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News

    Worlds Longest Touchdown Catch (VIDEO)

    Just before the Super Bowl 50 yesterday, an ad was aired on CBS that no doubt had a lot of skydivers sitting back going "Hell yeah". For those that jump, and happen to be a fan of football, the two and a half minute video was a hybrid of awesomeness. As 7 skydivers (Marshall Miller, Steve Curtis, Jesse Hall, Travis Fienhage, Jonathon Curtis, Chris Argyle, Mike Chapman) in full football gear begin a game at altitude.
    Using people jumping out of planes to sell products is nothing new, but this project seemed distant from the generic mid-air product placement. Instead, we got to see what it would be like if a group of skydivers exited the plane and engaged in a game of in-flight football.
    The cinematography was excellent and it's not too often we get to see aerial footage shot using the illustrious Red Dragon, filming at 6k.

    "A huge thanks to Pepsi and Papa John’s for supporting us in creating this epic moment!


    A huge thanks to the Whistle Sports team for all their support on this project. Whistle Sports is made up of sports creators, brands, leagues, teams, events and athletes who make content for the new generation of fans.
    Music is called 'The Darkness (Remix)' by Built By Titan.
    Film by Devin Graham and Tyson Henderson

    Produced by Carter Hogan

    Edit by Tyson Henderson using Adobe Premiere Pro CC
    Sound Design by Dan Pugsley
    Aerial Cinematographer: Jon Devore
    Super thanks to Temp Media for providing the amazing aerials with the C-130. They were all captured on the Red Dragon in 6K with the Shotover.
    If anyone is interesting in aerial services they can go to our website www.temptmediafilms.com
    Skydive Team - These guys are AMAZING athletes and were complete ninjas in the sky!
    Marshall Miller

    Steve Curtis

    Jesse Hall

    Travis Fienhage

    Jonathon Curtis

    Chris Argyle"


    A behind the scenes video was also made available on youtube, and can be watched below...

    By admin, in News,

    World's Largest Wind Tunnel to Open in the UK this Summer

    Bodyflight Bedford in the UK proudly presents its monster of a wind tunnel to the world this summer. The flight chamber measures a massive 16 feet (5 metres) across and over 26 feet (8 metres) in height. This superb feat of engineering will produce unrivalled air quality.
    Bodyflight took over the ex-Ministry of Defence science facility which was built in the 1950s to test aeroplanes. In January renovation of the complex started and the wind tunnel is well on track to open, as planned, in August.
    The unrivalled space and air quality, along with our newly recruited skilled staff, will not only give non-jumpers an incredible leisure day out, but will mean that skydivers who choose to train in Bedford can receive superb air, plenty of room and expert coaching. All skydive 4-way blocks and many 8-way blocks can easily be turned in the tunnel, whilst others will find the consistent and fast wind speed superb for free flying.
    Bodyflight Bedford is located in a village near the county town of Bedfordshire, easily accessible by road, rail or aeroplane. The site is very close to Luton airport and is only a two hour journey by train from London airports. Bodyflight offers training rooms, lounge area, equipment shop, en-suite accommodation, bunk rooms, kit up area, top-of-the-range digital video systems, creeper areas, showers & changing rooms, large viewing area, lockers and snacks & drinks vending.
    The price structure will be published shortly which includes discounts for groups, block booking, coaching in all skydiving disciplines and various lessons to suit all abilities. The Bodyflight membership scheme ensures that 'frequent flyers' are rewarded for their loyalty.
    The new propeller and motor arrive in the next couple of weeks, testing will be throughout June and preview flights will be available in July. August will see the grand opening and party, with invitations going out shortly.
    If you're in Europe this summer, come and try us out; you won't want to go home.
    Bodyflight UK Web Site

    By admin, in News,

    World Championships in Freestyle Swooping Coming This August

    FAI Swoop Freestyle World Championships 2017 will be the first ever World Championships in the urban parachuting discipline, freestyle swooping, and it will take place in the heart of Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, August 25 and 26 2017 - making this the premiere of a whole new urban world championship settings: Taking world class air sport to the people in the middle of great cities.
    18 of the best canopy piloting athletes in the world will battle it out for the first ever world championship title in the freestyle discipline over two phenomenal days of high octane parachuting athleticism in the centre of Copenhagen. Over 100.000 spectators will be watching the event live with millions watching online and behind the screens worldwide.
    The event format is the idea of two Danish entrepreneurs and in only three years, the event has grown massively and has revolutionised the sport.

