How do I know when I need to renew my subscription
Premier subscriptions placed with WorldPay's FuturePay service will automatically re-charge you at the defined periodicy. You will receive an email notification from WorldPay when this happens. It will try to do this a few times before giving up, and canceling your subscription. In order to determine your periodicy, please consult your subscription receipt. (3, 6 or 12 months) Please keep track of your subscription information. We will attempt to answer queries relating to this in the Subscription Support forum, but please remember that your account management is your responsibility, as we do not have access to your financial information.
By admin, in Premier Membership,
Are Premier Members invincible on the forums
No. As stated in our User Agreement, Premier Members are just as liable for following the Forum Rules as anyone else and are subject to the same penalties as anyone else. You are not entitled to a refund if you are banned or denied access to any part of the site due to breaking of our User Agreement. If you are unhappy with that, please see our Cancellation Policy. We are certainly open to constructive conflict resolution and trust anyone who is willing to subscribe and support Dropzone.com will be too.
By admin, in Premier Membership,
Why is my Premier Membership no longer working
If your Premier privileges has stopped unexpectedly, it could be for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is that WorldPay actually cancelled your subscription for you. This can happen in the following instances: your credit card has expired; WorldPay was unable to retrieve funds; you removed your payment source (credit card, checking) before adding a new source, and switching your subscription to that source. In all instances, the solution is to simply re-subscribe.
It may also be because your credit card was not processed by WorldPay. This can happen because of expired cards, change of address issues (though rare), and authorization issues (your balance, etc.).
By admin, in Premier Membership,
What is your cancellation and refund policy
Should you decide to cancel, you should first cancel using WolrdPay's cancellation method, and then contact us if you are expecting a refund. Our refund policy is as follows (excerpted from the Dropzone.com Premier Subscription Agreement):
"Premier Membership Cancellation: If you purchase a Premier Membership to access the Fee-Based Services and cancel at any time during that subscription, your Premier Membership will continue to be active for the period of your original subscription but will not be renewed thereafter.
If you cancel your Premier Membership within 7 days of the original subscription by cancelling the agreement at WorldPay AND notifying Dropzone.com via email Dropzone.com will refund the total amount of your subscription, minus a $10 processing fee.
"
By admin, in Premier Membership,
How do I cancel my Premier Membership
To cancel all your future payments you have to log in to the WorldPay payment management system using the login information provided on your original receipt. We DO NOT have access to this receipt and can not provide you with new information should you loose it. If you cancel within 7 days and wish to receive a refund you ALSO have to email Dropzone.com and notify us of your cancellation.
When you cancel (not within 7 days), your account will remain at Premier status throughout the original subscription period.
To cancel:
Log in to the WorldPay Shopper Management System (SMS) at: http://www.worldpay.com/shopper
Use the shopper Username/Password in the email you received when you signed up. The email subject was: "Dropzone.com CARD FuturePay Agreement Confirmation"
In the table titled "Customer FuturePay Agreements" click on the "Change Details" Icon
At the bottom just above the dark blue block, click the "Cancel" button next to "Cancel this agreement"
Confirm by clicking "Yes" next to "Are you sure that you wish to cancel this agreement"
Your agreement will be cancelled and no further payments will be taken.
By admin, in Premier Membership,
How do I contact customer or subscriber support
Customer support for existing Premier Members is available in the Premier Membership Support Forum. Please note that questions about account management, including credit card problems, cancellations, and more, are addressed in this FAQ. Cancellations are will not be processes in the forum.
By admin, in Premier Membership,
Don't you think this is some kind of elitism
In a sense, this is indeed some kind of elitism because it affords special benefits to those who subscribe. We're not naive about that. However, let's be honest here. This is a site on the internet. You likely own a computer. Ever hear of the "digital divide?" You have a computer, that makes you elite already. This is a value-added service like any other service that you pay for. The extra Premier features on Dropzone.com is of value to you or it's not. That value is worth a fee to you, or it's not.
By admin, in Premier Membership,
Mirage Systems Salutes Our Troops
Since Mirage Systems has a soft spot for the troops, we’d like to offer a special discount to any soldier (U.S. or Coalition) currently or recently deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan that wants to order a Mirage Systems container for personal use.
We’ll need verification of qualification, including proof of deployment. Qualified participants get a base container discount of 50% and a 15% discount on options. Any participants can contact Mirage Systems directly at 386-740-9222 or e-mail at sales@miragesys.com. This offer is good until further notice.
Florida Skydiving Center at Lake Wales Destroyed
As many of you already know, on Friday, August 13th, the category 4 Hurricane Charley hit Florida's west coast with winds of 145 mph. It cut through the state, right through Lake Wales, destroying the Florida Skydiving Center. The US CF Skydiving team was at Florida Skydiving Center, practicing for the upcoming World Championships in Croatia next month, when the hurricane hit. Thank God no one was killed or injured at the drop zone, although we are getting reports now that, so far, 16 people throughout Florida were killed by "Charley".
The past two days, the US team has been there with the owner, Betty Kabeller-Hill and Roger Hill, going through the debris, searching for whatever they can salvage and cleaning up the terrible mess left by this destructive storm. They've had no power in the area for 3 days now and their cell phones are not getting a signal. Raul said the top half of the tower was on the ground. The phone line is working now. Betty said half the hanger is gone. "We've lost everything", she said. She also told me that there is no insurance. Some of the Mobile homes at Florida Skydiving Center were smashed to pieces and some were flipped over. People who lived at the drop zone are now homeless and I guess jobless too.
