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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. -
CRESWELL, Ore—Eugene Skydivers and the City of Creswell found a resolution to the long running dispute about skydivers landing on the Creswell Airport. On August 15, the city council addressed the matter during a public meeting. Community members were given an opportunity to voice their support or concerns about skydiving returning to the airport. Two key questions were at issue for the resolution to move forward. The first was to allow skydivers to cross the airport’s runway, and the second was to settle a lawsuit filed by Eugene Skydivers’ owner Urban Moore. Following public input, the council voted to accept the agreement by passing the two issues. The votes to affirm the runway crossing and the settlement were decided by a 5-2 and 6-1 decision, respectively. The agreement will end an eight-year battle between Eugene Skydivers and the City of Creswell. Moore declined to discuss the terms of the agreement, but states, “It’s a shame it took this long, but I’m glad the agreement is moving forward. If the resolution holds up, I look forward to a new working relationship with the city as we reintegrate onto the airport.” A time frame has not been set for when skydiving operations will resume at the airport, but Moore expects it will take some time for all the details to be worked out. The council’s vote “definitely helped pave the way for skydiving to resume, full time at the airport, much sooner than if we continued our litigation”, stated Moore. For additional information visit www.eugeneskydivers.com or the City of Creswell’s website www.cityofcreswell.com. About Eugene Skydivers Eugene Skydivers opened for business in February 1992 at the Creswell Airport. The organization has served the Eugene area, Southern Oregon, and Northern California for the last 22 years. Highlights for Eugene Skydivers include exhibition jumps for businesses, charities, political campaigns, and hosting a successful Oregon State skydiving record attempt. This year more than 1000 tandem jumps were safely performed. To date, Eugene Skydivers has executed an estimated 68,000 skydives. Business operations are Thursday thru Sunday and by appointment.
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App stores are littered with an unprecedented number of apps, many of which are never downloaded, and for good reason. Skydiving apps, though, are few in number, with very few delivering quality content and tools for students and trained jumpers. Not anymore. Yesterday SKYPRO, the first real skydiving app, debuted on the Apple App Store for download. And it doesn't disappoint. The FREE download includes several features including a Basic Safety Requirements (BSR) brush up quiz/game, GPS/Map information for every USPA drop zone in the world with GPS functionality to get you there and back, Aerial views of every USPA drop zone, and critical documents to include the Free online version of the USPA SIM, and FAA regs. The app includes several features that can be accessed through in-app purchases, to include: 1. Interactive USPA (A-D) License Practice Exams with 1000's of exam questions, aimed to make you a better skydiver. Use these to gain an edge and stay safer in the air by sharpening your skydiving skills. 2. Plug & Go calculators. This is the ultimate skydiving tool for quickly calculating Wing Loading, Time of Descent, Canopy Drift, and Freefall Drift. The developers have announced that the Android version will soon follow this version. Exciting! Finally, an app worth using at the drop zone!
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DATE: May 23, 2013 SERVICE BULLETIN# SPSB009 SUBJECT: SUPPLIER/VENDOR RECALL OF PS70104 HOUSINGS (METAL FLEX HOSING INC) STATUS: MANDATORY INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT OF RECALLED HOUSINGS SERVICE BULLETIN: MANDATORY INSPECTION (COMPLIANCE WITH METAL FLEX HOSING MATERIAL RECALL) IDENTIFICATION: ALL JA101 XX HARNESS CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES (JAVELIN ODYSSEY) WITH METAL FLEX HOUSING BATCH #33234 A AND 33227, .375ID PS70104 HOUSINGS. SEE SERIAL NUMBER LIST BELOW. 38159 38891 38901 38912 38959 38973 38987 38997 39027 39037 39047 39061 39165 38231 38892 38902 38913 38960 38975 38988 38999 39028 39038 39048 39063 39419 38453 38893 38903 38923 38961 38976 38989 39013 39029 39039 39049 39064 39499 38523 38894 38904 38924 38963 38978 38990 39014 39030 39040 39050 39066 39527 38589 38895 38905 38925 38964 38979 38991 39021 39031 39041 39051 39070 38753 38896 38906 38943 38967 38980 38992 39022 39032 39042 39054 39076 38799 38897 38907 38945 38968 38982 38993 39023 39033 39043 39055 39083 38800 38898 38908 38946 38970 38984 38994 39024 39034 39044 39056 39087 38860 38899 38909 38947 38971 38985 38995 39025 39035 39045 39058 39089 38890 38900 38910 38953 38972 38986 38996 39026 39036 39046 39060 39118 BACKGROUND: Metal Flex Hosing (supplier of flexible metal housings) has recalled 195 total PS70104 .375” ID SS housings due to the ability of the coil to separate. 