    Swooping is the new darling of parachuting and the freestyle discipline is the most spectator friendly and adrenaline seeking within human flight.The high-impact, adrenalin-fuelled discipline of Freestyle Canopy Piloting is known as Swooping, and involves parachutists flying at high-speed across a ‘Swooping Pond’ to score points based on style and execution.
    Canopy pilots jump out of a plane or helicopter in 1,500 m/5,000 feet altitude, release the canopy straight away and start to navigate towards the surface immediately. To gain great speed, they make a series of turns before reaching ground level, and right before they make contact with the surface, they straighten out and with speeds up to 150 km/90 miles per hour, they do their freestyle trick on the water surface before landing on a platform on the water right in front of the spectators.
    From local pilot project to official world championships
    With the world championship stamp from the The World Air Sports Federation, FAI, the Danish organizers have gone from an idea and a pilot project to an official world championship in only three years.
    "In the space of three years we have gone from an idea and pilot project with 10,000 spectators to an internationally recognised platform with hundreds of thousands now following live and behind screens across the globe. We have taken the sport on a journey, with the athletes now seeing themselves in a professional light and professional settings in the heart of major cities whereas they before were used to competing in small airports without spectators or media coverage. We have managed to bring the environment and talent together in a major project within the city and now with official recognition and the World Championship we are a step closer to realising our dream of a World Series," George Blythe, CEO of A. Sports, the organisers of the FAI Swoop Freestyle World Championships says.
    International federation: We could not have a better venue than Copenhagen
    "Freestyle Swooping really is one of the most exciting and dynamic air sports to watch. So it is very exciting, and my genuine pleasure, to welcome the athletes to the very first FAI Swoop Freestyle World Championships in Copenhagen. There couldn’t be a better venue than in the heart of this great city. It really is unique, and will help bring this rapidly growing sport to thousands of spectators both in the city and through the media. I would like to wish all the competitors, organisers, and volunteers a fun, safe and fair competition. I am looking forward to following this amazing event," FAI President Frits Brink said.
    "The FAI Swoop Freestyle World Championships adds another dimension to our work with sporting events. Here we are talking about an event that has been developed in Denmark and now has been appointed official world championships. That fact is a cadeau to the organisers and the partners behind," says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark which partners the event.
    FACTS:
    FAI Swoop Freestyle World Championships 2017
    Training and Swoop Night Lights Friday August 25, Qualifying and Finals Saturday August 26 2017.
    Location: Peblinge Lake, Queen Louise's Bridge, central Copenhagen.
    18 parachute pilots from 12 countries.
    It's the first swoop freestyle world championships ever in freestyle swooping (canopy piloting).

