1800skyride scam

FWIW, ASC may be in the process of changing their business name from "Atlanta Skydiving Center" to "Adventure Skydiving Center".

I saw it on the lead-in of a tandem video shot recently and posted on youtube.

They may be trying to squirrel their companies to protect their assets in preparation for an eventual judgment/settlement...but that's just blind speculation.

They have been using "Adventure Skydiving Center" in some fashion for years.

I say we all shit in a paper bag, light it on fire, and knock on the skyride owners' doors. Then we laugh when they stomp out the flame and step in poo. Yeah...... that'll teach 'em.

I hate that this is many people's first introduction to skydiving. Getting hosed on the price & location of their tandem. Hell, if I had been forced to drive 8 hours to jump I'd just let the 220 go. And then I would never even consider a skydive again- because that community in general would seem crooked. That's what skyride wants, 100% profit. Fuck the people or the reputation the sport gets, they already have the money. Problem is they are reeeaaaalllyyy good at marketing.

I'm new to this sport and this issue, but if I'd been burned like this I would have said F*ck that sport and never looked back.

As it turns out, I got lined up with decent people. Now I'll probabaly clear 175 jumps my first year in the sport. Now what's more profitable? $220 one time from some random internet buyer, or a potential dedicated skydiver spending $4200 on lift tickets, buying new gear, jumpsuits, rigs, rental fees, etc- all of which the DZ has a chance to reap the benefits of.

I understand their angle here, but roping in new serious skydivers can also help reap profits----- in a positive way where everyone wins.





I guess we're just beating a dead horse with this issue.

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H
Put your head back in the sand and it will all just go away.

For some people, Things like Honesty and integrity mean something... For others, obviously not so much.

Relax. It's got nothing to do with honesty or integrity, and everything to do with realism.

After nearly a quarter century in this sport, I've seen this deal before many times. This one is no different. This too shall pass.

As for putting one's head in the sand, I can't think of a better example than the endless keyboard flexing on this subject on these forums. Thousands of post, and practically nothing has changed in five years, except USPA fell over their own damn feet dealing with it and wasted a shitload more of our dues, whilst emboldening the very practice they sought to stop.

This essentially was the jist of my previous post. Posting about it here is like those magnetic Support Our Troops ribbons on cars everywhere. You know, it gives the impression that you're actually doing something, when in fact it's the barest minimum effort you could possibly put forth.

Skyride survive because dropzones take the money, and instructors take the students and passengers. If they didn't, Skyride couldn't exist. If the general membership was really engaged, they could boycott the drop zones, and the instructors could take the financial hit of the lost income.

Like I said though, it's easier to post and pretend that action substitutes for real hard choices.

Dammit. Now I'm just as guilty of perpetuating this useless discussion, when I could be at the drop zone earning cash.

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H
Put your head back in the sand and it will all just go away.

For some people, Things like Honesty and integrity mean something... For others, obviously not so much.

Relax. It's got nothing to do with honesty or integrity, and everything to do with realism.

After nearly a quarter century in this sport, I've seen this deal before many times. This one is no different. This too shall pass.

As for putting one's head in the sand, I can't think of a better example than the endless keyboard flexing on this subject on these forums. Thousands of post, and practically nothing has changed in five years, except USPA fell over their own damn feet dealing with it and wasted a shitload more of our dues, whilst emboldening the very practice they sought to stop.

This essentially was the jist of my previous post. Posting about it here is like those magnetic Support Our Troops ribbons on cars everywhere. You know, it gives the impression that you're actually doing something, when in fact it's the barest minimum effort you could possibly put forth.

Skyride survive because dropzones take the money, and instructors take the students and passengers. If they didn't, Skyride couldn't exist. If the general membership was really engaged, they could boycott the drop zones, and the instructors could take the financial hit of the lost income.

Like I said though, it's easier to post and pretend that action substitutes for real hard choices.

Dammit. Now I'm just as guilty of perpetuating this useless discussion, when I could be at the drop zone earning cash.

Dear Father, please forgive Gareth for he also does not know what he's talking about.
I know him too. He's an ok guy - well, most of the time ;)

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Dammit. Now I'm just as guilty of perpetuating this useless discussion, when I could be at the drop zone earning cash.

