Starting a New DZ

[GeekStreak 0]

Since my first jump I've been wondering how to make a living in skydiving. I have no special skills (with only 2 jumps so far) so I was wondering:
What would it take to start a NEW DZ?
-- chunk of land near an airport
-- building
-- plane(s)
-- JMs, Riggers, Instructors
-- JUMPERS
What else? How much? What can I expect to make? Where (preferably in TX) would you like a DZ?
Any DZOs out there wanna share?
1111,
GeekStreak

[Grogs 0]

Well, I am far, far from qualified to answer this question, but I would say the first and most important thing you would need would be a great deal of knowledge about skydiving, and most importantly, the internal mechanics/politics/etc of running a DZ. The best way to get this is by actually working/living at a DZ for a few years and get an appreciation of how the internal mechanics work, and the things a DZO/DZM goes through on a daily basis - things like how much to pay JM's/pilots/riggers/etc, aircraft maintenance, dealing with the FAA/airport authorities, and a million other things.
Probably the best and easiest way to live on a dropzone for a beginner is to become a packer. It requires no special skills, other than just the ability to pack chutes. True, it'll take you a while to get good enough for that, but it's by far easier and quicker than becoming a rigger/JM/pilot/etc, and pretty much any experienced jumper can help you get started at it. It's not *exactly* making a living skydiving, but you can definitely make enough to support your habit at a busy dropzone and probably have enough left over to afford food, beer, and those fun things and as you progress in the sport you can move on to other things like being a jumpmaster, and eventually if you decide to, a DZO.

[Dutchboy 0]

Try to get your hands on some back issues of Parachutist. They had a series of articles on this a couple of months back. For the most part you are probably going to lease everything you can: hangar, plane, etc. And only buy what you absolutely have to: rigs, student gear, etc.
A Cessna 182 jump plane in decent condition alone will cost you $30-60k. Of course, you can get a long term loan on this as well. Biggest cost that you can't finance so easily will be the equipment.
The Dutchboy
http://www.geocities.com/ppolstra

[PalmettoTiger 1]

Quote

What can I expect to make?

The quickest and most surefire way to make a small fortune in skydiving is to start with a large one.
Blues, squares,
PTiger
*insert witty sig here*

[GeekStreak 0]

So I'll starve, but I still get to jump, right?? 1111,
GeekStreak

[GeekStreak 0]

I just saw this in the employment section:
DZ FOR SALE!!
They have no airplane . Anybody know where they can get one?
1111,
GeekStreak

[mattb 0]

Be able to fly the jump plane - you need to keep the dz running when your pilot(s) aren't there. That and be able to do every other job from unclogging the toilet to acting as a jumpmaster.
Good luck

[skybytch 273]

Best bet is like others said - get yourself some time in the sport first. Pick up a rigger's ticket, tandem, AFF and S/L ratings and, if you can, a pilot's license - you want to be able to handle everything if all your flaky skydiver employees/contract people blow you off. Work at several different dz's so you can learn different ways of doing things.
Be sure to have liquid assets. Lots of 'em. A nice size trust fund, your retirement savings, your parents retirement savings, the winning lottery ticket, whatever. And a good lawyer. Contacts at city hall or county gov't will make airport access issues easier to deal with.
Besides student and tandem gear you'll also need to have at least a couple of "rental" rigs in various sizes available for your new graduates to jump. A rack full of jumpsuits for student use. Altimeters, helmets, goggles, radios... Video editing equipment. Most importantly, a well stocked BEER FRIDGE.
Expect to work your ass off and spend way more than you make at first. If you have the ratings you'll probably be able to make some jumps; without them you'll probably spend most of your time on the ground dealing with everything. One thing you likely WON'T be able to do as the DZO of a small DZ is travel, unless of course you have several people there that you trust implicitly to run your business while you're gone.
pull and flare,
lisa

[pyke 0]

Best advice I can think of..as I have pondered this very quesiton myself is....
become a silent(ask yourself first if you can truly be SILENT) partner in an operating dz, that way, you make a certain percentage of the takings, for a while/years/decades, while being involved in the understandings of how it is run and what it takes. Then, if you feel this is for you, and you follow the advice from above and get all your ratings, and certs out of the way, you can go to a bank and offer less risk to a banker than a newbie with a bright idea!!!
good luck, and let us know where it is and when it opens, as all your dz.com buddies should get their first jump free!!!!!!! At least Sangiro, if nobody else!Kia Kaha,
Pyke
NZPF A-2584

[GeekStreak 0]

WOW!! Y'all rock!
Thanks for all the great advice everybody!! I have a lot to learn .
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE TO PUT IT.
I'm thinking it should be someplace WARM near a good sized city or two. Thoughts? Let's discuss 1111,
GeekStreak

[Zennie 0]

Quote

I'm thinking it should be someplace WARM near a good sized city or two. Thoughts? Let's discuss.

Well, you mentioned Texas, but I'm trying to think of a major Texas city that doesn't have a DZ within reasonable driving distance. Houston has 3 Super Twin Otter DZs (we're gonna have to have an Otter race one of these days to end the "fastest Otter" debate once & for all).
San Antonio & Austin have Skydive San Marcos (and Austin has it's own DZ as well). Dallas has at least 2, prolly more. So I think Tejas is covered (maybe Corpus, but I think they have one as well).
Arizona has Eloy (dunno how far this is from Tucson). Florida has a gazillion DZs, as does California. I would say Las Vegas, because there was a need for a while, but the Flyaway folks just opened a regular-jumper-friendly DZ called the Gravity Zone.
Am I missing anyplace?
------------
Blue Skies!
Zennie

[GeekStreak 0]

Dang Zennie,
... after I just got my wife cozy with the idea of moving back to TX ! Sounds like competing with San Marcos or Dallas would be tough, right Sis? (I know you're lurking out there somewhere Perhaps I could re-phrase the question a little:
Where would you like YOUR DZ to be?
1111,
GeekStreak