    Website
    Facebook page
    Instagram
    Facebook event

    By admin, in News,

    World Champion Freeflyers Make Sebastian Home

    Skydive Sebastian, in Sebastian Florida has just stepped up it's efforts to be the number one destination for skydivers on the East Coast, and in doing so has now attracted the world's best free flyers to instruct, coach and organize on a daily basis. The Free fly Training Center (FTC) has just opened at the DZ located centrally on the east coast of Florida. "Our mission as The Free fly Training Center, is to lead the free fly scene at Skydive Sebastian in the most efficient way possible. This will allow each and every individual flyer to progress at their desired learning curve. We are doing this through extensive coaching, events every month, and free load organizing", says Mike Swanson, instructor for the school and current Free fly World Champion.
    The FTC has 4 instructors on staff who are already involved in organizing on a daily basis, helping to expand free flyers in aerial awareness, communication, flying skills and dive planning in a safe and controlled manner. This program aims towards flyers who are used to visiting DZ's where it's hard to find anyone to jump with, and end up spending their vacation doing solos. " We wanted to get away from the typical situation where intermediate flyers never get a chance to jump with someone who is more skilled than themselves. Our program adds to EVERYONE'S learning curve, and gives us more capable flyers to have fun with during events", reports FTC instructor Dave Brown.
    The FTC is the end result of all of it's members giving a combined effort in looking to start something which will benefit ALL flyers in the end. The FTC members are: Mike Swanson, from the First School of Modern Sky flying Instructor Staff, and Rook Nelson, of Free fly Chicago, which together are the current Free fly World Champions. They will be training all season long at Skydive Sebastian, hoping to defend their title in the 2003 Free fly World Championships. Addition FTC members are David Brown, also of the First School of Modern Sky flying Instructor Staff, and Rob Silver, formerly of Sebastian Free flight. Together they ensure that the quality of free flying at Skydive Sebastian will be extensive, and without a doubt, educational.
    Coaching programs are available for individuals who are looking to excel past their current flying ability, OR towards specific goals. All of the instructors are highly experienced and capable of teaching all facets of free fly, in a unique and efficient atmosphere. This allows the flyer to advance and become proficient in all areas of three dimensional flight. The FTC has no minimum on the number of instructional jumps that one must purchase. HOWEVER, they recommend that any student should participate in AT LEAST five instructional jumps, to attain the most out of the program. At the end of each coaching session, the instructors will evaluate the student's progress, and give advice for the future, so as to continue the process of education and guidance after the student returns to his/her respective drop zone. With the already increased interest in their programs, the FTC has worked with DZ management to get price breaks on block ticket jumps for students who come to the DZ to do at least 25 instructional jumps or more. The FTC instructor rate is discounted with this package as well, offering discounted coach rates with the purchase of 25 jumps or more.
    Since the beginning of October, the FTC's events calendar has started rolling with the Halloween Boogie, the Keys Boogie and an influx of regular and visiting jumpers doing coached and organized jumps. Both of the boogies were great successes, lots of high quality and safe jumping. Each month the FTC plans on having events focused on different flying and learning. The event which has drawn the biggest response from flyers thus far, is the FTC's "Pure Progression Program", where students are engaged in a 30 jump minimum course held over a period of 7 days. This takes them to the next level of human flight. The weeklong course includes seminars in three dimensional flight, canopy piloting, and camera flying. During the week, students will visit the Sky Venture Wind Tunnel in Orlando, and participate in the FTC's Wind Tunnel Program, focusing on head up flying and dimensional control. There are also two "Big Ways" camps, a Weekend Skills Camp, and The All Axis competition. The FTC hopes to draw flyers nationally and internationally not only to have fun, but also acquire as much knowledge as possible this season.
    If you are interested in any of these programs, or want to get in touch with FTC members contact [email protected] or go check out the FTC's website at www.freeflytrainingcenter.com, the web site is currently being built and will be up and running soon. Also check out Skydive Sebastian's website at www.skydiveseb.com for the latest information on boogies, skills camps and coaching info and prices.
    All photos of Dave Brown and student Dan Labelle by Rook Nelson
    Written by:
    Erin Golden

    By admin, in News,

    Woman, 90, skydives to prove age is just a number

    WILSON -- Marni Evans literally "dropped in" for her 90th birthday party Saturday afternoon, jumping from an airplane cruising over her farm at 12,000 feet. She said she wanted to show her friends that age is just a state of mind, even when you're nearing the century mark.


    More than 100 well-wishers waiting in a pasture at Springhill Plantation craned their heads upward as a dot in the sky slowly became recognizable as the form of Evans and skydiving instructor Tom Tharp dangling from a red-and-white tandem parachute.
    Scott Smith of Jackson and Keith Nielson of Lafayette, who followed Evans and Tharp from the plane, landed first, drawing "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd for their flawless touchdowns.
    A few seconds later, applause rippled around the pasture as the guests watched Evans and Tharp float to the ground.
    The crowd rushed forward to capture on film and videotape the big smile lighting Evans' face while she wriggled out of her jumpsuit and gear.
    "It went flawlessly. It was a super day and a super crew. I'm proud of all of them, especially my mom," said son Kirwin Ross, as he aimed his camera at the group.
    "It's going to be like stepping on a pillow," Smith had predicted before the skydivers took off from the landing strip at Jackson. Except for Evans losing her balance when Tharp bumped into her, Smith's prediction was on the money.
    Still, more than one person waiting in the audience was apprehensive.
    "Some people were hoping it would rain so she wouldn't get hurt," guest Henry Chase said.
    But the weather couldn't have been better.
    Before climbing into the Cessna 210, Evans wisecracked with pilot Tom Allain of Baton Rouge and the others almost nonstop, but grew serious for a moment to explain the purpose of her adventure.
    "The whole objective of this is to let these young people know that you don't have to get old just because you've been here a long time," Evans said.
    "Stay active ... stay alive as long as you live," she said.
    Evans is the oldest student Tharp has tutored in the sport of skydiving.
    "I've jumped with an 84 (-year-old), so this is my record," he said during the flight preparations.
    "She doesn't have to worry; this is my second jump," he joked.
    As she donned her jumpsuit and harness, Evans told the group the jump would be a first, but not for wearing a parachute. She explained that she had strapped a parachute on all the time while learning to fly in her younger days.
    Evans' exploits were a theme among the guests as they watched the plane make lazy circles in the sky to gain altitude.
    They spoke of her athletic prowess, her earning many awards in Senior Olympics competitions, her volunteering to lead exercise classes at a nursing home and her arriving at her 80th birthday party in a helicopter.
    Arriving for the party, Ann Reiley Jones held a sheet of paper in her hand.
    "We were asked not to bring gifts, but I wanted to do something, so I wrote down 90 adjectives to describe Marni," Jones said.
    "It wasn't hard. I thought of 10 more on the way over here."

