Skydive DeLand takes flak from airport pilots
DELAND -- Skydive DeLand, the city airport's most prominent business, is under scrutiny by local factions of pilots and aviation businesses here who say the company gets preferential treatment from the city. Skydive DeLand has operated out of the tiny airport for 20 years, slowly building the city's worldwide reputation as a skydiving mecca.
Its local lore has also grown, as a place with loud planes and reckless pilots that not only attracts thousands of skydivers from all over Europe and South America, but also lets them stay in campers, tents -- even a teepee -- on airport property.
In recent months, people have complained about the "unsightliness" of the campground, and more than 100 people signed a petition asking the city to investigate the "dangerous" flying practices of Skydive DeLand's pilots.
The complaints surfaced as city officials are trying to map out the airport's future and decide if it will remain a small, mom-and-pop operation or grow to accommodate corporate jets for the city's adjacent industrial park.
"I think right now Skydive DeLand feels a little persecuted," said City Commissioner Charles Paiva, who is also a pilot who uses the airport. "People's perceptions are that [Skydive DeLand] does what they want to do and isn't very regulated. I think there needs to be some leeway given to a very good tenant that brings a lot of jobs and a lot of money. I don't want anyone to think we're giving anyone special treatment."
Company drops plans
Last week, Skydive DeLand dropped its plans to build a second RV park near its hangars and other buildings, which house a bar, a restaurant, a shop and indoor training classrooms.
Owner Bob Hallett said the city was insisting on too many restrictions -- such as an audit by the city's code enforcement office every six months to make sure people weren't using the campground as a permanent home -- to make the RV park worthwhile. "It was not in our political or financial interest to continue the project," Hallett said. "What other RV parks have that type of restriction?"
Under Skydive DeLand's lease with the city, the business is allowed to sublease the 18 spots in its existing RV park. It receives about $150 a month from each of those tenants.
Some of those tenants have kept trailers on the property for years, but they are out-of-towners who use it as a skydiving headquarters rather than a permanent home, said Skydive DeLand manager Mike Johnston.
Johnston told city commissioners last week that he doesn't understand what is prompting the complaints.
"These complaints have surfaced recently and we're not doing anything different," he said. Johnston said his pilots are not reckless and, in fact, follow standard skydive flight procedures accepted nationally.
FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the agency is investigating the complaints about the pilots.
Neil Brady, a private pilot who has used the airport for 18 years, is part of the faction that has complained about Skydive DeLand. "This airport has grown tremendously in the last 18 years," he said. "There's a lot of flying activity here, and they simply cannot fly the way they did 18 years ago because it's not safe. Their airplane is no better than mine or a student pilot's or anyone else's out here."
Brady said he is also pleased the company decided not to build a second RV park because he considers the existing one an eyesore.
That RV park and campground are part of what has made it a successful draw for competitive and recreational skydivers all over the world, Johnston said.
Word of mouth across Europe and South America, say those who come here, is that Skydive DeLand is the place to train.
'Biggest skydive center'
"It's known as the biggest skydive center in the world, really," said Simon Staalnacke, 26, of Norway. He arrived in town about two weeks ago with two buddies from Sweden and Norway. On a recent morning, the three sat outside the large teepee they've been sleeping in, lounging on an old couch that they say they inherited from the last people who stayed in the teepee.
"The atmosphere is so nice here," Staalnacke said as his friend, Stefan Diahlkrist, strummed a guitar and sang Swedish songs. "Everybody is so fun and laid-back."
Staalnacke and Diahlkrist are typical of the foreign tourists Skydive DeLand attracts. From DeLand, they intend to make their way to another extreme sport -- snowboarding in Colorado.
Their teepee was one of seven tents set up in the yard next to the company's restaurant and bar, which boasts of a large number of imported beers to make their patrons feel at home.
National skydiving teams from Switzerland, Sweden and Italy are training at the facility now, but are renting homes in DeLand rather than camping.
"Florida is the mecca of skydiving in the world, and this has always been the No. 1 place in Florida," said Kurt Gaebel, who moved to DeLand from Germany to make a career as a skydiving coach.
