Canes1135 0 #1 November 1, 2012 Hey guys, I did a few tandem jumps in the past and I ended up loving it. I really want to get into the sport. I had a few questions, generally monetary and time. I did some research and understand that my AFF course will run around $2500-$3000. However, after you get your license how much does it really run you a year? I probably won't be purchasing new gear right away (i.e. just rent at the DZ). Also, time wise. I work a 50-60 hour job from Monday-Friday and would potentially only have the weekends to jump. As I live in the city of Chicago it's about an hour and halfish drive to the nearest skydiving dropzone. Do most of you only jump on the weekends? Thanks in advance for the insight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr_Polite 0 #2 November 1, 2012 It will cost you 1/2 your income as long as you jump. Sometimes more Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
missbrz 0 #3 November 1, 2012 your soul. or your dignity. or both. but seriously it'll cost you as much money as you can/ want to put into it. $100's, $1000's, $10k's, however much you can afford while still keeping yourself alive on a diet of ramen noodles. The amount you pour in depends on how much and how often you want to jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #4 November 1, 2012 If you play at it and make 100 jumps a year @ 25 a jump that's 2500. Plus gas, beer & rig rental. A drop in the bucket really compared to the cost of the divorce when you are gone weekends jumping all the time! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #5 November 1, 2012 QuoteHey guys, I did a few tandem jumps in the past and I ended up loving it. I really want to get into the sport. Congratulations! This sport will not only eat your $$ and your time.... it often drives off one set of friends and replaces it with another set. Quote I had a few questions, generally monetary and time. I did some research and understand that my AFF course will run around $2500-$3000. That price seems high for AFF alone. AFF alone is typically ~7 jumps. I think the prices you have been quoted are probably for AFF and the stuff that follows it to get you to your license. QuoteHowever, after you get your license how much does it really run you a year? I probably won't be purchasing new gear right away (i.e. just rent at the DZ). Purchasing NEW gear is not a great idea for new jumpers. There is lots of used gear that is much less expensive and very serviceable. Annual cost is driven entirely by your choices. A competitive jumper on a team might do 20 jumps on a weekend (at a discounted price), while a broke fun jumper might do 2, or anything in between. There are a few unfortunate souls who get sucked into turning this recreation into a paid endeavor. Most of the folks I know who get paid to jump, do it only as a supplement to their regular job. QuoteAlso, time wise. I work a 50-60 hour job from Monday-Friday and would potentially only have the weekends to jump. As I live in the city of Chicago it's about an hour and halfish drive to the nearest skydiving dropzone. Do most of you only jump on the weekends? Yes, the vast majority of jumpers only jump on weekends.The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #6 November 1, 2012 Quote your soul. or your dignity. or both. I got off easy. I pre-paid an arm, a leg, and my first-born daughter.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,319 #7 November 2, 2012 Yeah, but you didn't tell me that she had a mind of her own. It's called "Disclosure" man. I want my money back. Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #8 November 2, 2012 That's a good estimate of the costs to get a license. AFF is just one part of that process. After you pass AFF, you'll be cleared to 'self-supervise', which means you can jump by yourself. This should take about 10 jumps, but you need 25 jumps to get a license. You also need to learn and demonstrate certain skills beyond AFF to get a license, so some of those 15 extra jumps will be with a 'coach', who will help you learn. All in, for AFF, coach jumps, and gear rental, $2500 to $3000 is a good number to budget with. Beyond that, jumps are about $25 each, and that buys you a seat in the plane. If you need gear, renting will vary in price, but it can be anything from $25 for a whole day, up to $35 per jump, depending on where you jump. Renting long term generally sucks, the gear doesn't always fit well, and students will get priority, so if you're a licensed jumper, you get bumped back until the students are done jumping. You can assemble a used rig for about $2500 to $3000, and then you can count on getting most of that money back on resale. If you buy a good, used 'beginners' rig, you'll have no problem selling it to another new jumper when you decide to upgrade or quit jumping. Overall, how much it will costs depends on how many jumps you want to make. Most people only jump on weekends, and most DZs are only really 'busy' on the weekends anyway. My advice right now is to just start the AFF program and take it 'one jump at a time'. You'll learn a lot about the sport, and will know all of this stuff before you get a license anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 52 #9 November 2, 2012 Quote Quote your soul. or your dignity. or both. I got off easy. I pre-paid an arm, a leg, and my first-born daughter. When I bought her, I told you I would tell her only good things about you. She's a little pissed, now, as she's grown up a bit, but I told her it's an addiction. You're sick and can't help yourself.lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #10 November 2, 2012 Quote . it often drives off one set of friends and replaces it with another set. That's not a bad thing. I noticed most of my old friends didn't have very exciting lives. Quote There are a few unfortunate souls who get sucked into turning this recreation into a paid endeavor. Most of the folks I know who get paid to jump, do it only as a supplement to their regular job. Almost 40 years later as a part time instructor and I'm not burned out yet. Keeping a balance in my life has kept it fun. I do have to admit my ~200 jumps a year pale in comparison to the 1000+ jumps a year by the full time guys, but my 401K probably looks better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
craigbey 0 #11 November 2, 2012 QuoteI work a 50-60 hour job from Monday-Friday and would potentially only have the weekends to jump. As I live in the city of Chicago it's about an hour and halfish drive to the nearest skydiving dropzone. Do most of you only jump on the weekends? Similar work schedule here and an easy 3 hour drive to those same DZ's (SDC and CSC). We get out to one of those DZ's just about every other weekend. I still think Meigs Field would have been the coolest place for a DZ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigs_Field An urban DZ with a beach on a large body of water! /sarcasm Although ... that IS what you see in most of the Dubai videos. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #12 November 2, 2012 QuoteQuote I had a few questions, generally monetary and time. I did some research and understand that my AFF course will run around $2500-$3000. That price seems high for AFF alone. AFF alone is typically ~7 jumps. I think the prices you have been quoted are probably for AFF and the stuff that follows it to get you to your license. Yeah, but the confusion is that in this market, "AFF" generally means the whole program. Most of the DZ's doing AFF here are all doing some form of modified AFP/ISP program that involves extended amounts of coaching. SDC is 2 tandems and 18 AFPs, SKSPSC is 25 levels of aff/coached jumps, CSC is 14 levels of aff/coach jumps, etc. At our DZs the students don't really see any distinction between where they are in the program except for the change from instructor to coach (and not even always if there are extra instructors around).~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
linebckr83 3 #13 November 2, 2012 Quote Quote . it often drives off one set of friends and replaces it with another set. That's not a bad thing. I noticed most of my old friends didn't have very exciting lives. Quote There are a few unfortunate souls who get sucked into turning this recreation into a paid endeavor. Most of the folks I know who get paid to jump, do it only as a supplement to their regular job. Almost 40 years later as a part time instructor and I'm not burned out yet. Keeping a balance in my life has kept it fun. I do have to admit my ~200 jumps a year pale in comparison to the 1000+ jumps a year by the full time guys, but my 401K probably looks better. Total agreement. Every weekend for the first 4 years and I started getting a little burned out. Since then I'm an every-other-weekend kind of jumper. Usually work jumps with fun jumps tossed in with time. On my off weekends I'm taking the boat to the lake, camping, spending time with friends and family. I love the mix I found! To the OP, I started jumping while in college and couldn't afford to just throw money down all over. I had to space my student jumps out, but once licensed I got signed off to pack student parachutes very quickly. I used that to supplement jumps until I got a coach rating which helped more. Then became a tandem packer and made sure I broke even every day. If I didn't pack, I didn't jump. Dave is right about the gear. Find a decent used setup and you'll get most of your money back when you sell it to upgrade. Nowadays I always leave the dz with much more money than I arrived with while still having fun. Sadly that money goes to funding almost all my gas on the water. "Are you coming to the party? Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!" Flying Hellfish #828 Dudist #52 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
countzero 7 #14 November 2, 2012 I'm an every other weekend CRW Dawg. It's a 3 hour drive one way to the DZ I jump at. Last year with gas, foor and beer, and averaging 10 jumps a month I spent $4,000. Just on jumping locally. Add in the 2 boogies I traveled to and it's up to $6,000. But the experiences and fun I've had are priceless!diamonds are a dawgs best friend Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #15 November 2, 2012 you don't get into skydiving. It gets in you, and takes control scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
