USPA 0 #1 September 17, 2005 I posted a report in Incidents. My condolences to his girlfriend, daughter, family and friends. The skydive comunity will miss a pioneer, but girlfriend and daughter will miss so much more... Subject line edited by slotperfect so this "condolences thread" doesn't get mistaken as a cross-post. It had a duplicate title to that of the Incidents thread. I also corrected the spelling of his last name.The trouble with skydiving; If you stink at it and continue to jump, you'll die. If you're good at it and continue to jump, you'll see a lot of friends die... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billbooth 10 #2 September 17, 2005 I met Adrian on my third North Pole expedition in 1994. He was an instantly likable, as well as impressive guy, and we have been friends ever since. His re-creation of the da Vinci parachute was brilliant. This is a tremendous loss to all of us. Adrian was a wonderful spokesman for skydiving, as well as a great motivational speaker. (He "wowed" my Rotary Club just last year.) I can't believe I have lost 4 good skydiving friends in less than a year: Gus Wing, Egon, Piers (Plane crash in the Keys), and now Adrian. Please be careful out there guys. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RhondaLea 3 #3 September 17, 2005 He was stubborn, proud, determined, outspoken and the bane of manifestors everywhere. More than that, however, he was a very kind and generous man with a shining mind, a razor wit and the good sense to send Katarina to manifest in his stead. If ones immortality lies in being well-remembered, Adrian will live forever. If you read this, Katarina and Spotty, I am thinking of you both in this dark and terrible time. Love, rlIf you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
immanence 0 #4 September 18, 2005 Oh no! Adrian, I never met you so now I can never tell you how much one picture of you spoke to me. You helped me so much. My deepest condolences to friends and family "where danger is appears also that which saves ..." Friedrich Holderlin, 'Patmos' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #5 September 18, 2005 Fuck. That just sucks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
schwede 0 #6 September 18, 2005 Adrian, We will miss you - You brought sooooooo many good vibes to the Hercules boogie and the swedish skydiving community. My thoughts go also to Katarina and your daughter - You'll always will be in my thoughts. Schwede Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #7 September 18, 2005 "I gave up a great job for a great life". Adrian Nicholas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gjhdiver 0 #8 September 18, 2005 I posted this in Incidents. I'll repost it here. I can't think of anything else to say right now. Adrian was a fine man, and possibly one of the greatest skydivers of our time. It was my honor and pleasure to work alonglside him at several large formation camps in Stockholm, and many Hercules boogies. He never ceased to amaze me with the sheer brilliance of his flying. My heart goes out to him, Katerina, his child, and all the Swedish commuity that were lucky enough to have him as a friend. If it proves that his Cypres was the deciding factor that caused this, mine are coming out of all my rigs. I personally have had one misfire that couldn't be explained. Think of it as my gesture to Adrian. For those of you that knew him, raise a glass of red wine in his honor tonight. If you didn't know him, do it anyway, because he advanced your sport in ways that you don't know, and you owe him much respect. Don't be raising any crap to him either, he was a man that knew his wine. Goodbye and blue skies Adrian. Don't worry about Katrina and your kids. The Swedes will take care of them. You called Sweden home, they called you family. Rest easy..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #9 September 18, 2005 I have never met Adrian. However I spoke with his best friend for a while today after he heard the news. He told me a number of stories about Adrian. Hearing about the way that he lived his life and how he treated people made me wish that I had had the pleasure of making his acquantaince. From Spotty's description he sounded like a beautiful person; the type of person that we would all hope to be friends with. I hope his family and friends are able to lean on one another during this tough time. We're thinking about you Spotty, and I look forward to hearing more stories. -Karen "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #10 September 18, 2005 Wow!!! This sucks. My first EVER skydive was an AFF level 1 at Sebastian in march of 2001. Little did I know that this guy sitting next to me on the plane was one hell of a pioneer in the sport. he could tell I was way nervous. about a minute or two away from jump run he turned to me patted my leg and said "remember, your here to have fun"...gave me a mondo smile, and I was instantly relieved of alot of tension. It was Adrian that was my seat mate in the casa that day. What a great guy and I will sorely miss him. unbelievable. Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #11 September 18, 2005 QuoteIf it proves that his Cypres was the deciding factor that caused this, mine are coming out of all my rigs. Mine will come out as well if this is the case. The risk of free fall collision is always there but you often don't see it happen. But I'm performing high performance landings on virtually every skydive that I make. BSBD Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JPV 0 #12 September 18, 2005 Only met Adrian once in Eloy at the FreeFlyFestival in 1997. I only had a handfull of jumps. He explained me how to use my frontrisers. Thanks for this and all you gave the sport. My sincerest condolences to every who love an admire him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cutaway1 3 #13 September 18, 2005 I had the pleasure and previledge of meeting Adrian a few years ago in Hawaii, he was a stunning man and a gifted skydiver, and a bold explorer of all things relating to flight and poetry of motion in the air. This is a tremendous loss for the skydiving world. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed and remembered as a unique talent, and one of the very best of the best. TimSCR-21 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
