buzzfink

The skydiver seating diagram (link below) makes it look extremely tight. http://www.utilityaircraft.com/skydiving.html Buzz

Molly, We will definitly wait for you. And I think we can ask Bill V, Amy and Ron Lee to join us. Maybe it will become a 20way?? Anyway, we will wait to hear from you. Blue Skies! Buzz

Kieth, I won't do that if you promise not to take the spot way way way long Buzz

Molly, You were not the only one who posted emotionally and I apologize if I went too far. I consider all of you, Molly, Barbara and Kieth all my friends and I know the staff at Skydive San Diego will do everything possible to make it one of the safest and most fun places to jump. How about a 10 way with you three and the some of the staff. I will even pay!! Blue Skies! Buzz

Barbra and Bill, Well put by both of you! We now have more information and this should be on peoples minds when they jump. Perhaps more jumpers will ask the DZO or S&TA what the procedures are. And the more people aware of the procedures, the more input and refining that can take place. Thanks. Buzz

Molly, I find it very hard to believe YOU wrote this. When you hooked turned into the ground and almost killed yourself, you were surrounded by staff members. Andy Witcomb sat there holding your bloody head in his hands the whole time. When an accident occurs, it is responded to. Sometimes the most qualified people to respond are experienced jumpers. As with your accident, there happened to be an off duty paramedic, Nelson, who came out to help. He was not staff. Should we have sent him away?? We routinely send most of the people back away from an accident and leave the most qualified there as it does no good for lookie loos to just stand by and watch. Let the people who need to work do there job. And I don't care if they are staff or experienced or a wuffo. As for the DZ not having a written plan, when have you ever asked???? Of course we have one. We could not have recieved a government contract to train the military if we did not. We have passed every inspection with flying colors. Lastly, to post a response like you did without knowing both sides of the story is simply wrong, irresponsible and not in the best interest of anyone. Buzz Fink

But the problem is in determining what happened. When in doubt, the customer is always right. Besides, if he dumps in a track, he is already paying the price by hurting for certain. As for wing loading, the DZ knows how it is loaded when they rent is to him. Back on the DZ. Blue Skies! Buzz

1. If you use the reserve, should you have to pay to repack it? NO. YOU RENTED IT PACKED. IT WAS NOT YOUR PACK JOB OR FAULT. 2. If the main breaks a line on opening, should you have to pay to reattach or replace the line? NO. 3. If the main blows up on opening, should you have to pay to replace it? NO. 4. If you lose any handles, should you have to pay to replace them? YES 5. If you lose the cutaway main, should you have to replace it? YES. Someone posted that the DZ should keep an eye on it and go recover it. That is all well and good and many times that will happen but it does not relieve the person renting from taking responsibility for the gear he rented. Ultimately, it is the renters job to ensure the main is recovered. Buzz

Skydive San Diego is now under the new management of Andy Witcomb. He has brought the DZ to a new level including new portable restrooms instead of the porta potties, new team rooms. He has cleaned the place up and has bought new gear. The place is awesome!! From the beautiful mountain and lake views to the fastest climbing 300 series otters (yes, otters as in 2 300 series otters)to the friendly atmosphere, the place is rocking!! If you have not stopped by lately, do so and check out the new digs and happenings. They even have Icarus Team Evolution there all week and weekends. Definitely worth checking out again!!! Buzz (former mgr, retired :))

Done. Buzz

Yes. This Saturday the DZ is donating four loads to Christian. Cost is $25 per slot and all of it, 100%, is going to Christian. Christian is a good guy, good skydiver and good friend and he deserves all of our support! See you there! Buzz

I hear more and more horror stories about aircraft maintenance. I am simply curious how important it is to most jumpers. To me, it is of the utmost importance! Buzz

Why do three DZ's that are not located in Los Angeles advertise in Los Angeles? To draw customers. Many may not like to hear this but it is a business not a club. In order to have the modern 300 series otters, the nice packing areas, the maintained landing area and other amenities, the DZ needs to be able to pay the bills. While they can do alot for the experienced jumpers, it is the first time jumpers that foot most of the bill. That means advertising up to 200 miles away. Can they pass another DZ's that "may be as great" as mine, yes. But others do just the opposite. They head to other DZ's and don't know about mine that "may be as great" as theirs. Bottom line is it is business. And the end result to me is whether the student leaves happy. I can say yes. My experience with 1-800-SKYRIDE has been professional and rewarding and I look forward to continued business over the next years. Blue Skies! Buzz

Re-posted: We participate in the 1800skyride program and are very happy. They perform their own marketing at their own expense, they pay for the overhead, they pay for the phonelines, accounting, office rent, etc. They sell the jumps at a price which recovers their expenses and makes them a profit. That's business and it was a good idea someone had. If they severely overcharged their customers, the customers would not pay. There are far more important things in skydiving to get upset about. Buzz Fink Skydive San Diego, Inc.

