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News

    New iFly Indoor Skydiving Center Opens in Dallas, TX

    iFLY has continued its global expansion of vertical wind tunnel centers with the opening of iFly Dallas this week. The company, who now operate 27 facilities around the world, cut the ribbon on the new North Texas on Monday, 18th November 2013. The center is located at the Stonebrier Center Mall in Frisco.
    The company has claimed that the center boasts the world's most advanced wind tunnel with wind speeds of up to 175mph. The tunnel measurements are 14’ in diameter and 48’ in height. It will cater to persons aged 3 to 103.
    Whether or not we will see the iFly Dallas center hosting any competition in the near future is left to be seen, and it does seem that given the location and the focus of the press release, that the Dallas center may be catered more towards non-skydivers who are looking for fun, as opposed to other tunnels that tend to focus more on competitive training. Never the less, the center will still be open to competitive skydivers and will also no doubt expand the already explosive growth of indoor flying.
    Over the past decade tunnel flying has become an imperative part of freefly training and is now an almost mandatory aspect of competitive training. The expansion and increase in accessibility has also seen an entire new wave of tunnel flyers emerge, as children under the ages of 10 have become proficient flyers. The impact that this may have on the growth of the skydiving industry will be seen in a few years. With these children already skilled in freeflying, it will no doubt give them a large advantage should they take up skydiving and begin doing it competitively - particularly within the freeflying discipline.
    iFly is largest indoor skydiving company in the world with 27 tunnels across several continents. The company has plans of further expansion and will see more tunnels being erected in the coming years. The company opened their Orlando center in 1999, and 10 years later, at the end of 2009 iFly had 18 centers up and running. In 2013 alone, they have opened up an additional four indoor tunnel centers.

    By admin, in News,

    Vincent Reffet Dies in Dubai Training Exercise

    The legendary French skydiver and BASE jumper Vincent Reffet has passed away during training exercises in Dubai. Vincent's name is most recognizable from his involvement in Soulflyers. He also gained mainstream media attention with his involvement with Yves ‘Jetman’ Rossy and the 'jet-pack'. In 2015, on the heels of extensive training Vincent was announced as Rossy's protégé where he would become the second person ever, aside from Rossy himself, to fly the jet-pack. 
    A true athlete, Vincent had mastered aerial flying and various disciplines to a level that few are able to. Outside of skydiving and BASE, he was also a wind tunnel instructor and speed rider pioneer. Together with his good friend Fred Fugen, who came from a similar background of skydiving, the two would go on to form a partnership that was well recognized in the industry for their accomplishments together.
    At the time of his passing Reffet had amassed a number of accomplishments and records, both in the fields of skydiving and BASE jumping. His most noteworthy recent achievements, as sourced from his Soulflyers profile were:
    2017 - Making history by flying into the open door of a Pilatus Porter in mid-air after BASE jumping from the summit of the Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps
    2016 - The creation of the MUTANT swooping harness by UPT, a vision that Vince had for a decade prior.
    2014 - A 33 000ft altitude mountain swoop (Mont Blanc) and BASE jumping from the world's tallest building (Burj Khalifa)
    And this is to name but a few.
    Vincent Ruffet was one of few in the sport who transcending the direct skydiving industry, with his achievements almost always being impressive enough to land in the mainstream news outlets and even an appearance on Conan. He became a recognized name for adrenaline junkies around the world.
    We'd like to recognize his contributions by paying respect the best way we know how to, celebrating his life by reliving his accomplishments.
     
     
     
    Born into a family of skydivers, the thirty-six-year-old Reffet had made his first skydive by the age of 16 and showed no signs of slowing down once he got started. Just two years after making his first jump he joined the French freefly team which was joined by Fred thereafter. Shortly after Fred had joined, the team went on to win the 2004 World Championships in the freefly category.
    The rest of Vincent's life would go on to follow a similar formula, being unstoppable in the world of aerial sports, in many cases raising the bar and achieving what few thought possible. And he had achieved all this just within two decades of making his first jump.
    The loss of Vincent Reffet is a loss for human flight and our thoughts go out to all his colleagues, friends, family as well as fans. 
    Read more about Vincent's life and achivements:
    Soulflyer's Profile
    Redbull profile
    BSBD

    By Meso, in News,

    Eugene Skydivers files FAA part 16 complaint against City of Creswell and Airport

    CRESWELL, Ore—Eugene Skydivers owner and operator Urban Moore filed an FAA part
    16 complaint against the City of Creswell and the Creswell Hobby Field in December 2011.
    The complaint was filed to restore landing rights for skydivers at the Creswell Airport. A
    ruling is expected to be announced no later than August 2012. The decision is expected to
    have national implications because it will set a precedent for cases involving airport access
    for skydiving activities on federally assisted airports.
    The part 16 complaint stems from a 2006 disagreement over landing rights for skydivers at
    the Creswell Airport. The dispute affects where skydivers land their parachutes and
    reduced Eugene Skydivers business operation to tandem skydiving only. An alternate
    landing site, located near Seavey Loop Road in Eugene, is currently being used until this issue is resolved. If the FAA affirms the rights of skydivers to land on the airport then full operations is expected to resume later this year.
    About Eugene Skydivers
    Eugene Skydivers drop zone opened for business in February 1992 at the Creswell Airport
    with only a single aircraft. Six years after opening, Eugene Skydivers built its operation to
    include three Cessna 182 airplanes. The drop zone has performed exhibition skydives for
    local businesses and charities. In 1998 a state skydiving record was hosted at the drop
    zone. Eugene Skydivers has performed an estimated 65,000 skydives over the past 20-
    years. This year alone over 400 tandem skydives have been safely conducted. The hours
    of operation are weekends and by appointment.

    By admin, in News,

    Skydiver cheats death after jump goes wrong

    A SKYDIVER was critically ill in hospital last night after falling more than 3,000 feet when his parachute failed to open properly. Craig Paton, 26, hit the ground at more than 40mph when his first ever skydive went tragically wrong.
    After his main parachute malfunctioned, he fell to the ground in just 60 seconds, when a normal descent from 3,200ft should take four minutes.
    Mr Paton landed on a lush grass embankment which cushioned his fall, missing a concrete road and certain death by only a few feet.
    Although he suffered not a single broken bone, he remained in a drug-induced coma in intensive care at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary last night with internal bleeding in his chest.
    Mr Paton's mother, Marion, and sister, Dawn, 21, were at his bedside last night where his condition was described as "serious but stable".
    Speaking from his Kilmarnock home, his father, John, said last night: "Quite honestly he shouldn't really be here."
    Mr Paton, who is single, joined work colleagues for the charity jump on Saturday when another man pulled out. After a day of training at Strathallan Airfield, near Auchterarder, he leapt from a Cessna light aircraft in a static line jump, a technique used for beginners.
    Two people had already jumped out of the aircraft without problems as it circled over the Perthshire airfield.
    But when he jumped out a few seconds later, the jumpmaster noticed immediately that there was a serious problem.
    The parachute malfunction meant Mr Paton began falling so fast he overtook his friends, who were enjoying a controlled descent.
    As he came within a few hundred feet of the ground, the stricken jumper tried to release the back-up parachute which would save his life. But it became entangled in the first parachute and the man was still travelling at 40 miles per hour when he ploughed into the ground.
    The plane, flown by Skydive Strathallan owner Kieran Brady, immediately headed back to the runway to summon help.
    Despite the massive impact, Mr Paton was conscious when rescuers reached him. Suffeirng severe chest injuries, he was rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee by the specialist trauma team. He was later transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
    Mr Paton's father, John, 52, who runs a newsagent and dairy business with his only son, told The Scotsman: "He only went up because someone had dropped out and he said he would go and do it for the fun. It was the first time he had ever done a jump."
    He added: "The police have told us that he landed on the banking of a road which sits higher than a grass area and then slid or rolled down the banking.

    "If he had hit the road he would not be here.
    "They are keeping him doped up to make sure he does not move about too much while they try and find out what is causing the bleeding in his chest.
    "Craig does weights and runs a lot and the doctors said that is one of the factors which has saved him."
    Tayside Police and the British Parachute Association confirmed yesterday they are investigating the cause of the accident.
    A police spokesman said: "We were called to Strathallan Airfield at 7.30pm because of an accident involving a parachutist.
    "Inquiries are still ongoing into the incident, but it sounds asif he was pretty lucky to survive the fall."
    Mr Brady, of Skydive Strathallan, said the parachute which malfunctioned had been used safely on numerous previous occasions. He added that such problems are "very rare".

