Skydive Laconia?

[dninness]

Greetings all, I've read this thread with great interest over the last several months and thought perhaps it was time to comment..

I am a avid aviation enthusiast and an active skydiver who lives in New Hampshire. I am well acquainted with the Noonans, and I am also familiar with Laconia Airport, having flown in and out of there many times in general aviation aircraft.

I think most of the "safety" comments have already been covered. The chances of a plane-skydiver collision are relatively small, and if everybody is operating in a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) "see and avoid" mode like we all should be, the overall effects to the aviation community will be minimal, if not completely negligible. But its incumbent upon everybody (pilots, skydivers, jump pilots, DZ staff, etc) to be heads-up while operating. Its not like skydivers show up to an airport and think they "own" the place any more than the fliers who are based there "own" it. We all have to do our part to fly and land safely around each other. Skydivers need to be sure they understand the rules and the expectations (ie. "No flying over the runway at less than 1000 ft" or "If you land in the grass between the runway and the taxiway, and there is a plane taxiing by, stop, take a knee so the pilot knows you see him, and wait for the plane to pass".. these are just two examples I picked out of thin air, BTW, but they are illustrations of the kinds of rules and behaviors that the skydivers, too, may need to abide by) for that particular airport so that everybody can co-exist correctly. Its not terribly hard.

I think more subtle than the 900-lb gorilla of safety is the implications this kind of a business has for the local area.

In the 11 years I have lived in New Hampshire, I can count the number of times I have been to Laconia, as an actual destination for my travels, on the fingers on both hands. And that includes my trip to the airport in June to attend the Airport Authority meeting (which I, unfortunately, missed by mere minutes). So in 11 years, I've been to the Laconia area as a destination perhaps 7 or 8 times. And in those trips, I've actually spent money in the area perhaps 3 or 4 times (food, gas, went to the movies once with some friends).

Contrast that with the other places that I have made my "destination" while skydiving and have spent money in their local economy. In addition to jump tickets (paying for the ride to altitude), very often trips to a DZ entail overnight lodging, eating in restaurants, purchasing gas, snacks and other provisions nearby, and even some "sightseeing" in the local area. Some examples from my 14 years of jumping:

Richmond, IN ($2000 or more, jump tix, food & lodging); Chambersburg, PA ($350, jump tix, food); Skydive City, Zephyrhills, FL (about $3500, jump tix, food, lodging, gas, gear, t-shirts); Skydive Chicago, Ottawa, IL ($200, jump tix); Hinkley, IL ($200); Titusville, FL ($250, doesn't count the 3 days we spent in and around nearby Cocoa Beach with a shuttle launch); Marshall, MI ($200); and also the thousands of dollars I've spent over the last 11 years in and around my "home" DZ in Pepperell, MA (jump tix, food from the local eateries, trips into town for snacks or Dunkin Donuts, gas, etc.)

That's just one skydiver's example, too. If there are 10 or 12 skydivers visiting, you can easily do that kind of math.

While its true that the Noonans' business will center around tandem skydiving, mostly, the fact of the matter is that people who come out to make a tandem skydive bring friends and family with them, eat food, buy gas and may, in fact, spend time in the local area after their jumping experience is complete. Even as an experienced jumper, I would be inclined to visit the proposed "Skydive Laconia" if it were a successful, active operation due to its location in a very, very scenic part of the state and its proximity to other activities for my family. Its nice to go someplace different, see your friends, jump with other people and from different planes, etc. When the end of the jumping day comes, I'm going to be starving for some grub. Am I going to drive 30 minutes south to Concord, or get something close by?

In today's economy, something that might bring people to the Laconia / Gilford area as a "destination" where they can spend some of their hard-earned money is a benefit. Due to the expenses surrounding the sport, skydivers tend to be more financially secure and are not afraid to spend money when and where its needed. (the "crazed biker/daredevil" image of skydivers found in mainstream motion pictures notwithstanding..) And that might provide a nice boost to the economy around the airport.

Thanks for the time! Looking forward to doing some quality skydiving at LCI.

Darin
D-19617