Press Clip: Missy Nelson in the Black Table

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

http://www.blacktable.com/householder040930.htm

18,000 FEET AND RISING: MISSY NELSON, SKYDIVER.
By Leigh Householder 09.30.04

Thousands of adventurers have come to know the Nelson family (Roger, his son Rook and his daughter Missy) strapped to one of them and standing in an airplane's open doorway. The Nelsons are ready to leap at 18,000 feet; you've got to be ready, too.

Nervous students at Skydive Chicago may be calmed by these facts: No one has ever died or even been seriously injured while tandem jumping at Skydive Chicago. And its founder, Roger Nelson, trusted his teaching technique so much that his daughter made her first jump at age 5.

Age 5! That's Missy. She's been climbing mountains, skydiving and hang-gliding since most of us were considering coloring, cutting and/or pasting. And, at 27, she's an accomplished skydiver with several gold medals and world records to her name.

Roger Nelson died in a skydiving accident in June 2003. After his death, Missy and Rook took over management of Skydive Chicago and have dealt with countless media stories and innuendo about their lives, their business and their father. The Black Table caught up with Missy recently to find out just how life is lived careening towards earth.

BT: You've won multiple freestyle skydiving gold medals from the United States Parachute Association. What's your best trick?

MN: Most people do not understand freestyle in terms of skydiving. Freestyle is best described as gymnastics without a floorboard -- a performer and a videographer are team. A team is judged on aesthetic presentation, execution of moves and difficulty. The videographer is judged on their presentation: Was the performer in frame and up close? My favorite move is a called a "Reverse Eagle With Tricks." This is a three-dimensional move around the camera flyer while performing twists and other flare on an oval axis.

BT: You've had a few unintentional tricks, too - like the cutaways when your main parachute didn't open correctly. Now we won't ask about soiling panties, but how did you keep your wits about you?

MN: I actually have [had] 11 instances where my main parachute didn't work, but I have over 5,000 jumps and also jump a high performance parachute. Of 30,000-plus skydivers in the entire world, less than 20 percent jump these types of canopies. You HAVE to be an expert for any manufacturer to sell you the type of parachute I jump.

I never 'soiled' myself or ever thought, "Oh my goodness, I'm going to die!" The first time I ever had to use my reserve (backup) parachute, I only had 53 jumps, and the last time was about jump number 4,800. I had the same mindset: cool and calm. I just did my thing, landed and then searched for my main parachute. Since you "cutaway" your malfunctioning parachute, it literally detaches itself from you and floats away until it lands on the ground. Main canopies can cost up to $2,000, so it's important that you go find them after you land safely.

BT: You've participated in a lot of world record attempts. Which was your most personal accomplishment?

MN: My most personal world record is the one I organized. We completed an all-Women Vertical 16-Way World Record; this is where 16 ladies from around the world came to build a vertical formation by linking hands. Most people are familiar with flying
belly to earth; well, we flew this formation on our heads. It's a dream come true when an idea you have materializes in the most amazing fashion. My dad and brother have organized their own successful world records, so I also get to go down in the history books as a successful World Record Organizer with my family.

BT: Your drop zone, Skydive Chicago, has been heralded as one of the best in the world for training and innovation, but also attacked in the press for its relatively high accident rate. [According to the Chicago Tribune, 15 people have died at Skydive Chicago since it opened in 1993, twice the national average. In the last 11 years, there have been a total of 364 skydiving fatalities nationwide.] Where do you draw the line between innovation and safety?

MN: Skydive Chicago IS the best place to learn how to skydive. We have the most modern and state-of-the-art student program, equipment, facilities and staff. Ninety-nine percent of skydiving centers cannot claim that. Every person who's ever visited Skydive Chicago from any other skydiving center will agree.

Any successful business that is willing to put itself out into the mainstream public is always up for criticism. And since skydiving isn't a mainstream product, many people are quick to jump the gun and criticize us, but they really don't understand it. It does seem like a high number of deaths at Skydive Chicago, and it's truly unfortunate. But let's take a look at a few points here…

1. Ninety percent of the fatalities at Skydive Chicago were people who did NOT learn from us. This does NOT mean we blame their training or trainer. They were mostly experienced jumpers. When I say experienced, that means they were approved by our national organization's criteria to be a member and licensed from other skydiving centers who did not respect the dangers of skydiving and attempted extreme maneuvers not approved by one of our staff and that cost them their lives.

2. [A few people] were attempting world records. When you participate in a world record, you are inviting things to go wrong. If taken seriously and cautiously, they can be done safely. Unfortunately, we had to see the dangerous side of it here at home.

3. [A few others] just made a simple bad decision. Instead of dealing with a problem right away, as most every training center will emphasize, they waited too long to fix the issue. You need to be quick and aware when things go wrong, because it just happens fast.

4. [Another small percentage] were just not being aware. You have to be aware especially at Skydive Chicago since we [have] many jumps. That means there are several others in the air with you at the same time. If you're not paying attention, other canopies can collide right with you.

5. One of the deaths was one of those freak accidents. [Freak accidents] can happen by walking down a street, and a driver loses control and hits you. It just happens.

It seems like a high number because we are a high-profile skydiving center and boast the third largest number of jumps in the world. That's a significant number, considering we are closed during the winter months. But that's a statistic for things to happen.

BT: Statistics are compelling, but what's your real take on the accidents, as someone who has been involved with running the DZ?

MN: The public doesn't seem to have an open ear for the explanation of each incident. They are quick to judge. Each of these accidents was absolutely preventable, but they're accidents, and we do everything possible to prevent them. Don't we do this as a society with drunk driving and gang shootings? Well, we help each other in this community.

So to (finally) answer your question, I don't think we've EVER crossed the line between innovation and safety. I just think no one really ever understood what was really going on here or ever really gave us a chance; they just read what happened in the papers. And how many times do we tell ourselves, "Well, you can't always believe what's in the news."

BT: Your father, Roger Nelson, took a lot of criticism for the accidents, as well as a lot of credit for safety initiatives and increased interest in skydiving. He was something of a lightning rod for legend and innuendo, not least of which because of the five years he spent in federal prison for drug smuggling. What was he really like?

MN: What was my dad really like? Hmm … well, we literally traveled the world, I went hang gliding when I was three, skydiving when I was five, had my first quad motorcycle when I was four, climbed my first mountain at seven, learned how to fly planes when I was two, shot a gun for the first time at age eight and had such a loving family … I'd say he was pretty normal.

Everything my dad did was something he was educated and very passionate about. A fact about my dad that some people bypassed -- because it didn't match their sensationalized stories -- was that he was a devout Christian and believed in God and in His Son Jesus Christ. He lived that way for last two years of his life. I'm a Christian because of my dad's faith. He showed me a happier road to follow. We now hold two Bible study classes on [Wednesdays] and have Sunday morning service here at Skydive Chicago.

BT: What's your absolute favorite love-to-hate-it skydiving movie?

MN: I don't like any mainstream skydiving movies. They're pretty cheesy. It hurts to watch them.

BT: You fly planes, run a huge and successful business, break world records, jump from so high that you require oxygen to survive the altitude … what could you possibly have planned for your 30s?

MN: Fly bigger planes, keeping running a huge, successful business, break bigger world records, jump from higher altitudes, win more medals and show people that skydiving is not a death wish, it's the way we wish to live.

BT: What's it like being a hot, buff girl-flyer in a male-dominated sport? Any proposals at 18,000 feet?

MN: I'm hot?? Then why am I single? Oh, and no skydiving proposals accepted at any altitude. I really like, tall, clever and witty guys.

BT: You expressed some serious hesitation about talking to media of any kind -- why?

MN: Most people don't know, but it seems like the press always has a field day with Skydive Chicago and my family. They don't always get their facts straight, even the little things. I understand that the media wants to show both sides of the story, but it gets old when they blatantly add that last line that seems to be the final knife in the back.

For years, my father was scrutinized because of his past. He was convicted by his peers and served his time. When he came out, he had so much energy to build his dream skydiving center, and he did … but at what cost? No matter what happened, it seemed like the press liked to smear his name in mud. They only assumed we were an underground drug smuggling ring.

So what happened to forgiving people who admit their wrong and pay their debt to society? My father made so many people happy here, gave many people jobs, gave them a cool playground and gave us all hope. If it's all legal, what crime is there in that?

Many of my colleagues encourage me to talk to the media, but it's really hard after they lie to you and after they gain your trust to only then twist your words to match their ideas of what you said to fit in their story. It's so wrong, and now I just let the press say whatever they'd like and just go with, "Any press is good press." Some may say that's a bad business tactic, but I don't run Skydive Chicago with intentions to make money. I do it because I love it. The people who "dare" to come out will know that all of our love and energy is poured into every detail of this operation.
________________
Leigh Householder sometimes jumps out of airplanes. When grounded, she writes from her home in Ohio.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

That's a good article.

