SEREJumper

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Posts posted by SEREJumper

  1. A $99, 9k tandem can also be successful if you are able to upsell them for $30 for a 13k jump, as well as sell them video or stills. Its my experience a lot of people upgrade to double there freefall time for only $30 extra.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  2. Quote

    and we cant afford a student a communications device that is reliable



    What you meant to say was, "and they don't want to pay for a student communication device that is reliable." There are PLENTY of radio options that work, and work well. The issue is they cost a bit up front and most DZ's want to go the cheap route. Those cheap ones can work, but the rechargeable batteries need to be changed when they are not as reliable as they used to be, thats what I've noticed.

    Paragear used to sell an air to air communication system, but it was pretty expensive and never really caught on.

    A nice easy to read altimeter is the Altimaster II and you can pick up a used one on here for $45-60. They are very reliable. Here is a link to a new one for reference:

    http://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/altimaster-ii

    Vote with your wallet, go to the place that makes you feel comfortable, if something doesn't feel right or you are unsure about anything ask before you jump. Ultimately you are responsible for your skydive and canopy flight/landing which I think you get. Ask questions, make friends with those "old" jumpers, they have a lot of experience and are usually eager to share advise.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  4. If you are looking for no logging ability and simple operation. Either a SOLO or Pro-Dytter from L&B are great.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  5. Say these tandems were only for the slow season or Monday-Friday where there is not a lot of jumping normally.

    Possibly instead of $30 a jump, maybe get $20?

    It's just a poll, I'm not a DZO, just wondering what opinions were out there and not trying to sway anybody.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  6. This was brought up in another thread as a possible option to DZO's using discount websites for tandems. Say a regular jump is $200 and through the discount it's $100.

    Would you as a TI do the jump for say $15, instead of your normal $30 if it means you are getting more jumps in the day? This may potentially help the DZ with more advertising and bring in full paying or just more traffic in general.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  7. Quote

    One argument for the positive is that the cheap tandems increase the number of full pay who tag along



    In my limited experience, the discount site buyers don;t bring along full paying customers. It may happen once in a while, but the discount shoppers will just look for the next place to get the discount.

    Now the extra word of mouth you could get from happy customers is a possibility, but those people may also wait for the business to run another discount rather than paying full price.

    It just depends on the instructor about getting paid half for the tandems, some would be ok with it since they are pottentially jumping more. Others would rather jump less and get paid full price. Intereting question, I'm going to start a poll in the tandem section about it.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  10. THere are ways to scam with paypal, even if sent as goods/services. I always recommend escrow with a rigger that you feel comfortable dealing with.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  11. Quote

    We have a little jar in manifest that is to the side for tips.



    Out of sight, out of mind.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  12. Quote

    My lovely instructor started to twist and turn to navigate back to the airfield, whilst describing various landmarks.



    If you get car sick easily, this can happen due to the "twist and turn" to navigate. We as instructors can make the turns aggressive or gentle. He probably didn't ask and went with the aggressive turns. Next time, just ask for gentle turns and be vocal about what you want to do for the parachute ride. Remember you are paying for it!
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  13. Try a medium height (enough to reach terminal) solo belly jump with your riser covers open and see if you openings are better.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  15. Quote

    but always appreciated but DZ owner not keen on that idea.



    Well thats probably the reason ;) Most people coming to jump are not thinking about tipping, even though we are providing a service to them.

    The DZ I work at we give them little envelopes with the certificates and make sure to tell them if they had a good time, that the envelope is there for tips if they so choose. They can give it back to us, OR hand it to manifest. This gives them an easy out if they don't want to tip or don't have the cash to.

    How much do you tip a waiter to bring you drinks and the food from the kitchen? 10-15% of the check and most people don't even bat an eye at that.

    I do appreciate tips when I get them, but I'm not to bummed when I don't. I treat every jumper the same and give them the best experience I safely can since this may be the only time they ever jump.

    Normal tips are $10 and $20's in Northern, CA.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  17. Anyone have any current gauge on this? Has here policy changed? I've heard they are charging for the 4 and 8 year even if you are in the 8 year window and missed the 4 year.

    I'd call, but they are closed until Monday!
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  18. Quote

    I think it would be a pain in the ass for Oakland Center and NorCal Tracon who work the traffic going through there, but it is what it is.



    Yep, someone(s) job will take more effort and coordinating. Lots of ATC deal with these same issues across the country every day.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  19. Not totally relevant to your potato chipping, but pay particular attention to getting the side attachment straps tight when with smaller passengers. The students leg gets outside of yours after exit for a few seconds, then put them between yours after. The side straps looked good on this one, but the smaller/lighter passengers are the ones I think are the harder ones to fly in my experience.

    Definitely relax as others have said, chipping gets worse the harder you try to stop it. Thanks for putting it all out there for the critique, shows you do really care and want to learn. Be safe!
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  21. I would have done the same. No sense in "trying" to land on your rear risers and then braking/injuring yourself in the process with a Plan B all packing up back there.

    Live to fly another day!
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  23. Quote

    I guess I'm saying, just take a little pride in your stuff, people do gauge their impression of our sport on what they see, and not just the great skydive they got.



    Can't argue with that and I totally agree.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  24. Quote

    That's ok, one tailbone strike on a small stone, a TI will be caught up in a law suit by the crippled tandem passenger who does his/her homework and learns that they could have stood it up, and the TI will see the light the the good lord gave us landing gear (our legs/feet) for a reason!
    It pisses me off when I go to a dz and see the TI's with the asses busted out of their jump suits and the leg strap covers/padding worn away or starting to wear away. The quality of the tandem as we knew it has really gone to shit over the last few years.



    So your basically saying that you are pissed off about the instructors jump suits being in ill repair and the lack of adequate gear maintenance on tandem harness leg straps causing a potential safety hazard if the leg strap webbing were to be compromised.

    I agree with you about the gear maintenance issue, as for the TI's pants, thats a personal preference, although it may look more professional if he were to patch it up, but I don't think that affects safety for the student.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar

  25. Quote

    That's ok, one tailbone strike on a small stone, a TI will be caught up in a law suit by the crippled tandem passenger who does his/her homework and learns that they could have stood it up, and the TI will see the light the the good lord gave us landing gear (our legs/feet) for a reason!
    It pisses me off when I go to a dz and see the TI's with the asses busted out of their jump suits and the leg strap covers/padding worn away or starting to wear away. The quality of the tandem as we knew it has really gone to shit over the last few years.



    So you stand up every landing? If conditions permit I do, if conditions don't I don't. Whatever I feel is safer for the student, and thats the way it should be.
    We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar