TIs with their own Tandem rigs?

[stratostar 5]

Sorry Martin you missed to point, I have no problem with people who will use the gear and pay for it, it's something for nothing crowd who expect to use your shit once and a while then bitch about paying for it.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[eUrNiCc 0]

I own my own tandem rigs. Yes, it's a big initial investment and it'll take a while to pay off, even if you're jumping full time. Be sure to budget for repacks, linesets and drouges and be ready to be turned down by some DZO's and scoffed at by some TI's.

Egad, A BASE life defiles a bad age.

[skydived19006 4]

I wasn't replying specifically to you, just happened to click "reply" on the last post in the thread. Bad forum etiquette on my part.

Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

[stratostar 5]

No problem, I misunderstood and thought your reply was to me. It's all good.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[Unstable 8]

Quote

You also get to work a 40 hour job, answer the phone scheduling (another 20 hours a week depending on volume), and be the first at the DZ and last to leave every Sat and Sunday. Maybe if the volume exists you can someday be a full time DZO and quit your day job.

I couldn't agree More. About 3 years ago, we had a problem at KSUPC where nobody wanted to take responsibility for scheduling tandems. I volunteered, and did that for almost 2 1/2 years. My word, we only do about 4-5 a day, but it's constantly answering emails, phone calls, explaining the same thing 10 times a day, waking up early on rainy days to reschedule, making certificates, damn, do TI's realize how much time it takes to make sure that the Tandem students are there, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?

Sounds like Martin Understands.

=========Shaun ==========

[BlindBrick 0]

We turn two 182's and a Beech 18 and all tandem gear is TI-owned.


-Blind

"If you end up in an alligator's jaws, naked, you probably did something to deserve it."

[riggerrob 598]

Quote

Sorry Martin you missed to point, I have no problem with people who will use the gear and pay for it, it's something for nothing crowd who expect to use your shit once and a while then bitch about paying for it.

........................................................................
Agreed!

Back in the late 1980s, I researched the business case of buying a tandem rig and "working" it at the local club DZ. Far too many fun jumpers saw a tandem rig as a "toy" and thought I should allow them to jump it - for free - with their girl friends.

Then they turned around accused me of being a "whore" stealing FJC students.

Thankfully, that business case died before I lost a dime. It was another four or five years before that DZ bought a tandem rig and they suffered a steep learning curve.

[Rockow 0]

Just wondering If anyone knows of any busy Dropzones looking for Ti's that own their own gear. I bought a new mmicro sigma 2 years ago and love it and have considered buying another if I could find a place that wouldn't frown on it. I bought mine after getting sick of jumping gear that should have been burned.

If first you don't succeed then skydiving isn't for you!

[efs4ever 3]

Same reason I bought mine. Many of my tandem malfunctions were on crummy company gear I had to jump when my rig was not available.

Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com

[bart 0]

after about 10 years of Tandem jumping, Ive jumped strong, eclipse, atom, vector 2 and sigma, Ive finally bought my own rig, not that I can use it down under!! Companies long ago down here saw the advantage of owning all the gear!!

Never thought I would get excited about a tandem rig, but if nothing more than the knowledge of the work its done and will do, not to mention the extra cash it will make!! But also just because I get to jump the exact gear I want to jump!!

So what did I get... a micro sigma, Just for the opening sequence alone, no three ring bridle attachment the only rig where the opening of the container and the drouge release are the same thing, virtually eliminating drouge in tows, quicker packing super comfortable (although that racer looks comfortable!). I dont see any other choice, and a 300 NZ jyro tandem... what else would you buy?

[fencebuster 7]

I just bought a slightly used Sigma with a PA 365 main. We'll see how it works out.

Charlie Gittins, 540-327-2208
AFF-I, Sigma TI, IAD-I
MEI, CFI-I, Senior Rigger
Former DZO, Blue Ridge Skydiving Adventures