Is it really true?

[tvo7 0]

I hear stories and see in the movies of some people totally quitting their jobs selling everything and their livelihood, and go devote their lives to skydiving? If you anyone who did this, how did they survive and what does it take to do pull of something like this?

[DeNReN 0]

A touch of insanity and or winning the lottery

[sid 1]

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I hear stories and see in the movies of some people totally quitting their jobs selling everything and their livelihood, and go devote their lives to skydiving? If you anyone who did this, how did they survive and what does it take to do pull of something like this?

I did it, it takes the ability to live hand to mouth, the ability to live in a manner where everything you own can fit in the back of a truck, and the willingness to let your "passion" for skydiving be put on hold because sometimes it's just gonna be work.......... however, to quote Edith Piaf, "Je ne regret rien"

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[jedeisurf 0]

So you have seen Cutaway if you find out how to do this let me know.
If your are going to do this you must have just about every rating possible, aff,tandem,video,static line,rigger,pilot,ect.
David

[dgskydive 0]

I used to have an nice job that paid me lots of money. Now I live in a shitty trailer and jump more then I should and love every minute of it.

Ask not how others do it. Ask how will you.

Dom

[tvo7 0]

so dgskydive and sid: HOw did you all get the money to skydive? Did you live at the dropzone too?

[sid 1]

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so dgskydive and sid: HOw did you all get the money to skydive? Did you live at the dropzone too?

Yep! Learn to pack a main in 3 minutes - a tandem in 10 minutes get an instructor rating, your rigger certification and learn to LOVE ramen noodles

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[carbonezone 0]

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what does it take to do pull of something like this?

GUTS
<>
Tami

[FrEaK_aCcIdEnT 0]

i love ramen noodles with the spicy sprinkles from churche's chicken makes them really spicy and mmm goodness i could do it. haha later in the jumping habit though.

ExPeCt ThE uNeXpEcTeD!
DoNt MiNd ThE tYpOs, Im LaZy On CoRrEcTiOnS!

[tvo7 0]

SId: Do you live at the dropzone also? If so, do they allow you to shower and use their facilities if you live out of your truck?

[GravityGirl 0]

I did it too. Sold everything, bought a van and printed some T-shirts....

....learned to pack.... got my AFF rating.... sold some gear....

....yadda, yadda, yadda.

Oh yeah. Sushi all summer. Ramen all winter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[DanglesOZQld 0]

Yep - and make sure you rent (not own a house) or live in a caravan, no way you are going to own a house!!

The upside is that you enjoy your life during the working years and even though the money ain't pouring in you deal with it.

A lot of people do it full time for 4-5 years then go back to what they were doing. With me I am still hanging onto jumping full time here in Australia and have done so for the last 4ish years. I am a qualified trade Printer and do that part time of late as well to help make ends meet.

Oh, and marry a whuffo who earns well also ha ha !!!

BSBD!! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[sid 1]

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SId: Do you live at the dropzone also? If so, do they allow you to shower and use their facilities if you live out of your truck?

I've done both, lived at the dz and rented a room/apartment near the dz. It's not always a "good" living, but it can be done (oh, and be prepared to move a lot too)

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[Peej 0]

A mate of mine and i went through AFF together and his mom use to come out to the DZ and watch us jump.
She heard that you could make a living as a packer overseas from some of the South Africans who'd been and the next thing we knew she'd sold all of her furniture, rented out her apartment and stored anything she didn't need.
She bought a ticket to Spain and managed to get a spot as a pcker at Empuria. That was two years ago.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[peregrinerose 0]

We don't do it full time, but from Friday night to Sunday night we live at the DZ in a trailer and pack to make enough to jump and keep our gear up to date. It's the best of all worlds... real life to pay the real life bills (packing will not make my $26,000/year student loan payback), but at least gets us around jumping for several days a week.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

Quote

what does it take to do pull of something like this?

GUTS
<>
Tami

Yep, BALLS (since Tami doesn't have any, anatomically speaking, of course) and a simple desire to just do it.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[noblesmelissa 0]

sometimes with a couple extra bucks and you feel like living it up u can add ground beef and mushrooms to your ramen...but only on special occasions...

[bdev 0]

Quote

A mate of mine and i went through AFF together and his mom use to come out to the DZ and watch us jump.
She heard that you could make a living as a packer overseas from some of the South Africans who'd been and the next thing we knew she'd sold all of her furniture, rented out her apartment and stored anything she didn't need.
She bought a ticket to Spain and managed to get a spot as a pcker at Empuria. That was two years ago.

Haha...I know her!...Does really nice pack jobs too!

---
One life...Use it.

[BenediktDE 2]

I talked a lot to some of those who "cut away" (to speak with the movie) and found out that you have to be able to live with very few money most of the time.
You have to have as many ratings as possible. (Tandem is a must - AFF also seems to be a must)

Make sure you can afford good insurances. It is very easy not to be able to earn a cent in this job. (spread ankle, hurting neck or just a cold)

I am thinking about trying to do a living from skydiving but I know this won't be in the next few years. I need more experience and ratings.

In the meantime I will try to get as many information as possible. I am talking to many people and will work at a dropzone for free for a few weeks just to get the feeling of it.

Before I do just a large step, I want to be sure this is the way I'd like to live for some years.

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.

[Tink1717 2]

It's called "Cutting away". It's actually more common than you might think. I had a cousin who did it to become a ski bum. She's been doing it for 15 years now. NO steady job, moves two or three times a year, no benefits, IRA or even social security. She also has no regrets either. I have had friends who have cut away to follow the Grateful Dead, become ski bums, surf bums, I even know a guy who cut away to go bass fishing full time. It's not unique to skydiving, but skydivers who cut away seem, at least to me anyway, to be more impoverished than others who cut away for other things.

So, make sure that trust fund is fully stocked, marry a whuffo who has benefits and life will be good.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[RogerRamjet 0]

I did it for 8 years, but it was somewhat easier then (1973) than it is now I think.

1st two years, worked as the rigger at Z-Hills commercial center packing T-10 static line rigs, free fall rigs, reserves, etc. Also did a lot of container, canopy and harness repair work (under the local Master Rigger's watchful eye).

Next year, moved to Miami and built the first 100+ Wonderhogs for Bill Booth.

Next year, moved to Aurora Il and built Eagle rigs for Bill Buchman.

Then back to Z-Hills and built my own rigs for a while (no one's rigs were TSOd at that time).

Finally got a job outside skydiving and continued to jump though less than while doing the "inside" work.

I wouldn't trade those times, but you aren't likely to get rich doing it, though it enriches your life IMO.

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519

[FallingOsh 0]

I'm still in school and new to the sport, but I make extra jump money bartending at night. You can make a couple hundred a night at a decent bar. Add that to your packing money and it's not all that bad. Plus you get free booze.

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Stay positive and love your life.