F104 Starfighter 6 #1 Posted May 30 If you were trying to 1. keep operating and jump costs to a minimum 2. keep Aircraft taxi time to a minimum (Twin Otter costs $62 per minute if the hourly rate is $3,700) 3. keep Jumpers next to all of this required and give them everything they like What would the Perfect Dropzone Airport look like in regards to length of Runway for Airplane, location of landing zone for Airplane and Jumpers, Jumpers loading zone, where would it all be in relationship to the Runway, how would all this work and is there a perfect dropzone like this anywhere? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danornan 79 #2 May 30 Skydive Chicago comes pretty close, along with Peris in California. Z-Hills and Deland are not too shabby either. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 615 #4 June 3 Start by building the main building BETWEEN the landing area and the runway(s). Separate the general public from operations areas and give them bleachers and snack bars over looking the boarding area and landing area, separated by a fence that allows them to blow kisses to their tandem friends. Install a souvenir shop beside the snack bar. Install the vertical wind tunnel beside the souvenir shop. Maybe even add a bouncy castle for their kids. Give manifest plenty of windows that allow them to monitor dressing areas, boarding areas, runways and landing areas. Allow manifestos to listen to the most important airplane radio traffic. Put the packing hangar and the loft at the far end from the parking lot. Class rooms and hanging harnesses beside or above the packing hangar. Add an airplane maintenance hangar on the very far end. The public know little about airplane maintenance and want to know less. The worst of the public freak out when they see a mechanic - with a screwdriver - within a mile of an airplane. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 2,651 #5 June 3 3 hours ago, riggerrob said: Start by building the main building BETWEEN the landing area and the runway(s). Separate the general public from operations areas and give them bleachers and snack bars over looking the boarding area and landing area, separated by a fence that allows them to blow kisses to their tandem friends. Install a souvenir shop beside the snack bar. Install the vertical wind tunnel beside the souvenir shop. Maybe even add a bouncy castle for their kids. Give manifest plenty of windows that allow them to monitor dressing areas, boarding areas, runways and landing areas. Allow manifestos to listen to the most important airplane radio traffic. Put the packing hangar and the loft at the far end from the parking lot. Class rooms and hanging harnesses beside or above the packing hangar. Add an airplane maintenance hangar on the very far end. The public know little about airplane maintenance and want to know less. The worst of the public freak out when they see a mechanic - with a screwdriver - within a mile of an airplane. A lot of excellent suggestions, several of which we've incorporated years ago. Separating the spectators from the packing, instruction, up-jumper congregation/camping areas and giving them a nice place to watch is huge. In the beginning up-jumpers thought it wrong to do so, based on history I guess, but when stuff is no longer missing and kids and pets aren't running around being a pain it seems smart. Putting maintenance away in a hangar is really important. For a while we had a nifty play area in the spectator area with slides and crawl throughs etc. but then one day a mom came in, asked for me, and told me that a certain something on it could get me sued. I immediately shut it down and it was gone the next day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,351 #6 June 4 Yeah, Jumptown has a lot of that. It works well Wendy P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
F104 Starfighter 6 #7 June 5 (edited) How about a Swoop Pond? How long, how wide and how deep? How about a Landing Area for Tandem Jumpers to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? How about a Landing Area for Jumpers who have injuries and they want to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? How about a Landing Area for Beginner Jumpers to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? How about Dog Kennels for those who have Dogs and want to leave them in a Safe Enclosed Area? How long of a Runway do you need for a Twin Otter or Caravan to land and with minimum Taxi, Load, then take off again? At $20-30 per minute Operating Costs, that seems to add up quickly. How many Jumpers do you need daily to keep a Twin Otter or Caravan in business and profitable? Edited June 5 by F104 Starfighter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trafficdiver 8 #8 June 5 - Air conditioned packing -Super twin otters that only run with 14 skydivers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeWeber 2,651 #9 June 5 18 hours ago, F104 Starfighter said: How about a Swoop Pond? How long, how wide and how deep? How about a Landing Area for Tandem Jumpers to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? How about a Landing Area for Jumpers who have injuries and they want to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? How about a Landing Area for Beginner Jumpers to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? How about Dog Kennels for those who have Dogs and want to leave them in a Safe Enclosed Area? How long of a Runway do you need for a Twin Otter or Caravan to land and with minimum Taxi, Load, then take off again? At $20-30 per minute Operating Costs, that seems to add up quickly. How many Jumpers do you need daily to keep a Twin Otter or Caravan in business and profitable? How about a Swoop Pond? How long, how wide and how deep? I went with 200' X 60' X 4' deep and they still found ways to kill and injure themselves so I filled it in. How about a Landing Area for Tandem Jumpers to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? Absolutely. Should be USPA mandatory, not the dumb vertical separation nonsense they allow. How about a Landing Area for Jumpers who have injuries and they want to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? No way, heal first and then jump. How about a Landing Area for Beginner Jumpers to reduce the probability of them geting hurt? Absolutely. Should be USPA mandatory, not the dumb vertical separation nonsense they allow. How about Dog Kennels for those who have Dogs and want to leave them in a Safe Enclosed Area? Individual or grouped together so they can fight? Lot of money for a problem. I let them have them on leashes in the experienced only parking lot in the back area where no spectators are allowed. If they bark or bite or even threaten they are banned. How long of a Runway do you need for a Twin Otter or Caravan to land and with minimum Taxi, Load, then take off again? At $20-30 per minute Operating Costs, that seems to add up quickly. 2500'-3000' does the job with a little safety margin for take off and return to airport scenarios. How many Jumpers do you need daily to keep a Twin Otter or Caravan in business and profitable? At todays rates you really want to average 3-4 flights per start over the year, so that many. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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