skydivekc

I have posted on this topic before and would like to give a few points to my view as a DZO! First I will say that we do require AAD's on all jumpers and do so for the simple reason that AAD's work and save many more lives than harm. I have personally witnesses two saves that would have been fatal accidents without such device. I realize that we live in a free country and most skydivers don't like mandates. Im a firm believer in these units and would not be opposed to them being required in the future! Here is a copy from one manf. from just this year alone that are clear saves and would be 22 more dead skydivers!! 22 Lives Saved in 2010! (Including Two Tandems!) 1. January 2010 - Lumberton, USA - #13422 - Pro Mode 2. March 2010 - Fermo, Italy - #15214 - Pro Mode 3. March 2010 - Guayaquil, Ecuador - #14103 - Student Mode 4. April 2010 - Gold Coast, USA - #16724 - Pro Mode 5. April 2010 - Pau, France - #12203 - Pro Mode 6. May 2010 - Spa, Belgium - #11340 - Student Mode 7. May 2010 - Ecuvillens, Switzerland - #13403 - Tandem Mode 8. June 2010 - Spa, Belgium - #11340 - Student Mode 9. July 2010 - Vatulino, Russia - #2302 - Pro Mode 10. July 2010 - Soulac, Mer, France - #14209 - Pro Mode "At the height of separation, i collided with another skydiver with violence... and i fell unconscious. I stayed unconscious during the reserve's opening. I only wake up when my friends came to see me after landing. My Vigil opened my canopy alone. I landed unconscious under my reserve without serious physical damage. Thanks my Vigil !!!" 11. August 2010 - Kaunas, Lithuania - #16752 - Student Mode 12. September 2010 - Paracin, Serbia - #2133 - Student Mode 13. September 2010 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - #8442 - Student Mode 14. September 2010 - Kolomna, Russia - #11303 - Pro Mode 15. January 2010 - Lumberton, USA - #13422 - Pro Mode 16. October 2010 - Colorado, USA - #20141 - Tandem Mode 17. October 2010 - Siofok, Hungary - #3368 - Pro Mode 18. October 2010 - Esztergom, Hungary - #2713 - Pro Mode 19. November 2010 - DeLand, USA - #18276 - Pro Mode 20. September 2010 - Moscow, Russia - #5742 - Pro Mode

Yeah this facility if and when built will be located inside the Schlitterbahn waterpark. I spoke with a person there yesterday and they confirmed its on the list however the project is on hold and may be years out!! 8 hrs west is our best option for now KC!

Word around here is Negative. Economy has put this project off for now.. I have been told this is more of a tourist type design with the tunnel being located inside the water park so access will not be so easy for say the locals that want to use it...

I would say there are quite a few Missouri resident skydivers that frequent this site and or DZ's in the state.

I know in our area due to several recent crashes, maint. issues with DZ's we are seeing more of an FAA presence. I have been visited several times in the last few years. Been contacted recently as well. I have a maint. inspector and a operations inspector. They have been nice to call and schedule a time usually during the week to visit. This has been good as we are only a weekend operation and it minimizes downtime as well as eating into there weekend. Keep your operation tight with everything well laid out and organized and they seem to be fine. TM's make sure your medical is current and jumpers you are responsible for keeping your gear in-date and airworthy. Pilots well you all know the drill.

I needed to mention that SDKC as well as the airport does not allow pets on the airport or DZ. Our RV park adjacent to the facility is pet friendly. Thanks.

Just confirmed Robinson R44 Heli. Sat 29th Noon till?? $30.00 to 4k. Cash... If you want to jump a chopper this is a great deal. See you soon!!

We have several manufactures donating prizes for a drawing on Saturday night. Entertainment planned on Sat night. as well.. Grab your gear and come on out. Camping on the DZ, RV parking on the DZ ( water only), Campground with full hookups 2 miles away.... See you soon.

Well looking at the poll results it's obvious with what little response has been submitted that there is a clear need to offer the original jumpmaster rating. I think USPA should reconsider this option after all if we want to increase the membership base of the organization and that alone $$ might get them to rethink a rating that has a usefull purpose, yet was tossed out for the larger staffed or full time turbine centers. This to could become another reason to drop out of the GM program and do what works best for us small DZ's needing to survive as well!!! I just think personally getting rid of a system that worked well for smaller DZ's and creating a new system that makes it even harder for weekend jumpers to get these ratings is killing our furture staffing needs and growth.

I have all my 182's equipped for still pictures off the wing as well as video ability. First you will need to get a form 337 to be legal. This can be a bit more challenging now days depending on your local FSDO. I did this mod years ago and have paid for my aircraft several times just doing this alone on the side. As for set up... We used a pan-a-vise mount and bolted it under the wing just aft the upper strut attachment area and reinforced it along the rib there. Not a difficult job but some tweaking will be required to make it work and to get the right shot. I advertised selling this as a bolt on and go kit years ago.. Lots were interested but nobody wanted to spend any money... Not sure why, its a great seller... Im planning to use a go-pro on an inspection panel as well for unusual perspectives unless the local FSDO keeps me from it!!

Skydive KC will be hosting it's first boogie over the Memorial Day Weekend. Aircraft will be a twin otter. Registration will be $20.00. Aircraft is scheduled to be at the DZ Friday AM and fly through Monday. Lift tickets are $25 to 13k unless fuel prices change. We will continue to update more specifics in the weeks to come. SDKC requires a functional AAD by all skydivers. Please contact us if you have further questions. We look forward to a great first event!

