Being COOL on the Dropzone
Skydiving has come a long
way since the first (recorded) jump was made from a hot air balloon in 1797.
Only being practiced as a special stunt on public events, it was far from a
public sport at that point.
The silk envelope used to safely descend from 3000 ft on that first jump
wasn't much to look at in terms of design, but the design and materials used
formed the basis for the parachute as we know it today.
The military were the first to develop parachuting as an emergency escape
procedure for balloon and aircraft pilots, and later as a means of
delivering soldiers to the battlefield.
In
the 1960s, skydiving ventured outside its military use and started to become
seen as a sport in its own right.
As the sport grew, so did the research and development of the materials
used.
The harness, cutaway system and parachute itself underwent major changes and
upgrades, resulting in the gear that we all now accept as commonplace as we
exit the aircraft.
Due to these advancements in the materials used and their design, our gear
has actually passed the point where it is now safer than its end user.
Getting into the sport
Skydiving
was once
a sport which was considered pretty extreme in itself, but as the years went
by, and due to the gear and teaching advancements, it
became more and more safe,
and was
marketed as a sport for everyone.
In the media, the growing attention for the more extreme disciplines and
variations of our sport have led to a large group of people who no longer
see the basic sport of skydiving itself as the goal, but rather as an
intermediate training, or even an obstacle in the way of what they really
want to do.
These predetermined goals on what somebody wants to accomplish within the
sport often form before or during a skydivers first few jumps.
Not being a huge sport with millions of participants worldwide, we tend to
enthusiastically take in new people, and sometimes pull them into our sport
deeper and faster then they should be.
With every year that goes
by, people seem to be in more and more of a rush to jump with a video
camera, downsize their canopy, learn to fly a wingsuit, freefly in bigger
and bigger groups, fly head down straight from AFF and starting BASE jumping
with the bare minimum, if indeed any at all, experience. Sadly, the growing
trend is to encourage this behavior, and try to facilitate them in getting
there as soon as they can, instead of trying to make people understand the
potential consequences of the rushed path they have chosen.
Photo by Costyn van Dongen
Video
For
many,,
the media creates the image that a lot of the extreme variations of our
sport are things you can take up as easy as a bungee jump from a local
bridge, or a ride in a theme park. When people look at some of the 'big
names' in our sport, its easy to forget almost all of them put in many
hundreds, if not thousands of jumps to acquire the skills, precision and
experience to excel in their field of expertise. The PD factory team didn’t
start swooping on sub 100 sq/ft canopies straight from AFF, just as Loic
Jean Albert didn’t start flying wingsuits within touching range of cliffs
after his first skydive. There are many more examples like this within our
sport.
Here, I think,
lies our biggest responsibility:
Trying to help
people new to this sport understand the work it takes to reach a certain
level.
Trying to teach
them
to
respect and honor the
effort people put in, and
helping them
understand that’s what they need to do to reach their goals based on skill,
hard work and determination, not do everything as fast as they can and for a
large part trusting on luck to come out of it alive. Often thinking their
experience or exceptional abilities in other sports set them apart from
normal people, allowing them to progress much faster and skip steps. While
in truth, they are exactly the people the rules were made for.
Photo by Costyn van Dongen
Respect the rules
As with any developing
sport, rules and safety procedures were created over the years based on
experience. Some of the rules and safety recommendations where literally
written in blood. Learning lessons the hard way.
These days many people new to the sport tend to look at these same rules as
a means of holding them back. Stopping them from having the same fun as the
people on the dropzone who have been jumping many, many years already.
We live in a fast society.
Everything has to be done quickly
and with instant gratification. When we experienced jumpers
start talking to young skydivers about certain goals, this can develop
frustrated views on the sport for some of them. They get into a mindset
where they feel
skydiving isn’t fun until they have their A license, or how its isn’t really
fun until they are swooping a small canopy, taking up BASE jumping or flying
a wingsuit. If we go along with that line of thought, and acknowledge those
statements, we then suddenly turn skydiving into a point of frustration for
these newer jumpers.
Instead of enjoying their
first few hundred jumps, and slowly learning more and more about our sport,
they start seeing it as a big waiting game where they can’t wait start
jumping that same tiny rig and sub 100 sq/ft canopy as the cool guys who
have been around a bit longer.
Photo by Stefan
Smith
The road is more important
than the destination.
Allowing people to cut
corners in reaching certain goals, is not only dangerous to them, but also
undermining the authority of people teaching.
It’s the image more experienced jumpers
portray to the newer
people in
our sport that determines how they in turn,
will approach the sport.
As an example, being in a
rush and boarding a plane without a pin check is not only dangerous to
ourselves, it’s also a bad example to the kid fresh off AFF who's on the
same load. The same goes for many aspects in our sport.
Realize that it’s not just the people who give instruction that are
teaching, it’s the way we as
individual skydivers
approach, talk about,
and treat our sport that ultimately sets an example that
the new flyers
will follow.
Skydiving and the Recession
I have noticed in my travels that many drop zones are a little slow these days.
The student numbers are down, and we are blaming it on the economy. We have
convinced ourselves that there is no way to get blood from a stone, and if the
students feel broke, they will not want to spend the money to jump out of an
airplane. I’m not buying it.
It is true that the world is caught up in negative thinking. It is true that people are scared. But the question I would ask is this: What do people want more than anything in a time of worry? They want a feeling of release. They need to let go of their mundane perspective, filled with
limitations, and do something that shifts them into a state of absolute joy. We have exactly what they need.
So, now that we know we have the solution to all the world’s problems, we have a job to do. Unfortunately, just because someone needs something doesn’t necessarily mean they will take it. We need to get the horse to water, but we also need to make them want to drink. In other words, we
need to inspire them. In order to do that, we need to tap into our own authentic inspiration.
Do you remember what it is about skydiving that you love? If you are like me, there are a great many things. There is the social aspect; the people that skydive are the coolest bunch of weirdoes that I have ever met. If the world was made up of just skydivers, life on this planet would be a lot more fun. Then there is the unbridled euphoria that we experience when we are up there. Let’s face it, there are very few experiences that make a person feel like that. Beyond that, there is the never-ending process of learning that makes
us realize that we are not done living. The more you learn, the more you want to learn. It is this kind of passion for more that draws a person out of the depressing feeling of “today is yesterday” into a deep desire to push forward
into the exploration of what is possible.
Once we reconnect with our true love of skydiving, all we need to do is share that feeling selflessly and fearlessly. There he goes again, droning on about fear. Yes, fear is the only thing that is holding us back from talking about skydiving with everyone we meet. Yes, part of what stops us from bringing it up is because we get a bit tired of the feeling of rejection when a die-hard whuffo gives us that eyes-rolled-back “you are crazy” look. If you think about it though, even that aversion has fear at its root. We are afraid of the feeling of rejection.
If you hate being told that you are afraid, as I do, you will get off your ass and talk about skydiving to strangers. You will accept that you are in love with the whole thing, and come out of the closet. You know that this is the source of your joy. The more you talk about it, the happier you will be. Hang posters at work and hold informational meetings, perhaps with a few short videos and a real rig for them to see. Sit in a booth at a fair or university and talk about the experience to those who have not yet been there. You will be deeply glad you did.
