Will you Buy?

[skydived19006 4]

This was posted on my web site discussion forum. Willie is a former DZO. I don't know if this is the appropriate forum here, maybe should be in the Speakers Corner. I as a DZO thought many might find it interesting. BTW, he's talking about a small one C182 DZ.

Martin
Air Capital Drop Zone
Wichita Ks

Will you buy?
From: Willie
Date: 29 Jun 2004
Time: 09:49:47 -0400
Remote Name: 65.193.82.149


Comments
I know there's a lot of talk about our cheapo DZO, or I've heard some anyway. Here's a thought. You can have your own little slice of the pie (a DZ) by simply finding and buying an aircraft. Of course you'll have to spend around 40k to buy it and say another 5k to put it in jump configuration. Then locate a facility on an existing airport that will allow jumpers. Maybe you'll have to spend a few weeks in meetings, away from your regular job, arguing your case with some municipality or with the airport authority before you can be allowed to open up. Then rent the facility and spend another 5k putting the place in order, you know, credit card machine and all the paperwork for that, the bank account and all the phones and electric. Oh no! You forgot the AC insurance payment! Well that's another 6k, if it's a nasty older AC. Better pay that too. Let's see now, buy some Tandem gear and some student gear. That's another 40k or so. Almost there. Now for some advertising and it might take a year or so to put it in place. The AC ANNUAL and 100 HR inspections are due, about 1k, not to mention that bad transponder and the radio that works intermittently. The prop needs a 4k overhaul and the fuel bladder has a leak. The FAA sends you an airworthiness directive that grounds the AC until it's complied with and the ELT is out of date. Add another 4k. If you're up and running, you hope and pray for a HUGE fuel bill, meaning you flew lots of loads, and when the bill comes you're staying up all night wondering how you're gonna pay it. The cops show up because somebody just walked or rode their bike on the runway and it's a Federal runway. You get a registered letter from the municipality and the FAA, citing that and a low flight by your otherwise responsible pilot. The credit card machine broke down, the water fountain froze and flooded the hangar. One of the regulars got hurt, that brought the cops again and some negative publicity from the media. The weather has kept everyone away for weeks. The grass needs to be mowed, all the rigs are overdue, the hangar needs to be cleaned and all the help and all the students went to another DZ this weekend. USPA dues are due and the banker is on line 2. The pilot had to take today off and the other pilot is on vacation. All the folks at the DZ will wonder why you're so tense all the time. Why can't you just relax and have fun? After all, you're the one with all the money. You spend it like there's no tomorrow. Can you buy us some food and beer? Lower our jump prices, just so we can have some fun? Some of us have already "put our time in." Maybe those who are concerned about our cheapo DZO should "step up to the plate." Martin performs a difficult task and he does it well. He needs your support, not your criticism. Just my thoughts. Willie

Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