Jump Prices Over The Years

[jbrasher 0]

Here's a question for the group, does anyone know the cost of a jump from altitude (that would be variable) over the last 30 years?

My first jump was $40.
I think my SL student jumps (C&P anyway) was $7.50 including gear
My first 12500 jump was #84 and I did another before 100. The extra expense and time where a consideration.

Eventually we learned that the more freefall time the better.

Anyway tomorrow is my 33 anniversary and I've got all the jumps logged (well not the comments yet) into jumptrack put I don't remember what jump prices were back then.


The only one I guess that could tell me for sure would be Mike Burt; his logbook is a marvel of detail and he's logged well over 7,000 now.

Anyone else remember?

Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

[mjosparky 3]

John,

I started in 1976 and my FJC was $55.00. When off student status and the D-18 came to Perris, around late 1976 early 1977 jump prices to 12,500 feet were $7.50. That was with my own gear.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[slug 1]

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John,

I started in 1976 and my FJC was $55.00. When off student status and the D-18 came to Perris, around late 1976 early 1977 jump prices to 12,500 feet were $7.50. That was with my own gear.

Sparky

HI Sparky

$7.50 to 12.5

We remember $3-$3.5 to 7500' in the very early 70's. Knees still hurt.

R.I.P.

[TIETZE 0]

July 21, 1979, Waynesville Ohio, the FJC was $45.00 because we could not get the minimum of 5 for the group rate. DRCP's, (thats dummy ripcord pulls for you low-timers) were $15, but it went down to $12 for subsequent "student status" jumps. After I spent $250 for a used rig, (SST with a strato-star and round reserve), another $60 for a new hotdog p/c, repair of a rip in the main and a reserve repack, the cost of jumps were $1.50 plus $1.00 per 1000ft,($8.50 to 7500ft).

Sweet dreams and flying machines.....

[howardwhite 5]

John

I assume you've seen yourself here:
http://projectpi.skydiveworld.com/Pipeople.htm
On the same pages is a picture of what looks like my FJC ticket, $35 at Orange in 1965.

Jumptown Orange Otter tix to 13.5 are now $22 for members, $23 others.

HW

[JerryBaumchen 1,069]

FJC on 9 Feb 64 was $18 and 12,500 ft was $5.25. But wages were a lot less then. Gas is actually less now but who's counting?

[tbrown 26]

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FJC on 9 Feb 64 was $18 and 12,500 ft was $5.25. But wages were a lot less then. Gas is actually less now but who's counting?

Good point about the wages, if you compare a jump ticket to hourly earnings. My FJC in '74 was only $35, but that was due to a sizeable discount for a large group - basic price was $50, with discounts down to $45, $40, and $35 for groups of 5, 10, and 15+. Second jump was $15, practice pulls were $11. First freefall was $8, plus $5 to the keg fund.

Cessna loads to 7500 were $5, once we got the Beaver we'd sometimes go to $10,500 for $7. First big plane I was ever on was a DC-3 at Z-Hills, they charged $8 to 12,500 and were offering a $10 special for 15,000.

At Perris in 1980 there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when 12,500 went to $10. Back then though I was making probably $8 - 9 an hr at a GOOD union job. For most of my life a good skydive has always cost me a little over an hour of toiling in the mines.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[slug 1]

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At Perris in 1980 there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when 12,500 went to $10. Back then though I was making probably $8 - 9 an hr at a GOOD union job. For most of my life a good skydive has always cost me a little over an hour of toiling in the mines.

Good point When we were pay $3.50 for a 30 sec in 1970 we were going to school on the G.I. Bill $175/ month

A hours wages in a good job for a jump these days sounds about right. But thats a salary of $45K/yr plus, AFF, gear, tunnel time, coach's, packers, flying to boogies, hotels, rental cars, down sizeing every year, medical expenses, lost wages.....

Sounds like the climb to altitude is just the cover charge if you have to go first class.

R.i.P.

• Quote

[nitecap 0]

1965 First jump $12.50 including gear.
Mid 60's 3.50 to 7200
Garbage load everyone out one pass @ about 2000
$2.00 later went to $2.50 for 2500 .

[MissBuffDiver 0]

Hey John! The rates quoted so far sound about right. In 70' the FJC was $40 and $30 for a group. Group being 5 or more. This was at Perris when the Kiernans owned it. I remember in the 60's when the manifest was a card table, a blackboard and a cash box. You put your name on the board, the altitude, then you put your $ in the box [made your own change] , and when they had enough names to fill the plane, someone counted the $ and yelled [not sure], and up they went. Bob Palmeri owned the DZ then? Long time ago. Brain cells are floating around the DZ, thanks to Cardinal Puff and SCR, SCS, etc.etc. Too much BEER + other brain cell killing activities. Sandy

Sandy

[MissBuffDiver 0]

Congrats to you on 33 yrs. 3 is my lucky #. Props to you [no pun intended].

Sandy

[airtwardo 6]

Boy did I get ripped off!

1976 ~ FJC ~ 75.00.

