Jumpdude

Yup!! The same old sLyride DZ, same scam, kinda new name! sLyride, Sportations, ASC, AST, Adventure, Bilateral, Spot Reservations, Whatever the hell you wanna call them, it's still the same scamming asses that's always been There!!! http://www.skydivegeorgia.com/ http://www.astskydiving.com/ http://www.greatlakesskydiving.com/ See, It's don't matter where you are, you can find the same damn site with a different name on it! Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

Not really biased, I was raised Church of Christ, and because of my parent's hardcore methods of ramming it down mine and my sister's throats, neither me or my sisters have hardly anything to do with the church now, not from resentment, just no interest in being like those kind of people. I have been exposed to people over the years that display the characteristics that I posted, and having known Christians of different religions, almost all of them in/from Tennessee, they all seem like miserable people, and they always have seem to something negative to say about someone, or try to place judgement on someone. You said that the lost ones are the ones that you are most interested in associating with, I 100% respect that answer, and that's what I would think that someone should to if they want to convey their message, but here in Tn, the attitude that is often prevalent is that those are bad people who will only bring you down! Don't associate with them! Hence a big part of me posting this thread in the first place! I recently introduced my GF to the family over the Christmas holidays, and my kids and sisters love her, but the parents had a very different attitude, the first question they asked her was not something like "Where are you from?" or "how long have y'all been dating", or even, "has he taken you skydiving yet?", Their first question was "What church do you go to?" I spoke up and answered for her, and said she don't go to any church, and from there, the whole subject has gone to crap from there. The most recent communication between me and the parents was how she's going to drag me down to hell with her, and I reminded them that I haven't been to church in almost 10 years, and that by them relentlessly ramming it down our throats only pushes us further away,,, well, the conversation declined from there til I finally just hung up the phone after telling them that when they can quit being religious zealots and open up a bit, just forget my phone number! Again, as I said up front, I'm not anti-religious, nor do I hate it, I do believe and I do not hate God, so don't anyone go off the deep end by thinking I'm an Atheist, Agnostic or Pagan, I'm not that at all, just stating that the way that some people approach it or act about it is totally unacceptable.

You are wrong. How is he wrong?? I read his post several times to figure out what's wrong with it, looks 100% straight forward and correct to me!

***I appreciate your reply to that. In light of how you replied, I think it would be interesting to discuss this face to face with you. You just can't put everything meant into a thread on line. I get frustrated with texting too when a phone call is what is really needed. You apparently have had more than your share of unfortunate encounters with Christians. I think it was pretty much cut-n-dry, That was my opinion, just as you have yours. I have known quite a few "Christians" that were like the description, so there it is. That's the ones I have an issue with.

Whoops!! I forgot a couple!!! I got told the other day that I am going to hell because I play the lottery!!! I disagree!! The Tennessee Lottery sponsors some kind of college fund or scholarships, so I'm not gambling! I'm sponsoring some college kid somewhere!!! Also, I was told that since my GF doesn't go to church, that she's going to hell and dragging me down with her!!! Um, Excuse me!!! My ex wife was a so called "Christian" and treated me like shit, even to the point of telling me that I was going to hell because I skydive rather than spend that time doing what she wanted to do, which was usually sit on the couch and complain, so, I'm happy to be with who I'm with! And she (New GF) wants to Skydive as soon as it warms up a bit!

That was a subject that I wasn't even thinking about when I wrote the OP. Not sure if that should be a "Right" or what, but I'm in the middle on that! I've been in pretty heated debates with my parents and others over that subject, While I don't really "Support" the subject, in certain situations, ie, rape, health issues that could cause death to mom and/or kid, drug addition etc, I feel it could be an acceptable option, but as a form of birth control just because they were to lazy, or trifling to use some for of birth control, I'm not for that! Ya gonna play, ya gotta pay!!!