Along with new residents and tourists, several skydiving equipment manufacturers have set up shop in DeLand near the airport. The city estimates Skydive DeLand's economic impact on the city to be near $30 million, said Assistant City Manager Michael Pleus.
Hallett, the company's owner, said he isn't surprised some airport users are getting restless from the growth, and says he also wants to keep the airport small.
"I really don't blame them," he said. "They really want the airport to go back to the days when it was just them and their buddies. We don't like to see the change either."
~Orlando Sentinel
Skydiver Called A Hero
ELLINGTON -- As she hurtled toward the ground, the skydiver couldn't open her parachute. Her instructor, Robert J. Bonadies, dove toward her and pulled her cord. But some say it was too late for him to help himself.
Bonadies died Monday in the skydiving accident. The student and another instructor who jumped at the same time were not injured.
"Most people would say he was a hero," Don Semon, a safety and training adviser for the United States Parachute Association, said Tuesday.
Bonadies' death was ruled an accident Tuesday after an autopsy at the chief medical examiner's office. State police and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
Family members and friends gathered at Bonadies home Tuesday, sharing memories and calling him a hero.
"His smile was contagious," said friend Bill Beaudreau. "He just made you feel good just being around him. I could just see him right to the end, putting his life aside to make sure this person lived, and that's what he did."
An electrician, Bonadies, 47, was also a father and grandfather. He had what one relative called "an infectious smile."
When it came to skydiving, he was as experienced as they come. He was president of Connecticut Parachutists Inc., a club based at Ellington Airport - about 6 miles from his Vernon house. He had been skydiving for more than 20 years. He completed 2,040 free-fall jumps - 254 in the past 10 months.
He also was a long-distance runner. He ran up Mount Washington and trained participants for charity events.
"He was a pretty active guy," said his brother-in-law, Mark Miller. "He loved his family. He loved his work. He loved to skydive."
That much is evident in a photograph of Bonadies skydiving. In it, he is smiling as he sails through the bright blue sky with a student harnessed beneath him.
Bonadies' relatives and friends at Connecticut Parachutists said he saved the student's life Monday.
Semon, who also is a member of the club, said Bonadies and another instructor were on either side of the student when they jumped at 12,000 feet from a Cessna 182.
When he saw that the student couldn't pull the handle to open her parachute, he did it for her, Semon said.
Mark Miller said Bonadies dove through the air to catch up with her.
"He maneuvered himself under her. He pulled her cord so her chute opened. He pulled his reserve chute. But he was too close to the ground," Miller said.
Semon, however, said Bonadies never got a chance to attempt to open either his main or reserve parachute. The police said when they found him, the reserve chute was open, but both police and Semon said it could have been forced out by the impact.
Meanwhile, television station WTIC reported Tuesday that Bonadies was not wearing a device that would have automatically opened his chute at about 1,000 feet. Although many skydivers choose to wear the so-called automatic activation device, Bonadies did not, WTIC reported.
All novice skydivers who are jumping with the Connecticut Parachutists group are required to wear the devices.
From the USPA Safety & Training Newsletter Vol. 2, Issue 6
Instructor Responsibilities
Recently during a Category C student skydive, an AFF Instructor was killed after the formation funneled at the student's pull altitude. The two instructors and their student tumbled, and eventually one of the instructors released and deployed his main parachute at a low altitude. The other instructor continued tumbling with the student and deployed the student's main parachute just as the AAD deployed the reserve. The instructor reached the ground before he could deploy his own parachute. The student landed her bi-planed main and reserve without further incident. In situations such as this, altitude awareness is critical. Things happen very fast due to the increase in fall rate while tumbling, which only serves to add to the problems the instructor is already dealing with while trying to get the student deployed.
With this tragedy, Instructors are reminded of the protocol that has been established regarding students and pull altitudes. The AFF Syllabus of the Instructional Rating Manual lists the following guidelines regarding deployment problems:
5. General:
a. The instructors must assure student main deployment by 3,500 feet to allow both instructors time to get clear and open by 2,000 feet.
b. No instructor should ever get above a student. Note: AADs often activate higher than the preset altitude.
c. The instructor(s) must ensure reserve deployment by 2,500 feet to get clear and open by 2,000 feet.
d. Under no circumstances should an instructor attempt to catch a student or remain with a student below the instructor's minimum deployment (2,000 feet).
e. The instructors must take care that one does not deploy the student's main while the other deploys the reserve.
