swoopfly

A pilot wanted to fly 2 cessnas in formation on the same jump run and drop tandems. I expressed my concern and he acted as if all cessna dz operate this way, saying they all do it. I observed my concern as another tandem opened 500 ft above me just off to the side (too close for my comfort). I agreed planes do fly together in formation when there are big ways and the people in both planes want to be on the same jump, but TANDEMS? he even went to the length to say its in the FAR and reg. So thoughts?

So is legal for a DZ to refuse to pay you for your work jumps if you dont have an LLC and EIN? I kinda thought being a subcontractor you can run your business as you see fit. But this is the boat i have been put in now. Refuse to pay an individual but will give me my money if i am an LLC. Yet hired and made money off an individual. Thoughts?

Well i have worked for 4 DZ that dont require you to own a company to take someone on a skydive, it was a 1099 under my SS.

Also i thought you have to have an LLC to get an EIN?

It was in my understanding that creating a company as you said seperates your personal assets from the companys. So in the case of a lawsuit, they will be suing a company that may not have much to take from as opposed to taking everything you own.

just curious if its a common place for a DZ to require you to be an LLC to work for them?

Check out Skydive the Farm, they offer the whole A License package for 2000. And one of the best DZ around

I'll do my best. There are a lot of things that won't be on the official list, such as all of the gas driving back and forth to the DZ (over an hour each way), even on days when only one jump was possible. Organizing child care for my son when my husband, who works in another state, isn't in town. The necessary t-shirts from drop zones that you visit (am I right?!). Shipping costs on the alti, goggles, helmet, etc that I ordered. Of course, those are my own individual expenses, so can't be added to a general "how much would it cost to get my A license" list. $2000 -- AFF (plus required tandem), getting you to 8 jumps $130 -- Refresher coach jump after weathered out for 6 weeks $300 -- 3 coach jumps at large DZ (now at 12) $150 -- 2 coach jumps at home DZ (14 jumps total) $550 -- Remaining 11 jumps at student price of $50 each $2300 -- Used rig $1400 -- AAD $350 -- updating rig for RSL, RSL installation, reserve repack $300 -- two used jumpsuits $160 -- altimeter $65 -- cheap starter helmet $30 -- two sets goggles $60 -- light and winter weight gloves $10 -- log book $65 -- USPA membership $100 -- miscellaneous sports-wear for colder weather jumps Ok, so all totaled up, you're right, I did overestimate a bit. If we leave out all of the extraneous expenses, I will have spent $8000 to get my A license. I still contend that giving up on your college education to attempt to make a career from skydiving is insane. Skydiving is an expense, not an income generator for the vast majority of people who participate in (and love!) the sport. I think Skydive the farm has the A license package deal for around 2,000 or less.

There are many situations doing tandems which would warrent a different size. taking a hundred pound girl in 20 mph winds i like to take the 300. to get some movement when facing into the wind. With a 250 pound guy i like to take a good flaring big canopy, for all the weight. Usually a sigma 340 if i had a choice. It all depeneds on your variables and what works good for the situation.

heard that her father is seeking a lawyer. Was curious as to thoughts on this as she is 16. I guess her parents would have signed consent but is there any reason this might not hold up aswell as a waiver signed by an 18 year old?

400 jumps on a katana 135. I tucked the nose and roll the tail. while it is a twitchy canopy on inflation due to being elliptical, as long as you keep your body symetrical upon opening i got nothing more then a 45 to 90 off heading and it usually corrects itself if you keep your symetry in the saddle. Most people i have notcied start worrying about their canopy more than their weight displacement in the harness once it starts going in a direction. just relax and let the canopy do its thing, it will usually work itself out.

I agree, i know a few TI who say its a distraction and dont wear one. I myself have no problem with making two paid jumps for every one. i also have not encountered any problem with it. for the most part your just holding your hand out there, just like you do anyway. Making sure to get the right angle of course. I do however believe and did follow the 200 tandem jumps before putting one on. But for the life of me dont see why a few TI who also instruct for a living, dont want to double their income.

i dont know how your dz is ran, but most i have worked for and helped at, the skydiver is responsible for the spot. YOU tell the pilot what you want, YOU are the one jumping out. i could maybe see where your going with packers wanting to maintain most the pack jobs, but i think the pilot could really care less about whose in charge of the spot. And seeing as im the professional skydiver i think i will tell him where i want it, besides what does the pilot care?

freefly pud for sure, if it wont come out free flying, i wont have to worry to much on belly!