First, I want to say that I am in NO WAY anti-religious, I do think that religion, regardless of what version, is or can be a good thing, so don't read half way into it and think I'm Athiest or whatever, but this may explain why it makes it really difficult for me to associate with some people (Not all) who call themselves "Christians"! So what makes person "A" better than person "B" because person "A" is a "So called" "Christian"? Does being a Christian give people the mentality that they are better than others? Why do "Christians" seem to try to find dirt on someone else? Why is that "Christians" seem to live in fear of "what if"? Why is it that "Christians" try to belittle others, in an effort to make the other person in to a bad person without even knowing them? Does being a "Christian" mean that you have to be a prude? Does being a "Christian" mean that you have to put others down or classify them as not good to associate with? Does being a "Christian" give them the right to tell someone that they are going to Hell if they don't become a so called "Christian"? Does being a "Christian" make it ok for them to not visit a family in time of sickness or death because the sick or deceased is/was not a "Christian", but smother the one's who is/were a "Christian"? Why is it that some, maybe most "Christians" look down on, or even refuse to do business with an establishment that sells/serves alcohol? Why is it that "Most Christians" I've ever known, have a tendacy to judge people (and it's almost never good)? Why is it that some "Christians" vote for a political candidate merely because the candidate was a "Christian" regardless if the candidate can actually do a good job or not? I could go on and on, but I don't have time to write the whole book, nor does most have time to read it, but the point is, if you take all these questions/facts that I've listed, would you actually want to be a "Christian", or roll them all up in to one person, be like that person, or even associate with someone like that??

The Punta Maracayo hotelpuntamaracayopr.com I stayed there a couple of times, may be there this year, it was a real nice place when I was there in 2010, and by their website, it looks like it's better that before. Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! It's a sLyride DZ!!! If they were a good and reputable DZ, myself and/or others would have referred that one! Read more about them and their track record for getting kicked out of airports and cities at astskydiving.net/Timeline.aspx Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

Go flight school! It's nice to see that jumpers aren't the only folks trying to deal directly with this. Well, "nice to see" may be a good way to look at it, but it's really very unfortunate that an entity like sLyride and their many names, new and old, have been able to escape the judicial system for way too long. I never did hear if Eloy was able to collect anything in their judgement, but I suspect that Cary Q successfully hid everything in new company names! Even this seems consistent! http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/ticket-sales-events/gadzuk-in-atlanta-ga-27411785 Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

Tennessee Skydiving Center in Tullahoma is the closest to Nashville, about 55 mins from Downtown Nashville, Skydivetullahoma.com If you already are, or care to drive about 3 hours towards Memphis, West Tennessee Skydiving is hands down, your best choice since they do have the fastest plane and other amenities, as BKS60 described, skydivekingair.com Your other choice would be 2 hours down I-65, Skydive Alabama, in Cullman, Alabama, They have a Caravan, and it's a great DZ, with a brand new facility with all the creature comforts! They are further than Tullahoma, closer than West Tennessee, but all three offer great skydives and a great atmosphere! Skydive Alabama's site is skydivealabama.com Another great DZ that you may consider if you are driving between Raleigh and Nashville, is Skydive East Tennessee! They are located right off the Gatlinburg/Sevierville exit, near Knoxville. Their website is skydiveet.com Hope that helps!

Don't know about NC, but if you can drive over in to Tennessee, check with http://www.skydivekingair.com Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

Skydive Chicago is a much better choice! www.skydivechicago.com

It don't look like it's one of their sites, but neither does spotreservation.com, but it's them, so it's highly possible that it is them, and it damn sure is the same business model! A scam alert site parked next to their on the search engines may be in their future!

Like I said earlier, USPA is a voluntary membership club, so based on that, fortunately, they do not have the authority to do ramp checks, so we don't have to worry about that happening!

If the TI has the manufacturer rating and has his/her ducks in a row with the FAA, who cares what the USPA thinks? USPA is a voluntary membership club and I've seen several DZO's who almost seem to live in fear of the all mighty USPA!

