jump 4 money??

[flyhy 0]

Opinions please:
I always thought "wow, jumping and gettin paid for it, that'll be IT!!" so I started packing for cheap jumps, did about 50 Solos just to get the numbers to jump camera (no funjumping round here.. I call it retirement tandem dz). But now I see all these 'experienced' jumpers with tandem ratings (or even just camera flyers) and they're all over it. They do their jobs and that's it - no funjumps at all! (We get a free staff load per month to 17000ft -and we still haven't done the one for January!!)
I've never met a funjumper who was over skydiving... And then I watch these awesome freefly videos and I wish I'd be as good one day!! But all I'm doing here is swooping tandems ....!
So maybe that's all just not worth it. If you make your hobby your profession you ruin your hobby..?!
Or is it different in other dropzones? Do you guys do heaps of funjumps even though you do it as a job..? Maybe it just depends on the mentality of the guys you're working with??

[dsbbreck 0]

It's true....there are a lot of instructors that don't do fun jumps anymore. I don't understand it myself.

I got my tandem rating 3 years ago and also do video, but when I'm not working, I'm playing. It frustrates me to try and get the other instructors to go play when the work is all done.

Oh well, To each his own, but I'm going to get on every load I can whether I'm getting paid or paying my slot.

David

"Socrates wasn't killed because he had the answer.......he was killed because he asked the question."

[Tonto 1]

I've poured my life into skydiving, but in Africa that's a weekend only gig.

The net result is that I get paid little for my "day job" and need to supliment my income by skydiving.

Fortunatley, I LOVE AFF. I really do. Nothing matches the feeling of taking people who know NOTHING and turn them into safe and independant jumpers.

I do fun jump, but not as much as I would like. The money goes on maintenance for my kids before freefly dives with my GF or birdman dives with my choms, but I have bought a (2nd hand) wing suit, and I do know how to have fun. It's just that 4 way doesn't do it for me anymore.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Romericus 0]

I know what you mean. I knew a guy (back when I was a regular jumper) who quit his day job once he got good at flying camera and became a professional skydiver. After this it was impossible to get him on a fun jump. He wouldn't even do a hit and chug! However, in his defense, quitting your day job is scary, and depending on skydiving for a living can't be a rich lifestyle. And perhaps the reason he wasn't fun jumping was that he didn't have the opportunity (read: money) to do so.

I think (and i'm not an authority) that when you make your hobby your job, then it becomes work. It is work that you love and enjoy, but it's still work. If you see it that way, I'm sure it'd be easy to lose sight of the fun aspect of jumping.

[zulu 0]

At TSP we have guys that are tandem and camera flyers and there are always fun jumps. Alot has to do with the mentality of the people your with. For me jumping is an escape from my 16+ hours a day job. Since I dont smoke, drink, do drugs of any kind, and Im not an eye catcher skydiving affords me the opportunity to have fun with my extended family on the DZ, and yes we always have a good time.

[LawnDart21 0]

These days I usually spend my weekends doing tandems from sun up to sun down, and while I have always tried to squeek in a fun jump or two each weekend if the schedule permits it, I am finding these days, I prefer to just sit onthe ground if I have a load off and just rest. My busiest day was 17 tandems and three fun jumps, 20 in a day. Now adays, I take those random three loads down and sneak a nap in instead. I hope to make more fun jumps this season though.

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[flypunk 0]

I've seen a couple of guys do work jumps only, but most of ours balance a good deal of fun jumps with work jumps.

The ones that don't are the ones who burn out around here.

...

[riggerrob 643]

When I first turned pro, I had some serious debts to pay off and could not afford to take a day off, much less fun jump.
As I gained more experience, DZOs gradually started treating me better. These days I fun jump if the plane is going up with an empty seat. However there is ALWAYS some paying rigging project that needs my attention.
Management just announced that I have to get my D Certificate, so our DZ will have someone who can sign off D Certificate applications. This means: this summer I will HAVE to do 4-way until I can consistently turn 7 points in 35 seconds.
Nothing quite like the boss ordering you to do fun jumps! Hee! Hee!

[Designer 0]

Our perceptions about getting paid for what we love to do change once you have reached that dream.Then you look to put the fun "Back" into the sport you love sooooooooo much.Our DZ is an odd mix of the noted characters.Those who film and do Tandems are quite exceptional people.They do what is needed at the time that it is needed.That is what makes a club a club.Professional DZ'S don't have that same feel.

