Info on Skydiving Outfits

[DiverDriver]

The drugs part is recent rumor. There was an incident there just last year. Basically an airplane landed at their base airport in the middle of the night and started unloading, then got stopped by the feds. The party that was supposed to be picking up saw the commotion and split. Supposedly several of the skydive employees didn't show up at work for a few days afterward.

This is all rumor as far as I am concerned, and could be outright bullshoot, but if someone is considering working there they should at least know about it beforehand. I wish someone had told me about my previous boss's bad reputation before I signed on with him. It would have saved me a couple years and a lot of money. Turns out everyone knew he was a fraud but me.

As far as fatalities, that's real and documented. They changed hands in 1993 (I think... or was that when they moved?) and have killed 14 or so people since then, the last one was July last year.

Look, I'm just trying to save someone a bad surprise. If that's such a bad thing, fine, I'll shut up.

Look, you are getting stuff mixed up so let me try and straighten a bit out for you.

First. THEY DID NOT KILL 14 PEOPLE! Yes, it is documented. And in each case the person who died was determined to be the cause of their demise and not the DZ. I know. I was there. Same with pilots, same with jumpers. The individual pilot is usually the cause of the accident.

If I had felt the DZ was unsafe I would have left it. I left a bad operation before and I'd do it again. I even had my mother do a tandem at Skydive Chicago and I rather care about my mom a lot.

The former owner of SDC did spend time in jail for drug running. He opened SDC after his time away in 1993. SDC is one of the premeir places to go jumping in the USA. He was killed in 2003 while skydiving and his family continues the business quite well.

As for the plane landing with drugs in the middle of the night last year it's true. Two pilots were arrested and drugs seized. The owners of the DZ were NEVER questioned. Had lawenforcement thought it went further they would have taken it further. NO DZ staff was "missing" for a few days.

There is an active drug testing policy in place for ALL employees at SDC.

I could type more but my fingers would fall off. I just know that SDC does care about the Mx on their aircraft head and shoulders above many. I would go to work there again any time. The pilots involved in working there now are some of the finest jump pilots I know. ( I trained them I should know.)

If I sound defensive it's because I am a bit. I put blood, sweat, and tears into help building that new facility. I only played my part but I care about it much. And if I was the one standing there when the plane rolled in with drugs on board I would have been the one to make the phone call to turn them in. I know others would too. We don't like our work being messed with.

 

[PilotSkydiver]

Good Post Diver Driver...

Would Have loved to get on at SDC.. I worked at SDI until it was kicked off the morris airport (which is a story for another thread). I've jumped at SDC several times and it is a real class act... While I sat around with that durn King Air for 2 years and 300 hrs.. the pilots at SDC were flying all day, had people bringing them food and water, hot fueling the aircraft for them and turnin' some loads.

If you are trying to get on there it is pretty diffucult unless you've got some otter time or are in good with Rook or Missy.

Flying skydivers is like anything else... can't just jump (punny!) into a king-air or twin otter... you've got to put in your dues in a c-182 or c-206 at your local DZ before movin on to the big dogs like SDC, Carolina Sky Sports, Skydive Arizona, or Kapowsin (sp)

It's also not for everyone, but if it is for you I GUARANTEE it will be the most fun flying you ever will do!!

Good Luck
-AlaskaBob

 

[MDAutry]

Thanks for all the info, in this business information is very important. As far as letting your mother tandem, I would like to know a place you reccomend for my mother in law to jump... thats a whole different thing though.

Could you get on with one of these operations with 1000hrs TT if most of it was hauling banners?

 

[dseagrav]

If I sound defensive it's because I am a bit. I put blood, sweat, and tears into help building that new facility. I only played my part but I care about it much. And if I was the one standing there when the plane rolled in with drugs on board I would have been the one to make the phone call to turn them in. I know others would too. We don't like our work being messed with.

It's OK. I didn't mean to personally attack you, or anything. I just reposted the rumor I'd heard and expected it to get proven one way or the other. I apologise for getting you worked up.

 

[TDTURBO]

I used to regularly jump at SDC when it was in Morris until thier Ottor went down killing all a few years back. It is a class operation, I was considering working for them part time just for fun since I have well over 1000 hrs in 182's. Maybe someday after I retire, I always had a blast jumping there, it's big on safety, that I do know.

What would be the chances of getting hired there with my time in type at age 46 when I'm retired?

Also, what do they pay?

 

[DiverDriver]

I used to regularly jump at SDC when it was in Morris until thier Ottor went down killing all a few years back. It is a class operation, I was considering working for them part time just for fun since I have well over 1000 hrs in 182's. Maybe someday after I retire, I always had a blast jumping there, it's big on safety, that I do know.

What would be the chances of getting hired there with my time in type at age 46 when I'm retired?

Also, what do they pay?

One. SDC never was at Morris.

Two. Their Otters have never crashed killing all on board.

Where did you get this from?

 

[PilotSkydiver]

One. SDC never was at Morris.

Two. Their Otters have never crashed killing all on board.

Where did you get this from?

Thanks... I wasn't even going to bother to set him straight, but since you did....

The organization in Morris was called Skydive Illinois. They got really big in 99 and 00 then had problems from drugs (using) and others including 9-11 that they were never able to overcome... I worked there as the pilot for the last year... After all the drug stuff blew over they were a good outfit.. probably would have survived for a few more years except the Morris airport was expanding and most GA guys and Skydivers don't get along very well so they found an (illeagal) way to evict them from the airport. The owner of SDI did win his lawsuit against the city from what I heard but is now a drummer in a band on tour in europe.

-More Useless Information

-AlaskaBob

 

[MDAutry]

How many hours do you need to get on with a CASA or Super Otter at a place like North Carolina Sky Sport and the like in Florida?

Thanks again guys...

 

[PilotSkydiver]

How many hours do you need to get on with a CASA or Super Otter at a place like North Carolina Sky Sport and the like in Florida?

Thanks again guys...

To get on flying a turbine at a skydiving operation you will need previous jump pilot experience.. PERIOD... go fly a 182 or 206 somewhere else first. or fly at a dropzone that has both recips and turbines. Not trying to be a buzzkill or anything that's just how it works... There is no PFT or big 141 school or 30 years flying a 747 over the pond. they just don't care.. the DZ owners first question will always be. 'Have you ever flown jumpers before?'

CSS..... That's a whole can o' worms....
Time is really not important, but you must ask yourself...

1. Will you work for peanuts?
2. Willing to mow grass when not flying? (no extra pay)
3. Do you like washing a whole otter by yourself?
4. Verbal abuse.... Can you handle it? (Alot)
5. Can you pick up and move at the drop of a hat.
6. Do you have more than 2 levels of airworthiness??? e.g. broke, kinda broke, needs fixed sometime, needs fixed soon, just one more load then we need to fix it, working ok, perfectly fine.... (you won't need the last one)

I never worked there BTW, but my best friend did.. he quit to go work on boats instead of fly..