Beerlight 0 #1 February 13, 2003 So, today I receive a job offer from the FAA in Oklahoma City. I've thought about living in a lot of places after I retire from the Air Force but, NEVER Oklahoma! Anyway, after 22 years of active duty I now consider retiring, taking the FAA job..... Is Oklahoma City nice? What's the best DZ, how close...How's the cost of living...etc..etc..? Oh my god, I'll have to wear civilian clothes to work!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taosson 0 #2 February 13, 2003 Congrats on reaching the retirement age, I am still 13 long years away. As far as Oklahoma goes, it is windy most of the time, pretty warm in the summer and mild to cold winter. Sometimes it can be pretty nice, but since I came here from Az (Phoenix) I was really pretty bummed out on arrival. As far as DZ's go, there are three right around Oklahoma City. There is Cushing, which has a wide body 182, Chickasha, which has a regular 182(I have heard, never been there myself) and the drop zone me and my friends usually jump at which is Skydive Hinton. We have a 205 and a 172. There are quite a few experienced jumpers who like to go out there, both RW and Freefliers. All three of these DZ's are under 1 hour drive depending where in the city you live. The nearest drop zone with real airplanes is Skydive Dallas in Whitewright Texas, about a 3 hour drive. Well there are the basics, if you have any other questions feel free to email me or something. Congrats again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slink2 0 #3 February 13, 2003 I worked in Enid, (Not USAF but BNSF). Too many tornadoes and no one has a basement! Used to drive down to OK City to eat at Joes Crab Shack.OK City is decent. I didn't jump then but from what I understand its a Cessna jumping state. What gives there? Minus the special events. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #4 February 13, 2003 Enid! I used to live with a roommate who was from Enid, or some place within a stones throw. Pretty small isn't it?-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slink2 0 #5 February 13, 2003 It's not so small now, the metropolis I live in now boasts 900! 160 miles to Ottawa, 198 miles to Hinckley where I went through AFF. Quite a kick in the ass when I grew up 20 miles from the Blue Sky Ranch in Gardiner, NY in the Hudson Valley! Well before I knew anything about skydiving...If only I could go back in time! and start ten years ago! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #6 February 13, 2003 Hey there! Merrick and I just moved FROM there...Merrick grew up in Oklahoma. We learned to jump in Cushing, and have also been to Hinton, Tulsa and Dallas. The winds there will frustrate you sometimes...I don't think I've ever had a wind hold since coming to NC, but they were pretty frequent down there. You'll want to PM Kris and MikeFarmer, Skydiver51 and ibrobinm...they might not see this thread. They are still down in OK and are the BEST! They can hook ya up and show you around if you do decide to go down there. PM me if you need or want any other info. Pammi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #7 February 13, 2003 I lived in Midwest City (Tinker AFB) for a few years, it wasn't too bad, but it damn sure wasn't Texas. That's what I get for being an AF brat, living places besides Texas. --"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merrick 0 #8 February 13, 2003 Taosson & Pam pretty much hit it head on, but since I lived there (actually in Cushing) for about 20 years, and about 2 years in OKC... I'll add my .02cents. As far as living areas around OKC, the north side is quite a bit nicer than the south, but the south will be less expensive. Living costs no matter where you are in OK are excellent compared to the East or West coast. There's plenty to do for entertainment (i.e. music, arts, bars, amusement parks, baseball, hockey...), I don't think I was ever board living in OKC. But, let's face it, the important thing is the DZ's. Facts are facts, you'll be in an area that's pretty much completely flat, so there are times wind will be a problem, but the 'outs' are endless. However, after several wind holds as a student I can only think of one that kept me on the ground after I had my own gear, so that's not THAT big of an issue. Now Cushing is an excellent dropzone for students or an experienced skydiver (read: packer, video, tandem, AFF cert...) that wants to make some good $$$ on the weekend. It's an Awesome place to learn to skydive, and damn cool place to hang out... good people, good times! They are only flying a wide-body c-182, but it also has a fairly fresh engine and wing extensions, so it climbs pretty fast (for a cessna). Hinton is a little smaller DZ, but geared more toward being simply a cool place for experienced jumpers in a Cessna state to get in some good jumps. Only did a few jumps there actually, but really liked it (I think Pam and I are in several pics on their webpage). Chickasha (which is Pegasus skydiving - I think) is a bad