0

News

    Spectra Ripcord Service Bulletin

    MANDATORY PRODUCT SERVICE BULLETIN FOR SPECTRA RESERVE RIPCORD
    REASON: EXCESSIVE URETHANE COATING
    Spectra Reserve Ripcord
    Part #:

    024 029 001 SPECTRA RIPCORD-24.5"

    024 029 002 SPECTRA RIPCORD-26"

    024 029 003 SPECTRA RIPCORD-27"

    024 029 004 SPECTRA RIPCORD-28"

    024 029 005 SPECTRA RIPCORD-29"

    024 029 006 SPECTRA RIPCORD-30"

    024 029 007 SPECTRA RIPCORD-31"

    024 029 008 SPECTRA RIPCORD-23.5"
    Lot #:

    UPT-2014-01

    UPT-2014-08

    UPT-2014-10

    UPT-2014-11

    UPT-2015-02

    UPT-2015-03

    UPT-2015-03a

    UPT-2015-03b

    UPT-2015-03c

    UPT-2015-03d
    LOT # UPT- 2015-04 AND LATER ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THIS PSB
    BACKGROUND
    The Spectra Reserve Ripcord system has been in the field now for over 5 years. During that time, it has performed as expected; generating consistently low pull forces because Spectra cord has a very low coefficient of friction. (A similar Spectra main ripcord system has been in use for 15 years on our Sigma Tandem systems).
    To prevent minor fuzzing and color loss, and to make the finished Spectra reserve ripcord easier to thread through the housing, the finished ripcord is lightly coated with the same polyurethane compound used by Spectra line manufacturers to increase suspension line life. This process increases housing drag slightly but still keeps it below that of stainless cable.
    It has recently come to our attention that some Spectra ripcord cables manufactured in late 2014 and 2015 were coated with the wrong mix of polyurethane and water, possibly resulting in higher pull forces because of increased housing/ripcord friction. While we believe that this affects only ripcords manufactured from December 2014 to May 2015, we are going to consider all 2014 ripcords suspect.
    While have been no reported hard pulls in actual use, we will replace all affected ripcord cables free of charge. Because this will take time, we have devised an interim solution that will keep all affected rigs in service until the replacement Spectra ripcord can be installed.
    PROCEDURE
    1. The interim solution must be accomplished before the next jump on the equipment.
    2. The replacement ripcord must be installed at the next scheduled repack, no later than December 31, 2015. After this date, all containers with affected spectra ripcords are grounded until the replacement is made.
    Interim Solution
    The rig owner, or a parachute rigger, can perform the procedure; the reserve does not need to be opened. It should take no longer than a few minutes.
    In this video the procedure to complete the interim fix is shown. As noted in the bulletin, these steps are to be taken prior to your next jump and installation of the new spectra ripcord should take place during your next scheduled reserve repack.
    1. Put the ripcord side of the harness over your knee
    2. Remove the ripcord handle from its pocket
    3. Grip the other end of the ripcord just above the pin
    4. Applying moderate downward pressure to remove the slack, slide the ripcord back and forth in the housing for 10-15 seconds at 2 cycles per second. Look at the ripcord pin as you perform the procedure to avoid moving it or breaking the seal. This will smooth the excess polyurethane coating thus reducing the pull force
    5. AFTER performing step #4, spray a one second burst of pure silicone spray (available at hardware stores) into each end of the housing. This will serve to further lower pull forces. We have not tested any other lubricants, so it is important to use only a “pure” or “food grade” silicone spray because other ingredients might damage the bungee cord inside the ripcord. DO NOT spray the silicone before step #4, as this will make the housing too slippery to smooth the polyurethane
    6. Slide the treated ripcord back and forth in the housing under moderate tension 5 times to evenly spread the silicone. Again, be careful not to break the seal
    Although this procedure will restore normal pull forces, it will require periodic re-lubrication with silicone spray at monthly intervals, and it must be considered a temporary solution, to be used only until you install the replacement ripcord cable.
    As a reminder use a Sharpie or similar permanent marker, and put a visible dot on the ripcord data sleeve. This will represent the initial treatment performed in June.
    When you re-lubricate in July, put a second dot on the backside of the data sleeve, a third in August, and so on, until the replacement can be installed. This will allow any jumper to keep track of the monthly lubrication while the interim solution is in effect.
    Replacement
    When replacing the Spectra reserve ripcord, the rigger will reuse your existing handle and RSL pin
    1. Take a clear photo of the ripcord data sleeve. We need to know your ripcord length.
    2. Write down your rig serial number.
    3. Go to UPT Vector for more information on requesting a replacement of the Spectra reserve ripcord
    UPT is working as quickly as possible to build replacement Spectra reserve ripcords, and will get them out as soon as possible. Until you obtain and install your replacement, you may use the current one as long as you follow the directions of the interim solution.
    If you elect to replace the ripcord cable prior to the due date of your next reserve repack, the rigger who did the original pack job, may be able to install it without opening the container. After resealing the container, the rigger must indicate this PSB has been complied with on the packing data card. The original (next) repack date remains the same as it was before ripcord replacement.
    DISCUSSION
    In the US, maximum allowable pull force is 22 pounds (10 Kilograms) with the rigger’s seal in place. This force, measured at the ripcord handle, is a combination of the force required to move the pin, the housing friction, and the force required to break the seal thread. The standard does not specify how this is to be measured, but there are basically only two ways, which could be called “Static” or “Dynamic”. The static force is measured by pulling the ripcord handle very slowly while it is attached to a hand held spring (fish) scale. To measure the dynamic force, where a ripcord is pulled quickly, as in real life, requires a digital scale with the correct sampling rate and peak force recording ability. Our tests using such equipment show that dynamic pull force is often less than half of the static pull force.
    This research confirms an important fact of which all jumpers should be aware: A quick "jerk" on the handle will give a much easier pull than will a slow steady application of force.

