Out-of-DZ skydiving jobs?

[andubkov 0]

Are there any other employment opportunities for skydivers (that envolve actual skydiving) other than the 'normal' skydiving jobs that we know ( i.e. TI, AFFI, cameraman, coach...)?

Just thinking of where else skydiving can be applied and if any of you are 'skydiving for a living' but not doing the DZ jobs

[Sockpuppet 0]

Movies? Stunt Work? Demo Jumper? Extreme Window Clear (wipe while swooping)?

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Two of the three voices in my head agree with you. It might actually be unanimous but voice three only speaks Welsh.

[piisfish 140]

smoke jumper, drug smuggler, mercenary

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[damion75 0]

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smoke jumper, drug smuggler, mercenary

If you take that on, then you can really 'Cutaway'

***************

Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

[carrot 0]

manifest? gear store at the dz? packer? they dont involve jumping....or do you mean totally away from the dropzone?

I thought thius myself, maybe one day work in the sport but am afraid to ruin the buzz by jumping TOO much

[wmw999 2,446]

Some search and rescue jobs involve skydiving as well.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[andubkov 0]

yeah, I was thinking of something that envolves actual jumping - those suggestions about movies, skydiving stunts, demo jumps, smoke jumping are the examples of what I was looking for.

I wonder if it is possible to make a career only doing demos? How would one go about it?

And movies and stunts - is there anybody on these forums who actually does that? How would one start doing this?

This is very interesting because regular DZ jobs could be boring (I think) in a sense that you do the exact same thing every day - be it tandems, jumping camera with tandems, or jumping with students (although this could be challenging). And doing something like stunts or demos seems more exciting because every time it's something different, and you have to accomplish something new in each project, and you probably get this feeling of accomplishment and just a lot of stories to tell...

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Smoke jumper (Firefighter)

I like the drug smuggling one...that is pretty sneaky.

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[jacketsdb23 49]

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Are there any other employment opportunities for skydivers (that envolve actual skydiving) other than the 'normal' skydiving jobs that we know ( i.e. TI, AFFI, cameraman, coach...)?

Just thinking of where else skydiving can be applied and if any of you are 'skydiving for a living' but not doing the DZ jobs

I'm not sure what the requirement are, but maybe a test jumper for a major canopy manufacturer?

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[andubkov 0]

that's a great idea, thanks! I bet it's easier to find such a job than a job of doing freefall stunts for a movie...

[Zeemax 0]

neither are going to be much of an option until you make a few thousand more jumps

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[andubkov 0]

please elaborate :)

[Andy9o8 2]

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please elaborate :)

What's to elaborate on? If you're a test-jumper of canopies, then you're a test pilot. Test pilots of aircraft are among the most highly-skilled and well-experienced pilots there are. A similar standard holds true for test pilots of new, sometimes radical, canopy designs.

[jacketsdb23 49]

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please elaborate :)

What's to elaborate on? If you're a test-jumper of canopies, then you're a test pilot. Test pilots of aircraft are among the most highly-skilled and well-experienced pilots there are. A similar standard holds true for test pilots of new, sometimes radical, canopy designs.

Yes that goes without saying. Indeed you need quite a few jumps AND skills to be a test pilot. Sorry thought that was implied

Not sure what is out there with the number of jumps the OP has. Probably not much. Most of the jobs in Skydiving require advanced licenses and ratings.

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[fastphil 0]

If you get into stunt jumping you will have to offer a lot more than just skydiving stunts to make a living, and don't forget you'll take on a lot of risk not associated with sport skydiving (I have friends who shortened their life span this way). And most of the demo jumps I've made barely paid costs and a few free beers...

[MarkM 0]

Gear manufacturing. Someone has to test jump the stuff you design.

[bob.dino 1]

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I wonder if it is possible to make a career only doing demos? How would one go about it?

Ask airtwardo - he knows more about demos than most.

[mangledspoon 0]

someone posted here a while ago about a cool volunteer job you could do - parachuting into third world countries to deliver food or something?
I did a search and can't find it but oh well...
It required a fair few jumps, I forget how many, and also some other skills (which I also forget haha)

[teason 0]

Being dumb as a stick helps too.

I've been loaded with lead and done high speed static line jumps at 14000' with 350 square foot accuracy canopies.

Tomorrow, I'm loading up with enough lead to simulate a 300 lbs jumper and see how a canopy opens.

That'll be right after I eat my big bag of dumb

Actually, joking side, it's kinda fun. You get to collect data, try new designs of parachutes and container and learn butloads about what makes equipment function/malfunction. I love it.

I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

[labrys 0]

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It required a fair few jumps, I forget how many, and also some other skills (which I also forget haha)

I think they require a memory test


http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=622

Owned by Remi #?

[azdiver 0]

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someone posted here a while ago about a cool volunteer job you could do - parachuting into third world countries to deliver food or something?
I did a search and can't find it but oh well...
It required a fair few jumps, I forget how many, and also some other skills (which I also forget haha)

i think you are talking about remote area medical

light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak

[mangledspoon 0]

hehe, I'd fail for sure then!

[Tonto 1]

I run ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 for a computer company.
I wish I could do the same kind of job in the gear manufacturing feild.

I'm PDS I could do a better job than I do here, since I know a lot more about gear than I do about computers, and it would be cool to combine what I know about business systems with what I really love.

Of course, this means that skydiving would remain a weekend only activity - but that's OK.

But.. no Greencard cos I'm South African..
At least I still manage 300 dives a year weekends only!

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[piisfish 140]

test jumper [cough]guinea pig[/cough] for a reserve canopy manufacturer.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[andubkov 0]

thanks everyone for the replies! you gave me some food for thought