[BillyVance 34]

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That's a good article.

Yeah, and I share Missy's perception on the press. After all, we can only DREAM of seeing something this well written in the mainstream media...

Blue Skies
Billy

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Kramer 0]

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I really like, tall, clever and witty guys.

*Runs to garage, gets in car, heads to Ottawa*

Awesome article!!

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[Jethers203 0]

I normally don't read these long ass articles, but I did (not just because I am in a boring ass class at the moment) and I was impressed. She has a good head on her shoulders and is doing a great job up there.

Great article.

[StevePhelps 0]

One MORE thing Roger did right ... raise an awesome daughter! Way to go Missy! Great response!

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

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I really like, tall, clever and witty guys.

*Runs to garage, gets in car, heads to Ottawa*

Awesome article!!

Sorry Kramer....she is out on the west coast

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[weegegirl 2]

Wow. Missy really has her shit together, doesn't she? So well-spoken and professional... all the while staying cool as hell. The Nelsons rock!

[marcandalysse 0]

that's a cool website too.....
thanks for sharing....

marc

[algboy 0]

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I really like, tall, clever and witty guys.

*Runs to garage, gets in car, heads to Ottawa*

Awesome article!!

Sorry Kramer....she is out on the west coast

I can say with a fair degree of certainty that she is jumping at Skydive AZ in Eloy. I was on two loads with her and Amy last Sunday. Very cool chicks!

“Keep your elbow up!"

[KrisFlyZ 0]

Missy is the coolest !!

[stl135 0]

Great article.

[eeneR 1]

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I can say with a fair degree of certainty that she is jumping at Skydive AZ in Eloy

Yea and that was last week

She is probably at Nationals now

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[algboy 0]

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I can say with a fair degree of certainty that she is jumping at Skydive AZ in Eloy

Yea and that was last week

She is probably at Nationals now

OK--ya got me

I wish them well. I felt bad for them last weekend; they were just landing and the tram for the next Otter load was trying to pull away. They held up the tram just long enough for Missy and Amy to slip out of their rigs, put on another rig, hop on the tram and ride up for their NEXT jump.

MAN! Back to back loads. That's seems too much like work!

“Keep your elbow up!"

[algboy 0]

FYI: here's a whuffo-oriented news piece about nationals. And all this time I've been spelling Amy's name wrong! Same with Perris.

http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=2372543&nav=9ptCRVhP

"Thursday, September 30, 2004
Skydivers converge on Perris for National Championship

All you have to do is jump out of a plane thousands of feet above the ground? Right now, hundreds of the best skydivers around are doing it and competing for the national championship right here in Southern California.

Some of the best skydivers in the nation have converged on Parris this week. The winners get invited to the world championships. So there's a lot at stake. Now there's not a lot of money to be made in this sport, but skydivers we talked to say money is secondary to the thrill of jumping out of an airplane 2.5 miles above the earth.

“Some might say these folks are downright crazy. They would say not really.”

"I look at kids doing tricks on skateboards and say, they're crazy," said skydiver Amy Chmelebki.

Amy Chmelebki is one of seven hundred skydivers competing here at the national championships over the next two weeks.

"I was always kind of the adventurous type. I couldn't wait to skydive. I wanted to do it my whole life."

Amy is competing in the artistic discipline. Her teammate of three years is photographer Steve Curtis. He also says he has a bad case of skydiving.

"I remember when I first started, I was driving home saying, 'damn, I spent so much money out there I’m not going next weekend.' then I’d wake up next Saturday morning and go right back out there and spend all the money I had."

The judges look at two things for this team: Amy’s performance in the air, Steve’s performance behind the camera.

But besides freestyle, these skydivers are going for accuracy. Now get this: from 13,000 feet in the air they need to hit a target no bigger than this quarter.

Impossible? You might think so. But don't call these guys crazy. Bill Ottley, who skydived till he was 81 years old, says special is a better word.

"If you're special and prove it by throwing yourself out of a perfectly good airplane, you develop a bond, a friendship that's beyond putting into words."

Honestly for me, it's never been about the rush. It's just been about flying."

But whether you call it flying or falling, these guys say you'd only call it crazy if you've never done it."

[ccowden 0]

I can certainly excuse misinformation due to a lack of understanding our sport, but come on, they should atleast get names right!