    By admin, in News,

    Kiwi-built skydiving plane crashes at sea, killing pilot

    A Pacific Aerospace Corporation 750XL, the first passenger-carrying aircraft designed and built in New Zealand, has crashed at sea while being delivered to its American buyer. Early reports said the plane may have experienced mechanical problems.
    The pilot, Kelvin Stark, 58, of Tauranga, died in the controlled crash, which was observed by an airborne US Coast Guard crew that had guided him through the emergency landing.
    Mr Stark was delivering the aircraft, one of the first sold by Hamilton-based Pacific Aerospace Corporation (PAC), to Utility Aircraft Corporation, a Woodland, California-based company that converts planes for skydiving and acts as PAC's distributor in the Americas.
    According to wire reports, the crash took place about 310 miles (496 km) from land at Monterey, California, when Mr Stark was forced to attempt an emergency water landing because he had run out of fuel.
    The attempt took place during daylight, at around 9 am local time, and appeared to go smoothly, according to Coast Guard Lt Geoff Borree, who was part of the rescue team that observed the crash and had been waiting to drop Mr Stark a raft.
    His landing "wasn't violent at all," Lt Borree said. "He obviously had some good piloting skills."
    But Mr Stark did not emerge and the Coast Guard then called in parajumpers, an Air Force plane and a nearby commercial vessel to assist in a deep sea rescue. The jumpers arrived about three hours later and found Mr Stark in the submerged cockpit of his overturned plane, according to the Associated Press, citing Veronica Bandrowsky, a Coast Guard spokeswoman.
    Rough seas made it impossible to immediately retrieve Mr Stark from the plane and Lt Boree said it was not clear whether Mr Stark had been knocked unconscious on impact or become trapped in the plane after the landing, which had caused the aircraft to flip onto its top.
    Mr Stark's brother-in-law, Mike Fletcher, told the New Zealand Herald that the plane was either low on fuel or developed a fuel-transfer problem involving one of the fuel tanks inside the plane.
    The plane should have been carrying enough fuel for 17 hours of flight but Mr Stark reported he was low on fuel after only 11 hours in the air. According to the AP, he had only 45 minutes of fuel left when the Coast Guard team caught up with him at 10,000 feet.
    Ray Ferrell, one of Utility Aircraft's owners, told the AP that the loss of the aircraft was disheartening, "but it's no comparison to the loss of Kelvin. He was talented man."
    In August, the first plane off the 750XL's Hamilton production line was purchased by Taupo's Great Lake Skydive Center.
    PAC says it has firm orders or sales for 18 of the PAC750XL aircraft, which was specially designed for the rapidly growing skydiving market and can carry 17 passengers, but which can also function in a variety of other contexts.
    It said before the crash that it had received options for another 260 of the new aircraft.
    The company says that in addition to being the first aircraft designed and built in New Zealand, it is also the first new aircraft built in the last 25 years specifically to target the burgeoning adventure parachuting market.
    The aircraft can take 17 fully kitted skydivers to 3600 metres in 12 minutes and can cruise at 160 knots for up to five hours with a full passenger load.
    In October, Mr Stark flew a prototype of the plane to the United States for testing by the FAA.
    That flight took four days and the plane was fitted out with additional fuel tanks for the trip.
    The company says the flight took refueling stops at Pago Pago, American Samoa, (a 10.5 hour flight from Hamilton), Christmas Island, part of the Kiribati Group (9.5hr from Pago Pago), Hilo, Hawaii (after 7.5 hrs flying from Christmas Island) and finally reaching Davis Airfield (California) after a mammoth 16 hr flight. Total flight time was 43.5hrs, over four days.
    The plane crashed while duplicating the last leg of that run, between Hawaii and Davis Airfield.
    The plane is not yet certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, which will join with the National Transportation Safety Board in the investigation into the crash.
    The plane and Mr Stark's body are in water judged too deep for recovery.
    The doomed single-engine turbo-prop, priced at $US994,000 ($1.7 million NZD), was the third off the PAC production line, according to The San Franscisco Chronicle.

    By admin, in News,

    Swoop Style Masters at the Scalaria Air Challenge 10th Anniversary

    Falling from 1,500 meters at
    speeds in excess of 130 kilometers per hour, this years “Swoop Style”
    competitors will yet again risk their lives to take home the prestigious title. This
    relatively new sport, only made possible through recent advancements in
    parachute technology, has become one of the most highly anticipated events at
    the Scalaria Air Challenge each year because of the extreme skill and bravery
    needed to participate. Competition is fierce as participants jump from a
    helicopter 1,500 meters above the ‘seepromenade’ and soar down through
    obstacle courses at dangerously high speeds in hopes of landing on a small
    platform on the water. Speed, line and accuracy are the ingredients for success.



    “Swoop Style Masters” will take place for the third time this July at the 10th
    anniversary edition of the Scalaria Air Challenge in St. Wolfgang im
    Salzkammergut, Austria. Top athletes from around the glove including Bill
    Sharman, Patrick Kaye, Julien Guilho and the Red Bull Skydive Team (with over
    10,000 jumps will descend upon the
    Air Challenge in order to make history for their sport. However, Swoop Style
    Masters is not the only event at the Scalaria Air Challenge that will shock and
    awe. Constantly pushing the limits of what is possible, it is an event that
    originally began as a small gathering of seaplanes on the beautiful Lake
    Wolfgang and has turned into an internationally recognized spectacle in the air,
    on the water and at the resort. This year, the event will celebrate 10 Years of
    outstanding performances, celebrity appearances, and inspiring exhibitions, with
    over 30 flying guests including:

    Dornier DO-24 – the only seaplane of its type
    Lockheed Super Constellation
    Red Bull’s Flying Bulls – the whole family
    Baltic Bees – 6 jet formation
    Red Bull Air Race World Champion Hannes Arch & Pete McLeod
    Felix Baumgartner | Red Bull Stratos Jump Hero
    Blacky Schwarz – Red Bull Cobra Pilot & Helicopter World Champion
    About scalaria – the event resort: Nestled in the Alps, scalaria event resort is
    an ideal destination for meetings, presentations, conventions, ceremonies and
    banquets. The resort leaves nothing to the imagination, offering 4 unique event
    facilities, 20 meeting rooms, 400 beds in impeccably styled rooms and 360-
    degree views of the Salzkammergut and Lake Wolfgang. The elegant blend of
    traditional and contemporary styles are an attraction to international brands,
    such as Red Bull, Nike and Aston Martin. For more information, please go to
    www.scalaria.com.