155 of these housings were received by Sun Path Products, Inc., 124 of which were installed in harness container assemblies, 27 pulled from inventory prior to use and 4 damaged/discarded. (Note: this is not a failure mode. Separating of the coil does not impede normal operation or function of the system) Who can inspect: Anyone can inspect this area. See photos below. What to inspect: All JA101 XX harness container systems listed in table above. Inspect Reserve Ripcord housing. PROCEDURE: If the serial number is listed in the above table, inspect the available exposed reserve ripcord housing. Locate the lower end of the housing, which is clamped to the Main Lift Web, just above the reserve ripcord pocket. Inspect the exposed length of housing from the clamp upwards; ensure that the coil has not separated/unraveled. Be sure to inspect the section that is routed through the chest strap. Inspection Results: A. HOUSING FOUND TO BE INTACT (GOOD): The rig may continue to be jumped with periodic monitoring until the next repack cycle or earlier elective replacement. However this housing must be replaced at the next repack cycle. See http://www.sunpath.com/support/HousingReplacement.pdf for instructions for your rigger to complete the replacement of the housing. B. HOUSING FOUND TO BE SEPERATED/UNRAVELLED (BAD): The housing must be replaced before the next jump by a certificated senior or master parachute rigger (or foreign equal) or the manufacturer. See http://www.sunpath.com/support/HousingReplacement.pdf for instructions for your rigger to complete the replacement of the housing or instructions to send your system back to the manufacturer. Resolution:A: Housing is intact and will be monitored and replaced at the inspection/repack cycle. 1. NOTE ON PACKING DATA CARD, SPSB009 COMPLETED 2. AT TIME OF REPLACEMENT, FILL OUT WEB FORM AND SUBMIT at http://www.sunpath.com/MetalFlexRecall.html and add “–Replaced“ after SPSB009 COMPLETED from step 1 above. 3. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED B. HOUSINGS ARE SEPERATED/UNRAVELLED: 1. GO TO http://www.sunpath.com/support/HousingReplacement.pdf FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON REPLACEMENT OF THE SUBJECT HOUSINGS. 2. AT TIME OF REPLACEMENT, FILL OUT WEB FORM AND SUBMIT at http://www.sunpath.com/MetalFlexRecall.html ;NOTE ON PACKING DATA CARD AND RIGGER LOG BOOK, SPSB009 COMPLETED REPLACED. 3. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED. COMPLIANCE DATE: INSPECTION BEFORE NEXT JUMP (BY ANYONE) AND MANDITORY HOUSING REPLACEMENT AT NEXT REPACK CYCLE BY FAA SENIOR OR MASTER PARACHUTE RIGGER OR FOREIGN EQUAL. AUTHORITY: DAVID L. SINGER Sun Path Products, Inc. Director of Engineering 404 West Edinborough Ave Raeford NC 28376 USA Telephone: 910 875 9002 FAX: 910 875 9272 DISTRIBUTION: 1. All Sun Path Products Dealers 2. PIA Technical Committee 3. PIA Rigging Committee 4. National Aero Clubs, Parachuting Section 5. All Parachuting publications 6. Military Parachute Organizations 7. FAA MIDO SAVANNA 8. FAA FISDO, GREENSBORO, NC 9. FAA ACO, ATLANTA, GA 10. DGAC, FRANCE -
SERVICE BULLETIN: #20132005 ISSUE DATE: May 20th 2013 SUBJECT: Retractable Y-Strap Modification (Part#043-001-005) to Tandem Student Harness (Model TV3-SH-Part#043-001-001) Download the full document with relevant instructions here: Sigma Bulletin #20132005COMPLIANCE: Mandatory IDENTIFICATION: 1. All Tandem Vector and Sigma Tandem Parachute Systems manufactured by The Uninsured Relative Workshop, Inc., on which a Tandem Student Harness manufactured by Uninsured United Parachute Technologies, LLC is used. 2. All Sigma Tandem Parachute Systems manufactured by Uninsured United Parachute Technologies, LLC. 3. All Tandem Student Harnesses which have the Model #TV3-SH printed on the orange warning label. APPLICABLE Harnesses that do have horizontal back and belt straps (Belly band) BACKGROUND: At Uninsured United Parachute Technologies, LLC. (UUPT), we are always striving to produce the best and safest Tandem system available. With regard to the student harness, the present design has been in use for over 13 years. Based on field experience, we know that, if it is fitted and adjusted correctly, it is highly unlikely that a student can fall out of the harness. However, we also know that this type of incident has happened once before with a Tandem Vector harness, and we have had two incidents where students came close to falling out. In each of these cases, it was determined that the harness was grossly misadjusted. But, no matter what the cause, this scenario is unacceptable. To further minimize the risk of such an event, UUPT has developed the “Retractable Y-Strap Retrofit”. This Y-Strap modification has been in use for several years with only a slight decrease in student