    By admin, in News,

    Woman goes skydiving for 85th birthday

    Iona DiFilippi makes one of her dreams come true by jumping out of a plane 10,000 feet in the air.
    Strapped to a ‘chute and sporting mechanic’s overalls — the skydiving suits were too big for her small frame — Iona DiFilippi said she had no fear as the plane ascended to 10,000 feet and she prepared to leap to the ground.
    “The first micro-second after I tumbled out of the plane I thought, ‘Why am I doing this?’ But after that it was wonderful,” she said Sunday from her Salem home.
    DiFilippi has wanted to jump out of a plane for the past 60 years. She finally took the plunge Saturday to celebrate her 85th birthday.
    Nose cold and wind rushing by, she said the 30 seconds of freefall was over too soon — a little like the years she was busy raising a family and didn’t have time to go leaping out of planes.
    “The time just goes by so fast,” she said of the years she wanted to skydive but never got around to it. So a few years ago she decided her 85th birthday would be the day to become a daredevil.
    Taking advantage of a sunny break in the rain and hail above Creswell, the skydiving crew jumped in the plane and made it all possible.
    Because it was her first jump, DiFilippi was hooked to an instructor. After the pair leapt from the plane and DiFilippi got over her brief moment of fright, she said the world was beautiful as they glided toward it.
    “It really is a wonderful sensation, floating down and seeing the horizon so far away,” she said.
    Landing firmly and safely on her legs, DiFilippi said getting hurt wasn’t any more a concern than her age. In fact, she welcomes people of all ages and abilities to try it out.
    “It isn’t just for healthy people. It’s something that people of all abilities can do.”
    DiFilippi’s only complaint was of the brisk spring air at 10,000 feet.
    “Next time I’m going to do it in the summer.”

    By admin, in News,

    Wind Tunnel Listings Added to Dropzone.com

    Image by iFly Austin We would like to introduce the latest addition to Dropzone.com, our wind tunnel listings! We’ve been working hard at gathering information on all the active indoor skydiving venues from around the world, resulting in a list of 26 wind tunnels, spanning 12 countries, making it the most comprehensive and up to date list of vertical wind tunnels online.

    We have modelled the indoor skydiving section on that of our dropzone database, allowing you to review your experience, in turn helping others in choosing the best places to indoor skydive, and focusing on allowing you to quickly and easily find venues using GPS plotting.


    Users will be able to find detailed information about each dropzone in the listing, including time block pricing, training pricing, technical information and contact details.
    Indoor skydiving has become an essential part of competitive freefly training and continues to provide a platform for the evolution of body flight. With the continued growth of the sport, and the establishment of new tunnels, the future of indoor flying is looking extremely bright.
    We welcome and encourage users who have flown at any of the wind tunnels to submit a review of their experience. Should you know of a wind tunnel that is not listed in the database, you are able to submit a listing yourself, or contact us via e-mail and we will add the listing for you.
    Our database will continue to be built on and maintained by both dropzone.com and the respective owners and staff of the tunnels. If you are a staff member of one of the tunnels listed in our database, you can claim the listing.
    View Wind Tunnel Listings