[Nightingale 0]

in a few cases in my own life, I've made my hobby my profession and regretted it.

I love music... so, I started a band. We played professionally around the Los Angeles area. It got to the point where I never sat at my piano for fun anymore... it was always to practice or compose stuff for the band. Finally, I dropped out, just because it wasn't fun anymore.

I've done martial arts for 15 years. I started teaching seven years ago. Took a lot of the fun out of it. Got to the point where my heart wasn't in it anymore...

Basically, things are fun when you WANT to do them. When it gets to the point where you HAVE to do them, even if you're tired, don't feel like it, or whatnot, then it ceases to become quite so fun.

I was always after a close friend to do a few fun jumps with me. his response was "I jump six days a week for work, six or seven jumps a day. why would I want to jump on my day off??"

[mikeat10500 12]

Lately almost all work(6 years,weekend DZ). So we had to make them all...fun jumps! The pilot and what's left of the instructors... went insane a long time ago.

-----------------------------------
Mike Wheadon B-3715,HEMP#1
Higher Expectations for Modern Parachutists.

[Auryn 0]

I'm beginning to learn about this phenomenon..

I am a packer at TSP and that takes up the majority of my time. I am also a coach however, and I have been learning that sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

case in point. Last weekend we had a student that wanted to get as many coach dives in as possible. I was in the shower when I was volunteered to be the coach. I got out of the shower and I was on a 20 minute call with a student who I had very little idea about and I wasnt packed. due to our temporary a/c situation, it turned into a 15 minute call. and I had just gotten out of the shower :)

For me I look at it like this: It is fun because it is a challenge, although getting my gear arranged in the plane can be unsettling.. but I know I have the experience to make some good judgements. Later that day I was TOO rushed, and I bumped myself, telling the student to do a solo, we would go up together on the next one. He was perfectly fine w/ that and enjoyed the chance to practice before going w/ me. I know the limit.

That's the challenge, b/c now it's judgements that affect me and someone else, both safety and quality of the skydive.

I enjoy it thoroughly, although I may gripe a bit from time to time.

This is the only way I can finish up college and skydive too. plain and simple. So if I want to have my cake and eat it to, it may not be the perfect flavor.


Blue Skies !

Bryan

D27808

[slotperfect 7]

I guess I am a rare bird because I love doing "work" jumps. Tandems and AFF are both a lot of fun for me.

Back when demo jumps were "work" jumps for me, I loved doing those too. Just when I started getting bored, something would come along to make things interesting in a new way. It amazes me how this sport does that for me.

Now, most of my jumps are in fact "work" jumps, some on the weekends for extra cash, some at work earning my military salary. The fun ones I seek now are the ones that are really challenging for me, or different, maybe new experiences.

Arrive Safely

John

[BoostedXT 0]

I will give you a different look on making your hobby your career....

I went to school at The United State Golf Academy. I play golf for a living, I teach golf for a living. After spending all my time at or near golf clubs, golf courses, and or students I need a break. I love golf...I still enjoy playing golf, but on my day off I dont want to be near a golf course, or a golf swing.

I think its similar to skydive instructors, TMs, and AFF JM's......its a sport they love, but after spending all day, or all week with it they have to have time away.

People with "normal" jobs spend all week thinking about the weekend and doing what we do everyday...so they are envious, but its sitting in the office and doing nothing but thinking about jumping, or golfing that keeps the flame lit.

Sometimes more isnt always better.
Joe

For long as you live and high you fly and smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry and all that you touch and all that you see is all your life will ever be.
Pedro Offers you his Protection.

[TrickyDicky 0]

There is a guy at our DZ who has pretty much quit because of this. He tried to make Skydiving his job, and as a result hes now quit after 20 years and into bike racing.

He was a tandem instructor, RAPS instructor, Rigger (British, so does work on rigs) and veteran of over 7000 skydives, including 3000 tandems and has done over 700 base jumps. He tried everything except fly a wingsuit (may even have done that) And afaik he hasnt done a solo in 3 years, except for one load of students he dispatched. He has ended up now having big rows with the DZO about the rigging loft. He's not rigging anymore but he wont move his stuff out, much the DZOs annoyance.

So I get the feeling making it your work isnt the best thing for everyone.

UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.