comfort, in some cases. The Retractable Y-Strap was designed to allow the student to still lift their legs for landing. COMPLIANCE: UUPT now mandates the use of a Retractable Y-Strap Retrofit on all affected tandem student harnesses. Of course, both prior to and after the retrofit, it is imperative that each tandem instructor ensure that the tandem student harness and the instructor harness are properly adjusted, prior to each tandem jump, and that the proper adjustment is verified again just prior to exiting the aircraft. Retrofit and installation instructions are available upon request from UPT or can be downloaded from our web site at the following location: COMPLIANCE DATE: The modification must be completed no later than December 1st, 2013. After that date, no tandem student harness which does not have the Y-Strap Retrofit installed is approved for use on any jump. COMPLIANCE PROCEDURE: In an effort to reduce the financial impact on system owners, UUPT is selling the Y-Strap Retrofit components kit at its cost. The cost of a Y-Strap Retrofit components kit is $50.00 (Part#043-001-005). It can be installed by any certificated rigger with minimal effort. (Reference INSTRUCT-020-Student Harness Retractable Y Strap Installation attached) To order the Y-Strap Retrofit component kit, or if you have any questions, please contact Mike Maguire, at Uninsured United Parachute Technologies, LLC, 1645 Lexington Avenue, Deland Florida 32724, Telephone: 386-736-7589; Fax: 386-734-7537; Email: [email protected]. AUTHORITY: Mark Procos, General Manager United Parachute Technologies LLC 1645 Lexington Avenue DeLand, FL 32724-2106 USA Telephone: +1 386 736 7589 FAX: +1 386 734 7537 DISTRIBUTION: - All identified owners of Tandem Vector and Sigma Tandem Equipment (to be notified by publication and through our dealers).
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Put simply, skydiving is the act of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane and performing aerial maneuvers in free fall before landing by parachute. However in the eyes of Canopies for Kids founders Matt Kuikman and Taryn McKay it was so much more than that. It was an opportunity to combine the sport they love with a cause that they were both passionate about. All they had to do was incorporate a few teddy bears. Matt and Taryn launched Canopies for Kids in the Spring of 2012 with the mission of providing skydivers with the opportunity to take stuffed teddy bears along for their skydive. Their organization uses this experience to position those bears as "The Bravest Stuffed Teddy Bears in the World" which are then given to sick children in hospitals. Their hope is that these special bears will help provide kids with the hope, support, and courage they need in their fight ahead and in their journey towards living a happy and healthy life. Participating in a Canopies for Kids jump is rather easy. You simply show up to one of their partnered drop zones and purchase a Canopies for Kids kit on top of your jump fee. Their kits are just $20 and include a Canopies for Kids teddy bear in a plastic bag flight suit and an envelope containing a card with a heartfelt message to the child in the hospital which each skydiver can sign and personalize. The costs of shipping and handling are also included, as well as a built in $5 donation to the Children’s Hospital. Recently they also added a Sponsor a Bear program in which individuals who don’t want to jump themselves can purchase a kit and donate the bear to go skydiving with another skydiver who is selected by the drop zone. After the bears have jumped they then make their journey to the local Children’s Hospital that the DZ is partnered with. Throughout the entire process the bears need to remain in their plastic bag flight suits. The reason for this is because some of the children these bears are intended for may have compromised immune systems; therefore it’s important that they remain as sanitary as possible. The hospital will then deliver the bears and their cards to the kids in a manner that they see fit. Canopies for Kids is presently located in Chicago, Illinois. In their first year of operation they partnered up with Skydive Midwest and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. They had over 70 bears jump with minimal marketing and exposure. As the 2012 season rounded out, Canopies for Kids began to gain increased publicity thanks to a documentary being done about them by an organization called Bus 52. That documentary can be found below on Youtube. Since the release of the documentary, the Canopies for Kids story has started to spread even further. Their founder Matt was recently interviewed on Skydive Radio and they are presently hoping to expand their operation to drop zones all over the United States. The organization is in the process of finalizing a partnership with a drop zone on the East Coast and will also have a presence at the upcoming 10th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Boogie in Fitzgerald, GA. They are even working with a few individuals to build affiliate operations in other countries. If you or your drop zone would like to learn more or get involved with Canopies for Kids you can visit them on the web at www.canopiesforkids.com. You can also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/canopiesforkids or follow them Twitter at www.twitter.com/canopiesforkids. -