    By admin, in News,

    Wild Humans - A Reputation in Rotation

    For the past three US Nationals, the Wild Humans have topped their competition in the canopy relative work event of 4-way rotation. Known in the past as rogues and the back street gang of the CRW community, this reformed team is marking up a new chapter and serious side to their history. Sort of.
    "This is the first Nationals we didn't have a cutaway," says Stu Wyatt. "(In the past), we hardly ever practiced. We were known for coming and getting our practice at competitions. We always had the attention of everyone, because we were learning while we were on video."
    The history of this team starts as far back as 1979. Stu Wyatt's older brother, Doug, started skydiving shortly after Stu, and because they had "a bad reputation for wanting to learn too fast," people veered away from jumping with them. That left each other. So, the two brothers spent a lot of time doing stacks and free fall together.
    Around 1981, Jeff Wagner asked the two brothers if they wanted to build a canopy formation team, with Bill Storms as their fourth. The team, Wild Humans, was born.
    Wagner organized one of their first experiences together. Wagner wanted his NCCS, an 8-stack award. It was to be performed at night, under the full moon out at Stapleton. Stu, who up to that point had no more than a 3-stack experience, closed the top as number 9, and Wagner got his award.
    "I was jazzed," says Stu. "I didn't get the NCCS (due to technical fumbling), but we got broke in pretty good.".
    The team started competing and training for the Nationals. They got third place that year. They also entered the Nationals with one different team member, but they were just going to learn and have fun. After about three competitions, the team faded.
    Scott Chew, wanting a new chapter on the Wild Humans, approached the Wyatt brothers three years ago about reforming. Scott wanted them all to commit to a certain amount of training jumps. Joined by Joe Berning, the same four have won the gold at the '98, '99 and '00 Nationals. They also had the opportunity to go to the World Championships in Finland, where they placed fourth overall, but were proud to give the top-ranked Italians a run for their money on the first round.
    Doug notes, "We're way more serious. Used to be completely for fun."
    In that vein, they put in about 100 training jumps a year at their home drop zone in Colorado. They also had Scott, a certified rigger, redesign their deployment procedure with a pull-out pilot chute system.
    Doug says, "We lost a lot of points in Finland over a pilot chute in tow. Our (new) method allows us to pull the pin by putting the pilot chute handle inside, up against the apex where the bridle meets."
    Another feature also flattens their pilot chutes after their canopies open. "Even though our parachutes are so little (126 PD Lightnings), we can't have that little pilot chute up there; it will affect our landings," notes Doug. "Our wing loading is 1.7. And these canopies aren't designed to land well from the get-go."
    So, these US Nationals proved to be their test run, and it was their best to date. Their throwaway round was 16 points, five points better than their competition's best. They will be attending next year's World Meet in Spain.
    "To be in contention, we need to get 200 practice jumps in between now and then. The big boys in the world get 500-600 practice jumps," says Stu. "We're looking for sponsorship. There's only so much T-shirts can do for you."
    But one thing the Wild Humans have always excelled at is public relations. In Finland, "while we were doing formation, we were the only team that landed together, and it excited the fans. They were rooting for the USA, even over their own teams," says Doug.
    Their name and attitude definitely precedes them. And their tattoos. The temporary gnarly, tooth canopy tattoos seem to be stuck on anybody within their reach.
    "It's a good ice-breaker with people; we talk to them, and it's a little more personable. Then, we try to sell them a T-shirt," laughs Stu.
    But for the World Meet, "we plan on keeping the same game plan. If we're consistent, we can do it," says Stu. "This is the first time we've put up consistent scores all the way along. But even in those 17's, we had some problems. We want to work out those glitches."
    However, it was their very own Scott Chew who was awarded a very special honor, the Overall Canopy Relative Work Medal, for scoring the best in all three CRW events.
    "Usually, it goes to a team, but these guys let me ditch them," Scott laughs. He joined Clean Leap in 8-way speed, and his Wild Human teammates says it was due to no less than Scott's presence that Clean Leap won their gold.
    Scott has 6,000 jumps, the most of his team, and has accomplished such bold maneuvers as building a 2-stack off of the River Gorge Bridge. The other three have about 3,000 jumps apiece.
    "It's amazing you can still be an athlete over 40 in CRW. Some of these old boys have been around a long time and they're good flyers. It's kind of ageless to some degree," says Stu.
    There's a history of jumping with the Wyatt brothers, and Stu has a T-shirt that lists all of the people that have competed with them.
    Stu says, "We have two rules. First, there's no such thing as rules. Second, you can't change the rules."
    So, what came first--their name or their behavior?
    Stu answers, "We considered ourselves 'wild humans' before we even got into skydiving."
    But these bad boys turned somewhat good are getting up to world-class levels. They're a little more serious, but not losing any of the fun. All four got a permanent version of their team tattoo this past summer.
    "It shows one's commitment to some degree," says Doug. A lifetime, noting the permanency of real tattoos, to which he responds, "Naw. We won't stay together a lifetime. But it'll bring back good memories."
    "Yeah, we'll be legends in our own minds," Stu jokes.