Then I often get the response: “what’s in it for me?” My DZ doesn’t have a finders-fee for bringing in new students. I’ll tell you what’s in it for you. You will get to be your higher self more often than before. You will get to keep your head in the clouds by talking about your true passion. As a secondary benefit, you will inevitably bring in more students. They will help to pay for the aircraft, the repairs to the hangar, the new bunkhouse at the DZ, the new fire pit, the new creeper-pad and even keep the jump prices reasonable despite rising gas prices. Imagine that.
We can alter the worldwide trend toward fear-driven hoarding, at least in our little corner of the world. We have the antidote to fear and unhappiness. All we need to do is remember what we have, and share it. The world is in your hands. Get out there and be yourself!
--BSG
Transcending Fear Specialist Brian
Germain is the author of several books, including Transcending Fear,
Green Light Your Life, The Parachute and its Pilot, and Vertical
Journey. His psychology background, combined with over 14,000 parachute
jumps makes Brian uniquely qualified to discuss the important and pivotal topic
that he refers to as “Adrenalin Management”. Learn more about Brian Germain
here:
www.GermainSeminars.com
and here:
www.CanopyFlightInstructor.com
The AFF Two-Step
Receiving an AFF Instructor rating is one of the pinnacle points of a skydiver’s continuing education and experience in the sport skydiving world, and has been a personal goal of mine for approximately two years. I was sure that the moment I had six hours of freefall time and my C license, I'd be able to knock this thing out fast.
How wrong I was...
This badge is likely the most expensive badge in the
skydiving world
When I first began skydiving, I was presented with the opportunity to spend some time in the tunnel at Perris, CA, with Ed Dickenson and Jay Stokes. I immediately took Ed up on his very generous offer to help me in my progression towards being a camera flyer. At 27 jumps, I entered the tunnel to learn some of the techniques I’d later use to fly with tandems, four-way, and fun jumpers. The video is hilarious.While I waited for Ed, we hung out at the school in Perris, and I overheard many conversations taking place between students and instructors. It was at that point I decided to become an instructor. Jay Stokes, Ed Dickenson, and Jack Guthrie all encouraged me to look towards that goal, yet six hours of freefall and a C license seemed so far away at that point, it quickly fell off the radar. I was having a hard time waiting for my 200th jump just so I could put on a camera anyway, let alone being an instructor.When I hit 200 jumps, I immediately got my coach rating. Alright! I was prepared to be unleashed on unsuspecting just-off-AFF-students.My first coach jump went great and filled me with a confidence that I had never before experienced. My third coach jump didn’t go so well with me finding myself very low, opening at an altitude that got me grounded for the weekend. Little lessons seemed to constantly present themselves. Although most of my wingsuit coach jumps have gone well, I once took a student with only 160 jumps. Bad decision; he had a cutaway (on a rig he'd borrowed from me) and I'm grateful that's all that occurred. I grounded myself for the weekend, and learned that lesson the hard way.It seems like most of us have stories like that; this one was my moment of enlightenment.
Over the next two years opportunity to teach, be taught, sit in on teaching experiences, and grow within the sport continually presented themselves. Like many skydivers, I surely thought I “had it all” in the 500 jump range when in truth, I was merely beginning to understand how much more there was to learn. As one skydiver repeated over and over (and over), “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Well…he’s right. I was discovering how little I knew, how far I had to go, and I was finding myself on the road of discovery.Being part of the qualification process for the 71 Way Wingsuit World Record opened my eyes to what good wingsuit instruction could be. I gained information over the last year that is integral to the first flight process as well, taking instruction from Scott Campos, Scott Callantine, Sean Horton, Justin Shorb, Jeff Nebelkopf, Scotty Burns, and several other very experienced wingsuit coaches. Like most skydivers, I've experienced great coaching and not-so-great coaching in my skydiving progression.
Being present when a friend was part of a tragic incident at the start of the year convinced me that I needed to know more about instruction, and I began looking at available AFF course opportunities. At the PIA conference, USPA President Jay Stokes informed me that Certification Unlimited (Jay’s instructional entity) was putting up a Coach and AFF course at Skydive Arizona in the following weeks. Timing was going to be tough, as I had some minor surgery scheduled, but I was excited to take advantage of the closeness of the opportunity, at one of my favorite dropzones, and in warm weather while it was freezing back home.
Image Left to Right:
Alex Chrouch, Jay Stokes, Craig Girard, Kelly Wolf, Nikos, Eliana Rodrigues, Douglas Spotted Eagle
Arriving in Eloy on a Saturday, I was completely pumped to start my education then and there. After all, I have 1300 jumps, 19 hours of freefall time in a couple of years, so this was going to be a fun cakewalk, right? I mean, I’ve got more than three times the requisite hours, lots of experience teaching, how hard could it really be? I’d taught parts of many First Jump Courses, taught many wingsuit students, and sat in on several courses. I knew I was ready.
How incorrect my thought process would prove to be.
Jay began with the syllabus and schedule for the course. It was daunting, but still appeared to be not insurmountable.
We did a bit of class work that night but the real class began in earnest Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. with the dew wet on the grass, sunrise barely behind us, and no coffee in sight, Jay smacked the class between the eyes with a number of videos that showed why the AFF program is so important, why the training would be very precise, and why each jump would be rated with “Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory” with no grey areas. “I’d bust my own mother if she wasn’t doing it right” is something we’d occasionally hear. And I believe it, but wasn’t intimidated by the concept. In fact, the only thing that had me intimidated was learning that repeat World Champions Craig Girard and Eliana Rodriguez were in my class. It’s somewhat difficult for a Hyundai to shine when parked between two Ferrari’s, right?
I knew I’d nail this stuff in a heartbeat. The written test was a cakewalk, just missing one question. And that question used math.
To say “I suck at math” would be akin to suggesting that “Omar is an OK skydiver.”I use a calculator for two plus two. True story. The ground training process is specific, but I’m used to this stuff, it’s pretty basic if you have the program down (thanks TDog, for providing some good pointers).Passing the written test indeed was a cakewalk compared to what came next... the in-air practicals.
Game-on, kids….We were assured the first jump would be our one opportunity to experience a “good student practice jump” where the student would behave and do essentially everything instructed, exactly as instructed.True to his word, Jay jumped like a perfect student. I was on the main side, Alex on reserve side.The jump went well from the Otter; no exit problems, the student responded perfectly to my signals, even if I was a little amped and anxious on this first jump. I thought Alex and I were a solid team. Suffice it to say that Alex did an outstanding job of flying his slot, keeping eye contact with his partner (me) and of doing his part in keeping our “student” corralled.Next jump, Jay paired me and a different partner with Kelly, a newly-minted AFF Instructor Evaluator.She went out the door with legs both bent forward at unique angles, arms in every direction but straight forward, and the only guarantee we had was that she wouldn’t roll onto her back during this practice jump.