(1) Only if the main deployment handle is inaccessible should the reserve-side instructor deploy the student's reserve parachute.
(2) Many systems have reserve-side instructor deployment handles to make deploying the main parachute easier for the reserve-side instructor.
USPA strongly encourages all skydivers, especially instructors, to use an AAD, which may have changed the outcome of this event. An audible altimeter can also serve to provide an additional altitude warning for instructors while working with students. Solo students, and instructors and students who are using tandem equipment must wear an AAD.
SKYPRO: Amazing Mobile App for the Real Skydiver!
App stores are littered with an unprecedented number of apps, many of which are never downloaded, and for good reason. Skydiving apps, though, are few in number, with very few delivering quality content and tools for students and trained jumpers. Not anymore.
Yesterday SKYPRO, the first real skydiving app, debuted on the Apple App Store for download. And it doesn't disappoint.
The FREE download includes several features including a Basic Safety Requirements (BSR) brush up quiz/game, GPS/Map information for every USPA drop zone in the world with GPS functionality to get you there and back, Aerial views of every USPA drop zone, and critical documents to include the Free online version of the USPA SIM, and FAA regs.
The app includes several features that can be accessed through in-app purchases, to include:
1. Interactive USPA (A-D) License Practice Exams with 1000's of exam questions, aimed to make you a better skydiver. Use these to gain an edge and stay safer in the air by sharpening your skydiving skills.
2. Plug & Go calculators. This is the ultimate skydiving tool for quickly calculating Wing Loading, Time of Descent, Canopy Drift, and Freefall Drift.
The developers have announced that the Android version will soon follow this version. Exciting!
Finally, an app worth using at the drop zone!
By paulkaraffa, in News,
5 Things You Didn’t Know About The PIA Symposium
Regina from CYPRES shares information about the CYPRES unit, 'WSC' designed for the wingsuit community. Images by Randy Connell
If you’ve never attended the Parachute Industry Association Symposium, you may not know what to expect. Maybe, you aren’t even sure what PIA is or why you even need to make the trip. If you’re afraid of sitting in stuffy rooms with an atmosphere as uncomfortable as a timeshare tourist trap, you can relax. PIA is nothing like that. The PIA Symposium is a time when the different branches of our particular segment of aviation all come together under one roof.
Rather than draw things out, let’s get to it. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about the PIA Symposium.
Just How Big the Skydiving Circle Is
When you arrive at the PIA Symposium, get ready for a warm welcome: there is an entire booth set up to greet you. Get your swag bag, name tag, and seminar schedule, and be ready for a great time. Like a drop zone on a sunny steady summer Saturday, the air is nearly buzzing with energy. In one space, jumpers current and retired, drop zone owners and managers, and military personnel and skydiving teams are all gathered together. You’ll see people from around the world. We know our circle is a somewhat isolated one, but boy, it sure doesn’t seem like it at the PIA Symposium. It’s also not just jumpers and drop zone owners from the United States that are present. You’ll walk past groups speaking languages from around the globe: military teams from Poland chatting, fun jumpers from South Africa mingling by the complimentary refreshments. Nearly every continent and country is represented.
Exponential Business Connections
At the PIA Symposium, you have the chance to establish meaningful industry contacts. Top gear manufacturers both military and civilian, set up impressive interactive displays and booths to give PIA Symposium attendees the chance to see the most cutting-edge innovations in the skydiving industry. Whether you are looking for training equipment or student gear, you will find what you need here. The EXPO Hall isn’t just for managers and drop zone owners either, there is gear on display that is perfect for weekend warrior skydivers too.
85 Year Old British Skydiver, Dilys Price was the Keynote Speaker at the 2017 PIA Symposium.
Ways to Improve your home Drop Zone
They say a ‘smarter skydiver is a safer skydiver.’ Well, the PIA Symposium is the perfect place to learn. The PIA Symposium facilitates knowledge sharing through seminars which are teeming with information. During the symposium, you have daily opportunities to sit in on seminars dealing with rigging, skydiving, management, government and skydiving interaction, and BASE. If you want to run a better, safer drop zone, attending PIA is a great first step. However, fostering safe drop zones isn’t just a job for managers and drop zone owners: the community as a whole is responsible. Whether sport jumper, manager, or drop zone owner, when you leave PIA, you leave armed with a noggin full of knowledge to take back home to your drop zone and improve everyone’s experience.
