SkymonkeyONE 4 #51 January 20, 2005 Skydiving as a sport is totally inconsequential as compared to other, seemingly less interesting to us activities such as bowling. Fact: there are only roughly 36,000 dues-paying members in the United States Parachute Association. That's it folks, and you can bet your ass that about 1/4 of them don't even jump anymore and simply like to keep getting the magazine. By comparison, there are 30,000 people in Cumberland County, NC (Fayetteville, Fort Bragg) who pay dues into the PBA (Pro Bowlers Association) and compete on the local and regional level. We participate in a very, very fringe activity. Chuck Blue fringe participant/competitor since January 10th, 1981. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #52 January 20, 2005 QuoteQuoteMore money also means more R&D, and safer equipment Booth's Law #2 - "The safer skydiving gear becomes, the more chances skydivers will take, in order to keep the fatality rate constant." While I totally agree in the aggregate, I believe that I, individually, could use advancing gear to stay safer (rather than using it to take additional chances, but stay at the same overall risk level). In either case, the sport advances (the more risk averse folks stay alive, the less risk averse folks continue driving the envelope forward).-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmanpilot 0 #53 January 20, 2005 QuoteBy comparison, there are 30,000 people in Cumberland County, NC (Fayetteville, Fort Bragg) who pay dues into the PBA (Pro Bowlers Association) I'm simply blown away by that. There must not be a whole lot to do in Cumberland County._________________________________________ -There's always free cheese in a mouse trap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmanpilot 0 #54 January 20, 2005 I can only think of one good reason, ...more/better/biger/safer/faster ride to altitude._________________________________________ -There's always free cheese in a mouse trap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #55 January 20, 2005 I agree with you, Tom. But, I also believe that as the equipment gets safer, there will be more jumpers, and if the sport grows bigger, there will be more fatalities simply due to the large number of people doing it. This will scare away the risk-averse. I think it's almost a situation wherein a homeostasis has been reached. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #56 January 20, 2005 The Academy of Model Aeronautics has over 80,000 members. These are grown men playing with toy planes...Yes I have some, no you may not touch them, they are mine."No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsaxton 0 #57 January 20, 2005 From the way I see a lot of people driving, I'm sure glad that they aren't in the air ;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #58 January 20, 2005 I just wanted to respond to a couple of the different talking points I've seen in this discussion. 1. Skydiving will never be snow skiing. If skydiving grew to 100 times its current size (not something I think any of us would like to see), it would only be 1/10 to 1/5 the size of snow skiing. 2. Nobody in the sport of skydiving is ever going to be recognized in a bar as "that guy from the skydiving competition." I don't think anyone is really looking for that kind of recognition, but if they are, they are sadly misguided. I love catching extreme sporting competitions on ESPN 2, but I couldn't pick any of the competitors out of a lineup. The coverage of those non mainstream sports makes me much more aware of the sports than the competitors.I don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tink1717 2 #59 January 20, 2005 It's more or less #7: The sport that doesn't grow, goes. If there isn't new and more blood, there will be no more sport.Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off. -The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!) AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottMcC 0 #60 January 20, 2005 Quote 2. Nobody in the sport of skydiving is ever going to be recognized in a bar as "that guy from the skydiving competition." that's because they all wear helmets and don't have their names embroidered on their jumpsuits in 2 inch tall letters. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Girlfalldown 0 #61 January 20, 2005 So that I can be sponsored by something like Pepsi and make a bunch of money doing what I love... -------------- (Do not, I repeat DO NOT, take my posts seriously.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #62 January 21, 2005 QuoteQuote 2. Nobody in the sport of skydiving is ever going to be recognized in a bar as "that guy from the skydiving competition." that's because they all wear helmets and don't have their names embroidered on their jumpsuits in 2 inch tall letters. When skysurfing was on the extreme games, they announced the names of the 12 teams. They put the names of the skysurfer/cameraman on the screen while it was going on. When they landed, a network person would interview them without helmet. That said, no one will remember sports heroes unless they are interested in the sport. Tony Hawk is huge to skateboarders, but I couldn't tell you what he looks like. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropoutdave 0 #63 January 21, 2005 QuoteI agree, but do you think its not fucked up that the Best Skydivers in the world drive used cars while the an Average player in another sport (say tennis) drives a BMW? I'd hope that most skydivers realise they don't need a BMW to make them happy. I'd hope that most skydivers also realise that the way they live their life rather than the amount of money they earn is more important. Maybe it's just the hippy in me, I dunno, I'd be happy in an old mini. ------------------------------------------------------ May Contain Nut traces...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skr 1 #64 January 21, 2005 It's a good question. I think I come down, just barely, on the side of bigger. What tips the scale for me is that skydiving is a pretty cool thing to share with people, and I think that if more people were skydiving fewer people would be out there pulling all the crap that's causing so much trouble. It's overall a good influence on the world. Otherwise, the good parts, the clout of numbers, the advancement of gear, the availability of dropzones, are pretty well balanced by the bad parts, the Disneyland-ification of skydiving. I have never tried to either make it more visible or hide it myself. Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #65 January 21, 2005 We might be getting off topic here but i agree dropout If your looking for bright lights fame and fortune skydiving/jumping is the wrong place to be. IMO it's more about personnel satisfaction (fun factor) and how you decide to go after it. There's plenty of World champs in olympic sports that live obscure lives but enjoy the sport that they have chosen to be good at. If you want fame and fortune Golf Tennis B-Ball only a few make it to the big time in those sports but you'll never make F&F in skydiving.Just max out on the fun meterWhich ain't to bad R.i.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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