The following is a copy of the latest Cypres 2 service bulletin, which can be found at: Cypres-USA. Issue date: 31 January 2013 Bulletin number: C2 0113 Identification: CYPRES 2 units manufactured February 2009 through December 2012 (02/2009 - 12/2012). Compliance: MANDATORY before each jump Background: Airtec GmbH & Co. KG has become aware of a small number of CYPRES 2 units becoming “non-responsive." Although the subject units indicated a “0” (or the selected DZ setting) on the display, they were no longer operating. Extensive research indicates that this situation is extremely rare and tends to occur during packing, especially on non-static-proof surfaces such as plastic, nylon or carpeted areas. Low humidity, build-up of static electricity and changing environmental conditions are all contributing factors. In addition, a recent activation, after the rig had been placed on the packing mat, has been linked to this phenomenon. Action to be taken: Prior to each jump, during your pre-boarding equipment check (after the CYPRES has been switched on), perform the following system test: Click the control unit push button one time, and watch for the red LED light to flash. A flash indicates that the unit is working properly. If the red LED does not flash, repeat this procedure to confirm. IF THE UNIT IS NOT RESPONDING, IT IS NOT IN A SAFE WORKING CONDITION, AND THE UNIT WILL NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED ON A JUMP. If this is the case, contact Airtec GmbH & Co. KG or SSK Industries, Inc. for further instructions either to arrange for repair, or for a loaner or replacement CYPRES 2. If the unit is not in working condition, failure to perform this procedure prior to each jump will result in an increased risk to the user. Resolution: CYPRES 2 units manufactured after 1 January 2013 (01/01/2013) contain an update to prevent this situation from occurring. All existing CYPRES 2 units in the field manufactured during the affected date range (identified above) will receive the update as they cycle through their periodic maintenance requirement, or during other repairs. After a CYPRES 2 unit receives the update, the procedure described above (clicking the control unit push button during each preboarding equipment check) is no longer required. Additional Technical Details: The reason that only units manufactured during the above date range are affected is because the manufacturer of a component made a change on an internal ASIC microcircuit (which is something like a processor) to a higher level of integration. Prior to accepting the revised component, Airtec went through a 13-month evaluation period. This included laboratory testing as well as field-testing of 151 CYPRES units with no events or anomalies experienced. The revised component entered CYPRES production in February 2009. Authority: Helmut Cloth Airtec GmbH & Co. KG Safety Systems Mittelstrasse 69 33181 Bad Wünnenberg, Germany Tel: +49 2953-9899-0 Fax: +49 2953-1293 [email protected] Distribution: North America Market & Dealers North America Parachuting Publications Parachute Industry Association An FAQ relating to this service bulletin can be found on the Cypres Website. -
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. -
An employment opportunity has opened up at Skydive Arizona, one of America's leading drop zones. Located in Eloy, Arizona - the drop zone has spent the past 26 years establishing itself as one of the popular drop zones in the United States and are well known for their events, which includes the infamous Holiday Boogie. Skydive Arizona is a well respected and thriving business with a great environment and group of staff, as I'm sure anyone who has jumped there already knows. Their current arsenal of jumpships include 4 Super Otters, 4 Super Skyvans and a DC-3. The facilities at the drop zone are top class offering gear rentals, rigging services, team rooms, restaurant, bar, bunkhouse, pool, camping and much more. If you have experience in graphic design and marketing and are preferably a skydiver, don't miss out on this amazing opportunity. The specifications of the job are listed below. Marketing/Events/Graphics Designer PositionSkydive Arizona is looking for a self motivated, enthusiastic individual with marketing and graphic design experience. Ideal candidate would also have a skydiving background. Below is a list of the most common duties associated with this position. Conception and implementation of all