    By admin, in News,

    Why You Should Give Yoga A Chance - Part 1

    Emma Tranter has helped airsports athletes get on--and stay on--the mat for 16 years. You’re next.
    So, full disclosure:
    This author has been practicing yoga for many years. I deeply believe that I couldn’t jump or fly without using yoga as a tool to undergird those activities, but it was so difficult to explain why that I generally deflected the conversation. After all, it used to be that chats involving yoga on the dropzone would end awkwardly (usually, with someone trying to fold themselves into lotus pose and falling off a barstool).
    These days, other airsports athletes tend to be much more receptive--but they often insist they simply can’t do yoga themselves, always calling in one (or more) of these three reasons:
    I don’t have time.

    I’m not flexible.

    I already work out enough.
    But what if I told you that these are all dismantlable barriers? That you can--and very much should--knock them down? And that it’ll measurably increase your sports performance?
    You certainly don’t have to take my word for it. Take Emma Tranter’s.
    Emma is a force of nature in our sport. A longtime-professional-skydiver-and-traveller-turned-extensively-educated-yoga-teacher, Emma has over 16 years of experience melding these two seemly opposing practices (and understands firsthand, the desires, aversions and excuses of the adventure-seeker. If you’ve spent time at Skydive DeLand, you know Emma for her yoga studio: The Yoga Shed, so close to Skydive DeLand that a well-thrown baseball will easily make the journey from the dropzone parking lot to the studio’s front door. Along with running her yoga studio, Emma currently travels the globe from her home base to facilitate Fusion Flow wellness retreats at various wind tunnels around the world, She does this with her twin sister, peak performance health coach, Lucie Charping.
    Arguably, Emma has the world’s most substantial experience in working with airsports athletes as they develop and advance a yoga practice. If anyone can break down the barriers between you and a yoga mat, it’s gonna be her.
    So let’s get started, shall we?
    ALO: Emma, tell us your abridged life story in the sky and on the mat.
    Emma: I made my first jump at home in New Zealand in 1994. I was professionally skydiving for many years--traveling all over the world for the sport. I eventually came to DeLand and stayed.
    I started teaching yoga in 2000, but I was still primarily a skydiver--packing parachutes and coaching at Skydive University and all of that kinda stuff. The balance shifted around 2003, when I completed a thousand-hour course in Precision Alignment Yoga. It was a two year training. It was awesome; I am still with those teachers.
    As the early 2000s went by, I started to get more more dedicated and committed to yoga. I transitioned out of professional skydiving but I stayed very active in the community, and I still fly regularly in the tunnel. The tunnel gives me more space in my life to dedicate to yoga, and teaching yoga is undoubtedly what I am supposed to be doing with my life.
    This is the sixth year of the Yoga Shed. Opening it in 2011 right next to the dropzone just seemed like the most natural choice in the world. I love to teach skydivers; they’re my people. And what skydivers find in a yoga practice is uniquely helpful to them.
    ALO: Does it still feel to you like people in these sports have the wrong idea about yoga?
    Emma: Oh yeah. A lot of airsports people--like the general public, I guess--still have the conception that yoga is about bending yourself into a pretzel or sitting on a cushion and omming. I mean, it is in some practices, but this is a very limited view.
    Airsports people tirelessly seek a state of flow. When you jump out of a plane or off a cliff and you’re not in that flow state, then that’s usually when things go wrong. When things go really right, it’s when your consciousness is in alignment; when you are fully present and not affected by your ego, when you aren’t thinking about what happened before or what’s coming in the future. You are just in that moment. Yoga gets you there.
    Airsports athletes make really good yogis because, once they actually establish the habit, they see the immediate, enormous benefits of the practice. They know what that particular flow feeling is when they meet it on the mat because it’s one of the central reasons they jump. The great news is that--once you’ve got the concentration required, when you can align the body and align the mind--then you start to experience that nowness that we all love in airsports whenever you want to. The trick is just to start doing it.
    ALO: Okay, Emma: I don’t have enough time.
    Emma: The first thing you have to do is be realistic as far as time goes. I always suggest the same question: How much time is realistic for you to dedicate to your health and wellness practices in order to support your flying, your skydiving, your BASE jumping...whatever it is that you love to do? Is it 10 minutes? 15 minutes? Half an hour? Most people will be, like, okay, I could definitely do 15 minutes. I take longer than that in the shower.
    Then I’ll say, “Okay. Let’s make this a 15-minute practice. How many days a week do you realistically think you will dedicate 15 minutes to do this practice? Twice a week? Three times a week? Fifteen minutes, three times a week, is very doable.
    I usually encourage my students to do their practice in the morning, before the day gets going and distractions come along. Can you get up 15 minutes earlier and fit it in before your shower? Do you see that as something that’s realistically possible? The majority of people discover that it’s quite easy to do. It’s more beneficial for people to do a 10- or 15-minute home practice every day than go take a class once a week for an hour and a half.
    When people start with a 10-minute or 15-minute practice and dedicate to it, that practice gradually lengthens in time. Suddenly that 10-minute practice that they were just going to get out of the way is 15 minutes long. And then, a month later, it is 20 minutes long, because they just felt like staying in it a little bit longer. In time, it grows and grows from within. But If you expect yourself to do a one-and-a-half hour practice, three times a week, right off the bat--if that’s unrealistic, then you’re setting yourself up for failure.
    If it’s that easy, why isn’t everybody doing it already? Find out in the next installment--as well as the reason “I’m not flexible” is the worst-ever reason not to take up yoga.

