How to budget for skydiving & tunnel flying
Win lottery, skydive forever.
If you’ve been hooked by this sport, you’ve undoubtedly savored that fantasy hundreds of times. We all imagine living that dream life of all the gear, jump tickets and tunnel time we can handle but it always seems out of reach.
Now the bad news is that skydiving is expensive…period. This will never change and it’s just a pill we have to swallow. The good news is that it’s possible to live your dream life in the sport and there are multiple options. Here are a few ways to build toward those big goals of competing, records or just doing awesome jumps at cool events.
Keep in mind that some paths are more suited towards certain disciplines. This is something you’ll have to answer for yourself based on your priorities and commitment level. Feel free to reach out for guidance.
. . . So who are you?
The Professional
Spend the majority of your time focusing on your job. Get really good at it and make lots of money. Also work toward a remote or less engaged position to allow for travel and time off.
Use that money to pay for nice gear, good coaching and trips to the right places to learn what interests you.
Using the power of your funds and free time, accelerate your progress and make up for the time you spent earning the cash.
Do your dream skydives.
The Working Man
Eat canned chili and ramen until you make it to a coach rating.
Reinvest the money you are now earning into advanced coaching for yourself.
Spot your next (higher-paying) job in the industry and attack it. Make bold moves.
Continue to balance work and play (don’t get burned out).
Do your dream skydives.
The Tunnel Rat
Get a job at a tunnel (doesn’t have to be an instructor).
Treat your flight time like an asset, don’t just fetter it away. Seek competent instruction and coaching.
Save cash for A license and gear. Barter if possible/acceptable.
Crush license progression but stay humble, overconfident tunnel rats have a bad reputation.
Invest in canopy coaching.
Do your dream skydives.
The Content Creator
Get a job or take some classes in digital media, marketing, etc.
Save cash for A license and gear.
Create skydive-related online content that’s professional looking.
Offer to make professional videos for equipment manufacturers, locations or service providers.
Use the network you build doing this work to meet coaches and other industry professionals.
Reinvest in training.
Do your dream skydives.
These are just a few common paths to get you started. At the end of the day, you can build your own path toward being a ninja. There are a ton of opportunities out there; if you want it bad enough, you CAN make it happen.
Fly fast, fly tight, don’t give up.