They are a student not a passenger! 1) Experience has not shown a need for a cutaway system for tandem handcam gloves, and I have never seen one. 2) When they ride with me they are mostly passengers. Almost all bucket list types. I may teach them something, but I'm not dishonest enough to tell myself they are students. dont take my word for it, i didnt invent tandem parachute jumping. But maybe you will take bill booths word on it, maybe even if you have a sigma rating? This is kinda sad if you didnt know that and have a tandem rating. "A tandem jump is not a carnival ride. Because your performance (the students) will affect the outcome of the jump, you are a STUDENT, not just a passenger.

They are a student not a passenger!

I visited deland for the first time short while back, real friendly bunch there! Everytime i go to a new place i learn more why everyone loves my home dz!

hillsonedit: in general, IMO, I tend to think the comparison / question is better when you're talking about folks in the 500-1500 range of jumps...when this guy has 9000, that guy has 4500, this dude has 12000 (be they tandem, demos, RW etc) the comparions begin to lose some meaning, I think. In general, I would assume that if someone is doing 1000 a year they're either being paid to teach, compete, are commerical or some combination. Dunno...sort of an odd thing to think about when there are digits bigger than 1 or 2 in front of the comma... ****** As your stats show, alot of fatalitys are D license holders. I think this is because once alot of experience is gained. you start to push the envelope more and more with smaller and smaller canopies. D license holders are also more than likely doing more jumps than someone just starting out. We see it all the time, another fatality with thousands of jumps. No one is immune. i dont think experienced people are more at risk, i think they jump more and take bigger risk because of knowledge gained to do so. unfortunatly when you do make a mistake at high speeds its never pretty, no matter how many jumps you have!

Well to clarify i guess the main debate or question is which skydiver would be better overall? say its the same person, if they squeeze in a bunch of jumps in a short time, or jump regularly over a longer time, what would make the skydiver better overall? Does time outweigh consistency? or does consistency outweigh time? This is with the idea that both jumpers jump regularly, as in stay current in the respect of not letting a month go by without jumping. just curious on thoughts on the subject

My vote is for 500 in one year. To extend it look at 1000 jumps over 20 years vs 1000 jumps over 5 years. I'd say the latter is more current. Of course more jumps is more current but im saying overall learning wise. Rememeber both have the same airtime, but you think being around the dz, talking to pilots, learning from others plays a roll or just jumping landing and jumping is the only true skill builder. An if so what do you think of the 3 year stipulation on Ti rating?

An interesting debate to me came up. One guy has 500 jumps over 3 years. Another guy makes 500 jumps over one year. The guy whose been jumping one year makes the claim he has more currency in a shorter amount of time creating a faster learning curve. The other guys claims he has been in the sport longer over those jump numbers and has seen more. Skill wise which do you think is the better learning curve. This was debated also over the tandem rating but think its a good topic in general. Does time in the sport help more than currency?

hey all, Just curious, i have done some tandems for other dzs than my home dz. I know they need to check your credentials before ever letting you take a customer. But they also want to see your class 3 medical on the spot. The question i always think is, If you have your USPA card in date with the ratings, why would they need to verify your medical is in date? As you have to verify this with USPA before they will issue you the in date card displaying your ratings. Wouldnt USPA card showing your ratings validate your medical as you have to show this to USPA to renew anyway?

let me state i also use a riser and harness input initiating a turn, but in the dive i try to only use harness input generating the speed. i obviously wouldnt just throw a leg up to start a dive only but after getting vertical not put much riser input.

ummm....no. You're wrong. I have talked with a few swoopers who swear by it. I overcourse know you have way more experience than me ian. So do you personally not think, doing the same turn without deflecting your wing, (bending it theoretically) by pulling on a riser, but harness turning keeps more speed? I have tried both ways and can tell a difference. just curious your opinion, as it works for me. With the idea that you are getting just as vertical in a dive but keeping the wing level and not deflected from pulling the lines on one side. I think warren cleary described this method.

That's not a very effective way to fly a 150. Hence why i stated WITH SMALLER HIGHLY LOADED CANOPIES.