bad scary place from what I hear, but have never actually been there. There are stories of power lines running right down the middle of the landing area, and several other questionable 'stories.' If you're a turbine slut/brat, the closest DZ is going to be Dallas. I've been there once, it seemed like a cool place, but I didn't get to jump... was on a weather hold oddly enough! lol I know Kris and Brandon (badass freeflier from Cushing) go there quite a bit, but like Taossen said, it's about a 3 hour drive. whereas the other 3 are an hour or less. Hope this helps. PM me if you need any specific information. Blues! Merrick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #9 February 14, 2003 Thanks for all the info. I might be heading that way in bout' 3 months....I come from a Cessna DZ, so that's not a prob. BTW, why did you and Pammi leave? Job change I guess? And as long as they have good Mexican food and Shiner beer, I'll be okey doke!...........cheers... Buck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiver51 0 #10 February 14, 2003 Thanks Pammi, Robin and I think you and merrick are GREAT people and were sorry to see you guys move. Everyone pretty much told you what to expect when you get here. For a student jumper the winds can be a pain. But for experienced people, if you can handle up to 20 mph winds then there won't be that many holds to wait thru. I was raised in Edmond about 12 miles north of OKC. Merrick is right about living on the north side. I now live in Tulsa in the north east part of the of the state. It' s a great town! I love it here and wouldn't move back to Edmond or OKC. I jump at Skydive Tulsa and I work at Tinker AFB as a civilian worker. Skydive Tulsa in located on a private airstrip with almost no airtraffic except a couple of ultra lights. We are very laid back and a fun crowd. We don't have city or airport people watching our every move. Send us an email and we can keep in touch so that when you are ready to see the other big city here in Oklahoma we can show you around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianthomas1966 0 #11 February 14, 2003 Once you're off student status, Chickasha is fine for jumping. Lift tickets are cheap. Powerlines are about 150 yards from the landing zone, they actually split the landing area from the grass runway. I did my first 3 SL jumps there. They still use round reserves, just if you were curious. Hinton is my home drop zone. Nice family DZ, new facility, decent student gear. Great instructors. They're expanding into AFP program soon. We live south of Hinton about an hour and a half and only 45 minutes from Chickasha and we go to Hinton more often. Once you're off student status, and have you're own gear - either one would be fine. Altitude is Altitude! Hey BTW it's worth the drive to SD Dallas in Whitewright too. Super Otter and Caravan! 14K in 15 minutes. Brian Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #12 February 14, 2003 I can't believe I missed this thread... Anyway...here's the scoop: I live in south OKC (actually Moore) and I primarily go to two DZ's. Skydive Hinton and Skydive Dallas. Skydive Hinton is just under an hour away from OKC and runs a fast Cessna 205 & a 172. The vibe is excellent, the facilities are great (can you say indoor climate-controlled packing? I thought you could) and the people are wonderful. There's a good mix of both FF and RW and there are a couple of aspiring CRW dogs (when the weather isn't freezing). Skydive Dallas is the closest turbine DZ, located in Whitewright, TX. From my place it's a 2 1/2 hour drive, exactly. But I drive really fast.SDD has an Otter and a Caravan, huge packing areas, a great little cafe, gear store, and full-service rigging loft. There's always something going on at SDD with a good amount of organizing as well. I can't tell you much about the Tulsa DZ's as I haven't made it there yet but I trust Don's (Skydiver51) review. If Don says the vibe is there then it's there.The DZ in Cushing is a student-oriented DZ and the DZO has stated previously that he really doesn't want experienced skydivers. Couple that with the fact that they run a lot of students and one 182 (with another on-call if there are enough students) and you can bank on making maybe 1 or 2 jumps a day if you are really lucky. The student program at Cushing is simply top-notch with great instructors, excellent gear, and a focus on safety. But it's not your place if you're an experienced jumper. Now...here's the other hidden benefit of living in OK, when the weather is bad during the winter, warm air is only a few hours away in south TX. Cost of living is incredibly cheap, there is plenty of things to do no matter your age bracket, and the tornado's arent' *that* bad.If you have any other questions, drop me a PM and I'll be happy to help. Also, come see us at Hinton and the first jump is on me! Kris Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pammi 0 #13 February 14, 2003 QuoteToo many tornadoes and no one has a basement! ROFL! No shit! I