The Skydiving community has been a family, always helping each other out in times of need. Here is an opportunity for us to reach out and help these people, our family, in their time of suffering and need. We've set up a "Florida Skydiving Center Disaster Fund" and a "FSC Employee Disaster Fund" for the people who lost their homes there. If you can help, please specify on your check or money order, the Disaster Fund you are contributing to and send your donation to Betty's home at:
Florida Skydiving Center
c/o Betty Kabeller-Hill
400 El Camino Drive #203
Winter Haven, FL 33884
If you want to use a bank wire transfer, Florida Skydiving Center already had an account set up for event registrations that you can use. Just specify in the Special Instructions that it is for the Disaster Fund. The account for bank wire transfers is:
Wachovia Bank
Routing # 063000021
Acct. # 2090002569803
Acct. name: Phoenix Air, Inc.
If you have any questions, you can call the Florida Skydiving Center at 863-678-1003. Keep in mind that they are overwhelmed and hard at work trying to clean up.
Anyone who can come out to help in the cleanup efforts, your help will be appreciated.
Thanks!
Gail Ramirez
Forum Discussion and Updates
PayPal Donation Information
Lake Wales, Florida Skydiving Center Web Site
Flight Planning for Safety
In any aviation activity proper flight planning is critical to safety, and skydiving is no exception. If you take the time beforehand to plan for various eventualities, you don't waste precious time making decisions when they arise.
Preflight
Familiarize yourself with aerial views of the DZ and surrounding area, if they are available. Note locations of obstacles and pick likely outs for bad spots in various directions.
Check weather reports, if possible, and note forecast winds at altitude, cloud conditions and any approaching fronts. You are less likely to be blindsided by rapid changes in conditions when informed of their likelihood.
Turn on your AAD, if so equipped. Make sure your hook knives are accessible.
Find out who on the formation has audible or visible altimeters, AADs and RSLs; make sure they are all operational and properly initialized.
Check your and your partners' gear.
Make sure you are in agreement on breakoff and opening procedures and altitudes.
Face into the wind and see where the sun is. Its position should be the same when you are on final and there is no wind indicator available.
Exit
Know what groups are around you, what they are doing and what delay is planned between groups (ask around before and after boarding). The Skydive Arizona policy of large to small slow-faller groups, followed by large to small fast-faller groups, followed by students, followed by tandems is the best all-around approach in the business.
The more of a delay between groups you can arrange, the better. DO NOT assume that any reasonable delay is reason not to pay attention to other groups in the air - LOOK AROUND!
Freefall
Dock gently, from the level of the formation. DO NOT swoop into a formation, but make the final approach smooth and deliberate.
DO NOT EVER get above or below a formation. Inadvertent deployment can become fatal fast if people are above each other.
If low, stay near and to the side of the formation until breakoff. Do NOT begin tracking before breakoff altitude, and DO NOT do anything to increase vertical separation..
Track flat at a common level. DO NOT drop out of a formation vertically. If you have an inadvertent deployment when you are below the formation, the likelihood of someone getting killed is significant. The greatest likelihood of an inadvertent deployment is right after exposing the pilot chute pouch to direct air stream - like when dropping out of a formation in a stand-up.
Track to a clear sector while watching the people on either side. While flat tracking, it is easy to split the difference between the people to either side by looking under your arms.
Canopy Flight
Open at an appropriate altitude. Between two and three thousand feet is reasonable for a high traffic event; any higher opening (for CRW or whatever) should be arranged with the pilot.
Do NOT spiral down through a high traffic area. If spiraling to lose altitude, get well off the wind line to stay clear of the spot for other groups, and LOOK AROUND. In a turn, the direction of most likely collision is at the leading edge of the canopy in the direction of the turn, and there is a blind spot where a collision may occur between jumpers whose canopies blocked their view of each other until right before the collision. I reiterate - SPIRALING IN HIGH TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS!
The safest flight path when opening above the landing area is to fly the canopy away from the landing area, perpendicular to jumprun, until far enough out to allow a long, shallow approach to the landing area (leave enough room for obstacle clearance).
LOOK AROUND NEAR THE GROUND! Don't fixate on your landing, but pay attention to who is in the area. Keep your head on a swivel, and periodically scan for potential traffic.
Do not execute unplanned turns near the ground. If you are cut off on final, executing an avoidance turn must not be a possible response.
Landing
The safest landing areas are the least popular ones with the most outs. Landing in congested areas or where ground traffic is allowed (e.g., the camping area) can be an invitation to disaster.
If you must turn for traffic or obstacle avoidance while setting up to land, use a FLAT TURN. If you don't know how to do so, find out from someone experienced in the maneuver and practice at altitude until you have the procedure wired.
Keep your head on a swivel after touchdown. Even if you land under complete control, you might want to dodge someone who is swooping where they should not. If landing out is inevitable, or if safely making it to a designated landing area is in doubt:
Pick an open area in which to land by 1,000 feet (300 metres). Corn can be over 12'(4m) tall (a cornfield is NOT like an unmown lawn), so landing between rows and preparing for a PLF will reduce the likelihood or extent of injury.
Any changes of color on the ground probably have barbed wire along the boundary. Land parallel to any area changes.
Locate any telephone poles or other wire supports by 500 feet (150 metres), and set up to avoid the wires that are sure to go between them.
Identify the lay of the land by 500 feet (150 metres), and set up to land alongside any hills. Do NOT land uphill or downhill, REGARDLESS of what the wind is doing.
If there is any doubt about the landing surface, or if you are sure to have excess speed on touchdown (like when stuck with a downwind landing) execute a PLF and roll out the landing. Keeping feet and knees together, and not using hands or elbows to break the fall can greatly help avoiding injury.