    By admin, in News,

    Main Reserve Entanglement Injures Skydiver in Scotland

    A TRAINEE skydiver was seriously ill in hospital last night after his parachute failed to open during a jump from 3,200ft. Craig Paton, 26, hit the ground at 40mph at Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross.
    He was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee suffering from internal bleeding and back and chest injuries and was later transferred to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh where his condition was said to be critical but stable.
    Mr Paton, who comes from Kilmarnock and is a member of the Skydiver Strathallan Club, was one of four people booked on a flight leaving Strathallan airfield on Saturday evening.
    When his main parachute failed to open properly, Mr Paton tried to deploy his second parachute but it became entangled in the first. He managed to deploy it partially a few hundred feet before he hit the ground, which helped to lessen the impact.
    His father said it was a "miracle" that his son was still alive. John Paton, 52, a milkman from Kilmarnock, said: "The doctors who saw him have said that he should not be there. He has suffered massive internal bleeding after bursting the vessels to his kidneys and lungs. He has a broken back and may have sprained his ankle.
    "Of course, we are all praying to God for him, but I’m sure that he’ll pull through because he’s fit, active and above all, very stubborn.
    "Believe me after this frightening experience he won’t be doing anything as dangerous as this again." Craig’s mother Marion, sister, Dawn, and girlfriend were at his bedside.
    Kieran Brady, chairman of the skydiving club, described Mr Paton as a student parachutist who had paid £15 for his jump. He did not know if Mr Paton had completed a solo jump before but knew that he was not a fully qualified skydiver.
    "It probably only took him about a minute before he landed in the airfield," Mr Brady said. "Normally it would be four minutes. He was conscious and talking, but he said he was in real pain. He just said, ‘Whatever do you think happened?’ He wanted to tell me, but I didn’t think we should discuss it at that point."
    A spokesman for the British Parachute Association confirmed that the incident will be investigated. He said that parachute failures were rare.

    By admin, in News,

    Ring Sights and Suspension Lines

    Included in this feature are three parts related to the death of Jan Davis at Lodi a week ago. The first part is a recent post by Jan Davis to rec.skydiving in response to the death of a fellow skydiver a while ago. Ironically the post deals with the risk risk of camera line snags, which seems to have been part of the tragic chain of events that led to her death. The second part is an article from a local newspaper regarding the Jan's accident and the third is an article about the ongoing FAA investigation.
    Ring sights and suspension lines
    From: Flyincamra ([email protected])

    Subject: Ring sights and suspension lines

    Newsgroups: rec.skydiving

    Date: 2001-03-26 09:52:24 PST
    After reading of the tragic death of a fellow camera flyer, it brought to mind my discomfort at seeing the newer small camera helmets. My helmet is a headhunter with a big squared off front for a still mount. My ring sight is mounted close in and is virtually covered up by my still platform.
    The newer helmets, whether they be top or side mount, seem to have the ring sight by neccessity sticking way out from the helmet... long posts going every which way. This weekend I was on the plane with a new cameraflyer with just such a setup. He said as soon as he was sure where he wanted it set, he would have the posts on his ring sight cut down so no excess would stick out. Still.... the post from the helmet to the sight was very long..... It made me think of the way we tape the shoes of tandems that have hooks on them instead of eyelets for shoelaces, but yet we fly with huge hooks sticking out of our helmets.....
    I don't know the configuration on the helmet the deceased was wearing, but that was the first question that came to my mind. You know... this really doesn't seem like a difficult design problem to me. It would seem possible to form the ring sight directly to the camera helmet and still incorporate a way to make the sight adjustable... thereby doing away with the posts that are sticking out there like a target in a violent malfunction.
    Yesterday, after thousands of camera jumps, I had the new and unsettling experience of feeling my left riser hang up on the back portion of my top mount video camera. I don't know how or why as it was only momentary, but I felt it pulling up at the back of my helmet, pinning my head down so I couldn't look up to see what was happening. Just as I started think about reaching to unclip the helmet, the riser popped loose and let go. No biggy, nothing serious..... but it made me wonder if I could get out of that helmet fast enough if I needed to......
    My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Richard Lancaster.
    Jan Devil
    Skydiver killed after chute tangles
    By Andy Furillo