Everyone Feels Like a Potential Friend
You wouldn’t assume that you would leave any sort of symposium with some lifelong friends, would you? Well, you might just leave PIA with a few more telephone numbers programmed in your cell and a long list of drop zones to visit. No matter the level, ethnicity, or country of origin, it seems skydivers click. The PIA Symposium is basically a melting pot of like-minded people all connected by a love of skydiving and a passion for the sport and industry.
Sandy Reid of Rigging Innovations stands with his team. At the 2019 Symposium, RI introduces their new Mojo MARD.
Opportunities to Explore New Places
You don’t have to sit in seminars from sun up until sun down. Throughout the day, there are plenty of breaks and opportunities to explore. The PIA Symposium each year is held in charming cities with their own little secret niches and neat places to tour. This year is no different. The 2019 PIA symposium will be held in Dallas, Texas. So, grab a group of your new friends and do some sightseeing.
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and we bet this PIA symposium will be one of the best yet!
Omar Alhegelan - Prince Of The Sky
As the sun rose over the desert I hurried for the hangar, knowing full well that time is always in high demand for a world champion. I am greeted as always with a smile and I watch as it dances in his deep brown eyes. Omar, always the epitome of manners, gives a full on hug with gentle reminder to those around him to not forget to greet others with sincerity. He hands me a resume of which I cannot use, but I glance over it and learn more about the complexity of the man standing before me. I am left amazed for there was much I did not know about him, and the knowledge only served to raise the bar.
To say that he is well educated would be an understatement, his experiences as diverse as a man twice his age. He is a man of many layers that can only truly be seen by spending much time in his presence. He is a traveler, an educator, an actor and a businessman. He is soulful, mindful, spiritual and deeply private. He has lived in several countries on different continents and speaks five languages fluently. He speaks others only conversationally and therefore discounts his knowledge of them. He is engaging and happy, that happiness carries over to those around him. As a skydiver, he offers help to all that would ask, and is quick to offer correction when errors are made, especially if it compromises safety. Omar is committed to the continued development of freeflying and thusly available to all for comment. His goal is simple, the perpetuation of the sport of skydiving.
In his unassuming way he greets people daily at Skydive Arizona, many having no idea who he is, or of his achievements. He comes across as a "regular Joe" and many are astounded when they learn of his identity. His many accomplishments have never caused him to be arrogant, for it is his belief that anyone can do the same. It requires dedication and the right mindset. He has spent the past 10 years skydiving and tells me frequently: "It's nothing that 10,000 jumps won't fix!" I laugh at his gentle humor.
With 10 National and World Gold Medals, 5 skydiving World Titles, 3 BASE World Records, his humility is refreshing. Jumping with the least of us is often times what brings him the most rewards. "How great it is to make someone's day by simply jumping with them?" And he does!
When not in training mode one may find Omar painting in his studio, or just hanging around the café to converse with the passers by.
His hobbies are many, from water sports to multi media art, and philosophy. He believes in having balance in all things in his life and works toward that end. He believes in giving back to this sport and encourages all to do the same. Whether it is simply by answering a few questions for the people who come to watch, or by rewriting rules, Omar is ready to help. He is a great role model, a gentleman, but moreover a true ambassador to the sport of skydiving. If by chance you happen to meet up with him, ask him to jump because he would like nothing better. Just a word of caution though, he can fly anybody like a "cheap kite" just ask Sangiro. It's on video!
Juan Mayer - Behind The Lens
Name: Juan Mayer
First Jump: 2000
Skydives: 10 000+
Helmet: Handmade
Cameras: Nikon (Photos), Sony & Panasonic (Video)
Container: neXgen (Aerodyne)
Canopy: Pilot 150
Reserve: Smart 150
AAD: Cypres
Wingsuit: Havok Carve
We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Juan Mayer, one of the most prominent skydive photographers of this decade. From his early skydiving career and his early days in photography to his recently published book.