    By admin, in News,

    Cypres 2 Service Bulletin - Jan 2013

    The following is a copy of the latest Cypres 2 service bulletin, which can be found at: Cypres-USA.
    Issue date: 31 January 2013
    Bulletin number: C2 0113
    Identification: CYPRES 2 units manufactured February 2009 through December 2012 (02/2009 - 12/2012).
    Compliance: MANDATORY before each jump
    Background: Airtec GmbH & Co. KG has become aware of a small number of CYPRES 2 units becoming “non-responsive." Although the subject units indicated a “0” (or the selected DZ setting) on the display, they were no longer operating.
    Extensive research indicates that this situation is extremely rare and tends to occur during packing, especially on non-static-proof surfaces such as plastic, nylon or carpeted areas. Low humidity, build-up of static electricity and
    changing environmental conditions are all contributing factors. In addition, a recent activation, after the rig had been placed on the packing mat, has been linked to this phenomenon.
    Action to be taken: Prior to each jump, during your pre-boarding equipment check (after the CYPRES has been switched on), perform
    the following system test:
    Click the control unit push button one time, and watch for the red LED light to flash. A flash indicates that the unit is working properly. If the red LED does not flash, repeat this procedure to confirm. IF THE UNIT IS NOT RESPONDING, IT IS NOT IN A SAFE WORKING CONDITION, AND THE UNIT WILL NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED ON A JUMP. If this is the case, contact Airtec GmbH & Co. KG or SSK Industries, Inc. for further instructions either to arrange for repair, or for a loaner or replacement CYPRES 2.
    If the unit is not in working condition, failure to perform this procedure prior to each jump will result in an increased risk to the user.
    Resolution: CYPRES 2 units manufactured after 1 January 2013 (01/01/2013) contain an update to prevent this situation from occurring.
    All existing CYPRES 2 units in the field manufactured during the affected date range (identified above) will receive the update as they cycle through their periodic maintenance requirement, or during other repairs. After a CYPRES 2 unit receives the update, the procedure described above (clicking the control unit push button during each preboarding equipment check) is no longer required.
    Additional Technical Details:
    The reason that only units manufactured during the above date range are affected is because the manufacturer of a component made a change on an internal ASIC microcircuit (which is something like a processor) to a higher level of
    integration. Prior to accepting the revised component, Airtec went through a 13-month evaluation period. This included laboratory testing as well as field-testing of 151 CYPRES units with no events or anomalies experienced.
    The revised component entered CYPRES production in February 2009.
    Authority:

    Helmut Cloth

    Airtec GmbH & Co. KG Safety Systems

    Mittelstrasse 69

    33181 Bad Wünnenberg, Germany

    Tel: +49 2953-9899-0

    Fax: +49 2953-1293

    [email protected]
    Distribution:

    North America Market & Dealers

    North America Parachuting Publications

    Parachute Industry Association
    An FAQ relating to this service bulletin can be found on the Cypres Website.

    By admin, in News,

    Research on Injuries Sustained from Hard Openings

    The Neurology Neurosurgical Department of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, under the guidance of Patrick Weldon MD, is conducting an investigation into Injuries Sustained from Hard Openings and is actively researching any skydivers who may have been injured from a hard opening.
    The chief investigating physician in this study is Dr Patrick Weldon, an avid skydiver, videographer, and WFFC Load Organizer. The purpose of this study is to identify the type, extent, and duration of injuries sustained from hard openings as well as long term effects of these injuries with emphasis on recovery, prognosis, and ability to return to skydiving.
    Skydiver cooperation is essential to identify common factors from these injuries, and your participation will lead to better understanding of the dynamics involved in parachute openings. Results of this study could lead to improvement in parachute designs.
    Participants will be under no obligation to travel. Research will be initiated by telephone interviews by a Neurologist or Neurosurgeon. If participant agrees, a physician will review their medical chart and diagnostic procedures (ie. Xrays, CT, MRI etc.)
    Information on any and all injuries sustained from a hard-opening parachute, minor to severe, is desired.
    Please note that this is a medical research study only. Physicians and others involved will not in anyway cooperate with any litigation or litiganous activity. Any attempt to use this information for any lawsuit-based purpose will be denied.
    For more information, or to participate, please contact Dr Patrick Weldon, Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, at (601) 984-5500, fax (601) 984-5503, or via email: [email protected]
    This study will follow all applicable HIPA rules and regulations regarding medical research and patient confidentiality.

    By admin, in News,

    Niklas Hemlin - Breaking Boundaries

    Image by Ben Nelson Niklas Hemlin of Arizona Airspeed ventured out with a goal in mind and captured his first World Record - but not in belly flying, in the new category, Head Up. Not many long-term and committed belly flyers transition over to freeflying later in their skydiving careers. Especially one that has invested most of their lives into belly flying. It's refreshing to see that the boundaries of belly flying and freeflying are starting to blend.

