slug

The price of fuel is going up however the cost of borrrowing money (interest rates) has been at record lows for a couple of years. Both of these costs effect the cost of operating a DZ. Anyone know of a source of reliable objective data of the effect of different fule rates vs different interest rates for operating a plane like a Otter or skyvan. Maybe USPA? or a DZO We checked the price of a commercial airplane ticket from seattle to St louis on AA two days ago and was quoted a fuel surcharge of $20 round trip. When we bought the tickets today the fuel surchage disapeared. The GMDZ have a national organization USPA. Skydivers have a national organization USPA. Someone suggested not buying gas for a day to show the oil companies that the fuel buying public isn't happy. If you don't think the increase in jump rates is not justified or there's a lack of competion in lift ticket prices try staying organizing a stay at home weekend at you DZ and see what happens. OTOH "I'm your DZO/USPA trust me" or I'm a junkie and will pay anyprice to get my fix even if I have to ..... R.I.P. After I looked at the survey questions I checked out you profile your a DZO If you don't mind me asking what is the purpose of your survey and why are the options so limited. IE do you think the lift ticket prices are justified? Do you think it's fair that the USPA GMDZ's don't have their organization ilke the PIA etc etc.

Hi Tony "My other business is Powerline International. I am marketing Powerline Technology to Mexico." Have you thought of expanding you international business to include Iraq? R.I.P. SCR 2719

Hi Layton I assume your a member of USPA. Part of your due's is used to lobby the FAA & Feds to change the rules, laws, regs, etc that are overly restrictive, etc. In order to carry out this lobbying effort in a cost efficent timely manner the USPA headquarters is located in the high cost DC metro plex. Getting the FAA to extend the reserve packing cycle has been a high priority at the highest level of USPA. There's a large data base of the effects of different reserve packing cycles based on the jump history from foreign country's. Do a data search on DZ.com under your subject tittle. Read up on the history of tis challenging situation draw you own conclusion on who you think has been dropping the ball. Besides being a USPA member your a taxpayer. If you think the problems lies with the feds write your congress person . If you think the problems with USPA contact USPA. R.I.P. R.I.P. Troll probability rateing 99%

Hi O1 Explanation? my guess there was a "new sheriff" in town who wanted to clean house. The good old boys/girls said if one of us goes we all go. Lesson learned: never think your irreplaceable and don't bet any more than you can afford to lose because someone might call your bluff. IMO The quote from the schools websight sounds like CCP. (cut copy paste). R.I.P.

Hi Skyprincess & Bytch Thank you for the reality check. I knew there was a law that had been passed to prevent these "Questionable business practices" that made them illegal. The legislative route is the long term solution. However our childrens children may be the ones who see the results. Now that we all know the "rules of the game" the dark side has lost some of their advantage. Two month's ago I recieved a call from a telemarker and just hung up the phone. That company had been hired by my phone company. I complained to my phone company & reminded them that I had complained prior to the passing of the law and was on the national do not call list, and didn't appreciate being called on a weekend after the law was passed. The phone company admitted that they had a "problem" with their telemarketing agency and asked if I wanted to talk to a supervisor. I declined but asked for some financial consideration on my next phone bill due to the hassle factor. $5 credit on my next phone bill.

Last night a friend apologized for not answering his cell due to the volume of the tunes in his car. We came up with a sick cell phone gag, request to be buried with your cell phone and have your friends call the number during the viewing or at the graveside

For anyone considering on relocateing/visiting the PNW for some skydiving IMO this was a good weather day. It wasn't raining! The reaon we almost never see the sun in the metro plex is because the clouds not "industrial haze". We also may have one of the most challenging ride to the DZ in the US. Thirty miles to the DZ? half a hour? maybe. Hard to predict, depends on the time of day, day of week, accidents, constuction, full moon etc. 2 hr's is possiable. Please consider the above and come for a one day visit before moving here, or the 30 mile drive to the DZ could increase to 3 hr's. R.I.P.

IMO Dropzone's with top notch facilities ELOY, Perris, chicago etc can be rated as having first class facilities. Using objective standards Indoor plumbing, indoor packing, wide open land area, on site good food etc. As far as the term "world class" refers to jumpers see above. In my limited experience the vast majority of World class jumpers, are also very nice folks, and their competition level speaks for itself. The same objective standards could be used for defining USPA champs. Using # of jumps to try and define a person's abilities and qualifications imo doesn't mean much due to may variables. If I had to chose between: a DZ with First class facilities & rated instructor's, that has a DZO & regulers & staff with a "attitude" Vs a one cessna DZ with a safe airplane, pilot, runway and a DZO, staff and regulers with a good attitude with one tree for Facilities I'll chosse the Cessna DZ. But thats my criteria for selecting a DZ and everyones is different and is correct for them. The most meaningless advertising ploy IMO used by the DZ's to lure unsuspecting new jumpers, amusement riders etc is the USPA Group membership. Membership without any independent inspection to verify complience with USPA requirements is a "interesting concept" Similar to buying a college degree thru a mail order diploma mill. This is just my opinion (don't mean squat) and doesn't refer to any specific DZ.s that I have jumped at. R.I.P.

Hi Seekfun Don't worry be happy!

Hop and Pops and aircraft emergency exit's on the same thread interesting. For the folks that are confused about their priorities when the rubber band breaks please sit as far away from the door as possible. If you want to take your time decideing what to do go for it. Just don't take everyone else's! You may figure it out by the time you see the pilot exit. R.I.P.