    By admin, in News,

    What did you do last summer?

    Tis the season.... Summer for skydivers is the time that we let loose, enjoy the longer days, jump as much as possible, go to boogies, see old friends and meet new people. For The Freefly Training Center (FTC), this past summer was no exception. Following a successful and eventful season at Skydive Sebastian in Florida, these guys didn't slow down at all for the 'busy' summer season. Instead they tracked into the summer with a demanding agenda of skills camps, boogies, and competitions…and I got to be there for most of it, so here's my take on it.





    Intensified Skills Camps
    Skydive Sebastian was well represented at many different dropzones this summer, coaching and organizing at Skills Camps run by FTC instructors. They kicked off the summer, as many 'northern' dzs do, on Memorial Day weekend. Current National and World Champions, Mike Swanson and Rook Nelson, headed to Cross Keys, NJ, to organize with Monkey Claw during the annual Monkey Claw Jam, this year's theme being 'The Running of the Bulls'. Following that boogie, Mike met up with FTC instructor Dave Brown, in Orange, Mass. to hold an intensive skills camp at Jumptown. This is the second year for a skills camp at Jumptown, and again, it was a great success. Before going back to Chicago, to continue an arduous training schedule for the U.S. Nationals and the World Cup, Mike hosted successful skills camps at both Skydive New England and AerOhio.
    Rook, Mike and Dave, who spent the majority of their summer at Skydive Chicago, organized and coached freeflyers who were stoked to get in on the learning atmosphere. They also placed 1st (Rook) 2nd (Mike) and 3rd (Dave) at the3rd Annual Freefly Money Meet that Skydive Chicago hosted. 'Alaska Jon' Devore, who together with Rook and Mike, form team 'Alchemy', also joined the Chicago contingency to help organize and coach during Summerfest, the Midwest's newest large scale boogie.
    In late July, Dave and Mike joined forces once again and went up to Canada, for the 3rd annual Canadian Freefly and Film Festival, hosted by Skydive Burnaby in Ontario, and the Gravity Pilots freefly team. They kept the Otter flying all day for 8 days, with coaching, organizing and Atmosphere Dolphin (AD) tests. They held nightly seminars regarding safety, gear, group dynamics, an overview of how to get the most out of your dives. Dave and Mike also gave AD "A" tests for the first 3 Canadians to get their ADs on Canadian soil.... Congrats to Glen, Brent and John.
    Rook was busy organizing at the annual Richmond boogie in Indiana at the end of August, keeping the Skydive Chicago Super Otters turning all day every day of the event. And on the far East Coast, the New Englanders kept Dave busy during the Labor Day weekend coaching and organizing, as well as attending the coolest 'Tiki Bar' party of the year. On his way back down home to Florida, Dave enjoyed a 5 day stay at Cross Keys where he organized local freeflyers, and organized the pond swoop and chug which Thomas Huges from Sebastian XL eagerly took the first place prize and glory. Following N.J, Dave was in Orange, VA, for the last skills camp weekend of the tour na d was greeted by the always warm welcome of the locals. One on One coaching started off each day for registered partispants which by afternoon turned into group organizing and each night a big way sunset jump, followed by 'beer kicking' (a local dropzone tradition), and video debriefs.
    Swoopin' It Up Out There
    In between all of the boogies and dzs that the FTC attended, they also were quite active in competing in some of the biggest swoop competitions of the season. It began with the 'Red Bull Wings Over Chicago' event, held on Lake Michigan, in downtown Chicago. Congrats to Rook, Mike, Dave and Alaska, who all placed in the top ten!! That was only the beginning of the 'swoop tour' for the summer, to be followed by the swoop event sponsored by GoFast at the World Freefall Convention, this year held in Rantoul, IL. Dave attended and had lots of positive feedback from the experience. The event was hosted by Jim Slaton, from the Icarus 'Team Extreme', and Lyle Presse, a local organizer and event manager from Skydive Sebastian. The combined efforts of these guys have led to the creation of the 'Pro Swooping Tour' (PST), which recently had its first event in Perris Valley, CA at the beginning of October. (ps. The Convention was a great time, if you didn't get there this year, you should definitely check it out next year!!)
    Less than a week later, Rook, Mike and Dave headed up to The Ranch, in Gardiner NY, for the Pond Swooping Nationals. Although a small injury kept Dave from competing past round 2, he kept the crowds entertained as the MC for the remainder of the event. Rook did very well, placing in the top ten, out of over 65 competitors, and taking home a cash purse, congrats!
    Dave and Alaska Jon went on to compete in the Pond Surfing Championships held at Skydive New England the following week. This was the first year that this dz has had a swoop pond/competition, and I think it left quite a favorable impression on everyone. The day after the competition was over there was a 2 jump 'demo competition', 2 rounds, 1000$ each, winner takes all, at Old Orchard Beach in Maine. The next stop of the swooping tour brought Dave, with teammates (PD Velociraptors) Vladi Pesa, Christopher Irwin and Sonic, to California to compete in the first ever Pro Swooping Tour Team Challenge. For never having jumped as a team in a competition, these guys finished fourth, closely behind the Icarus 'Team EXtreme'. Congrats again!!!! The FTC will be attending and hosting some swoop events coming up for the winter season, and is looking forward to seeing everyone out there pushing the sport further.
    On Top of the World Ma
    While the summer was full of fun events, it was also a time for serious training. Team Alchemy, representing the USA, logged more than 800 team jumps together this summer, training for the US National Championships held in Chicago, IL, and the World Cup held in Vienna, Austria. Meanwhile, over in England, other FTC instructors Rob Silver and Chris Lynch, of team 'Sebastian Free Jive', trained for the British National Championships, with teammate Tim Porter. Chris and Tim formed 'Skyjiver', a freestyle team, to compete in the British Nationals as well.
    Here's what a lot of training and a whole lot of skill can produce....GOLD!
    Congratulations to all the teams....
    US National Championships Freefly - Gold -Team Alchemy