Just wanted to point out that some of that CASH you are earning comes from skyride scams as the DZ listed in your profile is a Skyride affiliate.

Back to, For some us.. Honesty and integrity mean something. For others, it is just about the cash.

This site is a place where people can come to learn about skydiving. There is no greater resource on the web anywhere. Keeping relevant information available about Skyride and their business practices available where potential skyride victims can find this information BEFORE they get taken is important.

As for what has changed: There is Legal action being taken (FINALLY) but it is moving with very slowly. In the mean time, People are still getting scammed every day. (one of which is who brought this thread back up).

You are right, If people quit working for Skyride affiliates and fun Jumpers boycotted Skyride Affiliates. Things would change quickly. Since that is not happening, all we can do is keep trying to warn people in advance.

And one state legislature has passed a new law making illegal the online tactics that Skyride employs, with significant fines for each violation.

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Dammit. Now I'm just as guilty of perpetuating this useless discussion, when I could be at the drop zone earning cash.

Just wanted to point out that some of that CASH you are earning comes from skyride scams as the DZ listed in your profile is a Skyride affiliate.

Exactly.

However, I have no idea which students are Skyrides, and which ones are not, which would make it damn near impossible to take any stance on the issue. By the time I'm faced with a customer, there's not much I can do about it really, and pretty much all of the drop zones in the local area take Skyride business. Honesty and integrity really don't have a lot to do with it.

As for me, skydiving is my sole source of income. The whole business of professional skydiving dictates that if I don't take them, someone else will. I suppose I could just elect to starve and not pay my bills I suppose, if that would make people happy. All I can do is to approach them as professionally as possible and hope that if they have a good time, they'll come back as a normal customer. We have a few jumpers now at Byron who started off as a tandem from Skyride.

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Dear Father, please forgive Gareth for he also does not know what he's talking about.
I know him too. He's an ok guy - well, most of the time ;)

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I never know what I'm talking about.

Consistency is important.

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I'd like to thank everyone here for ressurecting yet another Skyride thread.

Can't have enough fucking Skyride threads can we ?

I'll see your sarcasm and raise you my apathy. My concern about "Skyride" is only exceeded by my indifference.

Another unhappy customer.... this one from "Georgia-based thrillplanet.com" aka 1800skyride

http://www.wfsb.com/news/16901987/detail.html

Woman: Skydiving Co. Ripped Me Off
Company Used Misleading Advertising, Woman Says

POSTED: 3:33 pm EDT July 16, 2008
UPDATED: 8:37 pm EDT July 16, 2008

MIDDLEFIELD, Conn. -- Susan Lipper said she was looking for the perfect gift for her husband when she saw a van on the highway advertising a skydiving Web site.

“My husband used to skydive, and it's his 60th birthday today, and I wanted to do this for him,” said Lipper, a Middlefield resident.

Lipper said she bought a $250 gift certificate from connecticutskydiving.net. The Web site, she said, repeats over and over that they can help you “skydive” in Connecticut.

“I had him call last Tuesday night to schedule a jump and found out they don't skydive in Connecticut,” she said.

She said the company told her the money is non-refundable and that her husband should go to an airport in Albany, N.Y.

The Web site is run by Georgia-based thrillplanet.com. The Better Business Bureau said it’s received nearly 400 complaints about the company. It said the state of Georgia sued them last year for misleading consumers.

Calls to the company were not returned.

The Channel 3 Eyewitness News I-Team searched the company’s phone number in Google and was directed to Skydive Pennsylvania, Skydive Tennessee, Skydive Colorado and Skydive California, all with one phone number. Many other states popped up with that phone number as well. When consumers click on the Web sites, they’re all the same, aside from the change in location.

“We've had experiences with other organizations that have done scams like this,” said Chris Riggio, a coach at CT Parachutists in Ellington.

“The question they should ask is are you a person at that particular drop zone, and if they're not, you don't want to speak with them,” he said.

“I’m going to look for a local address, or some address, because if you have nothing that indicates it’s here, you don't know if you're getting what you're getting,” said Lipper.

Lipper said she also plans to file her own complaint with Connecticut's attorney general.

I wonder where our buddy is that told us how they were cleaning up their act.

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I wonder where our buddy is that told us how they were cleaning up their act.

