Unstable

To me, this doesn't seem like rocket science. If you are in the sport to make money, you won't be in the sport for very long. I jump at a Club DZ, and because of that, we can keep our prices low for both students and Experienced skydivers while having a well maintained workhorse and good student gear. It takes a lot to run a club (just ask Ifallfast) but it is manageable with a core group of jumpers who are active in the sport. By active, I mean those jumpers who help the club out, show up early, help mow the lawn, go pick up the pilot on ferry loads, et cetera. =========Shaun ==========

Yesterday I made the hardest decision of my life. What would you have done? I was in Mt Vernon MO when an ice-storm hit - my car was absolutely PLATED in ice and it took me 20 minutes just to break into my car - it was a nasty storm so I decided to not drive back to Kansas, but to get a Hotel instead. I called around, and I found only 2 Rooms in the entire town - both for about $80 a night, both were "honeymoon suites" with a bubbly tub and a little fridge - BUT One Room had no Cable TV. The Other Room had no running water. Needless to say, I went home pretty smelly. =========Shaun ==========

I'm single - I've been single for a long time (about 2 years and 5 months-ish) but I go on dates pretty often. I spend a lot of time in social circles where the guys just don't have enough balls to be upfront and ask a girl out for an evening - so I'm upfront and I have a good time just dating different people and seeing what's out there. I'll eventually settle down with a girlfriend, but there is no hurry.

I have some friends that are into myspace - they need to grow up - they are like 25 years old. I think I'll tell them tonight and see what happens. =========Shaun ==========

0:0:1 - no jumps this week - but I took and passed the Senior Rigging practical for Back and seat - that was my success this weekend.

I think everysingle dropzone has a 'Farmer McNasty' - ours freaked out at students when they landed on his land and then put up an electric fence along our S. landing area - =========Shaun ==========

Of All the riggers I know and I have worked with, to some of the best of them it IS a hobby - and maybe that is why they are so good at it.... A good friend (and DZO) once told me that if you are in this sport to make money, you won't be in it for very long. Personally, I rig because I enjoy it very much. I too agree that a rigger must learn & study all the time - this is not an ordinary branch of our sport (if you will call it that..) If Rigging becomes a passion, then I have no doubt that the rigger in question will pursue all available courses to further his or her skills. =========Shaun ==========

He must have liked it at one point - not every student gets to 13 jumps..... =========Shaun ==========

those rednecks have done some pretty clever engineering to fit all those things together - I give them credit. =========Shaun ==========

well said. =========Shaun ==========

I don't know if there is a wish, per say, that I would want, but there are many things I would wish to understand, If I had that kind of wish.

Another post recently got me thinking, and I need some feedback from somebody who has some experience with DZ/City Relations. I can think of 2 little country towns (Osage City Kansas and Mt. Vernon MO) which have Multi-Cessna DZ operations running at the Local Airport. This is the Midwest, so a multi-Cessna DZ is big stuff. Both Cities have different homepages - but both of them proudly make mention of the Local DZ's when citing local attractions, and both places have a special feel to them - skydivers are welcome. Several times I've been to Mt. Vernon for a small Boogie - and the 'welcome skydivers' banners are hanging above main street - Osage City residence have joined us in hunting down lost freebags, and joked about how much they like skydivers coming from all over. I feel that in those places, the citizens like skydivers or like the business they bring in. It makes sense - a Skydiving school brings in aircraft, can fill hotels during even a small boogie, and heaven knows the blessing in store for the bar owners. Local Airport managers would be happy to sell more fuel or see more traffic at their little city strips. It makes sense to me that a DZ is good for a community - anything that brings in goods, services, and even money will benifit a community. The principles are basic economics. But too often I hear about Different DZ's being run off their local strips, citizens gathering to complain about a new DZ (Kansas City!?!?! ) or problems with the city commission - what kind of complains could and HAVE kept dz's from continuing running normal operations? Is this why we donate to the Airport Access defense fund when we renew? Any help would be greatly appreciated... =========Shaun ==========

In our city, some 10 years ago the Commission started something called the Economic development fund, basically to draw new business into town - you go before the board and tell them you want to start a skydiving school and will bring in x-amount of tax $, and you get a pretty handsome write-off. But you see, in the real world things are a bit different. So far all the companies that have bit at this EDF have been politic'ed in here, and most of these companies need to hire x-amount of local labor anyway. In my mind, I'm always thinking of ways to start a DZ - and so far the best thing I can think of is to go to some suburb of a larger City (say KC) and try to weasel your way into the hearts of the airport board or a city commission - =========Shaun ==========

I lived in Provo Utah for some 3 months - and those replacement words are all I heard...Frankly more annoying then the real thing. Nothing like a nerdy white guy shouting... "Flip!! What the heck happened to my bookmarker!" Now that I'm back to Kansas, my vocabulary is slowly normalizing, but I don't think I'll ever have the zing I used to have.... which is okay. =========Shaun ==========

I take my rigging practical in 2 days after 50 some supervised packjobs, and frankly what you have written is an eyeopener. Granted, rigging is a learning process - but the lives of those we service and our reputation is on the line - Recently, the FAA has included in the Senior rigger practical things that were only previously included in the Master's practical - talking to the DPRE in KC and over in Missouri, I disagree with the observation that... However, I agree that those who choose to study this art need to be aware of what it means to be a rigger - =========Shaun ==========

I usually check dz.com if my boss takes off (90% of the time) and while I am doing something else productive on the computer at the same time. =========Shaun ==========

I would vote to dump Wyoming - because you can never find a place to stop and eat when driving through it - and there isn't even a darn DZ there anyways.... =========Shaun ==========

I don't go to the gym- but I like to go run about 5 miles a day - my excuse is usually something pansy like 'I don't have time today' but I usually wake up before dawn to go anyways - so I don't have a problem. =========Shaun ==========

popsjumper - "I design computer games and go boating on the weekend" I dunno mate - just a weird feeling from your avatar.....Am I close? =========Shaun ==========

Sunny hon, does this mean that you are planning on tying the knot anytime soon? Are you ready to be tamed like that? =========Shaun ==========

I did that a few days ago - read back to some of my very first posts - or pretty much every post I made until Fall of 2003 - I was a Moron - I couldn't stand it anymore so I decided to let dead dogs lie.... =========Shaun ==========

That's the sad part - that's kind of an offer you really can't turn up - I've never said no to being a best man - but then again it's always been for my Brother and Sisters... =========Shaun ==========

I'm rooting for the Kansas City Royals - they kick ass. =========Shaun ==========

Discovery channel went down hill a long time ago - the good old days off good old "Shark Week" are gone... Right now I'm a history channel junkie - even that is starting to go astray - "Big Machines" - "Really Big fork Lifts III" - "How we dig REALLY big holes IV" - "Demolition derby V" - I'm a little more traditional when it comes to documentaries.... =========Shaun ==========

I think for a first rig - 2,000-2,500 bucks should be enough - My advise would be to first ask your local riggers if they know anybody who is trying to sell their old gear - you would be amazed who might know who through the grapevine. =========Shaun ==========