Archie’s Gold Coast Skydive turns into a sky-high business success story

ARCHIE Jamieson can remember only one thing from his first skydive 30 years ago — the fear “It was the scariest thing I had ever done,” he said.

Gold Coast Skydive owner Archie Jamieson on Kirra Beach. Picture: Mike Batterham

ARCHIE Jamieson can remember only one thing from his first skydive 30 years ago — the fear

“It was the scariest thing I had ever done,” the 49-year-old said.

“I went back the next day and did a second jump. If I hadn’t, I don’t think I would have continued.

“I couldn’t believe I could be that scared and still live.”

Mr Jamieson not only overcame his fears, he became a skydiving instructor and now owns Kirra-based Gold Coast Skydive with wife Samantha.

He holds the roles of chief instructor and managing director and believes he has one of the best jobs in the world — regularly jumping from an aircraft 12,000 feet (3658m) above Kirra beach.

“It’s a more accepted activity now than it was back in the 1990s,” Mr Jamieson said.

“Tandem-skydiving is now considered to be almost a joy ride.”

Mr Jamieson held several jobs after leaving school, including managing a supermarket at Tweed Heads.

After his first skydive, at age 19, he developed a love for the extreme sport.

He went on to win medals at international competitions and captained the Australian parachute team in 1994 and 2001.

When cult movie Point Break was released in 1991, interest in tandem-skydiving rocketed and Mr Jamieson launched his career as an instructor.

In 2008, he and his wife bought Gold Coast Parachute Ride which they renamed, and, after convincing the council to let them land on Kirra beach, have grown it into a major operation.

They employ 21 fulltime and part-time staff and have staged almost 7000 tandem jumps in the past year, a sevenfold increase on the 1000 in their first year in business.

Mr Jamieson, a Gold Coast resident since the age of three, said the business focuses on providing customer service.

“This is our baby and we want to keep it that way,” he said.

“I don’t have any plans to turn it into a massive public company or anything like that. We are happy to keep expanding steadily.

“I have worked with the big operations. At the end of the day people would come to buy me a beer and I didn’t know who they were despite having taken them for a skydive a few hours earlier.”

Gold Coast Skydive instructors make no more than 12 jumps a day, at a cost of $365 each jump.

“We charge a little bit more because we must,” Mr Jamieson said.

“Beach landings halve the life of the equipment and double its maintenance cost.”

Mr Jamieson is working on several projects.

They include a “learn to skydive” program in partnership with indoor skydiving centre iFLY Gold Coast, which is on trial until year’s end.

He regularly attends industry events to stay abreast of developments in the rapidly evolving industry.

Wife Samantha, also an expert skydiver, takes care of the IT and accounts side of the business while looking after their two young daughters and dog, which has six jumps under his collar.

Mr Jamieson has always had a fear of heights, but said skydiving doesn’t scare him any more.

“At the end of the day it’s a dangerous sport, you can’t sugar coat that,” he said.

“But, in my opinion, it’s the best thing a person will do in their life.”