packerboy 3 #1 October 9, 2004 TI's that do so for a living... how many jumps do you make in a week... season... year? What do you get compensated for jumps? Do you work 7 days a week? Do you do other things such as rigging to keep the jump credits going? I'm just curious as to what the real lifestyle of a pure jump ho is like... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #2 October 9, 2004 a lot of hard work, very little money, and easily 7 days a week. The summer obviously is the best time, a good month would be around 150-200 jumps. But that will only last a few months...if that. Depends on the DZ, and how much staff is on hand. I do tandem vids also, and a little photography and riggin on the side. You will have to learn to live CHEAP! Top ramen baby... There are the exceptions out there, but this is what I've learned.my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #3 October 9, 2004 Quotea lot of hard work, very little money, and easily 7 days a week. The summer obviously is the best time, a good month would be around 150-200 jumps. But that will only last a few months...if that. Depends on the DZ, and how much staff is on hand. I do tandem vids also, and a little photography and riggin on the side. You will have to learn to live CHEAP! Top ramen baby... There are the exceptions out there, but this is what I've learned. All true... Also don't forget no benefits (at least not at any dz I've ever been to). So, you pay your own health insurance, if you chose to do so, and if you get hurt, you can't work which means you make no money. But it's fun... most of the time. peace lewhttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tandemphil 0 #4 October 9, 2004 Average week for me is anywhere from 10 to 30 jumps. about 80 / month, 1000/ year. at 30$/tandem It's enough to live on but not much else. buy a little new gear every one in a while and keep up with car payments, barely. But, the lifestyle is worth it at least for now. Like the others say, no benifits. I don't know about them, but I get drug tested at least once a month, so no partying either. generally the good months make up for the slow ones and it evens out over the course of a year. hope that was helpful -phil to do is to be to be is to do do be do be do Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tspillers 0 #5 October 10, 2004 I will speak of before I opened my own DZ and what I see because I actually made money then. If you want to do it most places, you are best getting every rating you can (including rigger). This means you must enjoy teaching. It is not a job that will make you financially well off. You have to do it because you love it. That being said, you can get by. You can pick up a side job to help ends meet or you can just make cut backs in overhead. The main thing is be debt free and learn to save money in the good times so you can still eat in the slow times. I use to make $400-$600 per week but I always had rigging to do during bad weeks. Now I actually have more work and just make less . (New DZ) I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #6 October 10, 2004 QuoteIf you want to do it most places, you are best getting every rating you can (including rigger). I wouldn't agree. I've worked for a DZ where having an TM and AFF rating actually made you less money. Being one of the few AFF rated Instructors at the DZ, you get pulled from the tandem rotation to do an AFF jump, and if done correctly, it will take you longer then doing a tandem, thus by the end of the weekend (your busiest days) you find that the person thats newly tandem rated at 500 jumps, and is the "weekend warrior", has make more jumps and alot more money then you have. Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tspillers 0 #7 October 11, 2004 Good point. It just depends on the DZ. By 'at most', I was ruling out some of the larger DZ's. I have found at the few DZ's I have worked at (and run), they have tried to keep the staff as busy as they can rather than having too much staff. Looking to get full time can help having everything and gives you some income during the week when tandems may be light. It is very important to know where you would like to work and see how the equation will work for you. Some DZ's once you have a rigger's ticket, you don't jump anymore. This could be a factor that doesn't fit my blanket statement either. I know we are in a situation where the DZ is trying to go from weekend and 2 half days to 5 days. Of the people I am considering for full time, only one of them has tandem and AFF, one has tandem and video, one has just tandem. This can really make a difference in our scenario. So, the short version......Check out where you plan to work. The difference between a proffesional skydiver and a large Pizza? A large Pizza feeds a family of 4..... I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #8 October 12, 2004 What Ed said. It sucks when there are a boat-load of tandems to do, but there are only a couple of AFF guys to do that work. Unless you are really slacking on your pre-jumps and your debriefs, you are going to make far fewer jumps doing AFF on a weekend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wee 0 #9 October 20, 2004 i'm not an instructor... just kind of wandered in because it looks like it would be a fun job. i'm obviously not to that point yet, but how do they get away with not paying benefits?that kind of shocked me when i read it because i know once you get that advanced --- having instructors like that on staff is worth keeping them "covered"... right? If the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #10 October 21, 2004 Quotehaving instructors like that on staff is worth keeping them "covered"... right? You have alot to learn, or should I say, be surprised about my friend. We are private contractors, and unfortunately some DZ's think you should be glad you get to work for them, instead of the other way around. Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #11 October 21, 2004 QuoteQuotehaving instructors like that on staff is worth keeping them "covered"... right? You have alot to learn, or should I say, be surprised about my friend. exactly what I was thinkingmy pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 623 #12 October 21, 2004 QuoteQuoteQuotehaving instructors like that on staff is worth keeping them "covered"... right? You have alot to learn, or should I say, be surprised about my friend. exactly what I was thinking >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes! DZOs depend upon "one more eager young amateur who is willing to work for love" for their labour pool. DZOs will cheerfully burn out a long string of eager young jumpers before they will pay a senior professional serious money. Kind of like you can hire two newbies for the price of one senior professional. When it comes to hauling tandems, young muscle is better. I suspect that the main reason my current boss re-newed my contract for next year - and a raise - is that he needs my rigging skills to keep his fleet of 16 student rigs and a dozen tandems on line. That is too big a workload for amateurs to maintain in the evenings. This brings us back to the concept of "the more ratings you have, the more money you can earn." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linestretch 0 #13 October 21, 2004 QuoteThat is too big a workload for amateurs to maintain in the evenings.Quote and not having a life outside the DZ helps.my pics & stuff! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deuce 1 #14 October 21, 2004 On a busy weekend Fri-Sat-Sun, I can make 25-30 tandems, or about $750-$900. Last Saturday I made 10 on Saturday alone. I'd think in a real tandem mill, you could make $1500 a week during high season. As the other AFF instructors said, AFF pays the same per-jump, but you are not taking an AFF student "on a ride". The best days are when you knock out a mess of tandems early and spend the rest of the day doing AFF jumps. I much prefer teaching AFF, but the money is in tandems. And often times tandems are very fun, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bodypilot1 0 #15 October 21, 2004 Quotebut you are not taking an AFF student "on a ride". No, but I have seen students take AFF Instructors "for a ride". Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Shark 0 #16 October 22, 2004 QuoteQuotebut you are not taking an AFF student "on a ride". No, but I have seen students take AFF Instructors "for a ride". I've been on a few! (with just over 350 AFFs) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bodypilot1 0 #17 October 22, 2004 Quote(with just over 350 AFFs) And who would have thought, when I was your Instructor for your AFF training 5 yrs ago...... Glad you didn't take me for a ride! Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Shark 0 #18 October 22, 2004 QuoteQuote(with just over 350 AFFs) And who would have thought, when I was your Instructor for your AFF training 5 yrs ago...... Glad you didn't take me for a ride! Yeah, but you did wear a full-face on my repeat level 3! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Deuce 1 #19 October 22, 2004 QuoteI have seen students take AFF Instructors "for a ride". Ach. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bodypilot1 0 #20 October 22, 2004 QuoteYeah, but you did wear a full-face on my repeat level 3! I always say, "Dress for Sucsess...er..um....I mean SURVIVAL! " Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DanglesOZQld 0 #21 November 4, 2004 A few years ago the full time guys were easily getting around 1,200 jumps a year and then came 9/11 and sars as well as a few more minor problems into the pot. I work in Australia and do so as a Tandem Master / AFF instructor and Vidiot 7 days a week. We get $37 a jump as Tandem Masters and with video/stills $37 for either or $47 for both. It is definitely a lifestyle thing and you don't have to be around long to hear the following question - "How do you make a lot of money skydiving??" BY STARTING WITH A *HUGE* AMOUNT!!! Also with Handicam coming into effect at most dz's the staff number where I work will soon be cut in half and those without a Tm rating will end up on the scrapheap. No matter what anyone out there says I believe the sport will be worse off in around 5 years time as most people get quite a few hundred jumps up being weekend funsters then start doing paid camera work then get their instructor ratings then tm rating. With insurance issues and the ability to gain jump numbers as easily we are bound to lose a lot of people in the long run. Who knows , maybe some dz's will actually start to appreciate us when they have trouble finding staff in future!! I am just glad I have a trade to fall back on *if* things go pear shaped anytime. BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tkhayes 324 #22 November 4, 2004 hmm, 150 jumps a month for 5 months, at maybe $30/jump or more, so that is $22500 for 5 months of work. Seems pretty reasonable to me. Over a year, better than $45K.yr, Do you have a plan for the rest of the year? Maybe you should find winter work as well. Tandem masters get paid well for what they do, my experience is that they burn out quickly, forget that it is actually job, and they often have no Plan B when it comes to their life, causing problems int he off-season or when they decide to move on. my $0.02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Granimal 0 #23 November 5, 2004 It really depends on where you jump, and what your goals are more then anything. I skydived to live about 6 months while I was involving myself in other endevors, and the big thing for me was burnout. It got to the point where I didnt want to do the AFF jumps that I loved the most because the turnaround time increased. Skydiving is a personal thing for everyone, but I did not learn and have so much fun jumping with my friends to give it all up to haul students. If it is something you are considering doing full time, like anything, think about it hard, ask some TI's, and budget yourself well. Even saying that, I cant get away form "Helping out the dz" with at least 10 tandems a weekend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dsbbreck 0 #24 November 12, 2004 Where exactly does anyone....and I mean anyone... make 150 work jumps a month for 5 months. I'm there.David "Socrates wasn't killed because he had the answer.......he was killed because he asked the question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimoke 0 #25 November 12, 2004 skydive hawaii or pacific skydivers. if you can get in the rotation you can easily log 150+ /month. it is a beautiful place to jump if you don't mind the strong winds......oh yeah, huge dz politics. but what else is new? okeThe ground always, remembers where you are! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. 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Deuce 1 #14 October 21, 2004 On a busy weekend Fri-Sat-Sun, I can make 25-30 tandems, or about $750-$900. Last Saturday I made 10 on Saturday alone. I'd think in a real tandem mill, you could make $1500 a week during high season. As the other AFF instructors said, AFF pays the same per-jump, but you are not taking an AFF student "on a ride". The best days are when you knock out a mess of tandems early and spend the rest of the day doing AFF jumps. I much prefer teaching AFF, but the money is in tandems. And often times tandems are very fun, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #15 October 21, 2004 Quotebut you are not taking an AFF student "on a ride". No, but I have seen students take AFF Instructors "for a ride". Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #16 October 22, 2004 QuoteQuotebut you are not taking an AFF student "on a ride". No, but I have seen students take AFF Instructors "for a ride". I've been on a few! (with just over 350 AFFs) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #17 October 22, 2004 Quote(with just over 350 AFFs) And who would have thought, when I was your Instructor for your AFF training 5 yrs ago...... Glad you didn't take me for a ride! Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #18 October 22, 2004 QuoteQuote(with just over 350 AFFs) And who would have thought, when I was your Instructor for your AFF training 5 yrs ago...... Glad you didn't take me for a ride! Yeah, but you did wear a full-face on my repeat level 3! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #19 October 22, 2004 QuoteI have seen students take AFF Instructors "for a ride". Ach. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #20 October 22, 2004 QuoteYeah, but you did wear a full-face on my repeat level 3! I always say, "Dress for Sucsess...er..um....I mean SURVIVAL! " Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanglesOZQld 0 #21 November 4, 2004 A few years ago the full time guys were easily getting around 1,200 jumps a year and then came 9/11 and sars as well as a few more minor problems into the pot. I work in Australia and do so as a Tandem Master / AFF instructor and Vidiot 7 days a week. We get $37 a jump as Tandem Masters and with video/stills $37 for either or $47 for both. It is definitely a lifestyle thing and you don't have to be around long to hear the following question - "How do you make a lot of money skydiving??" BY STARTING WITH A *HUGE* AMOUNT!!! Also with Handicam coming into effect at most dz's the staff number where I work will soon be cut in half and those without a Tm rating will end up on the scrapheap. No matter what anyone out there says I believe the sport will be worse off in around 5 years time as most people get quite a few hundred jumps up being weekend funsters then start doing paid camera work then get their instructor ratings then tm rating. With insurance issues and the ability to gain jump numbers as easily we are bound to lose a lot of people in the long run. Who knows , maybe some dz's will actually start to appreciate us when they have trouble finding staff in future!! I am just glad I have a trade to fall back on *if* things go pear shaped anytime. BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tkhayes 324 #22 November 4, 2004 hmm, 150 jumps a month for 5 months, at maybe $30/jump or more, so that is $22500 for 5 months of work. Seems pretty reasonable to me. Over a year, better than $45K.yr, Do you have a plan for the rest of the year? Maybe you should find winter work as well. Tandem masters get paid well for what they do, my experience is that they burn out quickly, forget that it is actually job, and they often have no Plan B when it comes to their life, causing problems int he off-season or when they decide to move on. my $0.02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Granimal 0 #23 November 5, 2004 It really depends on where you jump, and what your goals are more then anything. I skydived to live about 6 months while I was involving myself in other endevors, and the big thing for me was burnout. It got to the point where I didnt want to do the AFF jumps that I loved the most because the turnaround time increased. Skydiving is a personal thing for everyone, but I did not learn and have so much fun jumping with my friends to give it all up to haul students. If it is something you are considering doing full time, like anything, think about it hard, ask some TI's, and budget yourself well. Even saying that, I cant get away form "Helping out the dz" with at least 10 tandems a weekend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsbbreck 0 #24 November 12, 2004 Where exactly does anyone....and I mean anyone... make 150 work jumps a month for 5 months. I'm there.David "Socrates wasn't killed because he had the answer.......he was killed because he asked the question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimoke 0 #25 November 12, 2004 skydive hawaii or pacific skydivers. if you can get in the rotation you can easily log 150+ /month. it is a beautiful place to jump if you don't mind the strong winds......oh yeah, huge dz politics. but what else is new? okeThe ground always, remembers where you are! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