    Name: Niklas Hemlin

    Jumps: 15,500+ (just below 16,000)

    RW Jumps: 13,000+

    Freefly Jumps: 100
    ML: How many competitions have you been to?
    Niklas Hemlin: I have attended 35 national and international recognized competitions. You couple probably double that number if you were to include local and none recognized events.
    ML: How many medals have you won?
    Niklas Hemlin: More than 35.
    ML: Do you have any previous world records, if so, which ones?
    Niklas Hemlin: I do not have any belly big formation world records J This would be my first big-way world record. I have an un-official world record with Airspeed for the highest 4-way average from when we won the World meet in Dubai 2012 at 27.9 average points.
    ML: What motivated you as a young jumper and how did you get the idea to tryout to be on Airspeed?
    Niklas Hemlin: What motivated me as a young jumper was the next jump. I was head-over-heels in love with our sport and the whole nature of it…jumping out of a plane, plunging towards the ground in freefall, pulling your parachute, and safely land to do it all over again. Since then, my love is all the same and more intense than ever. I seem to effortlessly find new ways to keep my passion and intensity for our sport. It has so much to offer me and it is literally limitless. To me, it’s a lifestyle and way of life.
    ML: What is your new position on Airspeed?
    Niklas Hemlin: I used to be the inside center and now moved to the point position on Airspeed. Each position on a 4-way team comes with its own style and characteristics. Throughout my 4-way career, I have been floating around all the different slots and found that each offer its own challenges and satisfactions. It is always fun to be put in a situation to learn and refine a new style and to push yourself. To me, it keeps it all fresh and motivating. Performing any slot on a world-class level requires absolute dedication and focus.
    ML: You're more known in the community to be an RW skydiver, when did you start freeflying?
    Niklas Hemlin: I seriously started to freefly January 2014. I did do some freeflying back in 1997 here at Skydive Arizona after spending three months in Florida training with my Swedish 4-way team. Since then, I haven’t done any freeflying until I started up in the tunnel this year. I have managed to accumulate about 50 hours in the tunnel YTD and around 100 freefly jumps. I hope to meet my goal of 52 hours of tunnel for this year and 150 jumps.
    I’m a very goal oriented person and find it hard to keep my competitive spirit at bay. I had a goal of getting to a level in my freeflying that I could go and fly in the tunnel and in the air for fun and hold my own. I remember very vividly seeing people fly in the tunnel and in the air and wanted nothing more than to fly like them, effortlessly float through the air on all angles and on all their body’s flying surfaces. I looked so appealing and fun to me.
    Airspeed is my heart and soul and takes up a lot of time and dedication. It takes all you time and devotion to become a world champion or a world class flier in any discipline. That being the case, I felt I had to spend the 2014 season to learn freeflying before I transitioned back onto the team as an active member from being an alternate for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
    ML: What motivated you to participate in the upright world record?
    Niklas Hemlin: To put myself in a situation where I HAD to perform. I remember seeing and hearing about the upright record and the headdown big-way scheduled for the fall at Skydive Arizona. I used it as a goal to progress enough to where I could at least participate in the upright warm up weekend. That was enough motivation for me to keep my focus and training. The warm-up weekend went well enough that I was asked to participate in the record attempt.
    To be honest, I was, and in my opinion still am, not very good on my headup. It is a challenge for me because I really struggle with getting the hang of it and become as comfort and fly as effortlessly as I see others fly.
    Image by Ben Nelson ML: Can you tell me what kind of struggles you had on the record jumps and how you overcame them?
    Niklas Hemlin: The most overwhelming part of the headup warm-up and record was my visuals. What is left and right headup is right and left headdown. Wow, flying headdown to the formation from exiting head up and then get there to transition back into headup. Oh boy, that was a mind f*#ker (teaser). To be honest, I did not figure than one out until the second day of the record. The second biggest challenge for me was to keep my mind at bay. I was filled with excitement and anxiety and had to calm myself and focus on my basics. Freeflying is not all instinctive and I have to think about what I’m doing and what I need to do. So, if I don’t keep calm and anticipate my flying, it all goes to shit.
    ML: How much of the Upright World Record principles were like belly fly big ways?
    Niklas Hemlin: I would say a good 99.9%. That was a huge advantage for me having so much experience with big-ways. That was the easy part. At least I didn’t have to stress out about that.
    ML: What would be your advice to other belly flyers about getting into freeflying?
    Niklas Hemlin: Lower your expectations and embrace the whole process of sucking. Do it for fun and understand it is nothing like belly flying, but at the same time, it is just like belly flying. For me, it was very healthy and humbling to “suck” at something again. It was very refreshing to be a student again and having to learn and unlearn. Being the guy in the room with the least amount of experience and, literally, being a safety hazard was a lot of fun for me. Just something about being in the early stages of something new and falling in love with it and not being able to get it out of your head. Oh yea, and it will improve your belly flying tremendously!