Great news folks! The nonsense has stopped

IMO world class to me means folks that can compete at the international level and hold their own against the best in the world. To the best of my knowledge there's only one WFFC because the term is copyrighted and the owners of the copyright will go to court to protect their property. Reminds me when I looked into what I was missing by not renting a executive apartment. World heavy weight boxing champion? Which one I'm still confused what sex is, or "is" is or who's on first. R.I.P.

"There isa an art to a corking a fina wine" "Firsta you musta soak a da cork! Some are a born cork-a-soakas... some a must a learn to soak a cork!" [\best Itallian accent] Quotebest Bronx accent WTF never heard of corks in fine wine takes to much time. twist off caps are safer. Rap beat: Whats the word Thunderbird! What the price? 50 twice. Who drinks the most? (deleted) F.U. I do! R.I.P.

15years ago (approx) Mr Hills previous previous DZ in Arizona maybe coolidge? L.O. saves unconcious jumper. Lots of press, L.O. recieved national award from some aviation group. Sorry the names exact dates, opening altitude (low) escape me. Serious RW Urban legend? Ask Mr Hill or Brian or some of the old farts. R.I.P.

Hi Hawkflight Corking? Easy demo: shake bottle of champagne and pop the cork. Watch what happens to the cork and anyone that accidently or on purpose gets hit by cork. Don't forget to drink the champagne

Hi Unstable IMO "Misunderstandings" between DZ's/airports and their neighbor's are not restricted to noise/aviation and are not always the fault of the new property owner. Misunderstandings between neighbor's has been the bread and butter of some lawyers for a hell of a long time and will continue after we're long gone. Just read the CYA on a real estate contract. There's even a acronym for the type of behavior your describng "NIMBY" Not In My Back Yard. It includes low income housing, sewage treatment plants, strip joints, commercial development, roads utitiliy lines you name it someone is going to be opposed to it. welcome to the real world R.I.P. IOW don't worry be happy there isn't squat that can be done about it

Don't worry be happy! It might be more outstanding if your the only one on the load doing it. We were sitting on floor of the jet at Quincy When two sweet young thing's (guy's)got on the plane in their boxers. Most people didn't even notice until the guy's were waiting to sit down and some folks starting making a fuss because one guy was hanging out of his boxers. I looked over to see what they were pointing at and here's the guy's one eyed snake less than a foot from my head. Being a guy I've never seen one that up close and personel. Lucky for me it didn't go off.

Are there any? Could be, The "Green Zone" where the Paul Bremer (head of the CPA with his "personnel staff of contractor's" stays might be OK most of the time. deep perimeter, basements etc. The problem is not everyone has the same status as Mr Bremer and a person won't know how much doo doo there going to be exposed to until they get there. Recently we've seen the a lot of disapointed folks in the software industry because their company after telling them they were "family" decided to save some expenses by sending their jobs to india. You all can do what you want I won't trust anyone else with my life again unless I have veto authority.Based on my experience we're considered expendable. There are no commercial flights out of Iraq. Once your there and you don't like the odds? quit

The housing market will go thru cycles just like interest rates, stock market etc. If a person buy's now at the "Peak" and there is a adjustment in the housing market a homeowner will be facing a paper loss, that they will only incur if they are forced to sell during the "downturn". If the homeowner can wait long enough the house will recover it's value. The warnings about market timing IMO also apply to the housing market. The kicker is that we're seeing ads on T.V. for Fannie May loansfor first time homeowners. So the chain is getting longer. The other "challenge" the housing market is going to face is the aging of the Baby BoomersIn the next 10-15 yr's there may be more sellers than buyers when the old folks move into condo's or nursing homes. No one can predict the future, except I'm guessing that rents will continue to increase 3-5%/yr regardless of the housing market. WAG R.I.P.

John Your wife looks a lot better in her jumpsuit than you.... OTOH you don't look bad in your jumpsuit ...... So it's got to be the jumpsuit Damn I need one of those "look good" jumpsuit's R.I.P.

Chris Needles is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and served as a military assistant on the National Securtiy Council during the 1st Bush administration if memory serves me correctly. Is that good enough for you? CDR What chris did "back in the day" don't mean squat to me. There might be some advantages to a retired army officer working in the DC metro-plex. Like nice facilities for the retired general's that work for the pentagon. R.I.P. X uspa member

HH Attaboy

Hey Amazon Happy B-day and lots more R.i.P.

*** Hey Slug...speak for yourself! I was 225 in college and I'm still 225! Of course the C. G. has changed quite a bit! 225# Damn that was hardcore. Small airplane big body, but who's going to tell you no. Let me guess you were first out I think the change in C.G. is called middle age "shift". Arch? I've got a built in air deflector

Hey I will jump ANYTHING into the water... I LOVE water jumps. I have a StratoStar and a Strato Cloud I plan on taking into the water at Lost PRairie...IF I can find a PC or a PAP I would do one of those as well. I did a T-10 jump last May and.. yeah.. I dont remember a 35' round as coming down THAT FAST in the 70's Hi Amazon Uh Uh......70's-2000's. Thats 30 years @ 2 lbs/yr That's a lot of extra "suspended weight". Or it might be that those rounds always landed like that and we just forgot. Or the rigs are just old