    Bee Staff Writer

    (Published April 1, 2001)
    A skydiver was killed outside Lodi on Saturday when her reserve parachute got tangled in a camera mounted on her helmet, officials said. Janice Irene Davis, 49, from Hollister, died in a vineyard just west of Highway 99 near Jahant Road. She had made nearly 3,000 jumps before the accident.
    The Hollister-area resident and other sky divers had jumped from a plane at about 9,000 feet, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department.
    Bill Dause, the owner of the Parachute Center in Lodi, said Davis' main chute "failed to work" at the time of the 2:03 p.m. tragedy. He said she ejected the main chute and deployed the reserve.
    Davis had been using the camera to videotape two other divers.
    "Somewhere in the process of releasing the first and deploying the second, she inadvertently became a little unstable, causing the bridle of the reserve chute to become unactive," Dause said.
    Dause said a similar fatality occurred recently in the eastern United States and "the camera definitely was the culprit."
    He said the two deaths should prompt parachute enthusiasts to examine the practice of mounting cameras on their helmets.
    He described Davis as "a very outgoing, very caring person."
    Within hours of Davis' death, Dause was back up in the air with skydiving students.
    "We didn't slow down at all," Dause said. "She wouldn't want us to stop."
    FAA seeks clues from sky diver's video camera
    The Record

    (Published April 2, 2001)
    ACAMPO -- Authorities said Sunday it will take more time to determine what happened in the final moments of parachutist Janice Irene Davis' life, because the video camera she was carrying broke on impact.
    The Federal Aviation Administration this week will begin attempting to repair a videotape that was inside the shattered camera. It may show why the 49-year-old Hollister woman's main parachute failed to open during a Saturday afternoon dive at the Parachute Center in Acampo, San Joaquin County coroner's Deputy Tom Scott said.

    Meanwhile, coroner's officials Sunday said Davis died on impact from injuries she sustained in the fall.
    Davis landed in a vineyard about 300 yards south of Jahant Road, just west of Highway 99, shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday.
    She was an experienced parachutist hired to videotape two other jumpers Saturday, those who knew her said.
    Authorities believe Davis fell 13,000 feet to her death. Her main chute apparently failed to open correctly and her backup chute got caught on the video camera attached to her helmet, officials said.
    Scott said the FAA has taken over the investigation.
    "We know nobody pushed her out of the plane, we know nobody toyed with the chute," he said. "As far as our investigation is concerned, we don't go any farther than the toxicology reports."
    Investigators from the FAA's Oakland Flight Standards District Office could not be contacted Sunday.

    By admin, in News,

    Inquest told Skydiver Lost Control

    An inquest in Cardiff has heard how a Welsh Guardsman plummeted to his death when he lost control of his parachute over a Spanish holiday resort. A verdict of accidental death was recorded on 30-year-old Carl Henly who was on a New Year skydiving holiday on the Costa Brava when a formation jump went wrong.

    Mr Henly, an experienced parachutist with more than 150 jumps under his belt, was seen to break away from a formation of parachutists who jumped from a plane at 2,000 feet.
    Skydiving expert Kieron Brady told how the soldier lost control after flying away from the landing area in an "unsafe manoeuvre."
    Mr Brady, vice-chairman of the British Parachute Association, said that halfway through the descent Mr Henly flew away towards the town of Empuriabrava near the French border.
    He told the inquest: "The handling of the parachute as it descended closer to the ground was radical and erratic. It was a manoeuvre inconsistent with safe practice."
    Skydiving holidays
    The inquest heard that the parachute spiralled into the ground and Mr Henly died instantly from multiple injuries including a torn major artery.
    Mr Henly, of Rhiwbina, Cardiff, was based at army barracks in Aldershot at the time of the tragedy.
    The soldier - who had won a General Service Medal for service in Ulster - spent his holidays skydiving all over the world.
    After the hearing, his sister Amanda Culver said: "It would have been typical of him to break away and go sightseeing over the town.
    "Apparently it was common practice with divers at the flying school. Carl was a larger than life character - he loved parachuting, it was his life."
    During his army service, Mr Henly had visited Belize, Kenya, America and Canada on exercises.
    He had recently returned to the Welsh Guards following an attachment with the School of Infantry at Warminster in Wiltshire.

    By admin, in News,

    Plane crash survivor says he's not sure he'll try skydiving again

    DECATUR, Texas (AP) - Rob Franklin's skydiving dreams are on hold for now.
    Instead of making his maiden jump Saturday, Franklin, 32, ended up with a broken foot, concussion, gashes in his head and lip and a sore back when the skydiving school's plane went down in a field north of Fort Worth with 22 aboard. At least five others also were injured, one seriously.
    Franklin, a firefighter in the Dallas suburb of Lancaster, said he heard pilot Tom Bishop utter an expletive before he looked out the window and saw trees and grass fast approaching.
    "I was looking straight at the ground and that's all I really remember," Franklin said Sunday from his hospital bed in Fort Worth. "The next thing I remember is waking up laying on the ground. They told me I walked away from the plane, but I don't remember that."
    Franklin, William Rhodes, 28, and Glenn Hodgson, 31, were all in fair condition Sunday at Harris Methodist Fort Worth hospital, while Tim Trudeau, 45, was in serious condition, said Laura Van Hoosier, a hospital spokeswoman.
    "They all have orthopedic-type injuries," she said.
    Two victims whose names were not released were in good condition at John Peter Smith Hospital, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. A 34-year-old man was being treated for neck injuries and a 33-year-old man was being treated for leg injuries.
    Bishop, 58, said the takeoff was normal until the plane, a 1956 DeHavilland single-engine Otter, reached about 300 feet. He said a wing was caught by a "dust devil," a whirlwind that normally travels along the ground like a small tornado and becomes visible because of the dust it sucks into the air.
    "Eyewitness reports said they saw the dust devil," Bishop said Sunday. "We hit one about two weeks ago that shook us up pretty bad. It's very strange at this time of year to have those things."
    The plane skidded into a grove of trees and its left wing snapped off.
    Bishop said Skydive Texas, the school owned by him and his wife, Jean, planned to fly Sunday.
    Skydive Texas is based at Bishop Airport, a private airfield east of Decatur, about 40 miles north of Fort Worth.
    A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Sunday an investigation into the cause of the crash was continuing.
    Franklin, who was preparing to jump while strapped to an instructor, said he had always wanted to skydive, but isn't sure if he'll try it again.
    "It's something I've always wanted to do and I got the opportunity, so I took it," Franklin said. "It wasn't a fun day."

    By admin, in News,

    Juan Mayer - Behind The Lens

    Name: Juan Mayer

    First Jump: 2000

    Skydives: 10 000+

    Helmet: Handmade

    Cameras: Nikon (Photos), Sony & Panasonic (Video)

    Container: neXgen (Aerodyne)