DZ: After completing your skydiving course, how long was it before you decided that you'd want to focus on the photography aspect? Was photography something you had interest in prior to becoming a skydiver?
JM: When I started skydiving, the AFF course didn’t exist in Argentina. I started with the static line course using a reserve canopy mounted on the front. My first teacher, Mario “Perro” Rodriguez, was an amazing instructor! I did 4 static line jumps and the feeling was completely overwhelming. A year later, I came back and continued with the same instructor but this time doing tandems. It was like I discovered a completely different world to photograph and after doing only 70 skydives, I started using a video camera on my helmet. At that time the GoPros, or any of those super small cameras, didn’t exist yet, so it wasn’t that easy. I already knew that I wanted to do skydiving photography but the main reason I started taking videos was because after spending all my money on those 70 jumps, I really needed to find a way to continue skydiving. So, at the beginning I started offering my service as a videographer just for half of the price of my jump ticket.
DZ: What type of photography did you specialize in prior to skydiving photography, and were there aspects you had learned in those fields that allowed you to bring over into your approach to skydiving photography?
JM: I was mostly doing wedding photography. Well, the best thing about doing social photography is that it allows you to practice a lot with your camera, then you really get to learn many things about your equipment. With skydiving photography its harder because in freefall we don’t have a lot of time to play with the setups and different lenses. This is why I always recommend learning from other photographers, especially non-skydiving ones and the most important thing is to practice a lot and make a lot of mistakes. It will give you the skills to really know your camera equipment.
DZ: At what point did you notice that your photography could end up becoming a viable career for yourself?
JM: That's a really good question, its hard to pinpoint exactly when. The more people asked me for photos, the more it showed me how much they liked them. I then started travelling to countries close to Argentina for different skydiving events. This is when, after almost 15 years in the army, I challenged myself to take a year’s leave without salary, to see if I could pay my bills with skydiving alone. Unfortunately I wasn’t getting the same level of income as I did in the army, but it was enough to get by and it allowed me to continue skydiving. So I quit the army and decided to follow my dreams while making a living out of skydiving photography. But I still remember travelling for the first time outside of Argentina with only 57 jumps. I went to Deland in Florida, and came across the Book of Skydiving Photography by Norman Kent. I remember that moment vividly, loving every single picture I saw and it really confirmed to me what I wanted to do.
DZ: How did you go from jumping at Aeroclub Lobos in Argentina, to working for one of the largest and fastest growing dropzones in the world, Skydive Dubai?
JM: It was a very long process and it could take me hours to share all the places and moments (good and bad) I went through before I got my contract with Skydive Dubai. Basically, I was following my heart; doing what made me happy, travelling a lot, learning from other videographers and meeting many good people. Just a few anecdotes, I remember sending hundred of emails to every dropzone around the world asking for a job and one day while driving to Lobos in Argentina I got a call from New Zealand telling me that they needed me to work there, but I had to be there in a week. So, even without knowing basic English I sold my car and moved to New Zealand, a place with a totally different language to mine. I lived there for almost a year, which helped me learn English, not fluently, but enough to communicate with others.
I also remember going to Brazil to film different events where I met Craig Girard and asking him many times if I could film the AZ Challenge, which was a well known skydiving event at that time. After 3 years of asking I finally got an invitation as a one of the official cameramen, I really couldn’t believe it.
DZ: What are some of your most memorable jumps with the camera?
JM: I'm lucky, with so many years of skydiving, to have a lot of memorable jumps. But to choose a few of them, I will say, when I was filming one of my sisters doing her first tandem, it was a very special moment!
Another memorable jump was documenting an 88 way formation at the AZ Challenge. As I was filming, I watched it being completed and I really couldn’t believe I was there, as a part of that amazing event and capturing it all on camera!
And a more recent memorable jump, was in Dubai, when I filmed a skydiver that had an accident 7 years ago which left him in a wheelchair. Seeing his huge smile in freefall after 7 years of waiting for that moment was something incredibly rewarding, really hard to explain with words. I felt super lucky to be there with my cameras filming him in freefall, smiling for more than a minute nonstop!
Over the course of more than 15 years of skydiving, I’ve had a lot of memorable jumps, but this is just why I really love photography, because it allows you to capture those seconds, those special moments, forever!
