full time skydive employment

[skyfreek 1]

i am considering taking a job on a DZ. live there, work,, instruct, pack, etc.
any advice out there?

[davelepka 4]

Make sure you have your AFF. tandem, and a video set-up with digital stills. Get your riggers ticket, and be ready to pack student/sport rigs too.

Don't forget to find a DZ where it's sunny all the time, and they'll give you as much work as you can handle.

Last, make sure you have soem good reciepes for ramen noodles.

However, you will have fun.

[Tenshi 0]

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i am considering taking a job on a DZ. live there, work,, instruct, pack, etc.
any advice out there?

Remember not to date any students

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

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i am considering taking a job on a DZ. live there, work,, instruct, pack, etc.
any advice out there?

Yes, don't even consider doing it unless you have all your ratings. Also, remember that packing parachutes is NOT making a living skydiving. If you want to skydive, then you will need to possess every instructional rating, plus be willing and capable of shooting decent video.

[riggerrob 643]

Don't quit your daytime job (carpentry) until you have ALL the ratings.

For example, I am current on teaching IAD, S/L, PFF and tandem. I may have packed 200 reserves in the past year, but spent more time sewing. I even help pack mains when the packing shed gets backed up on busy days.
Hand-mounted video is second-nature to me and about the only thing I don't do is outside video.
I also have 8 years experience fixing aircraft for the air force.
"Back in the day," I used to fly jump planes and my next hurdle is the commercial pilot written exam.

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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Yes, don't even consider doing it unless you have all your ratings. Also, remember that packing parachutes is NOT making a living skydiving. If you want to skydive, then you will need to possess every instructional rating, plus be willing and capable of shooting decent video.

From what I've seen, I have to agree with Chuck. On top of that make sure you are ready to mow the lawn, empty the garbage, etc just to pick up a few extra bucks most weeks. A good packer on a busy DZ will tend to make more money than the jumpers. However, packing is not fun, it burns you out quicker and you will more than likely hurt your body more this way than jumping.

Also, if you quit your job make sure you have some cash for a rainy day because you won't be making money when the clouds roll in. I've heard a few full time jumpers say "If I don't get at least three jumps in this weekend with students my car is going to get repo'd!!" Plus your weekends will be work days for your compared to your friends that are there to kick back and relax.

I used to want to work at a DZ full time until I spent a summer doing so.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Don't do it.It's a trick.


.

[CrazyL 0]

You're crazy dude. Just read davelepka's post over and over again,cuz he's right!

[goobersnuftda 0]

The best way to absolutlye HATE something you LOVE is to turn it into your job.

[dqpacker 7]

Don't become a manifest person I hate those bitches. J/k

[AndyMan 7]

If you insist on doing it, ensure you have at least a two monthes supply of Ramen noodles and Kraft Mac & Cheese.

If you're considering doing this in part of the country that shuts down in the winter, then you need to add to that two monthes the number of monthes you're shut down for. For example, If you're down for four monthes, then make sure to have at least a six monthes supply of Mac & Cheese and Ramen. Costco sells both by the case, so make sure to do the shopping there before you quit your day job.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[AFFI 0]

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The best way to absolutlye HATE something you LOVE is to turn it into your job.

[OSOK 0]

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The best way to absolutlye HATE something you LOVE is to turn it into your job.

I guess the "half full" side of that is "if you love your job, you dont have to work another day in your life."

[Chrissay 0]

Well if anyone else is up to the challenge of working full time in skydiving...PM me.

[teason 0]

I would have disagreed with that but then I became a DZO.

If there shit going on at the DZ it's your job to clean it up.
Even if it means you've gotta stay on the ground to do it.

I'd give my right nut just to be an instructor again. That was a great time in my life.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.