The little 182 DZ I jumped at in Illinois had two prices, 1.00 per 1000' for non-members...
and 50.00 a month for club members...all the jumps ya could make.

Late 70's...the DZ I worked at was 10.00 to 10.5 which was as high as the DZO would let the 'fleet' go.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[wmw999 2,163]

$40 for FJC. $10 for student jumps, $12 if I wanted an AOD. But an AOD was mandatory and no extra for my first freefall.
I do remember 12,500 going from $10 to 12, but I don't remember when.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[steve1 5]

Our club in 1973 was a college club and non profit. We owned our own plane, a Cessna 180. The first jump course back then was $50. After you got into freefall and could spot yourself, jumps were $3.50 to 8,000 ft. We would often rent a DC-3 or Twin Beech from the smokejumpers. To 1,250 ft., jumps were $7.50. You could also buy a military surplus main and chest pack reserve for around $150. Even us poor bastards could afford to jump back then....Steve1

[airtwardo 6]

To 1,250 ft., jumps were $7.50.....

Guess smoke jumper planes didn't go higher?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[steve1 5]

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To 1,250 ft., jumps were $7.50.....

Guess smoke jumper planes didn't go higher?

It seems like it took forever to get to 12 five. Back then we didn't know any better. DC-3's and twin beeches were high tech jump planes back then. I haven't jumped a twin beech in about 30 years. It was a real trick to get a fast exit out of one of those. Most of them had this little tiny door. At exit time it reminded me of a herd of long haired prairie dogs diving for the same hole. Needless to say exits were usually really strung out.

I love the today's Twin Otters and king Air's. A huge improvement from what we jumped out of back in the 70's!....Steve1

[skybill 19]

Hi JB!!,
Circa early 60's in the Deep South, Jump prices at Hammond La. were $3.50 to 7500' out of a cessna. Depending on who we got the A/C from flat rate or tach. time it averaged out. We hardly ever got to 10,500 or 12,500 in the cessnas especially in the summer!!! When Bob "The Stud" Munn from Louisiana Skydivers in Baton Rouge got the Howard DGA-15P (just like the ones at old Elsinore!) then Skydiving in the area made a quantum leap!! Still $3.50 to 7500' I forget what 10,500 and 12,500 was I think $5.00 and $6.00?? Back then 80 octane avgas was $0.42 / gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not any more man!!!! Oh yes and for your car, reg was $0.29 9/10 per gal.!!!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[jaymundo 0]

I brought my 32.50 to Southern Parachute in Aug 72 but they had all gone to the nationals.Fearing I would spend all that money....I buried it behind the outhouse in a sweetroll wrapper.I came back the next week and made my first jump.Leon Riche was my JM.

[itllclear 1]

Don't forget the "half price" early birds. If the plane was "wheels up" by 8:30.

I remember Bruce Markel sleeping under the manifest window in January with a load full of tickets for the early bird load on 817.

Harry

"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."

"Your statement answered your question."

[RogerRamjet 0]

FJC (static line) at Z-Hills in 1973 was $40.00. Remaining static line jumps (4) where $40.00.

I taught the course in 1974 and the prices were the same then as for my FJC (july of 73). Ahh, those were the days, teach students, pack T-10s, and jump...

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[JeffSkydiver 0]

When I started in 1981, jump prices were $1.00 per 1,000 feet. Jump from 7,500 = $7.50.

I cannot remember how much my FJC static line was. $50.00 seems to be right.

jt

*

Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

[gemini 0]

After reading the earlier prices, I wondered what they would be in current dollars. A quick search disclosed an inflation calculator for 1878 through 2003 that showed:

A jump in 1960 from 12.5K cost $5.25 now would equal 32.66/26.36 using the CPI/GDP.

A jump in 1970 from 7.5K cost $3.50 now would equal 16.59/13.44.

A jump in 1980 from 12.5K cost $10.00 now would cost 22.30/19.50.

A jump in 1980 from 7.5K cost $8.50 now would cost 18.96/16.58.

There was no data available after 2003 and I didn't know what jump prices were in 1990 and 2000.

It will be interesting to see what happens after 2003 as a result of the fuel price increases.

Blue skies,

Jim

[slug 1]

Hi Gemini

The cost of a lift ticket taking into account for inflation imo is in the ball park. When you take into account the express ride to altitude it's even nicer
I know that training has got a lot better, safer etc but The initial cost of getting qualified imo has outpaced the rate of inflation. Gear rental/jump

I remember when I was a kid listening to the adults bitching about paying $ .25 for a movie ticket .

Prices will always go up, the type of people that can afford it will change. Thats the way its always been and the way it will be.

I think I'll go eat my can of cat food and take my nap

R.I.P.

[airtwardo 6]

I think I'll go eat my can of cat food and take my nap


***

Only 1/2 the can Slug....it's a LONG way to Friday!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[wartload 0]

FJC was $35, and included 3 SL jumps. Not sure how much student jumps were without personal gear, because I bought my full rig ($50) after my first jump.

Hop'n'pops from 2,000' were $2 ... but didn't always quite get to 2,000'.