Manhandling her into a level position without punching her required a great deal of strength. My partner lost his grip, floated up, and next thing I knew, I was alone with my student. I wasn’t going to let her go, except I was required to. And did so.She flew away, turning like a propeller just starting up and gathering speed as she backslid, turned, and orbited. I knew I had fewer than 15 seconds to catch her (which sounds like an eternity, but in truth, it’s the blink of an eye for the second jump as an AFFI Candidate). I caught up and had her blocked in a few short moments, but those same moments seemed like an eternity in themselves. She grinned and decided to go the other way. I think what troubled me wasn’t that the grin was mischievious; it was evil, clearly payback for what she had been subjected to as an AFF candidate. Cruel, cold, calculated evil. But we were having fun, right? My partner was floaty, at least 20’ up and 20’ out from where our student was spinning, but he did eventually make it most of the way back in. I ended up on the reserve side after her spins and subsequent blocks, and so the dance at the bottom was a little different; it was my first experience with dancing on the left. I pulled the handle, deploying my student and she looked at me with a grin that made the previous evil smile appear to be innocent; I’d failed to ride through the actual deployment. The triumph I’d felt at properly feeling the rhythm and cadence of the dance evaporated like palm sweat in a 120 mph wind.
Moving on before I exaggerate more than I already am….let’s look at the third jump of the afternoon.
It was beautiful. Stunning. The sort of sun and sky that Eloy is famous for, and it was about to be spoiled. This time, I had no partner and no one on whom to place blame for the carnage that was about to occur. Combat Wingsuiting, combat RW could not have prepared me for a single, main side exit in which my student extended arms straight forward, legs nearly as much so, almost as if she’d been laid over top of a fence to dry, face down. I muscled her so that she remained belly to earth and she obviously didn’t like that action very much. She immediately pretzeled her legs with the right leg looking like it was flying over a hurdle in a heat, and the other leg bent 45 degrees forward and bent again at the knee. It was like she was performing a classic freestyle position but on her belly instead of her toes pointing straight down. Arms were practically folded above her head, and it was all I could do to force an arch. Duh…throw a hand signal and there might not be quite so much force necessary….
Thumb down, she arched like a pro. “Today’s skydive is brought to you by the letter ‘U’” as she arched so hard that she plummeted. Thank heaven I hadn’t asked her to wear the lead. I don’t like lead much, and my fall rate range is pretty broad. All those tandems and AFF videos have helped.
OK, she’s settled out. Calm, flying great, she gets a thumbs up and a terror-laced grin from her instructor. I give her signals to do a practice pull and toe taps. She does great and so therefore has earned a release. I released and she backslid from the moment I let go of her harness. Damn, that girl is fast, but so am I. I chased her with a side-slide, threw her a legs-out signal. Wow….look at her move forward! Faster than she was going backwards. Now, I’m orbiting and don’t even realize it until I’m looking at her butt in my windshield. So…forward I go, and out goes the hand signal for arch; I was behind her. She didn’t have a rear-view mirror so my only option was to slide sideways, slide my left hand under the BOC as I started to slide past, and toss her another “arch” symbol. Whew! She settled out….Mr Toad couldn’t have had more of his way with me than Kelly did on that skydive.
And that was just the first day….
Variations on the theme make for a colorful tale; the ground experiences as we prepped to get into the aircraft were equally interesting but it would spoil the movie if I share too many of the instructor’s tricks as they acted the part of wayward students. Suffice it to say that they’re there to help you succeed, but also there to allow you to fail if you’re not on your toes and looking out for the best interests of the student at all times. The dives aren’t about you, they’re about being sure your student is getting the appropriate attentions and instruction at all times.
I won’t bore you with further details of the skydives because they’re all about the same sort of story; carnage, deceit, evil appropriations of an examiner that demands you be able to drive forward in a sideslide while dropping like a stone to do an assisted rollover as they’re spinning with a maniacal grin, laughing at the poor sap chasing them. It’s like “Hare and Hound” with Dr. Dimento as the wily rabbit, always one step ahead. Just as you catch up, they cooperate. In the moment you breathe a sigh of relief, they’re on to the next trick. Carly Simon going through my head with “Anticipation…”
Lest you think I exaggerate too much, grab any AFF instructor who has had Jay’s program or anyone who Jay has taught. They’ll tell you I’m not kidding and if truth be told, I’m underselling the experience.
Lemme share a small story; If you deploy your instructor/student “for real” by pulling their hackey, it’s an automatic Unsatisfactory and regardless of whether you did everything previous right or not, you weren’t successful on this skydive due to that one fairly significant factor. “Students” wear a simulated hackey that AFF candidates are required to pull at a specific point in the skydive. AFF Candidates will hold the simulated hackey handle til they meet up with the instructor on the ground.Jay didn’t care for the fact that I kept stuffing the hackey handle down my pants when it came time for my own deployment. On my last skydive, we’re standing in the door of the aircraft and my ‘student’ is going through “check out” and in his up/down/arch mode when I realize there is no simulated hackey visible on his main-side lateral.I’m screwed. I absolutely must deploy my student at the bottom of the skydive. I must pull the simulated hackey and show the instructor that I pulled and that I rode through the deployment. That small handle is the proof in the putting that I did exactly as I was trained to do.
In other words, those handles are important.
What to do, what to do?
Worry hammered me throughout this skydive, my last in the series of eval dives. With a “Satisfactory” I’ll be able to catch my flight scheduled to leave Sky Harbor in about two hours. If I get an “Unsatisfactory,” I’m not going home and believe me, the price for that would be very high. I have commitments outside of skydiving, y’know?
The point of do or die is one that lasts for about three seconds or 500 feet. I make my decision and dammit, I’m sticking to it. Maybe.
I reach for my student’s leg gripper, look at my altimeter and begin the process. I’m counting down. By now, the “dance” is so freakin’ ingrained in my head that I’m doing it in my sleep, so much so that I’m convinced I did it perfectly on this skydive even though video shows I didn’t.
Reaching over to where the simulated hackey was supposed to be, I spied it turned behind the lateral.
Gave it a yank at the last possible moment, and proudly raised the simulated hackey as I ducked my head beneath his deployment hand (the last thing you want to experience is a bridle wrapping around your neck, or having the deploying hand knock you in the side of the head; it might be construed as interfering with the student).
And rode out his deployment. The last thing I remember seeing as my instructor lifted above my head was his look of wide eyes, pointed finger, open mouth, and the smile on his face. We got to the ground, I watched my student land, and debriefed the skydive.Mirth in my instructor’s eyes, he says “Nice job. Now tell me what you didn't like about that skydive."A grin crossed his face told me he was well aware of the location of the simulated hackey. And, I knew I’d passed the program at that point.A wave of relief passed over me and I felt like falling to my knees and crying myself dehydrated, but I doubt any moisture would have come forward. I’d forgotten to rehydrate in my excitement of this last day. I was drained. I was pwn’d. I was reduced to jelly and tissue in this last moment. No way, no how would I have signed up for this experience had I really known what was in store for me, of this I was sure. All week.
But…
At the end of the week’s worth of mental, physical, and emotional torture, after hearing Lou Gossett in my subconscious screaming “I WANT YOUR D.O.R.!!!,” I’m a better skydiver. I’m a better person, and I’m a more informed instructor. I now know a little more about what I don’t know. As I said before, I'm now firmly on the road to discovery. "SATISFACTORY" or "UNSATISFACTORY", anyone who endures the process will come out a better person on the other side of the hellfire. I promise.