Advertising, Marketing and Promotions. Monthly Parachutist ads Other ad designs upon request (newspaper, billboards, brochures, etc.) Plan, organize, coordinate and promote all Boogies, DZ Events, Competitions, etc. Maintain Websites & Facebook Periodic articles in Parachutist for boogies/events that occur at our DZ. Obtain Sponsorship for things Nationals and our bigger Events & Boogies. Booths & Promos at different venues. Planning & organizing of Staff Events Periodic smaller customer events like contests, pool parties, Karaoke, DJ, etc Constant Contact emails T shirt and poster design Monthly Staff & Customer Newsletters Salary is DOE Skydive Arizona is a drug free work place.If interested please email your resume to [email protected] or fax it to 520-466-4973. -
All eyes were fixed on Roswell, New Mexico on Sunday, where skydiver and BASE jumper Felix Baumgartner took part in one of the largest skydiving record attempts in history. The mission, named 'Red Bull Stratos' saw Baumgartner raised to heights in excess of 120 000 feet via the use of a helium inflated balloon which was towing a 1400kg capsule. The mission, which was originally announced in 2010 had seen its fair share of ups and downs, the initial launch schedule was for 9 October 2012, but due to weather and communication issues it was postponed until the 11th of October. Things didn't go as planned on the 11th either, when despite ideal ground level winds, the winds between 700 and 800 feet were gusting too strong for a launch, which resulted in the helium balloon being blown over during the inflation process. The event was then rescheduled for 14 October, where a window in the weather conditions were seen, and the team of Red Bull Stratos were remaining positive for a launch. Baumgartner has been a controversial figure in BASE jumping, where he has been accused of going against the general BASE ethics involved, and seeking media attention as opposed to keeping objects off the presses. During the morning hours conditions were marginal, with the 700 ft winds remaining the area of concern. The mission was put on hold once again for several hours, but winds co-operated and at 15:25 GMT and the broadcast began to stream live. The team looked to take advantage of the weather conditions and aimed for a quick launch, which occurred successfully shortly after the broadcast began. As the balloon and capsule ascended some concern was raised when it approached the 30 000 ft mark, when Felix was being taken further east than expected due to the winds at higher altitude, though these concerns were alleviated somewhat later on after he had passed the jet stream and winds began to swing back towards the west as he ascended. Some Quirks on the Way Up Further concern were raised as he passed the 100 000 ft mark, when the visor of his helmet was having issues in regulating temperature. This caused enough concern for the team to consider alternative options with regards to the mission, with the option of Baumgartner descending with the capsule as opposed to performing the jump, not sure whether jumping with the error would cause a significant safety hazard. The decision was that due to the possible hard landing that could be experienced in the capsule, despite the capsule being lead down by a parachute, the best option would be for the jump to progress as planned. On the ascent, the landmark numbers were that of Joe's 1960 record jump as well as the record for the highest ever manned balloon flight. At the height of 112 000 ft, the Redbull Stratos youtube channel was reporting over 4 500 000 users live streaming the video, with the event going viral over social networks. The capsule began to slow down in ascent speed at around 123,000 ft as expected, but soon the ascent speed began to rise rapidly, going to a speed of 10 meters per second. This was cause for some concern and the balloon had to be vented, as Felix approached a height of 128,000 ft, 8000 ft higher than the desired exit altitude. The balloon then slowed down in the range of 127 500 ft and the checks began. Col. Joe Kittinger at Ground Control At the request of Felix, Joe Kittinger would be handling all the ground control communication with Felix during the mission. Joe, now 84 years of age was a career military officer and a former Colonel in the United States Air Force. Prior to this mission Kittinger held the world records for the highest skydive, fastest and the longest skydive. In the year 1960 Kittinger performed a skydive from the height of 102 000 ft, an amazing accomplishment, especially for the time. This record held strong for over 50 years, until Sunday 14 October 2012. Kittinger's flight was not without it's own set of hiccups too, during his record setting skydive, a tear in his glove caused his hand to swell up to twice the size, due to the amount of pressure at those heights. The checks began as the balloon's ascent slowed down considerably and by