Seems Im not the only one that has been told this... Should be another choice such as into the arms of another suka

KC has a local number now and a list of services that no DZ here ever offers to my knowledge.... As for DZO's loosing business give me a break... I'm a very small DZ and I bought into this bogus crap several years ago just like many have.. Trust me it has not affected my business 1% by not participaitng. My business has sustained season after seasonal growth and I get all of the money... The ones that are not getting the point are the ones still chasing zero..... Why would any business owner work for less to give the middle man anything?? Its not like we have a DZ on every street corner of every city. This service is a bogus scam... I'm on board with any lawsuit that brings these people down... The DA needs to hear from us all and then perhaps this will happen.. Im convinced our industry leaders are more worried about the dollar than the right thing after all you are the one's feeding this cancer....... Chris Hall SDKC Trying to make Missouri "Skyride Free" as well!!!!

So let me get this right.... We have a parasite in our industry that many DZO's have felt compelled to do business with???? Then we have our organization "USPA" that we as members support and finance with our hard earned money.... They in-turn make an effort to deal with this issue only to get sued thus alowing to further enhance the profitability of a bogus BS system fed buy our DZO's?? & Costing us and our organization MONEY...... Shame on every DZO that still supports them.. I hope we all have learned a very very important lesson here people..... Are we that despeate for business?? I think not......

Wow, Staratostar.... You must have a lot of time on your hands. However thanks for the information on this topic. Im confident now that I can relocate my business to a much closer airport knowing that all I have to do is bang on the FAA's office and rattle them into submission..... If I only would have figured this out 12years ago I would have a much larger and convenient operation.... NOT>>>

I realize that Chris, My point is closer is not better in alot of areas or towns. You and I both know things are quite different here than perhaps other locations. Most of these airports have heard the business plans of DZO's fom the past and they are not interested in this type of activity at these locations. Why continue to force matters and go against the grain of a decision that was reviewed and voted out?? They have as ED would call it several trump cards... All airports do. These cards are in every airports deck.... All need to know this and not burn too many bridges with such a small community.. Airports are a small group and they do communicate with other local locations...

100 miles is just a starting point.. Im not saying that is a min. And a number of the DZ's that you pointed out are on private land or owned property, not CITY operated facilities. The arrival route issue is just that, getting approach or the local FISDO to work with an establishment. This particular issue is with the Lawrence KS airport. Another airport that several DZ's have tried to operate at with similar results over the years... Again I would love to operate closer and have worked with these airports to include Lawrence for years. if it were that easy then I guess we all would only have a 10 min. drive to the DZ wouldn't we??? Independence airport was just that... too close and now its no longer an airport as you know. Times are different with this type of business unlike in the mid. 80"s & 90's. What Im trying to say in short is that not one airport is identical. Not all airports are condusive nor safe for skydiving operations. Fighting our way in to a place that has said no for years and continues to have legitimate reasons why is in my mind not good for us. Yes, we must continue to work for equal access to federal funded airports but we must realize that all airports have multiple reasons for denial and the FAA, USPA and all other organizations need to be rational and not fight there way into a location...

First lets understand that not all airports are good nor safe for skydiving operations... If all were then I would be operating 50 miles closer to the metro than I currently am. I have several large airports that I personally know the management and they would love to have my business but we both know its not feasible... Location in most cases is what most inspired DZO's want to give them the edge over the competition... Yes, most all airports operate under the grant assurance program but the bottom line is they have legitimate reasons to say "no" I spent 3 years and went to every airport within 75 NM of my city. I have heard it all, fought the fights and can assure you if a city or commission decides they don't want skydiver's for what ever reason.... MOVE ON!! don't go against the grain you will only have a permanent conflict that will keep the operation from growing. Lets face it, skydiving is hard enough to run on an airport that is either owned outright or has a lease agreement that is working with that location. Another thing to consider is what size operation are you trying to bring to these airports that are in your sight??? A small 182 weekend DZ putting up 8 jumpers an hour 2 days a week compared to a full time turbine over an arrival route for a major airport with lots of corporate activity already established is a totally different consideration. My advise get as far away from the area you want to operate i.e. 100 miles from your major cities. Find an airport that needs business and wants it. Bottom line don't force your way in.. Its a dead end!!!!

Lets also hope all these bogus domains that legitimate DZ's should be hosting get thrown back on the block or at least locked down by the ICAA commission.

I had a chance to read over this new pledge last week. I think personally that until we operate at or near a part 135 system we will continue to see more of the same. As an A&P with a small fleet of 182's its very costly to do things right even when you are only paying for parts at a discount. For most DZ's that hire out work its very costly. I think that USPA is doing what it can to try and get the industry to clean up their acts, however looking at the past along with an industry that can no longer "wing it" as it has in the past 3 decades of operating. I see only one other option in the long run and that is higher operation costs to give you the skydiver's and students a safe and reliable ride to alt. Time will tell.

Just had a chance to jump the Aerodyne A2 350 yesterday. Our Dz is flying EZ 384's. Try the A2 or Sigma. Of course there are some DZ's that still jump 421's and 500's so I guess its a matter of what works for you or your DZO.

SDKC is excited to have the chance to jump a PAC... A dozen or so plan to be out on Sun. to support the event. We are looking forward once again to a great time with Tom and the staff at MRVS.

My first WFFC was in 1991 the last year the herc. was there full time. Since I never missed a year until starting a DZ in 98. This was an amazing event. Anyone that has attended would say Wow!! every year.... Im looking forward to attending again when the time is right. This event drew jumpers from every country and for it to be sucessful Im sure that will need to take place again. Lets all show Don that with enough support this event still has a pulse.