    World Cup Championships Freefly - Gold -Team Alchemy
    British National Championships Freefly - Gold - Sebastian Free Jive

    British National Championships Freestyle - Gold - Stylejiver
    Also congrats to Chris Lynch, who won gold in individual accuracy on his PD Velocity 103, and to Sebastian Free Jive who also won gold in the team event.
    All of these world class teams will be representing Skydive Sebastian and the Freefly Training Center at the 2003 World Air Games this summer, held in Gap, France.
    Way to go guys!!!!!!
    Othere Worthy News
    The IMAX movie 'Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk' recently had it's grand premier in Montreal, Canada, before being shipped to theaters worldwide. It was very well received by all those attended. Mike, Dave, Rook and Rob open the movie with a segment of freeflying over Sebastian, which was filmed with the IMAX film crew from 'S.H.E Entertainment' and director Carl Sampson last December. The film also has some of the most breath taking view's of BASE jumping in Norway , Wing Suit flying in the Florida Keys and Leonardo Da Vinci's parachute jump by Adrian Nicholas in the Mojave Desert. Check out your local IMAX theatre for showings-it's not one you want to miss!
    The FTC has also been busy planning out a packed season here at Skydive Sebastian, starting with the season 'opener' Halloween boogie (Mike and Dave/LO's), shortly followed by the Keys boogie (Dave and Rook/LO's), held in the Marathon Key. The FTC will also be holding tunnel camps, skills camps, the 'Pure Progression Program', Big Way Invitational Camp, and many other events. Drop Zones or individuals interested in having an Intensive FTC Skills Camp at their dz this upcoming season, contact [email protected].
    For any other info, or just wanting to get down on the new school vibe….go to www.freeflytrainingcenter.com or e-mail [email protected]
    Hope to see you soon!!!
    Erin Golden

    By admin, in News,

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