    By admin, in News,

    Eating (And Breathing) Your Way to Peak Airsports Performance - Part 2

    Holistic Performance Specialist Lucie Charping Talks You In
    Image by Juan MayerIn our last article, we met holistic nutrition coach Lucie Charping, who works with elite athletes to get them--and keep them--at the top of their game. Often, that game is an airsport. Here’s the continuation of our conversation regarding peak performance strategies for more “normal” airsports athletes, like you and me. (Spoiler: These strategies work just as well if there isn’t a charging bull on your helmet.)
    ALO: If going cold-turkey on every naughty item in your diet isn’t the way to peak performance, then what is?
    Lucie: Changes made little-by-little help an athlete increase awareness and get in touch with their body’s natural intelligence by balancing the systems that run us. In actual fact, we're healed by those same systems that keep us going, so--if you balance those systems, such as blood sugar and pH--you'll be setting yourself up for a broad spectrum of positive effects, healing from stress and sports injuries among them. Make better choices until you build the momentum that gets the pathways programmed.
    ALO: It sounds just like establishing a yoga practice. Right? As soon as you keep the promise that you're going to do it for five minutes, before you know it, it’s 10; 20; 40; 60...
    Lucie: Absolutely. People think it's matter of willpower. It’s not. It's really a matter of neurobiology--what's happening in your brain, what's happening with your biochemistry, your neurotransmitters, what's happening in your gut--that’s making the decision about what you're going to eat.
    You can’t fight your hormones. No matter how strong of mind you think you are, you're ruled by your chemistry. You are strong of mind because of your chemistry. So: If you get your chemistry in alignment, you’ve essentially learned to hack yourself. You can not only be happier, more effective, more creative and more motivated in your daily life--but if you’re the kind of person who relishes a heightened-stress, high-consequence situation like skydiving, tunnel flying, BASE jumping, etcetera, then you’ll get even more benefit from this kind of management. You’ll learn faster, you’ll have faster decision-making and you'll have more focus to excel in these unique sports with their unique pressures.
    Of course, I could say to you, “Here; go to the dropzone with this power-packed superfoods smoothie of maca and cacao with all these berries in it.” And it would be super awesome, of course; it’d give you a short burst of energy for a short amount of time. But it’s not sustainable to do that every time you go to the dropzone; every time you go to the tunnel. If you learn how to balance your blood sugar, you're going to have an abundance of energy for an extended amount of time, and you don’t have to plug a blender in next to the packing mat.
    ALO: Let’s talk a little more about energy. It’s a big part of airsports to manage your energy when you’re waiting on loads or tunnel rotations or weather, and a lot of airsports athletes struggle with it. How can this stuff help with that?
    Lucie: The peaks and valleys in these sports are quite steep. I see a lot of adrenal fatigue and overactive minds in the group of people that I work with.
    For this, I’ll use the term “extreme sports,” because these athletes like to push their minds and physiologies to the extreme. When you put yourself in a high-consequence or high-risk situation constantly, the chemistry that is firing in your brain is full of reward chemicals. It’s highly addicting. Over time, you reset your brain’s baseline for what it means to feel good.
    When you're on the ground or on the bench, those reward chemicals are not firing. So, what happens is--more often than not, and you can correct me if I'm wrong--we have major addictions in these sports. Not just to drugs, though that is certainly within the landscape. We have addictions to sugar; caffeine; tobacco; all kinds of stimulants, and you can see for yourself how people are having to use those things constantly between jumps and flights. It's not because the individual a yahoo; it’s because their baseline chemistry is telling them this is what is required for you to feel happy now.
    So, on the ground as an action sport or, say, “extreme sport” athlete--for peak performance, you must learn to cultivate that chemistry whilst not risking your life. And you do that with the food that you eat and with relaxation practices. You can keep your blood sugar level, which keeps your mind and body in a receptive state, then cultivate that satisfying chemical response through breathing. Then you won't have to reach for an energy drink every time you pack, bouncing from one coffee to the next, not eating all day at the dropzone and then binging whenever you manage to get home.
    Peak performance comes with time. And so, it’s interesting to note, does optimal health and weight, without calorie counting, or deprivation, or guilt.
    ALO: It sounds way simpler than I thought.
    Lucie: It’s not really simple, it’s elegant. To me, that's where the power is. If you want to talk about what is both the barrier and the bridge between business as usual and peak performance for airsports athletes, it’s a single path, and it’s not complicated: cultivating these practices of prioritizing your food so you balance your body's chemistry and practicing mindfulness techniques in order to bring a single point of focus to your mind. Not only do you get better at jumping and flying; you become happier as overall person.
    Your body is magic; it's magnificent, actually We often forget about that. But we never, ever should.
    ------
    Lucie is based in San Diego, but travels to wind tunnels worldwide as the nutritional arm of Fusion Flow Retreats. To reach out to Lucie for a personal consult, pop over to her Facebook page.

    By admin, in News,

    Survivors Recall '92 Skydive Crash

    Los Angeles - Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld remembers nothing about the airplane crash that nearly killed him, or the five weeks he lay in a coma afterward. What he does remember is that one of his best friends died on the skydiving plane that crashed 10 years ago last Monday.
    "It infuriates me," he says of the crash. "I'm still very good friends with his mother, with his sister. I see them and talk to them and it just kills me, that I had anything to do with it."
    In one of the worst accidents in skydiving history, the twin-engine de Havilland plunged to the ground during takeoff at Perris Valley Airport, killing the pilot and 15 skydivers.
    Brodsky-Chenfeld, 40, was among six survivors. He was coaching American and Dutch skydivers and had recruited some to come out to Southern California for training. Among the dead was his friend James Layne, whom he had taught to skydive in Ohio.
    Federal officials determined that contaminated fuel caused the right engine of the DHC-6-200 Twin Otter to lose power after takeoff. The pilot then made a mistake.
    The overloaded plane's right wing dipped and struck the ground. Witnesses said the craft bounced upright and then nose-dived, shearing off its nose and wings.
    Troy Widgery, 35, of Denver, recalls the aircraft was 300 feet in the air when it rolled over and he saw the ground out of the door. The crash knocked him out for several seconds. When he awoke, he found himself on top of bodies, fearful that the aircraft would catch fire.
    "I thought, well we lived through that and now it's gonna burn. Gotta get out of here. Everyone was either dead, dying or couldn't move."
    Widgery spent several days in the hospital with a broken hip, collarbone and other injuries. "I was jumping two months later. Once I could walk again, I was skydiving," he said.
    The skydiving school about 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles survived and has flourished, now handling about 10,000 student jumps a year.
    Pictures of the dead hang on the school walls, and there is a memorial park near the drop zone. On Monday, friends will gather there for skydiving and a barbecue.
    "It's an opportunity to be among people who truly understand our pain," said Melanie Conatser, co-owner of Perris Valley Skydiving.
    Brodsky-Chenfeld, of Chandler, Ariz., suffered a head injury, a broken neck, a collapsed lung and other internal injuries in the crash. He is "covered with scars" and still takes medication for back pain and other problems caused by his injuries.
    Yet he, too, was back to skydiving only months after the crash, following two major surgeries and with a brace around his neck. He has made 9,000 jumps since the crash, and started a championship skydiving team, Arizona Airspeed.
    "It's hard to ever consider a life that doesn't include that," he said. "It's really important that every day of your life you're doing something that really challenges you, something that you love to do."
    ~ Associated Press

