waster 0 #1 December 4, 2002 I was just wondering how much does a pro skydiver get paid, i.e. those who compete, such as the Brit 4 way team XL. Obviously this money comes from sponsers and also prize money, and because skydiving isn't a huge public sport do the pros get very little for the work they put in? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #2 December 4, 2002 sad, but true sponsors don't give that much of a discount to their sky divers. you have to come from a wealthy background to "be somebody" in the sport of sky diving, kind of like tennis. gear is expensive, and so is travel and the sport isn't widely accepted enough to be sponsored well. a car race last 500 miles, and you get to see at least 10 high speed wrecks and these guys have all of the major's decals all over their race cars, maybe if we could invent a 500 mile long sky dive with sponsor's logos....? --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #3 December 4, 2002 Quote kind of like tennis only if you have a gold racquet embedded with huge diamonds... i don't think there are many rich skydivers, especially when it takes a lot of money to get to the level where you can actually get some for jumping... "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #4 December 4, 2002 I think the better skydiver you are the POORER you are, I recently started in this awesome sport, and I'm already broke __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #5 December 4, 2002 What about Tandem JMs, AFF Instructors and Video guys? I consider many of these people skydiving professionals (may be not always full-time though) . Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lolie 0 #6 December 4, 2002 Quote I think the better skydiver you are the POORER you are, I recently started in this awesome sport, and I'm already broke So are you saying you're a really good skydiver? -Miranda you shall above all things be glad and young / For if you're young,whatever life you wear it will become you;and if you are glad / whatever's living will yourself become. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,080 #7 December 4, 2002 I'm not a pro, just a part time instructor/organizer. During a really good month I could make $1200 from teaching weekends (tandem/AFF.) Best money at a demo I ever made was $500 a day. When I organize generally I get my slot covered, with (rarely) some money thrown in. After you've been in the sport a while you can get gear at cost even if you're not a competitor, and rarely you can get stuff for free/for very cheap (like, say, you help someone test a new rig design.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgoper 0 #8 December 4, 2002 Quotei don't think there are many rich skydivers i'm going to have to dissagree with you on this one. next time you go to the drop zone, look at the automobiles, count how many "junkers" vs. how many "yuppie" vehichles you see. then, look to see what kind of equipment everyone has and visually equate that into $$$ inherently this is turning out to be "a rich person's sport" and most of the sky divers i know are professionals, or being educated to be one.--Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #9 December 4, 2002 It's has been easy for me to make $1000 a month just on weekend instructing during warm months. Any faster pace than that, though, and I was seriously compromising my fun jumping. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #10 December 5, 2002 Quotecount how many "junkers" vs. how many "yuppie" vehichles you see. Then at the end of the day watch who gets into which vehicles. From what I've seen it's usually the "professional" skydivers - instructors, riggers, sponsored competitors 0 that are driving the junkers. Of course they usually really love what they do for the little money they make so they don't mind driving a car that is worth less than their rig (or in some cases, less than their main alone). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TB99 0 #11 December 5, 2002 LOL, my car's worth about the same price as my reserve ... but that's the cash value ... my reserve is priceless when it's being used! Trailer 11/12 was the best. Thanks for the memories ... you guys rocked! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Galen 0 #12 December 5, 2002 I recently started in this awesome sport, and I'm already broke __________________________________________ I hear that brother. Respect the Dolphin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron 10 #13 December 5, 2002 What other sport is a World Champion going to be living in a trailer on a DZ? It is part of the sport....With out big sponsorship, it will never happen. Big sponsorship will most likley never catch on due to most people on the street think we are all mad and cannot relate to us. Even Bubba can pretend he is in the Daytona 500 from stop light to stop light. "What wins on Sunday, sells on Monday" a car sellers saying... It does not relate to Skydiving, and the skydiving industry is maxed out giving away sponsorship. Think about the volume of product that moves....thousands of cars sell everyday.....I think Sunpath has made a total of 15,000 rigs. Hell, that many Cars sell every WEEK. Also, some people need cars....no one needs to skydive. Please don't write 100 replys saying you NEED to skydive....you may really WANT to but it is not a need. If you think it is...you need to go back to Economics 101. Ron"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #14 December 5, 2002 Quote What other sport is a World Champion going to be living in a trailer on a DZ? We are not only COOL...but also a little bit bohemian __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #15 December 5, 2002 "What other sport is a World Champion going to be living in a trailer on a DZ? " Aye Ron your right, but there is an upside, how many other sports can you sit around and discuss things with world champions over a few beers. eg, I can't imagine sitting around after a formula 1 race talking about tyre selection with Michael Schumacher. Similarly I can't really imagine phoning up the MD of Ferrari to discuss engine types. Whereas we have the likes of Cobaltdan, Bill Booth, Jeangenie, etc available to us for advice here on the forums. And most manfuacturers will gladly field any queries for you on a similarly personal level.