I now have a new respect for those that have undergone this process before me. I understand why they are looked to with a unique sense of appreciation at every dropzone, I understand that the program is as much or more about teaching the next step in the educational process of qualified skydivers as it is about providing a license to teach the uninitiated. The AFF rating is a license to teach but it’s more a license to learn. In roughly 18 skydives, I learned a lot about what students can and will do. I learned how to best manage those situations with my new found abilities, and learned that if in 18 controlled scenarios I could learn this much, how much can I learn in a year, two years, five years of teaching a variety of students? I’m excited at the prospect.
Respect and appreciation is due where it’s due, and I’ll take the opportunity to point out that as skydivers, we all have foundations made up of the bricks of those around us. Jack Guthrie, Jay Stokes, Ed Dickenson, Norman Kent, Mike McGowan, Debbie Z, Lance B, Kelly W, Joey, Chris, Phil, Blake, Craig, Eliana, Alex (I’ll jump with you any day, kid), Nikos, Jeff, Justin, Scotty, Scott, Chuck, friends on dropzone.com…and so many others are the bricks that have helped pave the road on which I have driven as a skydiver seeking more knowledge. I don’t know how to thank you all for the inspiration beyond paying it forward and being the best instructor I can be as you have been great instructors in my life. OK, enough lovefest. Thank you.
It's the little things that make the difference on a skydive whether for the better or worse. Taking instructon from Norman Kent's camera course that taught me to anticipate movement, taking instruction from Ed in the tunnel that helped me develop a very high range of fall rate for a heavy person, and being part of numerous FJC and FFC courses helped me develop a comfortable ground patter and rhythm. All the pre-AFF prep you can do, I recommend you take the time to do it. You'll be glad you did.
Whether you went through AFF, Static Line, IAD, take a moment to thank your instructors; they worked hard to get to where they are, to be at a point where they can intelligently and safely teach others, including yourself. It’s a big, dangerous world out there and instructors walked just a few feet ahead of you, checking to make sure it’s the best environment within which we all learn. Buy em’ a beer, give em a smile, even if it’s been a long time passed by.
Receiving my rating from Jay Stokes, Certification Unlimited (and current President/USPA)
In the event you’re wondering by now, students are a little less safe; I squeezed through my AFFI course. It’s an expensive patch and logbook endorsement, but one I urge towards anyone with an inkling to teach.
I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.
Blue skies and puffies....
~dse
Journey to the Bigways
From Student to the 100th Jump
Making it to my first Nine-way and then suddenly
being welcome into RW jumps
During early 2005, I became interested in big ways while I
was still a student skydiver. As a deaf person, I discovered the
deafskydivers.org website, and they were planning an upcoming Deaf World Record
event. They required 100 jumps and a B license to participate in the event. A
daunting goal, this gave me the incentive to jump as often as I could at my home
dropzone. At jump #99, the largest formation I had ever jumped in was a
three-way. For my next jump, I set forth trying to get the biggest RW formation
the drop zone would let me build. This became a nine-way, made mostly of
Skydive Gananoque's instructors. For my 100th jump, we created a
successful 9-way jump even though I funneled the exit! Before this jump, I had
a hard time finding willing RW buddies. Word went out I'd accomplished a
two-point nine-way. Now I was suddenly being invited into four-ways, five-ways,
and six-ways, jump after jump! As a result, my learning experience experienced
a big bang after this milestone jump.
photo by Dave "Fuzzy" Hatherly
Deaf World Record 2005
First experience being “cut” from a bigway event
November 2005 was my first skydiving vacation. I flew
to Florida to participate in Deaf World Record. It was like a deaf boogie,
organized by the infamous Billy Vance and John Woo. Before the event, I went to
Skyventure Orlando for the first time. I was floored to learn that John Woo had
20 hours of tunnel time, and is a World Team member having completed the 357-way
World Record the previous year. He told me he had about 700 jumps. His story
was an inspiration, even if it was an impossible dream at this time. Over the
next few days, 20 of us jumped several attempts to break the 14-way2003
record. I learned a lot, and docked on several formations that exceeded the
size of my 100th jump formation.
Eventually, they had to give “the speech” to four jumpers
to reduce subsequent attempts to 16.
I was one of the people to be “cut” from the final
formation.
My feelings of disappointment disappeared as I witnessed
the Deaf World Record from the ground, the subsequent first night jump, and
giving my glowsticks away. The photo with the goofy smile tells the whole story
of Deaf World Record 2005 experience.
Attending Canada Big Way 2006
Failing to get to the 59-way level, but managing to
get to the 30-way level
I learned about the Canada Record during late 2005, and
wanted to see if I could possibly qualify for this event. It seemed far fetched
that I might participate in an 80-way but I kept my mind open. During 2006, I
completed my first 20-ways during boogies when the Twin Otter visited my Cessna
home dropzone. The dropzone told me to go and attend the Canada Record anyway,
to 'try out' and see if I was good enough. At this event I had my first taste
of big way education, such as stadiums, radials, sheep dogging, red zone.
Alas, I was cut before I went past a 21-way. The event proceeded to complete a
59-way while I jumped a side 20-way camp for people who were cut from the main
formation. I learned many valuable lessons, including from Guy Wright: Never
look up when I fall low. After that advice, despite still being a sloppy flyer,
I consistently recovered from falling low during these jumps. I made many bad
impressions with Guy Wright, however, TK Hayes invited me to participate in a
20-way. Later, it became apparent there was too many jumpers, and it became
two separate 30-ways instead. This became the consolation prize: My first
multiple-plane formation load, and my first 30-way, that I completed, docking 14th.
Guy Wright's Big Way Camp 2007
Struggle trying to stay current
During 2007, I had a major downturn in my jumping frequency
due to job and love life situation. Nonetheless, I attended a Guy Wright big
way camp at the same dropzone as the Canada Big Way 2006 event. However, I got
cut very early during the first day as I was very uncurrent and my previous
impression at Canada Big Way 2006. In addition to my lack of currency, I had
also gained weight, so I had much more difficulty falling slow, so I kept
falling low too often! Discouraged, I gave up on big ways for the remainder of
2007 except for the easy 20-ways that occurred at Gananoque's Twin Otter
boogies.
Perris P3 Big Way Camp May 2008: Finally Persistence
Wins!
Finally reaching the 50-way level
In the previous two years, I kept hearing about the famous
“Perris Big Way Camps” as being the best camp to learn about big ways. I was
getting current again and I worked a little over an hour of tunnel time and
20-way jumps previous to the camp. Finally having the prerequisite jumps, I
attended the Perris big way camp for May 2008. They require 250 jumps with 50
jumps in the preceding 6 months. It was to become the best skydiving vacation
ever. As a deaf jumper, I was very challenging to the Perris P3 team, because I
often required a little more maintenance than everybody. Load organizers
dislike high-maintenance jumpers, and it was always a challenge to make myself
as low maintenance as possible. I was struggling trying to learn as much as
possible, with the help of other jumper writing notes for me! I persisted and
climbed my way through ever-bigger formations, and the final jumps on the final
day, I was to become part of an outer weed whacker (“weed whacker of last
resort”). On the third last jump, I fell low. On the second last jump, I
successfully docked but others in my whacker did not make it. I approached a
discouraged-looking guy and encouraged him, good job, you can still do it. He
was a guy, very much like me, who was trying so hard. I gave him a good pat on
the back and gave him the encouragement. The thrill of diving fast from a trail
plane, and slowing down on time for a dock. I almost fell low on this jump, but
I docked – DOCKED! Then I committed the sin of looking away from the center
and to other jumpers docking on me. He was struggling, going to fall 1 foot low
below me – but I made a last minute decision to drop my level slightly below,
while still docked, and help catch him. We docked in a mutual grunt of effort.