    By admin, in News,

    The Road to 100 Dropzones - 77 and Counting

    I often get asked by Whuffos "Why do you jump out of planes?" At first it's always fun to say "Because the door was open" and after a few laughs I try to explain. I try to explain the 60 seconds of absolute peace. That 1 minute that nothing else matters and you're 100% focused on the moment and what you're doing. To a non jumper that explanation isn't ever really good enough I feel, and often refer to the cliche quote of "To those that jump, no explanation is necessary, and to those that don't, no explanation is possible" Because it's the closest thing to the truth.
    I feel lucky to be apart of a community of amazing people! People that put aside status, careers, race, politics and are so excited to share the amazing sport of skydiving with new jumpers like myself. I didn’t know that about skydivers when I did my first tandem jump, nor did I know that I would end up traveling all over the US, meeting people from all walks of life, people I would end up calling friends and my sky family. However, one thing I do now know, is how thankful I am to have started this journey.
    Everything started for me on October 14th 2013 and the set of upcoming random circumstances would lead me to so many different Dropzones around the US, which resulted in me being asked to write this story.
    I was working in an industry where it was common to work really hard for 4-5 months and then take a couple months off. Right after my work season ended I decided I was going to skydive. A decision I arrived at due to various circumstances I found myself in. I was previously in the army and broke my foot the week before airborne school and always regretted not being able to jump and be apart of an airborne unit in the army. A few years after that I was working on my pilots license at a very small airport in Goshen Indiana that had a small skydiving operation on the other side of the field. Other than hearing "Jumpers Away" and making sure I didn't hit any of them while practicing take off and landings I never made it over there, even though I told myself repeatedly that I would try. Then a couple years later I met a guy by the name of Tim Kelly, randomly on a cruise ship and he had just started his skydiving training a few months before and was so excited to share with me his excitement and how awesome the sport of skydiving was! These events always left me wondering if I would take the time away from flying and scuba diving to start a new hobby.

    Getting Licensed
    So there I was in La Porte, IN several years later and woke up one morning and decided today is the day! I'm gonna jump out of a plane! I called all the Chicago DZ's and none of them could take me because I weighed 260 lbs. so I called around the Indianapolis area and it was the same result. A friend told me "I think they jump over in Plymouth call them" At this point I was pretty discouraged, but I had already made up my mind that somehow I was going to do a skydive! I couldn't believe that all the big operations couldn't accommodate me, but somehow the little DZ 25 min down the road might be able to. I called them up with my situation, desperate to jump, and the DZO said "Come on in. We will take a look at you and depending on your height and build we can take you if it's safe to do so".
    Dropzone #1!
    I hopped in the car alone and drove straight to the DZ! After arriving a gentleman named Steve Verner came over and after weighing me and sizing me up decided that it was no problem. The main parachute was rated for our combined weight and he was more than confident (with over 10,000 jumps) to safely take me on a tandem skydive. I was beyond stoked! And started filling out paperwork, watching the mandatory videos and soaking up every bit of instruction Steve was giving me.
    The plane ride up consisted of Troy the DZO and Pilot on that day, Steve my Tandem Instructor and his wife Jenny the videographer. It was a 20 minute ride of smiling, while also refreshing everything I had learned on the ground. I was very impressed at all the attention that was put into safety! 10,000 feet, door opens, head back followed by 40 seconds of amazement! As soon as we landed I said I have to learn how to this! I don't care what it takes, let's get started!
    That day I filled out a USPA membership application and scheduled ground school, along with my 2nd mandatory tandem, which I scheduled for the next day at the same DZ (Plymouth Sky Sports). After completing my ground school and 2nd tandem the next day I bought my first Cookie G3 Helmet. I was also measured and even ordered my first jumpsuit. I was already committing to the sport after only 2 jumps! The Dropzone would be closing for the winter 2 weeks later and the upcoming weather wasn't looking great either. I would have to wait until the next season or travel somewhere warmer to continue training, which is exactly what I did!
    Dropzone #2
    I called several Dropzones in Florida because I was told that with my weight and being a student, I would need a 300 sq ft Canopy to start my training (300lb Exit weight). After about my 5th call the Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales Florida, they told me to come on down! They had a rig that would fit me and instructors to provide the training. 1 week later I rented a small 1 bedroom house in Lake Wales and walked into the DZ to fill out paperwork. After spending a few days on a weather hold I decided to drive up to Deland and order my first container from Mirage. Apparently most people don't order their first rig until they know they are going to make it through the training, but I was committed and in my mind there was no turning back! The manager measured me and helped me design my custom green and black colors and then the wait would begin!
    2 days later after a very successful AFF Level 1 skydive and a very bad no flare/no wind landing that left me wondering if I could even stand up or wave my arm to ensure my instructor I was ok (as he pleaded with me over the radio). As I heard the words "Holy Shit Bro, are you alive?" coming from a golf cart that was approaching me, I learned there was a lot more to skydiving than simply jumping out of a plane. Yes, I was alive. It was while being driven back to the hangar on the golf cart that I learned the importance of a flare. 6 hours later while in the emergency room at the VA hospital in Orlando I would also learn that a mans ACL doesn't agree with 300lbs falling from the sky without a proper flare. A lesson I wouldn't forget.
    Dropzone #3
    4 months later I was fully healed up and working in San Antonio Texas. This is where I would resume my training at Skydive San Marcos. My new rig was completed and I showed up at the DZ looking like a seasoned pro in my bright colored jumpsuit, helmet and new rig (but still had no idea what I was really doing). They would confuse me for a licensed fun jumper who was waiting to fill out a waiver when I was really there to start with my 4th overall jump and only my 2nd solo! After telling them an interesting story and that I was actually brand new they paired me up with 3 of the most amazing instructors I have met to date. Hank, Kevin & Pun. These were the guys that would train me now that I was healed, give me my confidence back and nurse me through 3 months of weather holds and countless times riding the plane down with other students, due to the winds kicked up too high. I stayed at San Marcos through jump 15, when a new Dropzone opened not far down the road. I ended up taking a trip there with some of my new skydiving buddies to check it out.
    Dropzone #4
    I decided to continue my training at Skydive Lonestar because at this point I was on coach jumps and they would allow me to use the new rig I had sitting in my car. Something the other DZ wouldn't allow me to do per their rules. This would save me gear rental fees and allow me to start getting comfortable in my own rig. The Dropzone had only been open a week and I would be their first AFF student. The staff and DZO was amazing, salt of the earth people. For days and days they would send the Otter up with only 6 or so people just so new guys could jump and I could keep training. I would always be grateful for this and wouldn't realize until later how rare it was. I would complete another 5 jumps there before moving to Houston.
    Dropzone #5
    I moved to Houston and Skydive Spaceland would become my new home for a while and 5 jumps later I earned my A license! It felt great to finally be a real skydiver because it had been 9 months, 5 Dropzones, several instructors and 1 injury later that I was finally able to achieve this goal. I would then learn the meaning of "BEER!" As I got my A license and stamp at Skydive Spaceland. I would learn that tradition again a few weeks later when I would biff my landing and my cutaway handle would be pulled between myself and the ground while sliding 10 feet across wet grass. (I guess that doesn't happen a lot and I have yet to see it happen again) It was apparent when the skydiver picking up his canopy 30 feet from me yelled "How the fuck did that happen! I have never seen a reserve pilot chute pop out while someone was sliding across the ground before! I bet you owe beer for that one!” Needless to say the gas station down the street would get to know me well in those first weeks.
    Dropzones 6-77
    Over the next year while traveling all around the country for work and taking some trips, going hours and even hundreds of miles out of the way just to jump at a new Dropzone I would figure out why I was traveling to all these DZs. I loved to jump, as anyone that completes training does I'm sure, but I found that in all my life that skydivers was the most interesting and awesome people that I have ever met. They are the only group of people (besides poker players) that you could sit amongst people without worrying about class, race, work status and discuss something you truly loved and share stories and drink beer and it would never get old. A member of the PD factory team would jump with you just to help you learn, guys and girls with thousands of jumps would share there knowledge and not make you feel inferior; But instead would share their experiences to help better everyone around them. I figured as long as I was traveling anyway I would make it a point to go to as many Dropzones and boogies and I could and seek out these amazing people to hear there stories and learn from them.
    Heading For 100
    It was probably about Dropzone 20 or so that I was jumping with new friends and the fact came up on how many DZs I have been to. It wasn’t strange to me to travel all over the country for work or to find new dropzones because i desperately wanted to keep jumping! However to my new friends that always jumped at the same DZ since they got licensed they found it very interesting because in a lot of cases 1 plane is all they knew. I met 100’s of people that had only jumped from a 4 person Cessna and nothing bigger. I decided then that since I was able to travel, that I was going to make it a goal to visit 100 Dropzones and try to jump at as many as I could, and from as many different planes, helicopters and balloons that I could. I knew weather would play a part and some places would only take tandems, but I was gonna do my best and just have fun with it. I started taking the "Selfies" next to the DZ sign early on to document my journey. Several years earlier I drove to all 48 continental states and did the same thing. A lot of people watched my journey on Facebook and thought it was fun, so I thought it would be a good idea for skydiving as long as I was out here doing it anyway.