    Canopy: Pilot 150

    Reserve: Smart 150

    AAD: Cypres

    Wingsuit: Havok Carve

    We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Juan Mayer, one of the most prominent skydive photographers of this decade. From his early skydiving career and his early days in photography to his recently published book.
    DZ: After completing your skydiving course, how long was it before you decided that you'd want to focus on the photography aspect? Was photography something you had interest in prior to becoming a skydiver?
    JM: When I started skydiving, the AFF course didn’t exist in Argentina. I started with the static line course using a reserve canopy mounted on the front. My first teacher, Mario “Perro” Rodriguez, was an amazing instructor! I did 4 static line jumps and the feeling was completely overwhelming. A year later, I came back and continued with the same instructor but this time doing tandems. It was like I discovered a completely different world to photograph and after doing only 70 skydives, I started using a video camera on my helmet. At that time the GoPros, or any of those super small cameras, didn’t exist yet, so it wasn’t that easy. I already knew that I wanted to do skydiving photography but the main reason I started taking videos was because after spending all my money on those 70 jumps, I really needed to find a way to continue skydiving. So, at the beginning I started offering my service as a videographer just for half of the price of my jump ticket.
    DZ: What type of photography did you specialize in prior to skydiving photography, and were there aspects you had learned in those fields that allowed you to bring over into your approach to skydiving photography?
    JM: I was mostly doing wedding photography. Well, the best thing about doing social photography is that it allows you to practice a lot with your camera, then you really get to learn many things about your equipment. With skydiving photography its harder because in freefall we don’t have a lot of time to play with the setups and different lenses. This is why I always recommend learning from other photographers, especially non-skydiving ones and the most important thing is to practice a lot and make a lot of mistakes. It will give you the skills to really know your camera equipment.
    DZ: At what point did you notice that your photography could end up becoming a viable career for yourself?
    JM: That's a really good question, its hard to pinpoint exactly when. The more people asked me for photos, the more it showed me how much they liked them. I then started travelling to countries close to Argentina for different skydiving events. This is when, after almost 15 years in the army, I challenged myself to take a year’s leave without salary, to see if I could pay my bills with skydiving alone. Unfortunately I wasn’t getting the same level of income as I did in the army, but it was enough to get by and it allowed me to continue skydiving. So I quit the army and decided to follow my dreams while making a living out of skydiving photography. But I still remember travelling for the first time outside of Argentina with only 57 jumps. I went to Deland in Florida, and came across the Book of Skydiving Photography by Norman Kent. I remember that moment vividly, loving every single picture I saw and it really confirmed to me what I wanted to do.
    DZ: How did you go from jumping at Aeroclub Lobos in Argentina, to working for one of the largest and fastest growing dropzones in the world, Skydive Dubai?
    JM: It was a very long process and it could take me hours to share all the places and moments (good and bad) I went through before I got my contract with Skydive Dubai. Basically, I was following my heart; doing what made me happy, travelling a lot, learning from other videographers and meeting many good people. Just a few anecdotes, I remember sending hundred of emails to every dropzone around the world asking for a job and one day while driving to Lobos in Argentina I got a call from New Zealand telling me that they needed me to work there, but I had to be there in a week. So, even without knowing basic English I sold my car and moved to New Zealand, a place with a totally different language to mine. I lived there for almost a year, which helped me learn English, not fluently, but enough to communicate with others.
    I also remember going to Brazil to film different events where I met Craig Girard and asking him many times if I could film the AZ Challenge, which was a well known skydiving event at that time. After 3 years of asking I finally got an invitation as a one of the official cameramen, I really couldn’t believe it.
    DZ: What are some of your most memorable jumps with the camera?
    JM: I'm lucky, with so many years of skydiving, to have a lot of memorable jumps. But to choose a few of them, I will say, when I was filming one of my sisters doing her first tandem, it was a very special moment!
    Another memorable jump was documenting an 88 way formation at the AZ Challenge. As I was filming, I watched it being completed and I really couldn’t believe I was there, as a part of that amazing event and capturing it all on camera!
    And a more recent memorable jump, was in Dubai, when I filmed a skydiver that had an accident 7 years ago which left him in a wheelchair. Seeing his huge smile in freefall after 7 years of waiting for that moment was something incredibly rewarding, really hard to explain with words. I felt super lucky to be there with my cameras filming him in freefall, smiling for more than a minute nonstop!
    Over the course of more than 15 years of skydiving, I’ve had a lot of memorable jumps, but this is just why I really love photography, because it allows you to capture those seconds, those special moments, forever!
    DZ: Could you share with us, 3 of your favourite images that you've taken?



