Treejumps 0 #1 June 24, 2004 There is a huge debate in the incidents about yet another 300 jump wonder hooking it in on a highly loaded (2.1) Xbrace while attempting a swoop course with 5' gates. He may or not walk again. During a recent discussion about PST and how big it may or not become with the general public, the question came up about what if a spectating whuffo were to say "WOW, thats cool and I want to do that! Well, to start you would have to go through AFF, Cost: $1,500.00. THen you would need to buy your first set of gear Cost: at least $3000.00 (used. Then make a bare minimum of 500 jumps. Cost $10,000.00. Buy a couple more canopies during your transition Cost: $3000.00. Get some canopy control and swooping training. Cost: $1000.00. Make several hundred more jumps. Cost$6000.00. Travel around to some swoop comps and train in the Intermediate class: Cost: $2500.00. FInally, buy a brand new custom color and sized Xbrace: Cost $2000.00. Make a couiple hundred more jumps. Cost: $4000.00. Now, after all of that, assuming you had some natural talent, trained hard, learned all you could, have around 1,000 jumps and several years being around the sport (sorry, don't try to do this in one year no matter how much cash you have, time in sport is critical) you probably have what it takes to begin to compete at the lower levels of high performance canopy swooping. Total cost: $31,000.00. Cost to not be lifeflighted out of Perris with spinal cord injuries and maybe never walk again: Priceless If you try to short change this route you run the risk of being the next guy that everyone is sad about having known for a short time, and then you were gone. There really is no oher course. So do I think that PST will ever grow beyond what it is today? Its already smaller than last years tour. Participation is tiny and the number of folks qualified to do it currently number in the few hundreds, world wide. You make the call. But for all of the swooping minded beginners out there, you pay on way or another. My 2 cents. Tree Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites turtlespeed 226 #2 June 24, 2004 Doode - you forgot to add in the cost of all the beer. ANY sport you go into and try to compete as a pro is going to be expensive and take YEARS of training. You don't just walk into the Denver stadium without 10-15 yaers of experiance You can't just walk into a rodeo and expect to ride a bull like Tuff Hedeman(sp) it takes years. I agree with you, anyone who has the drive and gumption to get into swooping, seriously, does it at "any cost" literally. However, by the time you get to where you might stert training, for ANY discipline in this sport, you know the risks, and you either accept them or you don't.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites speedy 0 #3 June 24, 2004 The cost to learn swooping is peanuts to the cost of becoming a Formula 1 driver. Now if PST got big in the public eye we could maybe find some sponsors to offset the cost of learning to swoop. Dave Fallschirmsport Marl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BASE813 0 #4 June 24, 2004 having had my friend recently "fuck up" on a canopy bigger than he normally swoops, having lots of experience, being a very cautious canopy pilot / swooper, being very strong and fit, being someone that no one thought would get hurt, being better than the people that downsize way too quickly - then I have to say your post hits the nail on the head!!! If it can happen to my friend then I truely beleive it can happen to anyone............ the only thing here is that your less likely to fuck up with more experience - but the only difference in when it happens is what people say about you - either "fuck i never thought that would happen to him" or "well what did you expect" please be the first............... dont let your friends visit you in hospital...... Nice one Tree! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites damion75 0 #5 June 24, 2004 QuoteANY sport you go into and try to compete as a pro is going to be expensive and take YEARS of training. I agree with turtle - this is a serious sport, just like Formula One, football etc. Just because it is not a widely seen sport worldwide doesnt make it any easier or less serious - and these costs are peanuts compared to the costs of getting to the top in some other sports. Add on to that that people do die and get seriously injured in other such 'high risk' sports (motorsports for instance) when they try to rush into it without the right training and skill set. This is not a situation unique to skydiving / swooping. Your view of the future seems (I hope!) a little pessimistic. Until only a few months ago I thought that swooping was for maniacs, and the very skilled only. I still think it is only for the very skilled but having just started carving turns into final (on my big assed Spectre!) I now understand why they want to do it, and I hope that in a few years I might have the skill to start getting into that arena. I sincerely hope that you are wrong and that in a few years, the arena is still there! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
turtlespeed 226 #2 June 24, 2004 Doode - you forgot to add in the cost of all the beer. ANY sport you go into and try to compete as a pro is going to be expensive and take YEARS of training. You don't just walk into the Denver stadium without 10-15 yaers of experiance You can't just walk into a rodeo and expect to ride a bull like Tuff Hedeman(sp) it takes years. I agree with you, anyone who has the drive and gumption to get into swooping, seriously, does it at "any cost" literally. However, by the time you get to where you might stert training, for ANY discipline in this sport, you know the risks, and you either accept them or you don't.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedy 0 #3 June 24, 2004 The cost to learn swooping is peanuts to the cost of becoming a Formula 1 driver. Now if PST got big in the public eye we could maybe find some sponsors to offset the cost of learning to swoop. Dave Fallschirmsport Marl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BASE813 0 #4 June 24, 2004 having had my friend recently "fuck up" on a canopy bigger than he normally swoops, having lots of experience, being a very cautious canopy pilot / swooper, being very strong and fit, being someone that no one thought would get hurt, being better than the people that downsize way too quickly - then I have to say your post hits the nail on the head!!! If it can happen to my friend then I truely beleive it can happen to anyone............ the only thing here is that your less likely to fuck up with more experience - but the only difference in when it happens is what people say about you - either "fuck i never thought that would happen to him" or "well what did you expect" please be the first............... dont let your friends visit you in hospital...... Nice one Tree! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
damion75 0 #5 June 24, 2004 QuoteANY sport you go into and try to compete as a pro is going to be expensive and take YEARS of training. I agree with turtle - this is a serious sport, just like Formula One, football etc. Just because it is not a widely seen sport worldwide doesnt make it any easier or less serious - and these costs are peanuts compared to the costs of getting to the top in some other sports. Add on to that that people do die and get seriously injured in other such 'high risk' sports (motorsports for instance) when they try to rush into it without the right training and skill set. This is not a situation unique to skydiving / swooping. Your view of the future seems (I hope!) a little pessimistic. Until only a few months ago I thought that swooping was for maniacs, and the very skilled only. I still think it is only for the very skilled but having just started carving turns into final (on my big assed Spectre!) I now understand why they want to do it, and I hope that in a few years I might have the skill to start getting into that arena. I sincerely hope that you are wrong and that in a few years, the arena is still there! *************** Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
