Google Earth Drop Zone Project -- Ideas and Discussion

[Chrisky 0]

Compilation of all dropzones on Google Earth (as one kml/kmz file) can be downloaded here. Props go to Eule, his posted link is somewhat hidden

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

[CygnusX-1 43]

Here is Skydive Sebastian, FL and Skydive Space Center (Titusville, FL). For quick easy reference:

http://www.skydiveseb.com/index.html
http://www.skydivespacecenter.com/

I've been to Sebastian so I know that is correct. I have not been to Titusville but that is where their website says that they should be.

[Eule 0]

The site has been updated. There are 185 dropzones listed.

I added the ones posted by johndyer, Chrisky, and CygnusX-1. Apparently Canada is thawed out enough to jump, because I got several for Alberta in PMs, which I also added. I recently got a new job and had a project with a short deadline, which is why updates have been somewhat slow. The project is done, so I should be able to update the site more often now.

For those of you just tuning in, I am collecting all of the files posted in this thread and putting them online here. At that site, you can also download one file that contains all of the dropzones that have been posted so far.

Keep those cards and letters coming!

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[PWScottIV 0]

Here's one for Skydive Santa Barbara. There's overlays for things such as the landing areas and hazards. In your "places" window there's information on each of the features I added.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[Station 0]

Skydive Snohomish,
Snohomish, Wa

[mdetrano 0]

Hey, nice project. Had not seen it before.

I'd like to add this simple .kmz for Canton Air Sports.

[SethInMI 174]

Eule,

I noticed you have not logged on in over a month, but here is a link to a kmz I created for Premier Skydiving in Fremont, MI. It is 600k with the image overlay, so I can't attach it.

Premier KMZ

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

[BobFolline 0]

Attached are the Washington DZ's including the posting above from Snohomish, WA.

These are also posted to the google community pages.

Working to be the last flyer on a birdman suit. ;-)
...
Who also flies a tony suit.

[mooy 0]

I saw that there was not many from sweden so here is my home dropzone.

I should compile a kmz for sweden too. But not today.

[spu 0]

This is Lisiciji Jarak, Dropzone in Serbia capital - Belgrade

[Gali109 0]

This is Chicagoland Skydiving Center (CSC). Awesome idea!

Laurent - www.RhythmSkydiving.com

[sundry 0]

And heres Skydive Syd in Sweden

[AdamGardner 0]

I think this has been a great effort- I would like to see more information about the DZ,
including-jump tickets prices, bunk house prices, rv parking prices...etc

It would be really helpful when planning a cross country trip

[SkyJeaux 0]

I don't know if anyone has seen this, but Google Earth has a Flight Simulator built into it ( version 4.2 ). On the PC, once you are in Google Earth, hold down CTRL and ALT and hit A and it puts you in Sim mode. You can then use your current location and fly an SR22 or an F-16 ( the SR22 seems to replicate a jump run better..LOL ).

You can change the pilot angle and actually watch the ground move like you were spotting from the airplane, just without the winds or the other planes, so I guess it's not like spotting, but it is pretty cool.

Definitely use the help to learn all of what do with it, but I thought it was pretty damn neat to marry what is being done to document DZ's along with the ability to virtually "FLY" over them.

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

I think this has been a great effort- I would like to see more information about the DZ,
including-jump tickets prices, bunk house prices, rv parking prices...etc

It would be really helpful when planning a cross country trip

Although this would be a nice addition, perhaps not too practical in that prices change all the time. Maybe locating where you want to travel, then checking the DZ's own (updated) web site would be more accurate?

Just a thought.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[AdamGardner 0]

Quote

Although this would be a nice addition, perhaps not too practical in that prices change all the time. Maybe locating where you want to travel, then checking the DZ's own (updated) web site would be more accurate?

Just a thought.

ltdiver

Ok, maybe your right on making telephone calls for all the information would get more accurate responses. Although this is alot of work to do-and I am all for less work!

Also, how many DZ's maintain their websites? There are a few of the big DZ's that maintain it pretty well-but what about all those others out there who have not updated their site in years

As for a statistical purposes, it would be cool to have static prices. Say once every other year or so, gather all this information. As it is extremely easy if one person from each dropzone helped out. It could identify trends and would be interesting none the less to analyze.

For example, What are the average altitude that each dropzone flies too- sometimes this cannot be answered by the DZO, but by jumpers that jump their.

How many DZ's have you been too that say they jump at 14500- but normally go to 12500 unless tandems pay for the extra altitude

If you had many years of data, you could compare the economy to altitude, prices, and many other unthinkable reactions of the skydiving community. Their are a lot of different uses this information could prove useful, not just planning road trips.

With a little effort, we could create a simply survey which could be answered, sort of like that Time Tube everyone created and buried in kindergarten. The past only happens once, and how cool would it be to know that for example: in 2006 their were 1000 newly licensed skydivers, and that 78 percent of them lived in the pacific coastal states, or other information could be gathered that 25 percent of pro rated skydivers utilized their pro rating.

All with some simple thinking and creative individuals we could gather a TON of neat info.

It might sound kind of childish, and alot of random information but with more information comes more insight.

[RyanOBrian 0]

Skydive hawaii

[packerboy 3]

Don't have the picture here right now, but Skydive Gananoque (Just north east of Kingston, ON Canada) you can clearly see about ten canopies in the air.

--------------------------------------------------
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[cpoxon 0]

Any other dropzones within Street View?

Perris

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[LloydDobbler 2]

Well, there's Elsinore, but you can only see so much.

And then there's Mile-Hi...(though it's been a while since I've been out there, so I may've missed a turn somewhere...)
(edited to fix funky links)

Signatures are the new black.

[haden 0]

KMZ for Pociunai dropzone in Lithuania.

[spu 0]

KMZ file for dropzone in Northern Serbia - Aeroklub Kikinda

[Chubba 0]

Here's my contribution.

Caboolture Skydive, little single Cessna 182 dropzone in Queensland, Australia.

Shot from 10,000ft, our jump altitude.

[Chrisky 0]

Hey everybody, to help make the collection of worldwide DZs and organization in a single KMZ file easier, here's some simple guidelines to help set up a good placemark of your DZ;

1. Create ONE master placemark on the location where the key facility is. If there are several far apart places (like an off-airport landing area) or you'd like to add area describing polygons for landing areas, obstacles etc, please create a master DZ folder containing these sub-items. The master description with contact info can also be added to the folder descrition. (Right-click on placemark/folder>Properties)

2. Put Name and contact info of the DZ in the description field and include a website link if the DZ has a website. Simple www.whatever.net will be shown as a link by GE.

3. When done, put your DZ in a folder structure such as this: World Region>Country>DZ (or for the US Counrty>State>DZ as there are too many otherwise...)
(World Regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, Pacific, South America)

4. To export right-click on the topmost folder you created (i.e. your country folder), right-click and select "Save placemark under..." to save that folder/placemark exclusively to a file without exporting all your other places as well.

If you want to change the default placemark icon click on the placemark icon button to the right of the placemark name;

[inline GE.jpg]

Hope that helps!
Not sure if Eule is still following this thing; but let's make it easier to integrate!

ETA: I added all DZ that were added since the last "ALL COMPILED IN HERE" post.

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

[Jumpah 0]

Skydive New England in Lebanon, Maine, USA