the 21st check, Felix began to depressurize the cabin to 40 000 ft and confirm a suit inflation, this check was successful and moved them onto the next item, which was depressurizing the capsule to ambient pressure at a height of 128 000 feet. The world at this stage was hanging on the edge of their seats, as Felix depressurized further and the balloon began to descend. At 127 500 ft the door was opened and Felix began to move towards the front of the capsule, the earth's curve clearly visible on the cameras. The balloon ascended again a bit to a height of 128 000 ft, when his chute was confirmed as okay to jump... Then after a couple more checks - he was off! Controlling the Spin The exit was un-dramatic, flat and stable, exactly as planned. With so little air up there any instability on exit could lead to an uncontrollable spin or tumbling descent. After reaching speeds beyond 690mph Felix suddenly started spinning and you could almost hear the world hold its collective breath until he brought it under control what felt like too many seconds later. Maximum speeds quickly reached over 720mph, but were also quick to decelerate as the air thickened. During the freefall stage Baumgartner went on the radio saying that his visor was starting to fog up, but this was shortly before he had to open his chute, was ended up not being an issue. Felix Baumgartner had hoped to reach super sonic speeds, to gain the record for the longest freefall time and to break the speed of sound. Unfortunately for Felix, his freefall time did not exceed that of Kittinger's, but he now holds the confirmed record for the highest ever skydive, and while not yet official, his top speeds are also estimated to have set records. Given Kittinger's large role in this mission, one may say that it is only fair that his record remains at least partially intact. The day was without a doubt one of excitement, expectation, success, but also quite possibly disappointment for some. There is no arguing that this was by far the most watched live skydiving event in history, drawing more than 7,000,000 viewers from around the world live to YouTube alone, while millions more watched the event live on television. Our congratulations go out to Felix Baumgartner on his accomplishment, as well as to Kittinger for his work at ground control, not to mention all those involved with the Red Bull Stratos mission in one way or another. Update: The post-jump press conference has released the official record statistics from the jump. Felix jumped from a height of 128 100 feet and had an official freefall time of 4 minutes and 20 seconds. The real surprise was the official records for the maximum velocity achieved, while original estimates were indicating that Felix reached a maximum velocity of 729 mph, this ended up being very conservative with the official finding concluding that in fact, his maximum velocity was an outstanding 833.9 mph, or 373 m/s, meaning that Baumgartner reached Mach 1.24 during his jump. This means that Felix has become the first human to go supersonic during freefall. -
Vancouver, Canada – 18th October, 2012 – Recon Instruments, award winning innovator of Heads-up Display (HUD) technology for action sports, is excited to announce the limited release of an innovative HUD designed specifically for precision human flight. Flight HUD is available to pre-order from Recon Labs. Recon’s HUDs have already revolutionized the way wingsuit pilots Jeb Corliss and supermodel-adventurer Roberta Mancino fly by delivering flight-critical data, direct-to-eye. Via the suite of onboard sensors the HUD, originally designed for snow sports, has been customized to display glide ratio, speed and altitude via a micro LCD screen sitting unobtrusively inside the pilot’s goggle. To guarantee production, Recon Instruments has set a requirement of 250 pre-orders of the bespoke HUD, available on Recon’s special projects website, Recon Labs. The website has been launched especially for such projects, allowing Recon to respond to demand for special case HUDs from different sports communities. Click here to hear what Jeb Corliss has to say about how Flight HUD has made him a better pilot. Tom Fowler, Chief Marketing Officer of Recon Instruments added, “We are inundated with requests from athletes and participants from a wide variety of sports to create bespoke HUDs for their specific use. Flight HUD is Recon’s first special project whereby a certain number of pre-orders will unlock a special production. We are really excited to be able to offer human flight athletes the same information traditional pilots have been using for decades and know this breakthrough will re-define their flying experience.” Flight HUD is available from labs.reconinstruments.com for $299USD for the first 250 pre-orders and $349USD thereafter. Price includes Recon Ready goggles. -