    More of Justin's images can be seen on his Dropzone.com profile
    Common Questions
    Now I could write pages and pages about my experiences, stories, boogies, jumps etc etc. But as I travel and people find out that I have jumped so many places and will continue to I get a lot of the same questions which I'm always happy to answer and still developing new answers as I jump. So I wanted to share a few of those Q&A;'s at the request of Dropzone.com and because I know I had a lot of the same questions about different places.
    1. What's the nicest Dropzone you have been to?
    That's a hard one to answer because there are a lot of nice DZ's. However my personal choice is CSC (Chicagoland Skydiving Center) Their facilities are amazing, all there rental equipment is top notch. The staff there go above and beyond to welcome new people to the sport and they have the nicest gear shop and restaurant in the country in my opinion. It was pretty much built for skydiving. The DZO is one of the friendliest guys you would wanna know. I don't just mean a friendly skydiver but Doug is just a pleasant friendly person in general and his attention to detail in running his operation is second to none. All of these things make it the nicest facility that I have had the privilege of jumping at.
    2. What's your favorite Dropzone?
    Always a difficult one to answer because it's really a 6 way tie for different reasons and the people that jump and work at these Dropzones make them a great time not only to jump at but to also hang around and have fun. They also all have a very high level of respect for safety and people willing to help you learn from your mistakes when you mess up. Those would be Skydive Windy City in Michigan City, IN. Skydive Spaceland In Texas, Chicago Land Skydiving, Skydive Chicago, Skydive Lonestar and Skydive San Marcos. I have jumped at these places more than any other and I have good friends at each of these DZ's which makes them really fun to jump at when I can.
    3. What's the best view?
    For me that's a tie between Skydive Utah & Skydive Windy City. Utah has these amazing mountains and the view of the Great Salt Lake. Growing up and living most my life in the Midwest I don't get to see mountains a lot and certainly not jump near them so Utah is amazing. I also love Skydive Windy City. I consider this my home Dropzone (formerly Plymouth Sky Sports) and between all the trees that surround the DZ and the view of Lake Michigan and the Chicago City Skyline on clear days it makes it a beautiful jump!
    4. What's the best gear store?
    Well in my mind there is no contest and that's Rock Sky Market. They are located at ChicagoLand Skydiving Center and literally have everything a skydiver could want in stock and probably with several different colors to chose from. I have purchased almost all my gear from Steve and Jenny since day one when they were selling t-shirts and pull up cords out of the corner of a hanger in Plymouth and they are the best people to work with. Not only are the knowledgeable on so much with years in the sport and well over 10,000 skydives between them but they have first hand knowledge on most of the products because they jump almost daily and use them. Between everything being right there to buy that day, there knowledge and the excellent customer service it's no contest in my mind.
    5. How many DZ's have you jumped at in 1 day?
    The most different Dropzones I have jumped at in 1 day is 3 and all 3 was in different states. I started off at Skydive Midwest in Wisconsin for a fun jump and then went down to Chicagoland Skydiving Center in Illinois to buy a helmet case and jumped there then on my way home I jumped at Plymouth Sky Sports in Indiana. That was an exhausting day.
    6. What's your favorite boogie?
    This is always a tough question but the 2 that come to mind are Summerfest and Couch Freaks. I don't know if they will hold the Couch Freaks boogie in Fort Dodge again and I might have attended the last year for it but I had a blast! Just read the back of the boogie tickets and you know you're in for one hell of a ride! I really hope they have that boogie again because the stories from the old timers there about the start of big event skydiving are second to none. As a new jumper at the time I attended I really got an education! Summerfest is also amazing with the amount of planes that come in you can really jump as much as you want. From the fireworks and glowing wing suit flights to the dinner time meals and dancing into the night. Summerfest at Skydive Chicago is really a top notch boogie!
    To finish things up I’m really thankful for all the friends I have made along my journey and hopefully will continue to make. All of these opinions are of course my own, and being so new in the sport I’m sure they will continue to change as I learn and grow. I hope to hit 100 DZ’s and a few more boogies before summer is over. I hope in writing this article that the 1,000’s of jumpers who are in there comfort zone of 1 DZ will get out and experience some new DZ’s and make some new sky family. I haven’t had a bad time yet and all dropzones are welcoming to new jumpers I have found and are excited to share there stories and there sky with you! -EFS-
    Justin Baker B-40015

