google and then say:

the skydance davis, ca fatality in 2002 involved an instructor who was not properly trained yet to be a tandem instructor at the time and the only reason he survived and the student died was because his 300 pound ass landed on the student and used the student as a cushion to break his fall. All after of course he errored in his assessment when deploying the reserve following the initial cutaway.


THANKS AGAIN for your helpful post it was very informative.

[DFWAJG 4]

Look, you obviously have some type of beef with Skydance. Go settle it with them directly. We don't want your drama.

[chrisngo 0]

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Look, you obviously have some type of beef with Skydance. Go settle it with them directly. We don't want your drama.

nope no beef at all. Im just repeating facts and USPA reports that I learned before deciding which Dropzone I should jump at.

ive never been there, so the only negative experience I got is from skydance people like you.

[diablopilot 2]

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So, how does that make you feel? Still want to skydive? You could die.

Im without a doubt going. And if I die, it wont be because my instructor used me as a cushion like at skydance in 2002.

I'm pretty sure you don't know any of the "facts" about that incident.

The TI and student landed a spinning malfunction of the reserve. I what way do you read that as an "instructor using the student as a cushion"?

Since you claim to be a novice, you have no idea the level of control, or lack of, tha a person has over a spinning malfunction

Sounds more like you have an agenda, or bone to pick with SkyDance. Fuck off and do it elsewhere.

Where are you deciding to jump then?

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[skybytch 259]

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And if I die, it wont be because my instructor used me as a cushion like at skydance in 2002.

I assume that with this attitude you won't be doing a tandem at any dz, but will instead do an AFF or static line jump where you are not putting your life completely in the hands of another person.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you read the waiver.

[Kdsosso 0]

LMAO! I get it! Chris NO GO HAHAHAHA

I won't go into a debate as to why your post is ignorant due to the fact that it would be too long of a list and I don't want to waste anymore of my time laughing.

SOOO Instead: SKYDANCE, LODI AND BYRON ROCK!!!!

TIP: Next time get your facts straight, say things in a mature manner and people will listen. Also, I wouldn't post a profile until you apologize for your bad behavior.

[brianfry713 0]

Hi Chrisngo,

My name is Brian Fry and I'm a tandem instructor (independent contractor) at Skydance. If I'm there the day you show up, pay, sign the waiver, sit through the class, are of an appropriate weight and body shape, do what I say, and don't make my job too difficult I'd be happy to take you on a tandem skydive.

I have never done any drugs in my life besides a few beers at the end of the day. No I have not been drug tested by the dropzone, but I did have to pee into a cup to get my FAA 3rd class medical. I've only been a TI for less than a year, all the info about me is in my profile. I've never had a student get seriously injured, and all were at least glad they went skydiving. I'll be there Saturday if you want to come have some fun. Our safety is my number one concern, second is that you have a good time, I always have fun.

Yes Skydance has had a few fatalities, as most busy dropzones have. I don't know every detail about them, but I do know we are a very safety conscious dropzone and now use the best tandem equipment there is IMHO, the Sigma.

Skydiving isn't for everyone, jumping out of an airplane has it's inherent risks.

BASE 1224, Senior Parachute Rigger, CPL ASEL IA, AGI, IGI
USPA Coach & UPT Tandem Instructor, PRO, Altimaster Field Support Representative

[headoverheels 291]

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...but I did have to pee into a cup to get my FAA 3rd class medical.

I'd be amazed if they checked anything but glucose, and maybe a visual for color and clarity.

Back on topic, Skydance runs a good safe operation. I would not have expected them to have even the number of fatalities that they have had, but skydiving is a hazardous activity.

In 35 years of skydiving, I have never once encouraged anyone new to the sport to make a jump, although I will steer them in a good direction if they express interest.

[AnKaLi 0]

I did 2 tandems at Skydance. One in 2003 and one in 2005, both were awesome. I did an AFF jump there last summer as well with a talented and safe instructor, again awesome.

I highly respect Skydance....amazing dropzone, amazing people.