Get what you pay for
The U.S. Parachute Association has been sending me e-mails, asking me to call/write to my congresspeople to try to stop the passing of House Bill HR2997 - a "modernization" of air travel infrastructure that includes, among other things, the privatization of air traffic control. Many aviation groups (including, obviously, the USPA) are opposed to the measure because it will almost certainly tilt the use of American airspace in favor of those with big pockets (i.e. large airlines) and stymie the use of airspace by smaller companies and hobbyists. The cost, and even the accessibility, of skydiving will likely be impacted negatively by this.
I shouldn't even have to mention it, since any attempt at privatization of anything is usually a dead giveaway, but this is primarily a Republican measure. 2 of the 6 House sponsors of it were Democrats, but not a single Democrat in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted in favor of it.
Anyway, what's really funny to me is: the current culture at Skydive Suffolk is almost 100% Republican. A good 75% of the people who jump there regularly are active or former military. There was a huge Trump sign out front before the election last year. There are InfoWars "Hillary for Prison" bumper stickers plastered on the lockers and sand jugs. Since I've only jumped in Suffolk, I can't speak of other drop zones authoritatively, but the impression I have is that skydiving in general tends to be a military enthusiast, GOP-leaning sport as a whole. In other words, they voted for these same congressional assholes who are trying to privatize air traffic control.
So, to my fellow skydivers... this is what you voted for, guys. You get what you pay for.
I shouldn't even have to mention it, since any attempt at privatization of anything is usually a dead giveaway, but this is primarily a Republican measure. 2 of the 6 House sponsors of it were Democrats, but not a single Democrat in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted in favor of it.
Anyway, what's really funny to me is: the current culture at Skydive Suffolk is almost 100% Republican. A good 75% of the people who jump there regularly are active or former military. There was a huge Trump sign out front before the election last year. There are InfoWars "Hillary for Prison" bumper stickers plastered on the lockers and sand jugs. Since I've only jumped in Suffolk, I can't speak of other drop zones authoritatively, but the impression I have is that skydiving in general tends to be a military enthusiast, GOP-leaning sport as a whole. In other words, they voted for these same congressional assholes who are trying to privatize air traffic control.
So, to my fellow skydivers... this is what you voted for, guys. You get what you pay for.