-------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,080 #16 December 5, 2002 >Big sponsorship will most likley never catch on due to most people > on the street think we are all mad and cannot relate to us. Thank god. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #17 December 5, 2002 Quote Quote i don't think there are many rich skydivers i'm going to have to dissagree with you on this one. next time you go to the drop zone, look at the automobiles, count how many "junkers" vs. how many "yuppie" vehichles you see. then, look to see what kind of equipment everyone has and visually equate that into $$$ inherently this is turning out to be "a rich person's sport" and most of the sky divers i know are professionals, or being educated to be one. i think there are plenty of rich people who skydive, but no one gets rich from skydiving. i think most instructors make money to pay for their fun jumps, the few full-time instructors i know... well, live in a trailer at the dz and don't have much money to do much else. someday i'll live in a trailer at the dz toothat's what i've seen in my experiences... i'm sure there are a few exceptions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #18 December 5, 2002 Hey, it's all about dropzone RV life! I have very little cause to even go into town anymore other than to party with other people. Shit, I have a house in town that I might see three times a year to make sure my tennants haven't booked, but besides that I have no other cause to be there. I sure as hell don't want to move back all the way on the other side of town from the DZ!Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #19 December 6, 2002 chuck, how many times do you have to convince me we are on the same wavelength... we need to make some jumps together soon. which dz is your home? i forget, sorry. sorry i missed you over thanksgiving. where are you heading for xmas? peace lew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #20 December 6, 2002 QuoteWhat other sport is a World Champion going to be living in a trailer on a DZ? i hear this from several of them regularly, they convince me to go back to work on Monday when i'm contemplating 'cutting away' from the rest of the world.. of course since i started skydiving simplifying my life so i can afford to do so more often (and soon in the next 2 years) all the time has become my goal.. and to think before i was just drifting from one amusement to another..now i have purpose the problem with skydiving from a marketing stand point is there isnt enough outside interest, you cant sell canopies and skyboards at Walmart so kids can pretend to be Kebe. who would have thought skateboarders would one day 'have it made'? lately i'm amazed at the level of sponsorship snowboarding has gained..there are lots of mediocre (relatively) snowboarders getting 2-3 boards and bindings per year for free!! but their industry is LOTS larger than skydiving is..____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grega 0 #21 December 6, 2002 Quote Quote Quote i don't think there are many rich skydivers i'm going to have to dissagree with you on this one. next time you go to the drop zone, look at the automobiles, count how many "junkers" vs. how many "yuppie" vehichles you see. then, look to see what kind of equipment everyone has and visually equate that into $$$ inherently this is turning out to be "a rich person's sport" and most of the sky divers i know are professionals, or being educated to be one. i think there are plenty of rich people who skydive, but no one gets rich from skydiving. i think most instructors make money to pay for their fun jumps, the few full-time instructors i know... well, live in a trailer at the dz and don't have much money to do much else. someday i'll live in a trailer at the dz toothat's what i've seen in my experiences... i'm sure there are a few exceptions. i think that we are all rich. actually we are the richest people on earth! it's not all about money, and the real skydivers know that. It's all about flying and being free. But if you think rich is the one who has more money. Calculate how much money would you have, if you instead of paid for all your jumps, would put that money in a bank account. And you'll see we could all be reach (of course depends on jump numbers...)"George just lucky i guess!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruffles 0 #22 December 6, 2002 One of the AFF instructors I know has a B.S. in engineering and says he pulls in upper half of the five digits doing AFF full time. He could go to work as an engineer and make probably twice that..... Boy, I'm glad I'm not him, having to skydive everyday and get paid must suck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grega 0 #23 December 6, 2002 I agree. Man he must be suffering. Poor guy "George just lucky i guess!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #24 December 6, 2002 Quote i think that we are all rich. actually we are the richest people on earth! it's not all about money, and the real skydivers know that. It's all about flying and being free. But if you think rich is the one who has more money. Calculate how much money would you have, if you instead of paid for all your jumps, would put that money in a bank account. And you'll see we could all be reach (of course depends on jump numbers...) of course, i agree we are rich in that we something more valuable than money, flying and being free. i was just replying to the topic at hand. i was an engineer once also, made lots and lots of money, and i quit. you don't have to convince me that it ain't money that makes people happy. i'm a walking example of it. although, i'd like more money, so i could skydive all the time and get coaching to fly better... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grega 0 #25 December 6, 2002 I totally understand. Unfortunately in this world, mental richnes is connected with phisical richnes... so to be rich in your mind (as flying - skydiving), you have to be rich (with money) "George just lucky i guess!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