Right in the nick of time, the final person, about to go low too, caught the
very end of the weed whacker and promptly pulled our entire whacker low again, a
whole 2 feet below the formation level, with the chain becoming almost
diagonal! However, we quickly leveled out without funneling. We DID IT.
I was sloppy, the video showed my instability as I caught
the other skydiver, but I felt I played “hero” on this jump – helping other new
big way jumpers like myself complete the formation. While I was not ready to
truly play the role of hero, I had so badly wanted the formation to be complete
– and it was my job in the weed whacker of last resort to try to make it
succeed. On the other hand, skydivers are supposed to look towards the center
of formation. Despite this succeess, I still had lots to learn. But it was
time to celebrate – I was so happy I was part of a complete 49-way formation!
photo by T.C. Weatherford
Perris P3 100-Way Camp September 2008
Now reaching the 100-way level
By now, I was starting to think I might make it into the
next World Team if I tried hard enough. I started to hear that the next World
Record might be happening in year 2010. I then made a decision to gamble and
“go for broke” for the Perris P3 September camps, and try to bring myself to the
100-way level. The Perris camps were organized as a 50-way camp the weekend
prior and a 100-way camp the weekend after. I had only gotten a conditional
invite for the 100-way camp based on the performance of my 50-way camp, but
planned my vacation as if I was going to possibly be accepted into the
100-way. As a deaf skydiver, I hunted down interpreter help to try and
decrease my maintenance level even further. Jan Meyer stepped up to the plate
and offered to be my debrief-room interpreter and to double as a dedicated big
way coach. I surpassed the performance of my previous Perris May 2008 visit.
It worked – I qualified for the 100-way camp. The next week, I finally did my
first 100-way as I had dreamed of doing someday.
The Future...
Even though I am still very much a relative newbie to
bigways still yet to be part of an invitational big way event, I now have a new
goal: Be part of The World Team within my lifetime, whether in 2010 or later!
Although I now have enough experience to be invited to the smaller invitationals
listed at the bigways.com site, I still have a long way to go, and lots yet to
learn!
An Insiders View of Team X
By Ian Drennan
I wasn't really sure what to expect when arriving at Deepwood Ranch in Deland for the PDFT Tryouts. So much of my skydiving career had been spent preparing for this moment, yet when it finally arrived I felt very unprepared. I can't deny that going into the event I was in competition mode, not sure what to expect, but sure I was going to give 100% no matter what they threw at us. Little did I know that this would feel, and be, nothing like a competition, and nothing like anything I'd ever experienced before...
After a brief welcome by the PDFT we were all taken to a house where we were given free rein to divide our living space as we saw fit. The mood was good; everyone was excited, and nervous, as to what the coming days would bring. Surprisingly when it came to picking living space, most people gravitated towards the people they'd never met or had spent limited time with. There were of course, requirements for each area - thankfully our space was dubbed the "No Snoring" zone :) I had expected the atmosphere to be tense; there was so much unknown and so much riding on this event for each and every person there. Yet the mood was upbeat and encouraging - the tone for the week had been set.
We woke on Tuesday morning, way earlier than any human should have to be awake (that's 6am for me... what can I say, I'm not a morning person!) - still, the rooms were abuzz with excitement and everyone anxiously scurried out to start the day. After breakfast the introductions began, lead by the PDFT and John LeBlanc (who blew off a meeting to spend more time with the group!). As the introductions progressed, each participant revealed more and more about their background, upbringing, and motivations behind pursuing this dream. This 3+ hour experience flew by as, surprisingly, people quickly took to a "heart on the sleeve" approach, laying out their innermost insecurities, fears, thoughts, and dreams.
Once the introductions were done, we were assigned groups (picked by the PDFT) of 5 people. Each of the 3 teams was then assigned a task: prepare a group presentation on a set topic (each group had the same topic) within the hour, and each team member was required to spend an equal amount time speaking. This exercise quickly allowed groups to get a feel for personality dynamics within each team and, hopefully, learn to work as a group. Well, I can't speak behalf of the other groups, but Group 3 rocked the house :) I was lucky to be paired with a fantastic group of people, all bringing different strengths to the table.
The groups were not just responsible for a single presentation, but rather were together for the week and assigned different duties for each day - dish washing, cooking, or grounds maintenance that would be done in between the scheduled activities for the day, and interviews.
Tuesday night was brought to a close by the group’s first rock session. Much like the Native American Talking Stick tradition, this concept allowed people to voice opinions – uninterrupted - discussing themselves, their teams, the day, or anything that sprung to mind in a positive, or negative, fashion. Once again each individual surprised me with their honesty, and their ability to take constructive criticism. Around 11pm, after a long day, we packed it in and went back to the house - exhausted.....I don't think I've ever seen so many skydivers in bed at such an early time :)
Wednesday we woke to poor weather, so the group took the opportunity to do their individual presentations. We were entertained with a variety of topics, from cooking, to building water towers, to snowboarding, juggling, fresca ball, and even how to hot-wire an airplane! Each member added their own personal flair. I think it was here that it really struck me what an amazing job the PDFT had done selecting the 15 members. I remember looking around and realizing how level the playing field was. Each individual was strong in different ways, and it was clear that the team could pick any 4 and still have a spectacular outcome. After the presentations, everyone blew off some energy by playing some of the newly introduced games or learning to juggle. It was quite a sight to behold.
Group 3 took to cooking that evening, and with little deliberation began the cooking assembly line. Surprisingly, Travis Mills (from group 2) joined us in our food preparation. Travis, a onetime sous-chef, took the time to help us rapidly prepare our ingredients (that man is a chopping machine!!). I began to notice how well we were working together. As usual, after dinner, everyone sat around the fireplace, chatting, trading stories, etc. It was here that JC took it upon himself to introduce Zip-Zop. Every single person participated in the game (despite enormous suspicion), including Jay, Ian, and Shannon from the PDFT! I won't ruin any surprises, but needless to say - JC is a prankster....oh, and JC if you're reading this....I'm plotting my revenge...
On Thursday we woke to beautiful weather. The energy levels were almost uncontainable....we were finally going to JUMP! The team had something special in store for us today: We were going to do a mini-competition. After a few practice rounds the competition started - interestingly enough, the mood wasn't competitive; it was supportive. I can't speak for others, but I've never felt so relaxed before. Each round was just downright fun. The highlight, for me at least, was the expression round - not an event I normally do well in, so needless to say, I was elated with the final outcome. After the competition it was back to chores where our group was to help Kim, the land owner, chop wood for his house (and our fire pit). It was here that what was happening really became clear to me. Our group was unable to audibly communicate, since Tommy D was using the chainsaw to cut wood. But somehow we still needed to work together to load up the truck and get a system going. We fumbled a bit the first few minutes, each struggling to find our place....but then, something happened: We began to draw on what we knew of each over the last few days and created yet another assembly line - seamlessly operating in unison. We actually got so efficient that we chopped, and loaded, and entire truck full of wood in 20 minutes all with minimal communication!