immanence 0 #14 September 18, 2005 QuoteMine will come out as well if this is the case. The risk of free fall collision is always there but you often don't see it happen. But I'm performing high performance landings on virtually every skydive that I make Again, couldn't the control panel / unit be re-routed, or the Cypres redesigned, to allow for a manual shut off under a good, soon-to-be-swooped canopy? Still not really registering this news "where danger is appears also that which saves ..." Friedrich Holderlin, 'Patmos' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parafredo 0 #15 September 18, 2005 A great friend that I knew since 1999 and my sincere condoleance to Katrina and all the family.He did a lot for the skydiving community and I will always remember the jumps and good times we spend together.From all his Canadian friends,we will miss you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
colin 0 #16 September 18, 2005 Very sad news. Adrian was my friend and it is a great loss to the sport. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike111 0 #17 September 18, 2005 Sorry i posted this originally in the wrong place. Adrian came to our school(www.aldenham.com - go to media, and you will see a photo of him which he gave to us) as a pupil a while back, and we were privileged enough to have 1 hour 30 of his time where we shown all his skydiving achievments. we were amazed. But it wasn;t the skill he possessed which charmed us, but his wonderful humour and jokes he cracked while talking to us, and the generosity which he was filled with, which just radiated from him right from the start. the fact that we never knew him personally and only met him, and yet discovered these things in that shorter time is indicative of his wonderful character - imagine how many more wonderful things we could learn about him if we could spend more time with him. Also, on my first jump back in december, a tandem, his name was mentioned by a fellow experienced jumper, and only positive and lovely comments followed, not a bad word at all - again indicative of how fantastic a person he was. I only wish i started jumping earlier and could have spent time with him, yet i am very glad to say i was fortunate to be around when he gave that lecture, and that memory will never fade,- our school will miss him dearly, as will his family and friends, and my deepest thoughts and prayers go out to them. This is a very trajic loss, yet thankyou Adrian for opening our eyes to think outside the box, and a personal thankyou for introducing this wonderful sport to me via your wonderful presentation. Thankyou, and Blue Skies for ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betsy1 0 #18 September 18, 2005 Katerina, My heart and prayers are with you We will remember always Lob & Betsy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skytash 0 #19 September 18, 2005 when I had less than 100 jumps, Adrian gave me that lecture about not having to turn into wind to land if that meant a low turn and taught me braked turns after having seen me land just once. I know he didn't just teach me things that have since saved my life, but others too. It is just really sad that he won't be around to teach even more people. It makes me more determined to so in his memory. tashDon't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydiverek 54 #20 September 18, 2005 Here is an interview with Adrian: http://www.bpa.org.uk/skydive/pages/people/adriannichols.htm BSBD ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,241 #21 September 18, 2005 I never met Adrian but when I was 16 I saw a documentary about the development work he did on Patrick DeGayardons suit. The passion he had for jumping and the way he spoke of the camaraderie of the sport was the reason I started skydiving. Condolences to all he left behind Blue skiesDo you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
friflaj_glenn 0 #22 September 18, 2005 The Dreambook for Adrian Nicholas -one of the greatest men i ever meet- This site will eventually be moved to http://www.adriannicholas.com but for now it will be hosted here at http://www.friflaj.com, hopefully I will be able to provide this site with some of the amazing stuff Adrian did over the years. So eventually the thing I last expected happened. There was no way I thought that I would be sitting down writing on a page like this. Just only a couple of weeks before Ella’s first birthday. My thoughts are with Katarina and Ella. I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to be part of your life and I truly do feel blessed for being one of those who can call you one of my friends. I don’t know what to say… not now, maybe in a couple of days or so. All I can say right now is thank you for making me a better man and thank you for believing in me and showing me a greater life. At least until things have settled down. Right now it is all unreal. Please do raise that glass of wine in memory of Adrian and please do remember him by being just as safe as he tried to teach you all to be. www.friflaj.com please visit and sign the Dreambook Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydonkey 0 #23 September 18, 2005 Adrian was the one person I would have most liked to have jumped with, and I hoped that one day I would. Probably the most talented Skydiver to come out of the UK and an amazing person in many other ways. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GravityGirl 0 #24 September 18, 2005 Clicky: www.friflaj.com I love you Glenn! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peace and Blue Skies! Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Judit 0 #25 September 18, 2005 OMG what a tragedy! I met Adrian and Katarina on the Sweedish Friflaj Festival a couple of years ago. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to jump with Adrian and have a chat with Katarina on the landing area at a few occasions. What a truly amazing couple! Adrian you will be sorely missed by very many. Thank you for making skydiving a better, more colorful and safer world. Katarina, i can't even begin to express how sorry I am and just how much my heart goes out to you and your baby daughter. Glenn, my deepest condolences to you and all of Adrian's friends and family. R.I.P. Take risks not to escape life but to prevent life from escaping Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites