Which DZ`s in your state accept Skyride?

Well, that goes without saying. Still, the dz's closest to the original sin are still thriving after all these years due to their solid base and firm ground; if they can do it, why can't everyone else?

The irony of the situation is that because so many of the DZs in California do accept Skyride certificates, it's the one place where Skyride is less likely to engage in fraudulent behavior because they really can send the person to the closest DZs.

District of Columbia
(No Dropzone in District of Columbia accepts Skyride)

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Sadly, I do not believe they realize that the money they lose in this juggling (or, money that is withheld from them from these consumers) is at the same time being used to pay the lawyers to sue their own organization which issues their ratings and group memberships - they are, in essence, paying the attorneys' fees of those that are bringing suit against their own governing body, which they are already paying into as Group Members. They are paying for the ridiculous case against themselves...

That puts an exclamation point on it. !!!

Thanks for the list Jay.

I see a whole bunch of places I will not be spending money at now.

Maybe one day.

The list is Far from complete. Everyone PLEASE keep the information coming. Again, I am Looking for CONFIRMED information.

I will up date the list with all the info that has PMed to me later this week and once we have a complete list I am having Tee-Shirts printed up with the list. These shirts will be sold at cost and I hope that people will wear them out to their Dropzones and any Boogies to help get the word out to Jumpers that do not post here.

If you see you Dropzone listed as a place that takes skyride, Talk to your DZO and make sure they know that they are dealing with a company known for Fraud and Deception. If they know this and continue to do business with Skyride, Please consider spending your time and money a Dropzone with some integrity.

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The list is Far from complete. Everyone PLEASE keep the information coming. Again, I am Looking for CONFIRMED information.

How are you confirming the data? I'd hate to have a DZ end up on that t-shirt inappropriately.

If the information is sent to me from someone that I know and trust, And they say it is confirmed, I am taking them at their word. Others I am personally verifying by calling. This is a group effort and I am hoping that others will step up and make some calls as well.

Before printing the Teeshirts, I will make every effort to contact the DZs directly if there is any doubt.

I completely agree that calling an Honest Dropzone a Skyride affiliate is not nice at all.

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Thanks for the list Jay.

I see a whole bunch of places I will not be spending money at now.

Maybe one day.

Guess they won't see you at Nationals 2 out of 4 years.

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Guess they won't see you at Nationals 2 out of 4 years.

Which begs the question ... is that a more appropriate direction to go to get any action? USPA is awarding nationals to DZs that actively support a business with which it is actively involved in a lawsuit.

I'm gonna be honest here - I just don't see the anti-Skyride forces getting a lot of traction in California unless USPA and/or the DZOs themselves step up and make something happen.

EVERY MAJOR USPA Member DZ in California accepts Skyride coupons*. I'm personally not going to stop jumping in California; and I'm not even a local. I can't imagine a local deciding to boycott everyone; there's really nowhere else to go. Some of my favorite DZs are on that list. Would I say something to the DZOs? Sure. But I'm not going to stop jumping there. It's not in my own best interest to do that and ultimately, I'm just not that unselfish.

And like I said, I don't even live there, I just visit a lot because my SO and a lot of friends live there and it's an easy warm-weather weekend destination. If I had a choice between making a statement against Skyride and having nowhere to jump, or jumping, I'm going to jump.

Uphill battle in that market, guys. THAT'S your reality check. You can print all the t-shirts you want but until at least one or two DZs in each market step up, there's nowhere else to go if you want to "vote with your feet."




*Open question re: Skydance, and Lodi's not on that list but is also not a USPA GM DZ.

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If I had a choice between making a statement against Skyride and having nowhere to jump, or jumping, I'm going to jump.

I'm with you on that.

I jump at Skydance and I have no idea if they take Skyride vouchers or not. As long as the plane flies when I want to make a jump, I don't really care how the people doing tandems made their reservation.

To put a more positive spin on it, part of what I think needs to happen in California to start to get some traction is to increase awareness... to increase DZO awareness of how jumpers feel, even if they aren't at a point where they're willing/able to vote with their feet.

This is a BIG topic on DZ.com. It's a BIG topic in certain parts of the country. Fact is, though, it's a blip on the radar for a lot of DZs, for a variety of reasons. I can't think of a single DZ in CA that has a DZ management representative that frequents DZ.com. There's not a Betsy Barnhouse or Hans Paulsen or [insert DZO / DZM that frequents DZ.com here and actively discusses Skyride] that I can think of at any of the DZs in question.

These are DZ management teams that (maybe) pop on DZ.com to promote an event, or respond when there's an incident. If that. DZ.com is not a major information/communication channel for whatever reason. So the fact that all these people on the internet and in other parts of the country are worked up about this issue isn't really on the radar screen.

Unless some of the people who *do* have the ear of California DZOs start raising a fuss ... it'll continue to be background noise.

They might not read this site, but surely they know that skydive arizona is suing their partners in crime. They must know what skyride is all about.