Returning from the wood chopping experience, I was summoned to my interview. This was it, this was the moment to shine in front of the team, and give them every reason why I should be on the Expansion Team. I consider myself fortunate to have competed, and become friends, with the team before this day - yet it was still intimidating. I cannot imagine how some candidates, who'd never met any of them, felt at that table. The team was warm and welcoming though, and it felt far more like a discussion than an interview. Offering up direct questions and answers, I felt I represented myself well. I walked away with a smile thinking that good things were coming... and then it hit me, and it was like getting hit by a Mack truck. All these doubts entered my mind: "What if I get offered a slot, can I live up to the public expectation of a team member?"; "What if I just blew it?", etc. You see, in all my dreams of becoming a PDFT member, I'd actually never stopped to think what would happen if I actually got it. I know I wasn't the only one.
I didn't have too long to dwell on my insecurities since the night's activities were about to start after dinner. This time JC once again had an icebreaker game. This one was more a mind game, and boy did he mess with my mind :) The rules of the game were simple: You had to figure out the rules of the game, and when you did you had to guide (but not tell) players who hadn't figured it out yet. Much to my frustration I wasn't getting it and, as more and more around me figured it out, my frustration grew.
Fortunately, Ryan was the most frustrated and, in a fake temper tantrum, provided comic relief.
It was now time for our Rock Session. The team once again kicked it off, providing examples of how negative, but constructive, criticism to other teammates. Surprisingly, the candidates sessions remained largely positive. It was a very emotional experience for everyone involved. Drained and filled with self-doubt, I headed to bed.
Friday morning was the first morning all week, that no one was on time to breakfast. Mentally exhausted, and nervous, we gathered ourselves and headed out for the final day. The mood was definitely serious - we all knew what was happening today. We kicked off the day with a grueling exercise: We had to pick who we thought the new team should be, as well as a 'heart' team made up of 3 other people we'd love to fly with and then explain to everyone in a few short words, why we made the choices we did. It was here we got a tiny taste of what the PDFT was about to go through. It was incredibly tough to pick so few people from so many qualified people. In the end, after everyone's choices were vocalized, the choices were spread evenly among the group - this was definitely not going to be easy.
Deciding to jump, each group got paired with a PDFT member and did a formation jump. The exercise was in trust, and it was here I noticed that I needed to be more trusting of my teammates in the air. Time was now out though and the PDFT needed to go and deliberate, and while they deliberated gave us carte blanche to jump and do whatever we wanted to, to blow off steam...and blow off steam we did :) I took the opportunity to work on my trust issues by encouraging everyone there to swoop me while I sat in a kayak on the pond - after all, if I couldn't trust these people, who could I trust? It was one of the most enjoyable things I've ever done in my life. I had my own swoop show, with each person trying to outdo the other on the pond. It was total and utter carnage - and it was great! My favorite memory is of Travis Mills screaming by doing a ghost-rider with the biggest smile I think I've ever seen anyone have.
After a quick hike through Deepwood Ranch, it was time to return to hear the final announcement. The team arrived a few minutes later than expected, with a somber, yet relieved, look on their faces. It was clear they'd made a decision. Addressing the group the team announced that they'd almost not reached a decision that night, they had dropped the list to 6 people but had been unable to narrow it further. My heart jumped. With us all hanging on every word, the team announced that they'd made a change in plans and had decided to expand another 2 slots as "next on deck" or alternates. These candidates would be given first dibs at any future opportunities, or expansions, within the PDFT but would not be considered 'the final four'. First Jens Thorgenson's name was called. I was immediately thrilled; Jens and I had started building a strong friendship and respect, and I thought he was a wonderful choice. Next they announced me and my heart raced - it was unexpected, but ultimately perfect for me. I was ecstatic! In a weird way, I felt like the pressure was off, but felt no sadness at not making the final four. I knew, no matter who was picked, it was going to be a good choice and the PDFT was going be stronger than ever. Before announcing the final four, Ian Bobo emotionally reminded everyone that the blue jerseys weren't an indication of self-worth, and that each person there was a great candidate. The words were sincere, and they rang true. Once the final four were announced, through tears of joy, and sadness, everyone took the opportunity to congratulate them. Looking around I realized this is what the week was all about - cheering your team on, and we were ALL a team.
We all left the next day as better people, with a deeper respect for everyone there than any of us could have imagined. I often try to explain the experience to people, but realize that it falls short of doing the whole process justice. All I can say is that it changed me in a way I can't describe.
I've had many people asking me what happens from here? What does "next on deck" mean? Honestly, I don't know where this is going, but I know it's going to be a hell of a ride.
Top Gun flights now boarding at Skydive Airkix
Skydive Airkix is proud to announce that the UK members of the BIRDMAN Factory Team –
Top Gun (www.BirdManTopGun.com), will be permanently based at Skydive Airkix in
Peterborough, with immediate affect.
In line with Skydive Airkix’s commitment to bringing world renowned coaching and instruction
to the UK, Top Gun members, Macca, Duncan, Steve and Dave will be available for first flight
courses, coaching and load organising – for beginners, right up to already advanced wingsuit
pilots.
The team have a fleet of demo suits for instructional use or rental and whether you’re a solo
flyer looking to join a flock, or a team looking for some coaching, you’ll find everything you
need at our dedicated wingsuit facilities based at Skydive Airkix.
Macca from the team comments, “As the team is spread across Europe, we have spent a
long time floating around. It’s great to finally have a place to call home, especially one that
offers £15 lift tickets and up to 15K of altitude! The team are really looking forward to making
Skydive Airkix the number one choice for wingsuiters in the UK and offering skydivers quality
wingsuit coaching and instruction”
In addition to regular wingsuit activity, Skydive Airkix will also be holding dedicated wingsuit
weekends this year, along with instructional evening seminars.
The current requirements for wingsuit jumping in the UK are 500 jumps, or 250 in the last 18
months - at CCI’s discretion. There are also certain gear requirements, but if you’re interested
in getting your flock on, get in touch to organise your flight: [email protected]
Skydiving Rings in New Year on a High Note as Safety and Popularity Soars
Fredericksburg, Va., Jan. 11 -- Things are looking up for the skydiving industry.
According to the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA), America's premier skydiving association, 2007 made history as the year skydiving took a dramatic turn upward as one of the most popular adrenaline sports in the nation.
USPA reports that 2007 was one of the safest on record with 18 skydiver fatalities -- out of over 2.5 million jumps. That number surpasses a 1962 record for skydiving's fewest accidents.
Considering that in the early 1960s, USPA was only about 10% of its current size with 3,353 members and the aggregate number of jumps was considerably less than today's 2 million+ jumps, this record stands out even more as a testament to years of strict safety standards, training policies and programs.
"This has been a group effort," said Ed Scott, Executive Director of USPA. "USPA policies have been applied by every skydiver in the nation, as well as coaches, instructors, safety/training advisors, drop zone owners, riggers, pilots, manufacturers and gear distributors. We should all take pride in the strides we have made in skydiving safety the past half century."
And the good news doesn't end there. Significantly more people are taking up the sport.