Good example as to why we don't allow hook turners and swoopers on our demos!

I'm pretty sure you meant to say "It's the demo ground crew's own damn fault for not ensuring that the area was cleared prior to jumpers landing." Because it should never be the responsibility of an uninformed, non-skydiving spectator to know, without being educated, where it is safe and not safe to stand. Shit, I don't even have a pro rating and I know that's on the "Demo jump 101" list. Yeah, That is exactly what I meant. When we do demo's, that is one of the first things that is covered with our ground crew and the people we are jumping for and the last thing we cover again with both parties before we (jumpers) depart to go to the plane. And nope, I don't have a Pro Rating either. Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

Why were those people on the field??? They should not have been on the field until after the skydivers landed!! Sure, the jumper could have steered away from that guy, but they should have been directed off the field until after the jumpers landed. It's their own damn fault!

Where's the like button??? You are soooo right!!! I absolutely DO NOT use swoopers for my demos!! My first demo I ever did, we used one, and he had to land out in a neighboring field that was over 300ft long and bitched about not having enough room even then! People have laughed at my big Falcon 300 for years, but I get the last laugh when I can do demo's that they can't!!

DZ.com needs to add a like button for posts like yours!!!! Sorry to hear about your DZ imploding, but that's exactly what will continue to happen if the brain dead DZO's who keep putting the faith in the middle men, and their asses on the line don't stop using the middle men! Some say L/S, and Groupon aren't sLyride, and that may be true, but it doesn't look like they are any better than slyride, now does it? They are bad for our sport,,, PERIOD!!!!!

Definitely Skydance!! Lodi accepts sLyride/Sportations/Spot Reservation! Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org

For the most part, skyride is in a position to just offer enough regional dropzones if people stop taking them that they can deal with the fact that others aren't taking them, so it's sorta moot. In a lot of cases, groupon / living social / etc, is just a form of competing with the guy down the road. It's hard to reach customers, those deal sites are just a different form of advertising that has a higher per customer cost - but it's also more quantifiable because it's a cost that is only paid when you make an actual sale. The deal sites aren't competing with the dropzones, they are a tool for dropzones to compete with each other. The deal sites just also happen to make a bunch of money as they do it, not unlike everyone else you have to pay for advertising. It's also a tool skyride has been pretty effective in using to tap into various markets.

That's fantasy land talk. It's never going to happen. What do you define as a middle man? We spend thousands of dollars annually on google advertising to keep our ads above the competitors. Is google a middleman? Are you suggesting we only use advertising that is free? In what world is someone running a business going to not try and take business from the guy down the road? If you're in a multi-dropzone market you really have two options; Advertise, grow, have a great dropzone and fight for customers; or go out of business. If the DZO down the road isn't trying to steal them from you, skyride damn sure will. I post in these kinds of threads cause I have a pretty strong idea of what I am talking about. In my market, sport jumpers have 4 good turbine dropzones to choose from and at least 3 cessna dropzones. All of this is within a circle that is about 3.5 hours from top to bottom. We have struggled for a long time with sport jumpers from the Madison area for example because there isn't a good direct route, there is a good cessna dz there and a lot of the younger people drive to Skydive Chicago or CSC - it just is what it is. Tandem wise, we have all the same dropzones trying to make money AND a dedicated skyride ran turbine dropzone - which runs groupon/livingsocial/whatever deals constantly. I just have to wonder what your experience is really in understanding how all this works. I have been running a dropzone for 6 years (though that's going to change soon, which will hopefully make the things more about fun and less about work) and it's offered a really unique perspective on the sport.

No offence, but this reeks of collusion. I know, that's why I said, if it were the perfect world, so to speak In the perfect world, I want DZO's to compete for my business. Gentleman's agreements fly in the face of that. Not just a little. Refuse to Lose!!! Failure is NOT an option! 1800skyrideripoff.com Nashvilleskydiving.org