I used to put perris in the same category as eloy. Not anymore.

Dave

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Fact is, though, it's a blip on the radar for a lot of DZs, for a variety of reasons.

Bullshit, it's been talked about @ two DZO's conferences @ PIA and has been a subject of the lawsuits of sdAZ & USPA and covered in both skydiving & parachutist mag's.

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Fact is, though, it's a blip on the radar for a lot of DZs, for a variety of reasons.

Bullshit, it's been talked about @ two DZO's conferences @ PIA and has been a subject of the lawsuits of sdAZ & USPA and covered in both skydiving & parachutist mag's.

It's still apparently enough of a blip that they're accepting Skyride certificates.

I'm not defending anyone's business decisions. I'm just providing a reality check that jumpers who live in or frequent California have a different type of work to do to make the case from the up-jumper perspective.

I understand where your comming from, I just think they don't care what fun jumpers think we don't pay the bills.

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I will up date the list with all the info that has PMed to me later this week and once we have a complete list I am having Tee-Shirts printed up with the list.

This being the list of bad guys, or good guys?

What do you do if the plan accomplished the goal? Cross out no longer bad guys, scribble in newly appointed good guys?

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Thanks for the list Jay.

I see a whole bunch of places I will not be spending money at now.

Maybe one day.

Guess they won't see you at Nationals 2 out of 4 years.

you would be correct sir.

Plenty of other places to jump

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Thanks for the list Jay.

I see a whole bunch of places I will not be spending money at now.

Maybe one day.

Guess they won't see you at Nationals 2 out of 4 years.

you would be correct sir.

Plenty of other places to jump

I'm sort of chuckling about this. To Krisane your stance is a blip on the internet. To Dan this is a profound issue to profound DZs like Arizona.

Ok, let's see if the ton of Eloy teams show up at Nationals at a Lake Wales or Perris. They're representatives of the DZ leading the charge against SkyRide. What, do you all think AirSpeed is going to skip Nats. If they did then it would make a huge point. If they even said they would skip it and asked the DZ in question to drop skyride then it would make a point. The question is whether the point is worth making.

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Ok, let's see if the ton of Eloy teams show up at Nationals at a Lake Wales or Perris. They're representatives of the DZ leading the charge against SkyRide. What, do you all think AirSpeed is going to skip Nats. If they did then it would make a huge point. If they even said they would skip it and asked the DZ in question to drop skyride then it would make a point. The question is whether the point is worth making.

The sad fact is that most skydivers just don't care about the politics. They jump where they damn well please. But boy, if Airspeed were to threaten to skip nationals like you said, that would be one hell of a point.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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EVERY MAJOR USPA Member DZ in California accepts Skyride coupons*. I'm personally not going to stop jumping in California; and I'm not even a local. I can't imagine a local deciding to boycott everyone; there's really nowhere else to go.

Then the jumpers can just try to make the DZO`s see that they in bed with a very unethical company. I realize the locals have no real choice as all DZ`s are guilty out there.

The slogan for the Tee shirts I am considering is:

If you have a choice, Jump Elsewhere. Do not support Skyride.
And then have the full list of DZ`s with the Skyride affiliates in Red.

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If I had a choice between making a statement against Skyride and having nowhere to jump, or jumping, I'm going to jump.

That is certainly your choice. Others of us will stand up for what is right and try to make a difference. I am sure the vast majority will do what you are choosing to do.

If you do choose to jump at Skyride Affiliates, Atleast try to talk to the DZO if you get a chance and ask them if the Ends truly justifies the Means. Make sure they know about the company they are doing business with.

I notice that the Perris regulars including the Mods haven't chimed in on this thread. You guys gonna gonna have a talk with Melanie? They seem like great people so i'm really surpised and saddened to hear they take skyride. I really enjoyed the time I had out there but doubt I will go back as long as they do buisness with them and I am sure they could care less if I come back or not but you guys that are there all the time should have some pull.

I was also suprised about perris. I heard this weekend from someone that was present when "the owner of Perris" stood up at a meeting of DZO`s and stated they would no longer accept Skyride.

I am shocked they have not followed through with that stance.

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Others of us will stand up for what is right and try to make a difference.

Good luck with that. As I found while trying to stand up for what is right by not selling (or doing business with companies that will happily sell) inappropriately sized canopies to newbies, you're swimmin' upstream and the current is damn strong.

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Good luck with that. As I found while trying to stand up for what is right by not selling (or doing business with companies that will happily sell) inappropriately sized canopies to newbies, you're swimmin' upstream and the current is damn strong.

But YOU did what you knew was right. That is all any of us can really do.

California is really a tough situation because the jumpers don’t seem to have a choice. I understand that not jumping at all vs Jumping at a Skyride affiliate is a no-brainer. Of course people will jump I just hope that they will continue to point out to their DZO`s the kind of behavior they are sanctioning by accepting these certificates.