    DZ: Are there any specific disciplines that you prefer to photograph and if so, why is that?
    JM: I love to photograph any discipline. Sometimes during simple jumps such as with tandems or AFF students I’ve captured images that have made me super happy. But if I had to choose, I would prefer to photograph freestyle. I really think in our sport there is nothing more beautiful that a girl dancing in the sky!
    DZ: You list Norman Kent as one of your inspirations, and state that it was your goal to take pictures that looked like his. What aspect of Norman Kent's style have you always looked up to most?
    JM: Definitely, like I mentioned earlier, Norman Kent was, and still is, one of my inspirations and like every novice photographer I tried to emulate others, today I think I have my own style. But what I really like about Norman, is that he is not just focused on capturing a zoomed-in, square picture. He is always trying to show the beauty of the sky and how lucky we are as a skydivers to have such a huge and amazing playground, every single day.
    DZ: A topic that is hard to avoid with all fields of photography these days is the relation between art and technology. Do you feel that the internet has been a blessing or a curse with regards to being a photographer, and why?
    JM: Well, when I started skydiving photography we only had film, so we would take a photo, bring it to the store, and then wait a few days until the film was developed. So trying new things and learning different techniques was a long and costly process. We always had to be sure to use the right setup to get a good photo, because we couldn’t try again, especially when filming tandems. Today, with all the digital cameras, we can try as much as we like, which is really good in terms of money and time, but its also true that it makes us more lazy, in terms of preparing the right setups to take a nice photo. Anyways, the relation between art and technology is amazing for us as photographers. Today, within a few seconds, we can share our art and photos freely with million of peoples around the planet, which is a real blessing!
    DZ: You just recently published a book titled "Ultimate High: Skydiving Behind The Lens", could you tell us a bit about the book and what it contains?
    JM: Its a hard cover book with 104 pages of skydiving photography. I always wanted to publish a book with my photographs but wasn’t quite sure how to start so I met with designers and people involved with photography books. It was a very long process, choosing the photos, finding the right text, designs, meetings and more meetings, etc, etc, etc. But after 2 long years of hard work, it finally got published.
    My book contains photos that I took over the years of skydiving in many different places around the world. Most of them being special moments in my life as a skydiver, shared with friends.
    The book also contains narrative explaining my philosophy as a photographer and skydiver.
    DZ: The release of your book is no doubt a milestone in your life, what other goals do you have set which you hope to achieve in the future?
    JM: Yes it’s definitely a milestone! I have many goals, but the most important ones are to continue sharing special moments with friends and taking photos that makes me happy. And to mention a dream, I wish one day I can enjoy the sky with my little daughter doing freestyle! But of course it will depend on her, whether she likes skydiving or not :)
    DZ: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, we always love sharing your images. Do you have any last words for readers?
    JM: Thank you guys so much for giving me the opportunity to show a little part of my passion for Photography and Skydiving! Just some last words, NEVER STOP FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS!

    By admin, in News,

    Skydiving Plane Carrying 22 Crashes in Texas

    DECATUR, Texas (AP) - A single-engine plane carrying 21 skydivers and a pilot flew into turbulence and crashed shortly after takeoff from an airfield east of Decatur on Saturday, injuring five people but killing no one, the pilot and a Department of Public Safety official said. Pilot Tom Bishop, 58, said the takeoff was normal until the 1956 Dehavilland reached about 300 feet.
    He said a wing was caught by a "dust devil," a whirlwind that normally travels along the ground like a small tornado and becomes visible because of the dust it sucks into the air.

    "It just got under my left wing and rolled the plane to the right. I counter-acted with the rudder and aileron in the opposite direction, but there wasn't enough altitude to recover," said Bishop. The pilot said he had flown for 45 years - 30 for Delta Air Lines.
    Bishop said he planned to climb to 14,000 feet, the altitude from which the skydivers would jump.
    One of the skydivers was in the cockpit with him and was unconscious after impact, Bishop said.
    "We got everyone else out. I didn't know what was wrong with him, just that he wasn't breathing, and I began giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Then I noticed his seat belt seemed to be cutting off his air, and when I released that, he immediately took a breath," said Bishop, who suffered a broken rib.
    Bishop and his wife, Jean, own Skydive Texas which is based at Bishop Airport, a private airfield east of Decatur, about 40 miles north of Fort Worth. She was not aboard the plane.
    "It was traumatic. But I was expecting to see a lot worse," said Danny Timmons, a jumpmaster who was in the hangar at the private field from which the plane took off.
    Timmons said he heard the crash at about 12:30 p.m. and ran three-quarters of a mile through mud, losing both shoes, to find most of the skydivers already out of the plane.
    Timmons said if anyone had been flying but Bishop, who flew competition aerobatics for 10 years, "I believe there would be dead people. He brought it down in the safest manner he could."
    Timmons said most of those on the plane were experienced skydivers who jump each weekend. He said injuries were mostly broken legs and ribs.
    Texas DPS spokeswoman Tela Mange said the injured were taken to hospitals by helicopter. One person was listed in serious condition, three were stable and one was fair, she said.
    "My heart just fell," said Renee Thrasher, a Bishop family friend who drove to the crash site. "They're wonderful family friends. Jean has been there when I've needed anything. The whole family has."
    Marty Deiss, who lives less than a mile from the field, said she had seen many skydiving trips taking off and landing. "I would have no problem flying with them," she said.

    By admin, in News,

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