It's Monday at 5pm. It is unbelievable but the DZ made it through the fire!!! One fireman told me he could not understand how the fire did not ravage the DZ (I wasn't going to tell him about crazy larry who stayed) but flattened everything around it. All four sides of the DZ are pitch black with burnt vegitation. Several poles along the edge of the property were still on fire with little flames. Several 5 gallon water jugs took care of that. Once again, thanks to everyone who helped, called, e-mailed and prayed for us. It worked. Blue Skies!! Buzz

It's Monday at 1:00 in the afternoon. Still cannot gain access to the DZ. Smoke is too thick to permit a flight over to check it out. I heard that as of 7pm last night, the DZ grass and trees were all burned down.....but the buildings survived. Seems one of our ultralighters decided to stay instead of evacuate. Not the brightest idea but he may have saved all the buildings. He fired up our water pump and was wetting down some of the buildings. He thought he could stay maybe another hour. After about half an hour, at about 3:30 pm, he said the fire engulfed and passed the DZ burning all natural vegitations to the North, East South and West. He put out a couple of fires around the buildings when embers fell on a towel and some loose debris. But as of 7pm Sunday night, all buildings were in tact. It was by by the grace of god (and Larry the Ultralighter) that our buildings are still in tact. I'll update when I know more. Blue Skies! Buzz

Today, Sunday, October 26, 2003, San Diego County in California is on fire. This is the worst fire this county has ever seen. From the south to the north to the east, fires rage. Skydive San Diego, through the volunteer help of it's staff and jumpers, evacuated all skydiving gear and other essential equipment as time permitted. At about 2:30pm, the blaze was just 800 feet from our runway. We were ordered to evacuate and we did. We do not know if any buildings survived yet or if there is anything left but we hope to find out early Monday AM. We are very lucky. Many families and businesses did not fare as well and lost homes, businesses and precoius lives. We saved our gear, the buildings were insured, the aircraft got out early and if needed, we can rebuild. I cannot say enough about the voluteers that helped today. From Brook, to Ron, to Matt, Steve, Andy, Greg, Maggie, Christian, Pete, Don, Simon, etc. You guys saved the DZ. Thanks. I will update this on Monday when I actually get to see the DZ and can post a damage report. Blue Skies! Buzz Fink Skydive San Diego, Inc.

Everything that comes out of the GM committee goes before the full BoD. Unless controversial, they usually just get approved. Also, the Chairman's of the GM committee and the S&T committees usually communicate about common issues. In many instances, both committees vote seperately on the same issue and only one committee brings it forward. Also, some of the members of the S&T committee are also on the GM Committee. Buzz

Yes. But also by Joining as a GM, the business is also signing a pledge to abide by the BSR's. Buzz

Not correct. As part of being a USPA Group Member, you must sign a pledge to, among other things, abide by the BSR's. Buzz

I agree with Ron. The coach course is a service to it's members and should be able to be held anywhere, GM DZ or not. USPA keeps saying how they fight for all skydivers and keep skydivers skydiving. Here is a great way to show it. At the very least, they are improving overall safety in the sport by providing needed training for USPA MEMBERS, who may take what they learned back to non-GM DZ's. That can only help the sport. Instead, they use this to pressure DZ's to become GM's. I was at the meetings where this was discussed. It was even suggested by one National Director that teams competing in the Nationals should have to practice only at GM DZ's. That obviously did not fly. But the Course fee for non-GM's did. This is just another reason to do away with the GM program and go back to an organization for by jumpers for jumpers. For the record, I think the coach course program is a good one and USPA has done a good job of managing it. Just my 2 cents worth. Buzz Fink

I've flown in the vegas tunnel and the Florida one. The vegas one is simply a novelty for non-jumpers. I wouldn't waste your time or money on it. Go to the Florida one or the Perris one will be open in a month. Night and day diffference. Buzz

Is that with a partner or by ones self? Buzz

> You get what you pay for usually. Buzz