    -Blue Skies-

    By admin, in News,

    How Sigma & Burble’s Tech Are Changing Skydiving

    Written by Laura Jane Burgess
    There’s excited chatter on the mat, the rustle of nylon fabric being packed, the buzzing hustle and bustle of a busy day. Canopies zip overhead. Squinting, mesmerized, though you’ve seen it near a hundred times, you watch the initial glide across the grass, the slide of flat-soled swoopers, and the quick-legged staccato steps as each jumper comes to a stop. You’ve never seen a more perfect day to skydive.
    Waiver signed you file in line behind a queue of shuffling feet and exasperated sighs—a 15-person traffic jam. Daylight’s burning. Loads should be turning. What’s the holdup?
    It’s the fellow at the front. A jumper far from his home drop zone (558.9 miles, ± .1 mile to be exact). His innocent intent was to check in and manifest. Except, he doesn’t have so much as a shred of physical documentation to his name. No logbook to verify currency and no physical, tangible evidence of USPA credentials.
    What’s to be done? His lack of documentation dismissed or ignored? Certainly not. Exhaustive, time-consuming attempts made to secure a paper trail. Undoubtedly.
    If everyone’s lucky, the ordeal will take 10-20 minutes. However, if you consider that at a busy drop zone you’re likely to encounter the same issue any number of times on any given day. The wasted daylight adds up, cutting into profit margins and the amount of time jumpers spend in the air.

    Imagine for a moment that the futile task of trying to sleuth down credentials could be avoided, and the check-in process could be made significantly easier—for everyone involved. As luck would have it, this is precisely what the Sigma / Burble integration aims to do.
    In the late spring of 2019, when the integration launches, skydivers who frequent any one of the many drop zones utilizing Burble software can grant those drop zones access to view their Merits on Sigma. In case you’ve been ignoring those emails the USPA sent you or still feel a little in the dark, Merits aren’t patches to be stitched on a Cub Scout sash. Rather, Merits refer to things like USPA credentials, UPT ratings, corresponding coursework and even your most recently completed skydives. At the close of the day, drop zones taking advantage of the newly integrated systems can send out shareable Merits for completed jumps, whether it be to tandems, fun jumpers, or staff. For jumpers, the Merits can serve as a “digital signature” to verify their most recent skydive. Instead of relying on illegible, potentially forged, physical logbook entries, there will be a traceable, authenticated digital entry.
    Drop zones can also attach video clips and other media to the merit badges. This creates hefty possibilities for Merit use with student training programs. No matter where a student roams (or if their logbook follows suit), instructors at any Burble drop zone can see exactly who and what they are working with.
    For jumpers, the integration process requires no real technical finesse. In around three minutes, skydivers can link their Sigma account to their BurbleMe profile. Jumpers can then authorize the Burble drop zone(s) of their choice access to their Sigma Merits. Every time they check in at the preferred Burble drop zone(s), their Merit information auto-populates into their jumper profile. The result? A streamlined shortcut from check-in to freefall.
    The first time a jumper grants a Burble drop zone access to view their Sigma Merits, they can enable an auto-update feature. From thenceforth, whenever changes to Merits occur, it automatically uploads into the drop zone’s Burble DZM Account and the jumper’s BurbleMe profile. Practically applied, this looks like convenient, real-time access to see as credentials expire, are renewed, or are updated, without the need to request additional physical documentation.
    After the Sigma / Burble integration, drop zones can have instant access to verified information without having to waste time or manpower on multiple sources. After the integration takes effect, staff will no longer need to manually input jumper information or search the USPA database with the Group Member lookup tool. Fewer steps and less manual data transfer mean less opportunity for error. The instant access to verified, up-to-date information, makes it much easier for drop zones to verify the standing of visiting jumpers and instructors in a shorter amount of time. For DZO’s, in particular, this integration offers untold peace of mind: no more worrying about the legitimacy of jumpers on your aircraft, fears of forgery, concerns over invalid credentials, or issues with input errors.
    Come spring 2019, you might catch the audible sigh of relief coming from the staff buried underneath the mountain of (soon to be obsolete) paperwork, see the sheer joy of jumpers spending less time at check-in and more time on airplanes, and agree, with the Sigma / Burble integration, t here’s something for everyone to celebrate!
    Featured image credit: SkydiveTV Vimeo

    By admin, in News,

0