Pity about SoBe

[MarkM 0]

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Wendy, Clewiston charges a good deal less for tandems than SoBe did I think. And SoBe also failed to advertise like they should have.

Just some thoughts.
Angela.

I don't know. I remember seeing some full page ads for SOBE in parachutist and they seemed to do a pretty good job at hosting an event pretty much every other month. I think SOBE going under had more to do with money issues up north than those at the DZ itself.

[Ncrowe 0]

I don't know. I remember seeing some full page ads for SOBE in parachutist and they seemed to do a pretty good job at hosting an event pretty much every other month. I think SOBE going under had more to do with money issues up north than those at the DZ itself.

[vandev 0]

any word on aircraft and who is going to be operating it? I would say that to be sucsessfull they need a mullins type king air or a single otter conversion that is super economical...ie 1 engine and can still fly 8 person loads and pay the bills. I would think a caravan is out of the question. They tried that and a otter and could not pay the bills. I hope JC or olav have a good business person to make this actually work.

In the end...the universe has a way of working itself out.... "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

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Quote

Wendy, Clewiston charges a good deal less for tandems than SoBe did I think. And SoBe also failed to advertise like they should have.

Just some thoughts.
Angela.

I don't know. I remember seeing some full page ads for SOBE in parachutist and they seemed to do a pretty good job at hosting an event pretty much every other month. I think SOBE going under had more to do with money issues up north than those at the DZ itself.

They had one successful boogie that absolutely rocked!! The other one they barely announced in advance and the helicopter didn't come through either. :( It was no where near the success of the first one which was really well planned, inviting big names like Birdman, PD, etc out which certainly draws a crowd.

Aside from the full page ad, do you think there could have been other ways to advertise? I'm not in advertising, but not many potential tandem students pick up Parachutist and students bring $$ in, experienced divers that are not dz loyal are not the bread & butter I wouldn't think. I know there is 1800skydive, but are there other methods?

I definitely think it can work, I just don't think that enough effort was made before shop was closed. And, I would think that when you open you'd want to charge the same rate for tandems as the dz next door, but they charged much more and called it a discount. I really wanted to advertise/try to bring folks in, but I actually felt bad that they'd get a better deal pretty much anywhere in the state (I don't know about Miami, but Clewiston charges less and even Sebastian charges less.)

Not trying to step on any toes here, but these are my thoughts. I definitely loved the dz, it rocked while it was open!!

Angela.

[mindcool 0]

yo guys check it out

www.1olav.com

isnt the phone # belong to the airport???

[vandev 0]

Yes, i saw this and this is what they are trying to do. The key factors to getting consistant regulars is super fast aircraft. Tandems is key...but that will also require ..super fast aircraft. They need to be better, faster and more organized, than everyone else. I would rather drive from miami to deland to jump than have to spend all day in slow aircraft, wait to get on loads and be at the mercy of circumstances. On the slowest days at deland your still on a super otter. I dont think this could support a full time super otter. Now a blazing kink air conversiion that climbs at 4000 feet per second....well that will draw people and make a tandem experience much more pleasent. I would have to say that the DZ owners need to be aircraft owners. We saw what happened before with leased aircraft. One day there there, and the next there gone. With good advertising, people and a well managed business, this place could be sucessfull.

In the end...the universe has a way of working itself out.... "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"

[mindcool 0]

dont forget u'r talking about Pahokee...
give these guys a fast plane and they'll jump their ass off

i remember the time i used to jump SDA, the only thing that could keep this plane on the ground was the dark....

[Ncrowe 0]

Hello Mr. Dead Horse time for your monthly beating, any news? bueller? bueller?

"Don't Mess Around With the Guy in Shades- Oh No!!! "

[Maxx 1]

Any news about Pahokee? Is Olav the new DZO?

Feet up!
Max

[Ncrowe 0]

DZO? I haven't heard anything about the DZ opening back up , but who knows ...if someone gets some good info post it up.

"Don't Mess Around With the Guy in Shades- Oh No!!! "

[vandev 0]

well ...anyone have anything on whats the story????

In the end...the universe has a way of working itself out.... "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"

[Ncrowe 0]

Sigh, this is like slow torture . Someone please tell me theres been some progress out there

"Don't Mess Around With the Guy in Shades- Oh No!!! "

[Jumperintheair 0]

Anyone have any idea why no one ever reopened a DZ in Pahokee?? I heard after SoBe closed that there we're a couple different parties interested in starting another DZ there, but it never happened. Why not? Seems it would be a good place for a C-182 tandem operation if anything. Anyone have interest/connections to do it?


Derm

[Vectracide 0]

Politics buddy, politics. After the owner (the then owner of Skydive Tecumseh) failed to pay on the lease of the Otter at that DZ, the owner came and planned on picking it up. There was an attempt to work it out, as long as a new DZO was to take responsibilty for everything and not the DZO of Tecumseh. There was then another power shift and betrayl within that group and it got all fucked up again.

So to make a long story short.....the guy that started it, didn't pay. The people to take it over couldn't get along and squandered the last opportunity for SoBe to exist.

I had the opportunity to jump there for a week, and I have to say that it was the coolest DZ I have ever been to. Amazing talent, awesome vibe, beautiful scenery, spaceball jumps anytime you wanted (over the lake) and the best damn Otter pilot I have ever flown with. If I lived in Fl., I would have invested in keeping it going as well. Oh well....

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Controlled and Deliberate.....