DZ: Could you share with us, 3 of your favourite images that you've taken?
DZ: Are there any specific disciplines that you prefer to photograph and if so, why is that?
JM: I love to photograph any discipline. Sometimes during simple jumps such as with tandems or AFF students I’ve captured images that have made me super happy. But if I had to choose, I would prefer to photograph freestyle. I really think in our sport there is nothing more beautiful that a girl dancing in the sky!
DZ: You list Norman Kent as one of your inspirations, and state that it was your goal to take pictures that looked like his. What aspect of Norman Kent's style have you always looked up to most?
JM: Definitely, like I mentioned earlier, Norman Kent was, and still is, one of my inspirations and like every novice photographer I tried to emulate others, today I think I have my own style. But what I really like about Norman, is that he is not just focused on capturing a zoomed-in, square picture. He is always trying to show the beauty of the sky and how lucky we are as a skydivers to have such a huge and amazing playground, every single day.
DZ: A topic that is hard to avoid with all fields of photography these days is the relation between art and technology. Do you feel that the internet has been a blessing or a curse with regards to being a photographer, and why?
JM: Well, when I started skydiving photography we only had film, so we would take a photo, bring it to the store, and then wait a few days until the film was developed. So trying new things and learning different techniques was a long and costly process. We always had to be sure to use the right setup to get a good photo, because we couldn’t try again, especially when filming tandems. Today, with all the digital cameras, we can try as much as we like, which is really good in terms of money and time, but its also true that it makes us more lazy, in terms of preparing the right setups to take a nice photo. Anyways, the relation between art and technology is amazing for us as photographers. Today, within a few seconds, we can share our art and photos freely with million of peoples around the planet, which is a real blessing!
DZ: You just recently published a book titled "Ultimate High: Skydiving Behind The Lens", could you tell us a bit about the book and what it contains?
JM: Its a hard cover book with 104 pages of skydiving photography. I always wanted to publish a book with my photographs but wasn’t quite sure how to start so I met with designers and people involved with photography books. It was a very long process, choosing the photos, finding the right text, designs, meetings and more meetings, etc, etc, etc. But after 2 long years of hard work, it finally got published.
My book contains photos that I took over the years of skydiving in many different places around the world. Most of them being special moments in my life as a skydiver, shared with friends.
The book also contains narrative explaining my philosophy as a photographer and skydiver.
DZ: The release of your book is no doubt a milestone in your life, what other goals do you have set which you hope to achieve in the future?
JM: Yes it’s definitely a milestone! I have many goals, but the most important ones are to continue sharing special moments with friends and taking photos that makes me happy. And to mention a dream, I wish one day I can enjoy the sky with my little daughter doing freestyle! But of course it will depend on her, whether she likes skydiving or not :)
DZ: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, we always love sharing your images. Do you have any last words for readers?
JM: Thank you guys so much for giving me the opportunity to show a little part of my passion for Photography and Skydiving! Just some last words, NEVER STOP FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS!
Two Texas skydivers die in canopy collision
WHITEWRIGHT -- Two sky divers killed when their parachutes became intertwined in a twilight jump over Northeast Texas were veteran jumpers with more than 200 jumps each to their credit, officials with their skydiving club said today.
Brad Walk of Dallas and Jason Fitzsimmons of Richardson were killed when their parachutes became entangled about 6,000 feet above the ground in the accident Saturday, according to a statement issued by Skydive Dallas.
The accident happened about 50 miles northeast of Dallas near the Fannin-Grayson county line.
The two jumped from a Cessna Caravan at about 13,500 feet and their parachutes appeared to open normally at 11,000 feet, the club statement said. However, as they arranged their equipment, they drifted together and got their shrouds tangled at about 6,000 feet, the club said.
Both apparently were killed on impact with the ground, officials said.
The statement said neither sky diver appeared to use their reserve chutes.
"They were really well-liked in the skydiving community. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and loved ones," said Joe Rekart, the general manager of the Whitewright-based club.
Perris Valley Skydiving adds DC-9 Jet to Jump Fleet
On December 18th a DC-9 jet landed at Perris Valley Airport in Southern California marking the latest addition to the largest fleet of skydiving aircraft on the West coast. The DC-9 is an ideal jet for skydiving because the rear steps can be removed making for a clean exit out of the rear of the plane while in flight.
