gemini 0 #1 June 29, 2008 I saw in a thread today http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3246356;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread where a few jumpers were bashing Skydive Spaceland for long waits between loads, being a tandem factory, etc. We at Spaceland are sensitive to these issues and have been working to correct these problems for quite a while. What a lot of jumpers don't know is that we got ourselves into this fix by trying to help Greensburg out after their Caravan accident. Normally we try to keep two aircraft dedicated to Spaceland's use during the Spring, Summer and Fall. This year we decided to hold back two Otters instead of an Otter and a Caravan. Two Otters would have been just right for our local operations. After the crash of the Greensburg caravan, we were asked if we could provide an aircraft to Greensburg. Greensburg had a large volume of tandems scheduled and really needed an aircraft. The Spaceland schedule at the time led us to believe that one Otter would be sufficient at least for the short-term. Unfortunately we ended up with 3 - 4 4-way teams, an 8-way team, two 11-way teams competing in a speedstar competition, some fun jumpers, and 160+ tandems the next weekend. Yes the wait times were intolerable for everyone, not just the fun jumpers. But with a fellow DZO in trouble, we might do it again to help him out because it is the right thing to do. In the past we have even assisted our competitor, Skydive Houston, numerous times when their Otter has been unavailable and several times this assistance had an impact on our jumpers. Is Spaceland a tandem factory? No because we do not discourage team or fun jumpers. In fact this year we have more teams than we've had in a number of years and significantly more fun jumpers. What we do have is a sudden, huge increase in tandems over last year which had been our best year. I don't know the percentage increase, but it has been noticable! The dz has added more instructors, videographers, tandem rigs and student rigs to meet the increased demand. Manifest procedures have been changed to allow tandems, teams and fun jumpers to get on each load and maximize aircraft loads. Last weekend, still with one Otter and only the two speedstars teams missing, no jumper except tandems waited more than 30-50 minutes for a load. Cudos to the manifest staff for getting the new procedures to work. Finally, we are adding two more twin Otters to the jump fleet with one earmarked to back-up the primary Spaceland Otter. This will give us a the minimum of two Otters at Spaceland. This will allow us to meet our committment to our teams and fun jumpers to minimize their wait time for a load and maximize the number of jumps that they can make in a day. The additional aircraft also gives us one more Otter for our rental fleet which we have needed as well. This brings our current aircraft fleet to 5 Twin Otters and 3 Caravans plus a Cessna 172 used by our flight school. I don't know how many of you have purchased twin Otters recently, but these birds do not grow on trees and are very hard to find. We continue to watch for available aircraft that meet our specifications, pass an independent inspection, and have no damage history. Aircraft safety and the safety of our jumpers is a high priority for us. The success and growth of Spaceland is due to hard work by many people and that success has been much more than we could have ever imagined. We have growing pains and are trying to minimize the impact on all of our jumpers. We do listen to jumper comments and complaints, but sometimes it takes us a while to correct the problem, raise the cash, find aircraft, get tandem rigs, reopen the restaurant, double the size of the a/c packing area, etc. We will continue to take those steps necessary to make Spaceland a success and to ensure that our jumpers have a pleasant jump experience with us. We will continue promoting 30-150 way big ways, supporting the TSL, promoting freefly formations, and offering formation loads and high altitude jumps to fun jumpers. The new restaurant is finally open and has great food, friendly people, and will get even better. The contract has been signed to expand the a/c packing area by 100%. We are and will continue to grow. By boosting our jumper volume including the tandems, we can hold our jump prices by taking advantage of larger, more frequent fuel purchases and spreading the dz overhead out over more jumps per day. We're trying guys. I can't promise we won't make any more mistakes in the future, but we are listening and learning. Blues, Jim Alkek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #2 June 29, 2008 Bravo! I've never jumped there, but that takes class to step up to the plate and publicly apologize for delays, and show what you're trying to do about it. Kudos, and I'll try to stop by for a jump some time! ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsaxton 0 #3 June 29, 2008 JP, sign up for the Nov 8-9 Spaceland BigWay Invitational. http://www.bigways.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxmadmax 8 #4 July 12, 2008 Congrats! Don't go away mad....just go away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
upndownshop 0 #5 July 12, 2008 I for one can tell you that Steve Boyd has a great attitude when it comes to getting jumpers in the air. I said this to him many years ago. "Steve, I love the way you say: yes to business". Many a times during the 4 years of SkyFest in Spaceland Steve flew very light with never complaining about the cost/loss. I remember one year it stopped raining on a Friday at 4:30 pm, we flew 22 Otter loads by sunset, and most of those were extremely light. While Spaceland may do a bit of Tandems, they also produce many students from them, thus assisting in the growth our sport, which I can say from the 80 DZ's I have been to, its not easy. Jim GREAT JOB and way to go for helping out other DZ's, which is nothing new to Spaceland, I have seen it many times. And as you mentioned, we all make mistakes, we learn and grow while doing the best we can. Hey Jim, do you have a plane near South Dakota in the first week of August for 5 days?? Looking for a turbine? be well and congrats with the new additions J Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #6 July 22, 2008 Ok guys here is the first pictures of Spaceland's newest birds prior to flying in from Africa. Anybody need any leather Otter seats? Hope that new prop gets installed before Rabbitt gets there. Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #7 July 22, 2008 Leave some of the nice seats in. You could have the first jump plane with a First Class section. Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bclark 0 #8 July 22, 2008 Can't WAIT to have more Otters! They sure do look sweet. Almost too nice for jump planes. Only one question. Where are we going to keep them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyhawke 0 #9 July 22, 2008 Quote While Spaceland may do a bit of Tandems, they also produce many students from them, thus assisting in the growth our sport, which I can say from the 80 DZ's I have been to, its not easy. And as you mentioned, we all make mistakes, we learn and grow while doing the best we can. This is why I will always support dropzones like Spaceland, Waller and Capitol! I applaud all of you who actually make the effort to learn, do and be better because that is far harder than making excuses for the long running status quo. Kudos and congratulations on the new aircraft! "It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities." - A. Dumbledore Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxmadmax 8 #10 July 22, 2008 Major Congrats! And thanks for a great place to jump along with great hospitality! Regards, Mad Max PS....How could I aquire a leather Otter seat for my office? It would make a great guest chair. Don't go away mad....just go away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
INSANEDADDY 0 #11 July 23, 2008 Good Looking birds Jim...........I think your running out of room to park planes..... You dont't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when.......You can only decide how you're going to live........NOW. -BASE 1605 Night BASE 227 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrumpot 1 #12 July 30, 2008 Ha! LOL ...Somehow looking at interior pictures of an Otter with actual passenger seats in 'em just don't look "right"!! Like, totally alien/strange! Nice looking new A/C there Jim - Congrats on the new acquisitions!! In that 3rd picture there, the way the RJ is parked behind it in the background, at 1st it looked like just an extension to your Otter's tail, with a couple of GE Full-on Turbofans added to 'em. Couldn't help but double-take on that one, and catch myself saying "schweeet", even outloud! Again - Congrats on the new acquisitions, and Kudo's to a DZ that really is "JUMPERS 1st"! Blue Skies, -Grant coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pairashooter 0 #13 August 13, 2008 I think that is the first time I have ever seen an Otter with seats and stairs in it. BEER!!! Nice bird. Chris Scaife Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fallinfast 0 #14 August 13, 2008 Congrats on the new planes, and thanks for a great place to jump. Thank you staff for all you do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fallinfast 0 #15 August 13, 2008 Dang angry flys, go away lol :#) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