USPA membership soared in 2007, with a significant number of new skydivers joining its ranks. USPA ended 2007 with more members (31,264) than the previous year for the first time since 2002. The total number of new members in 2007 was 4,900, reversing a five-year downward trend; it's also the highest number of new members since 2003.
The skydiving industry also saw an unprecedented upturn in the number of skydiving licenses issued by USPA; more than at any point in the last four years.
USPA's 2007 Skydiving Review with additional stats/demographics will be released in early spring.
USPA is dedicated to the promotion of safe skydiving nationwide, establishing strict safety standards, training policies and programs at 200+ affiliated skydiving schools/centers. The Federal Aviation Administration recognizes and supports USPA's successful leadership role in the self- regulation of skydiving.
USPA hosts the National Skydiving Championships, the sport''s largest and most exciting annual competition, October 18-25, 2008 (Skydive Arizona).
Information: 1-800-371-USPA, http://www.USPA.org.
Source: U.S. Parachute Association
Discuss it here!
Skydive Sibson re-launches as Skydive Airkix
Skydive Sibson re-launches as Skydive Airkix for the 2008 season and offers £15 jump tickets for regular jumpers.
It’s all change at Skydive Sibson, now known as Skydive Airkix. 2008 promises to be an amazing season at the UK’s oldest and most respected drop zone where over half a million successful skydives have been made since it started as the Peterborough Parachute Centre at Sibson Airfield.
Joining the Meacock family, who founded the club in 1971, are two new partners. David Turner has purchased 50% of the centre and will manage the business. Airkix plc becomes a 20% partner, and will introduce new systems and coaching programmes to the drop zone (DZ) utilising skills learned in one of the most successful vertical wind tunnels in the World.
There will be cross-benefits for Skydive Airkix jumpers and customers of the Airkix wind tunnel in Milton Keynes.
There are also other major changes happening at Skydive Airkix. Following a fire that burned down the clubhouse in 2006, a brand new, purpose-built bar, restaurant and clubroom is planned to be open in time for Easter this year as the new season kicks off.
To haul jumpers, Skydive Airkix has a completely overhauled 16 place, fast climbing, turbine-powered, LET 410 that is permanently based at the DZ. The aircraft, which comes with a complete set of spares, is owned by two of the Skydive Airkix partners.
Best of all is the new simple pricing scheme for experienced jumpers who can purchase a ‘high’ (max altitude) ticket for just £15, this is considerably cheaper than at other UK drop zones.
New coaching programmes will make Skydive Sibson the centre of excellence for freefly as some of the best flyers in the UK work seamlessly between the Airkix wind tunnel and the drop zone.
First time students wishing to learn to skydive will also find the Skydive Airkix programme quite unique through a specially designed AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) programme that utilises effective wind tunnel simulation and training. A normal AFF course of 8 jumps currently offers about 6 minutes of freefall time, a Skydive Airkix course will start at a minimum of 16 minutes and the gold programme over 60.
The centre will be offering low price tickets in unrestricted airspace up to 15,000ft, allowing jumpers to get more airtime in a shorter period for less money.
In a new move to the skydiving industry, Skydive Airkix will be the first DZ to offer jumpers the opportunity to Carbon Offset. By adding a voluntary £2 to each jump ticket, Skydive Airkix will pay into a recognised established offset programme.
The new clubhouse complex will feature a restaurant serving meals at all times of the day, a fully stocked bar and comfortable areas for jumpers and visitors.
In addition, free Wi-Fi will be available as well as bunkhouse accommodation, camping and shower facilities.
For further information visit: www.skydiveairkix.com
Skydiving and goose grinning
So, Saturday was my day to celebrate 68 years on the planet by checking off a very much delayed personal experience on my list: a tandem free-fall skydive! It began with checking www.skydivenm.net to view a number of their tandem jump videos. They looked like what I expected so I picked up the phone and scheduled a date some three weeks in the future. This Saturday, "jump morning" began with a short drive from Albuquerque to Sky Dive New Mexico's hangar at Belen's Alexander Airport up on the East mesa. Shortly after I arrive, I am in a 45 minute, very professional and meticulous ground training by Tandem Master, Rich Greenwood. This is followed by a period of waiting until it is my turn to go up. I pass this time very pleasurably watching others go through their suit-up and check-out, their pre-jump practice, get into the plane, go up, float down, and then watching over their shoulder as they review the videos of their jumps and receive their "First Jump" certificates. All the while, there is a group of six to eight individuals in the hangar meticulously repacking parachutes for next jumps. I'm beginning to get that meticulous is a good thing in skydiving.
Then…it's my turn!
Kelly Wilson, my Tandem Master jump partner, hand picks a professional jumpsuit for me to put on. Kelly has been doing tandem jumps for a bunch of years and the folks he's taken up before me today have all been giggling and beaming afterward and saying it's totally awesome and that I'll do just fine and love it. Kelly meticulously straps me into my jump harness, which is like a full parachute harness except for two important features: four really heavy-duty clips on the back…and …no parachute. Kelly wears the parachute. And just before we exit the plane, he will attach me super snuggly to his front with those four clips and tighten everything with final web strap adjustments. Kelly puts me through three complete practice cycles of exit, free-fall, rip-cord pull, and landing firmly reinforcing Rich's earlier training. Then Kelly, Ron, Jason and I all head for the awaiting Cessna. Ron Weagly is our videographer (I want a DVD record to remind myself and prove to my kids and grandkids I really did jump out of a perfectly good airplane), and Jason Korrel is our commercially rated pilot. Kelly and I do an exaggerated John Wayne walk for Ron's video. John Wayne walk - remember I'm old enough to have seen the movies.
We tuck ourselves into the cockpit and Don starts and revs the engine and we begin our rollout to the runway. After a somewhat noisy, twenty-minute, breathtakingly beautiful climb over the spectacular East mesa with the Rio Puerco River reflecting in the sunlight, we are 11,000 feet above the Belen Airport and the skydive landing zone. It's time for me to put on my goggles and jump headgear. Then in the not-any-too-big-for-four cockpit, I get on my knees facing forward so Kelly can hook me up and check everything out (meticulously). Next, Ron pops open the over-size right door letting a wave of really cool thin air to blast in. Ron steps out and hangs on to the wing strut with one hand and starts videoing Kelly and me as we begin "exiting the plane." I grasp a strap inside the open cabin door and slide my right foot from under my butt out into the wind and onto the large metal step. I follow that carefully with my left foot. A brief glance at the ground. A smile to the camera. Kelly reminds me to hook my thumbs under my harness shoulder straps and then says, "One. Two. ARCH!!!" and we "exit the plane" into a clear, cool, bright-blue New Mexico sky. I pull my head back and my feet up into as much arch as I can as Kelly deploys the drogue chute which will help stabilize and ever so slightly prolong our free-fall. Tap-tap on my shoulder and I unhook my thumbs and extend my arms and hands out in the free-fall "flying" position and check the altimeter strapped on my left wrist.
Free falling from 11,000 feet down to 6,000 feet is totally unlike anything I have ever imagined or experienced! It is almost indescribable. Afterwards I will remember it as like flying without a plane, just body-wise, like in a really great flying dream. Kelly gently rotates our position to face into the sun. Ron floats down right in front of us and gives me a thumbs up which I return with a wave and as much of a smile as I can muster into 120 MPH free-fall wind in my face. Earlier, I've seen the other videos and I want to be sure to smile and wave into Ron's camera so the kids will think that Dad's cool. Heck … so Dad will think that Dad is cool!