LOL.

We had a skyride Cert show up at our dz this weekend. We explained who and what they are about and that we have never ever taken skyride certs and this is who you need to file a complaint with...

They did get to jump.

j

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I wonder where our buddy is that told us how they were cleaning up their act.

Rberger?

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Dammit. Now I'm just as guilty of perpetuating this useless discussion, when I could be at the drop zone earning cash.

Just wanted to point out that some of that CASH you are earning comes from skyride scams as the DZ listed in your profile is a Skyride affiliate.

Exactly.

However, I have no idea which students are Skyrides, and which ones are not, which would make it damn near impossible to take any stance on the issue. By the time I'm faced with a customer, there's not much I can do about it really, and pretty much all of the drop zones in the local area take Skyride business. Honesty and integrity really don't have a lot to do with it.

So just wait until ASC opens a DZ in California.. lets say five hours from the Bay Area, where there are several other drop zones within an hour drive.

Tandem students will google search "skydiving in San Francisco", and be flooded with fake websites, unbeknownst to them. So they call the number on the website, ask what their options are for locations, and they're told that the ONLY place to skydive in their area is this ASC dropzone. They are also told that its not far from them, so lets have your credit card number and you can get directions from the website. Skyride is owned by ASC, and they make more money when they don't have to pay you, right?

What does this scenario produce?
1- Lost business for Bay Area Drop Zones.
2- Students who soon discover they were mislead on many levels and have their experience ruined. A large percentage of Skyride customers never get to jump, and never get their money back.

Fact is that 100% of your tandems who come to you through Skyride would have found the website for your drop zone if the had not been flooded with fake skyride websites. Coming directly to your drop zone, they wouldn't be charged extraneous fees for ridiculous things like "the big plane".

I understand that Skyride doesn't produce as many problems out West as it does in the Southeast. So just wait until they're out there, then you'll see how bad Skyride is for our sport.

edit: I just noticed I replied to your post from 5 years ago. Not picking on you, but nothing has changed for the better since then. Byron still takes Skyride from what I understand.

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I wonder where our buddy is that told us how they were cleaning up their act.

LOL.

We had a skyride Cert show up at our dz this weekend. We explained who and what they are about and that we have never ever taken skyride certs and this is who you need to file a complaint with...

They did get to jump.

j

They got to jump at who's expense?

This happened all the time at the real Tennessee Skydiving Center (not the fake skyride website one).

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Tandem students will google search "skydiving in San Francisco", and be flooded with fake websites, unbeknownst to them. So they call the number on the website, ask what their options are for locations, and they're told that the ONLY place to skydive in their area is this ASC dropzone.

Good. They will deserve it for being in bed with the slimey fuckers.

The CT Attorney General is taking action: http://www.wfsb.com/news/16914052/detail.html#-

I practice OCD in research (of anything) thank goodness though! May 24th, 2008 was my tandem jump, I called every single phone number to every single dropzone internet site....

I apparently had dealings with this skyride (or something similiar) in the process of this research.
http://skydivingsandiego.net/

I knew right away when I spoke with this gentleman that something was fishy.... it was very high pressure sales pitches, lines like "they are jacking up the price ANYTIME now because of fuel prices, better get this gift certificate RIGHT now!!" etc...

I went with my gut and hung up, called the dropzone and scheduled through them.


I have spent way too much time today reading through some of this thread....because at first I really couldn't tell if this "business" is ethical or not, but after all the information I have digested and my own (however slight) dealings with this business I must say that those who justify this behavior as "realism" are part of the problem.
This is not realism it is good old fashioned selfishness. (among other things) almost any problem you can think of in the world has roots with selfishness.....

I always teach my daughter and those around me, "is it worth winning (or getting rich, even just paying the bills) when you do so at the expense of others and unethically or by cheating?" Each person must answer that on their own, but where is the self satisfaction and happiness when you achieve something through shady means?

We are all humans after all, feeling the same pain, joy, fear, hope etc.....and when I see other humans getting hurt, walked on, taken advantage of, I feel compassion.....which is something the world could use more of for certain.

I hope this thread does help warn others! I am new to this amazing sport and part of what I learning to love and admire about it is the community that surrounds it. Let's look out for eachother!

blue skies
jess