about had heart attacks with the storms down there...worse then in KS even! I can't believe I forgot to mention Brandon! DAMN ME! He's awesome, and if you're lucky, maybe he'll show you a thing or too. One of the most fun jumps ever is him doing a Shasta McNasty with Merrick and I...by surprise! Buck, we moved to NC for the weather, jobs, bigger city (we were living in Ponca City), big DZ's, ocean, mountains..... hehe. Yeah, no way I'd recommend OK of NC, sorry! Also, jobs paid crap for me in OK...unless you have a college degree, better plan on working for low pay, whereas I had a lot of choices out here for jobs and get paid one and a half times what I did there! Pammi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JYorkster 0 #14 February 14, 2003 Ok, I guess I'm a latecomer to the thread, but I don't usually lurk the Talk Balk Forums... Anyway, it's pretty much been said. Of the 3 DZ's around OKC, I recommend Hinton. Chikasha (Pegasus) isn't bad if you just want some air. As has been said, it's difficult to get up at Cushing unless you are a student. Good vibe at Hinton with varying disciplines represented. There are a few Air Force folks from Tinker (myself included) and even one occasionally from Vance. The winds are usually fairly high, so most jumpers here compensate by getting smaller canopies. They don't get winded out too often, but it gets pretty interesting on the rare occasion that the wind dies to nothing. As for living in OKC, I'm not real thrilled about it. Of course I moved here from Phoenix, the land of perfect skydiving weather year-round, so my opinion may be somewhat biased. I'm sure there are worse places to live. It certainly is the place to be for an FAA job, though. Should be plenty of room for advancement. Just my 2 cents... As others have said, IM me for more info. We'll be waiting for you at Hinton. Rock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabredriver 0 #15 February 15, 2003 Hey Kris, If you live in Moore, does that make you a MORON? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #16 February 15, 2003 Thanks for all the info guys... Couple benefits to me would be having Tinker close by (since I will be retired AF) and the GS-12 job to start! I live in Ole Miss currently, we do have tornado's, but they aren't too bad, and well, I guess I could buy a home with a basement in OK? Wonder if they need any pilots at any of the DZ's ya'll have included. Cept' SK Dallas, I don't have the hours or ratings for the turbines yet..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JYorkster 0 #17 February 15, 2003 I don't think any are really 'looking' for pilots, but that doesn't mean you couldn't occasionally fly. Hinton also has gliders, so most of the pilots there also got signed off to tow. There's usually enough pilots there, but occasionally we have only one pilot and some students show up that could use another pilot for the 172. Don't even bother to look at Cushing...The owner treats his staff like crap. I've often seen him 'tell' the pilot how to fly from the ground via radio and 'tell' the JMs when to put out students...makes his pilots piss in a bottle and eat in the plane so he can keep the plane going and the $$ from students rolling in. I haven't seen too many homes here with basements. Not really sure why, and that doesn't mean they don't exist. Don't worry about the tornadoes...you almost always have PLENTY of advanced warning. There are usually pretty good houses available with the transient nature of the Tinker/AF community. I'd definately look in northern OKC/Edmond area, although I have some friends that live south in Moore/Norman. You'll probably be working (FAA) on the western side of OKC, so NW OKC might be the shortest commute/best living combo. Just my opinion. BTW, current Wx in OKC...1200 ft ceiling, winds 20-30. We might get to jump tomorrow... Rock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #18 February 17, 2003 Quote Hey Kris, If you live in Moore, does that make you a MORON? You live in Yukon, does that make you the Garth Brooks fan club President? Ass.And I would offer you a free jump but there's a catch, you have to talk the wife into letting you jump more than once every three months.KrisSky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sabredriver 0 #19 February 17, 2003 You live in Yukon, does that make you the Garth Brooks fan club President? Ass. And I would offer you a free jump but there's a catch, you have to talk the wife into letting you jump more than once every three months. ------------------------ Why yes it does, I've been hearing that you have been wetting your pants in anticipation of joining up!?! . I'm going down to Skydive Dallas this Sunday to pick up my rig from RiggerJon. I'll be out, besides I remember a time when we had to drag your ass out to the DZ a time or two... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merrick 0 #20 February 17, 2003 QuoteDon't even bother to look at Cushing...The owner treats his staff like crap. I've often seen him 'tell' the pilot how to fly from the ground via radio and 'tell' the JMs when to put out students...makes his pilots piss in a bottle and eat in the plane so he can keep the plane going and the $$ from students rolling in. I don't know about all that... the only pilot I know of that did that was Kevin, and that was simply because he CHOSE to do so. What can I say, the boy LOVES to fly. I've heard the DZO, and several other ground crew, ask him if he needed a break as he gratiously declined. As for telling them how to fly, he uses primarily student pilots, those that are working on becoming commercial pilots trying to build hours & get their ratings. The only time I ever witnessed him tell anyone how to fly is when there was a new/visiting pilot, or when Kevin was trying something new. The man has made more than one commercial captain in his career. On the other hand, if you are a very experienced pilot, and are used to the way 'most' DZs operate... you prob will clash heads with him because it is HIS business afterall, and he likes things done his way. Blues! Merrick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JYorkster 0 #21 February 17, 2003 You guys certainly know better than me 'cuz you spent more time there, so maybe what I saw was just a rare occurence. I believe it was Kevin, and he was literally begging to stop. He had flown the entire day non-stop, and it was getting late. He'd been in the plane at least 8 hrs only stepping out to fuel, and then even sometimes he stayed in while someone else fueled it for him. We were on what we were told was the last load of the day(our only time in the air that day btw). I told Kevin it was the last load. He was very appreciative and told us he only had fuel for one more anyway. We land and see the plane land a few minutes later, taxiing up to the hanger in the dark. Oh, but it seems a few of Mike's old buddies showed up to party and wanted to jump first. Kevin said there wasn't enough fuel. Mike, without checking, said 'Bullsh*t, you got enough for one more. You don't need fuel to land!' and made him go back up. Now granted, if that were me flying, I'd have told Mike to fly the load himself, so Kevin must have liked the job enough to continue putting up with the BS, but I never put a student out there simple 'cuz I couldn't work for the man. I'm not trying to bash the DZ. Just telling the facts. They have an excellent student program. But I will say the last thing I heard the DZO ever say was "I hate F*cking skydivers!" Not really the kinda vibe I'm looking for in a DZO. Rock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jloirsdaan 0 #22 September 23, 2005 I jump at pegasus skydiving in chickasha. Thought I would throw my two cents in. Not a great place to be a student. Other than Bobs (the owner) prices are cheap. The power lines dont even come into play unless your horrible at conopy control or just an idiot. He has been there since ninety three and only one or two students have clipped them. No major incidents even with thoes one or two. He does an average of six students every saturday so if that many students can deal with them then I hope one with even a tiny bit of canopy control can miss them. Anyway as far as expericend jumpers go it could be a pretty bad ass dz if more people would come out. Usually there are about six of us RW guys and one or two freefliers. More people would defintely make it better. All in all its a pretty cool dz. Free beer lots of BBQS....just needs more experienced jumpers! Jordan Go Fast, Dock Soft. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CieloDiosa 0 #23 September 23, 2005 i've been to okc a couple times i had a pretty good time its a big city... not exactly sure what all there is to do, i was just visitng a friend and i can't really remember what we did every night you're lucky cuz you'll get to chase tornadoes! good luck ~boogie ho!! pull before impact! L.A.S.T#14, PMS #309, Ci EL O DI O SA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yardhippie 0 #24 September 23, 2005 I have friends in OKC and Tulsa, they pretty much spend their weekend as SDD. I used to call it home when I was in Arkansas. It has a huge draw. Its an awsome operation, but for a low number jumper's first time there, it can be intimidating. I havent jumped at Cushing but once, but the DZO was my AFF instructor years ago. He's awsome. I know a buch of the FF crew from SDD will be there this weekend, and Mullins has been know to show up there at least once. IMHO. Dont move to Oklahoma for skydiving unless you want to drive a lot. If you do let me know I'll put you in contact with some peeps there! good luck!Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD "What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me "Anything you want." ~ female skydiver Mohoso Rodriguez #865 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #25 September 23, 2005 I guess nobody looked at the original post date on this thread, eh?Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