Owner Ben Conatser said it will take several months to get all of the FAA paperwork processed but you can look for the plane to be flying during special events here at Perris Valley Skydiving and on the boogie circuit later this year.
Ben's son and co-owner, Pat Conatser, said that he had been keeping an eye on DC-9s for sometime, waiting for the right deal to come along. He said they are quite fortunate with the plane they found because it is in such good shape both mechanically and cosmetically. "Really the bulk of the work needed to get this bird ready to fly jumpers is administrative."
In addition to flying sport parachutists, Perris Valley Aviation plans on using the DC-9 for movie work as well as military training.
Skydiving Plane Crashes near Estacada
Beaver Oaks, Oregon - A team of skydivers leaped from a crippled airplane Saturday, moments before it crashed into a stand of trees near Estacada. The four trick-parachute jumpers aboard and the pilot survived without injuries. Their small Cessna C-182 crumpled into trees near Highway 224 and burned before Estacada firefighters arrived.
The plane was flying at 10,500 feet over the “drop zone” for the parachutists. Investigators believe the second jumper’s parachute opened early as he jumped, wrapping around the plane’s tail. The plane then began to drop as the pilot lost control.
The jumper, Rick A. Liston, 46, of Clackamas, cut himself free and used his secondary parachute to escape. The other skydivers – Craig N. Wilwers, 50, of Portland; John C. Allen, 49, of Tillamook; and Chris I. Lattig, 42, of Tualatin – then bailed out. The pilot, Travis William Marshall, 23, of West Linn, followed.
The plane crashed shortly before 7 p.m., about 200 feet from Highway 224. Nobody else was hurt.
The plane belongs to an Eagle Creek man and had left a private airfield at Beaver Oaks.
The Oregon State Police and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. The state Department of Environmental Quality will oversee the cleanup of a small amount of fuel that spilled into a nearby pond.
Florida Skydiving Center at Lake Wales Destroyed
As many of you already know, on Friday, August 13th, the category 4 Hurricane Charley hit Florida's west coast with winds of 145 mph. It cut through the state, right through Lake Wales, destroying the Florida Skydiving Center. The US CF Skydiving team was at Florida Skydiving Center, practicing for the upcoming World Championships in Croatia next month, when the hurricane hit. Thank God no one was killed or injured at the drop zone, although we are getting reports now that, so far, 16 people throughout Florida were killed by "Charley".
The past two days, the US team has been there with the owner, Betty Kabeller-Hill and Roger Hill, going through the debris, searching for whatever they can salvage and cleaning up the terrible mess left by this destructive storm. They've had no power in the area for 3 days now and their cell phones are not getting a signal. Raul said the top half of the tower was on the ground. The phone line is working now. Betty said half the hanger is gone. "We've lost everything", she said. She also told me that there is no insurance. Some of the Mobile homes at Florida Skydiving Center were smashed to pieces and some were flipped over. People who lived at the drop zone are now homeless and I guess jobless too.
The Skydiving community has been a family, always helping each other out in times of need. Here is an opportunity for us to reach out and help these people, our family, in their time of suffering and need. We've set up a "Florida Skydiving Center Disaster Fund" and a "FSC Employee Disaster Fund" for the people who lost their homes there. If you can help, please specify on your check or money order, the Disaster Fund you are contributing to and send your donation to Betty's home at:
Florida Skydiving Center
c/o Betty Kabeller-Hill
400 El Camino Drive #203
Winter Haven, FL 33884
If you want to use a bank wire transfer, Florida Skydiving Center already had an account set up for event registrations that you can use. Just specify in the Special Instructions that it is for the Disaster Fund. The account for bank wire transfers is:
Wachovia Bank
Routing # 063000021
Acct. # 2090002569803
Acct. name: Phoenix Air, Inc.
If you have any questions, you can call the Florida Skydiving Center at 863-678-1003. Keep in mind that they are overwhelmed and hard at work trying to clean up.
Anyone who can come out to help in the cleanup efforts, your help will be appreciated.
Thanks!
Gail Ramirez
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