bigairnut

Airtwardo, that is precisely part of my point. While it appears diverdriver does not love it so much that he would fly skydivers for what he considers to be low pay simply for the fun of it, it seems that there are many others who have the opposite attitude. Whether they do it because they enjoy it, because it helps them build hours, or for whatever reason, there doesn't seem to be a shortage. If pay were that big of an issue, there would most certainly be a shortage and pay would increase accordingly. I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but that's the way a market economy works. And while smaller DZ's surely have less qualified pilots than larger DZ's, the fact is that they all have to have some minimum number of hours and rating for the plane they fly, so as a skydiver I'm not all that concerned with the danger that diverdriver seems to imply goes hand in hand with what he perceives to be low pay.

Chris, c'mon, there is a big difference between arguing that a market economy generally functions as intended vs. arguing that you should leave the country if you don't like the way the government is running it. Addressing the latter point, although I do in fact have the "love it or leave it" attitude, I also believe that you don't have to love everything and if you don't then you have the power to change it through your vote. You wanna burn the flag? I will hate you personally but I respect the right that you have to do so. The "vote" is the only valid point of your analogy. When you pay, or don't pay, $50 for a coach jump...you are "voting" for what is important to you. If I choose to pay $50 for a coach jump while getting on a plane with a low hour pilot, that is my choice (not saying I would personally do that, just making a point). If many are willing to do that, then we have a market economy that is functioning properly...that is to say that the aggregate public purchasing decisions are dictating the result. I don't dispute the fact that qualified pilots are important to the safe operation of a drop zone, but I have the choice to get on that plane or not. If fewer people got on that plane and fewer people paid $50 for a coach jump, guess what? Things would change. That's how it works.

Ron hit the nail on the head. It is supply and demand. We live in a market economy. You don't like what you get paid, go do something else. Nobody forced you to be a pilot, tandem instructor, or whatever. I love to fly but I don't do it for a living because I cannot earn enough money to pay for all my hobbies. I guess I don't love it THAT MUCH. You can talk all you want about getting paid your "fair share" but the reality is that if you are doing it for what you are being paid, then by definition you ARE getting your fair share, otherwise you wouldn't be doing it.

I typically pay someone to pack because I hate doing it. I'd rather spend that time hanging and talking with others rather than sweating my arse off when it's over 100 degrees (I jump in AZ). But I usually don't have someone pack after the last jump of the day...I'll take the unpacked rig home and pack it up at my leisure. That way I make sure that I always "remember" how to pack and have a chance to inspect my gear. You should trust your packer and even watch him/her pack your rig occassionally so you know what type of work they do. If your openings are inconsistent or hard, tell your packer or find another one. Although they pack fast, I've found that normally it's not becuase they cut corners or are careless, it's becuase they do it so much its like second nature. I can do more jumps in a day because I can make a quicker turnaround and get on another load sooner and I'm not as tired.