Too soon, it seems, the helmet beeper goes off in my right ear signaling we are falling through 6,000 feet. Kelly gives me a reminder tap on the shoulder and I reach down for the orange plastic ripcord handle on my right hip. Got it! Quick easy pull! Onethousandone, onethousandtwo, onethousandthree, and the canopy deploys with surprising gentleness --and everything goes mystically silent. I can stop looking into the camera and look around and see the entire Middle Rio Grand Valley and East mesa dangling beneath my feet. There just really aren't enough exclamation points to do this view and experience justice. The silence of hot air ballooning might come close, but we are 5,000 feet up, ever-so-gently falling, there is no burner noise, and we can steer! Ron, the videographer, has continued his free-fall so he can beat us down and set up to video our landing.
Kelly asks how I'm doing. I say I'm doing great, but I don't tell him I'm darned near crying because of the sheer beauty, the silence, the majesty of it all. He pulls down on the left riser and we pirouette counterclockwise - then the right riser into a clockwise pirouette - pure magic and beauty. I see Ron's canopy way below us now, lining up his landing. The e. e. Cummings poetry quote, "The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful," comes to mind. I look at my wrist altimeter and we are at 2,000 feet. At 1,500 feet Kelly says the folks on the ground in the landing zone can hear me if I holler loud - so I begin hollering and waving for the next couple of minutes just because it feels so good. Then we are at 800 feet and Kelly is heading us up into the wind, I pull my feet up for a butt-slide landing and the next thing I know -- I find myself comfortably seated on the ground in the landing zone -- Kelly has released the clips -- Ron is holding out his a hand to help me stand up, all the while videoing my very wide grin and asking me, "So, how was that for you?" It was great, stupendous, indescribable. Again, not enough exclamation points! He records some more banter and a high five exchange with Kelly, and we get into the Skydive New Mexico van for the 3-minute ride back to the hanger. Ron provides a quick preview of my video, and, hey! I look pretty good! (A little secret: smiling broadly, sticking your tongue out and waving at the camera in free fall looks way more cool than you can imagine.) Kelly and Rich and a couple of other skydivers congratulate me and then Kelly is handing me my very own personalized "Tandem First Jump Certificate."
Then it seems like it's all over too soon. We walk back to our car for the short drive back to Albuquerque and dinner and home. A wonderful mirage-like memory and vision of what I've just experienced keeps playing over and over in my head: Ron pops the door open, I look down on the mesa and the Rio Grande Valley, Kelly leans me out into our free-fall, we stabilize, Ron floats in front of us with his camera, I pull the rip-cord, we float ever-so-serenely down to a gentle butt-plop landing and I feel myself grinning like a goose (geese do grin, don't they?). For days later I notice I can still easily replay these wonderful scenes in my mind and, I am still grinning like a goose.
And that's how I did my first free-fall skydive. Life is good! Some day if you want to discover what your goose grin feels like, you can begin by going to www.skydivenm.net, checking out the neat tandem videos, and hooking up with Rich and Kelly at the Belen Airport … and you'll do just fine and love it!
Post script: The mailman just delivered Ron Weagly's DVD of my jump and I slapped it into my PC for viewing as quickly as I could. All I can say is (1) he made me look sooooo very good, and (2) I'm thinking about going again.
Copyright Tom Miles, 2007
Albuquerque, NM
Time for a National "Sky" Patrol?
Back in 1936, snow skiing was a sport that only a few dedicated individuals pursued. The primitive
conditions practically guaranteed that anyone foolish enough to ski would eventually be injured.
On the snowy slopes of a Vermont mountain, just that happened to Charles Minot "Minnie" Dole when
his ankle snapped in a fall. His friends went for help, but eventually had to toboggan him off the
slope themselves, using a piece of sheet metal roofing material as an improvised rescue sled. The
ankle fracture was so bad that Dole was told he would probably never ski again.
A few months later, one of Dole's friends who had helped him down the mountain was killed in a ski
racing accident.
Dole was not only determined to recover and ski again; he was also determined to do something
about making skiing safer. He co-founded the National Ski Patrol in 1938, modeling it after some
of the informal ski patrols at local ski areas and grafting on some of techniques used by Swiss
ski instructors and mountain guides. After World War II, skiing boomed in popularity, equipment
and services improved, and the National Ski Patrol is now the largest winter safety organization
in the world. To this day the NSP serves an invaluable function in preventing or responding to
skiing accidents with special training and equipment.
Skiing and skydiving have many parallels. They evolved over roughly the same time frame, and
advanced rapidly after World War II. During the sixties and seventies national organizations
formed, services improved, training became professionalized, and equipment evolved rapidly.
Similar sports enjoyed similar progress. Swimmers and surfers have trained, well equipped
lifeguards. Climbers have mountain rescue specialists and spelunkers have cave rescue
organizations. But for some reason skydiving has never evolved an organization dedicated to
preventing accidents, responding to them where and when they happen, and evaluating them to
learn how to make the sport safer.
Considering the frequency of skydiving injuries, there is an obvious need for trained response.
All outdoor sports share some commonalities. Each takes place in an unusual environment, with
specific environmental hazards. Each has specialized equipment and skill sets. Each has an
undeniable element of risk, yet those risks are not mysterious and can be mitigated through
proper preparation. Skydiving can learn from other forms of outdoor recreation and develop a
national training program to prepare drop zone staff and volunteers in accident prevention,
preparation, and response.
Such an organization, modeled after the National Ski Patrol, may be just around the corner.
This December Skydive Arizona will host a training course that will also serve as an opportunity
to examine what is needed to bring this sort of organization to your drop zone. At the core of
the program will be a Wilderness First Responder course from a nationally accredited organization.
The WFR was chosen over standard EMT training because of a heavier emphasis on trauma, and on
managing it without access to immediate ambulance response, since many DZs are a long ways from
the nearest ambulance.
In addition to the WFR, the course will include modules on skydiving specific problems such as
aircraft and fuel safety, removing skydiving equipment from injured jumpers, recovering cut-away
equipment, problems involving tree, water, and power line landings, and incident investigation.
Relationships with the local emergency medical system and with the FAA will be reviewed.
Recognizing and mitigating hazards will also be discussed, as will incident reporting and the
possibilities offered by building up a national database of accidents.
The course, scheduled for December 1 - 10, 2007 is open to any interested skydivers, regardless
of their experience in the sport. Slots are limited and must be reserved well in advance.
The course cost is $600, which includes instruction, materials, and training aids. Graduates
will receive WFR certification from the Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor
Leadership School. For registration details, go to www.airdropassist.org/wfr.htm
The course cost does not include lodging or food. Participants will be engaged in classroom
activities all ten days, and actual skydiving is not on the agenda. If you bring your rig, plan
on jumping before or after the course. Camping is free. Inexpensive team rooms or bunks are
available on the drop zone. There are several hotels nearby. For lodging and travel information,
go to
www.skydiveaz.com.
For other questions, contact Bryan Burke at: [email protected].