Among the discussions currently taking place in Washington, D.C., about reducing the deficit and finding new revenue streams is talk about imposing new user fees on general aviation. There has been similar talk in the past, but Congress squashed the idea. There’s not yet any formal proposal, but there are enough rumors from official sources that many of the general aviation associations representing pilots and businesses that operate aircraft have asked their members to contact their Senators and Member of Congress to oppose the idea. General aviation users already contribute to the aviation trust fund by paying a federal tax on every gallon of fuel purchased, and general aviation users want to stay with that method. The basic idea of a user fee is to charge aircraft operators a set fee per flight. The charge could be anywhere from $25 to $100, and it could be assessed per takeoff or per radio contact with air traffic control (ATC). Skydiving operators—with multiple takeoffs each day and a requirement to contact ATC on each flight—would pay more than most operators; the cost of jump tickets would go up. A new fee could be aimed at jets only, or it could be aimed at all turbine aircraft, or all aircraft in commercial operation, or simply all aircraft. Regardless, if enacted, it is a sure bet that the fee would eventually increase and also be expanded to other users in the future. Adding insult to injury is that the FAA would have to create a sub-agency to track billing and enforce payment. USPA joins our general aviation brethren in fighting the user fee concept. Please take action now to ensure that Congress rejects the user fee idea. On the Senate website, select your state from a dropdown menu in the upper right corner to be directed to your two Senators’ contact information. On the House of Representatives website, enter your zip code to be directed to your one Representative’s contact information. A phone call is best, followed by an email, and even a fax; mailed letters take too long to arrive. In your contact, identify yourself as an aviation user, and explain how increased costs would affect your participation in skydiving—an FAA aeronautical activity. Ask them to reject the idea of new user fees for general aviation and to continue the collection of federal taxes on aviation fuels. The above article was taken from a USPS news release: www.uspa.org
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Fredericksburg, VA... Pat Moorehead, 80, of Long Beach, CA, will be awarded with the National Skydiving Museum's Trustees Award during the museum's fundraising weekend celebration at Skydive Arizona, Eloy, November 10, 2012. The award is being given to recognize Moorehead's TEAM 80 event where he made 80 skydives to celebrate his 80th birthday. The event raised more than $18,000 toward the museum's building fund. On November 20, 2011, to celebrate his 80th birthday, Moorehead jumped out of a plane at Skydive Elsinore -- 80 times. Despite cloudy skies and rain, he set the world's record for the most skydives by an 80-year-old in one day. Moorehead actually made 81 jumps; after he broke the record, he went up one last time to fly the American flag. The feat took a little over 6 ½ hours and was supported by more than 50 volunteers including Moorehead's wife Alicia, riggers, cameramen, a pilot, and a doctor on standby. Moorehead also managed to get the necessary equipment and an airplane on loan for the event. The jumps began around 6 a.m. and concluded shortly after 12:30 p.m. right before the skies opened and the rain began. Friends and admirers from around the world sent in contributions to the National Skydiving Museum to honor Pat. His original goal was $8,000….the final total was more than $18,000. The Trustees Award is a newly created award that will be given at the discretion of the museum's Board of Trustees for significant contributions to the museum and its mission. Moorehead will be presented the award by the president of the museum's Board of Trustees L. Len Potts at its prestigious Hall of Fame Dinner Saturday, November 10. The gala will be held at Skydive Arizona. Tickets to the Dinner are still available. The dinner is part of a weekend fundraising celebration with activities starting Friday morning (November 9)that include exhibit displays with some of the rich history of the sport, a theater featuring great skydiving footage, and a special display on the history of the Star Crest Recipient Awards (SCR). A video of Moorehead's jumps will be continuously played along with a banner signed by all who donated to his efforts. Throughout the weekend, a group of large-formation skydivers will be building 64-way formations to commemorate the birth of relative work. On Friday evening, there will be a BBQ with some of the sports' living legends sharing stories from the past. The culmination of the weekend is the Hall of Fame dinner presented by the Parachute Industry Association when seven skydiving legends will join 17 others into the museum's Hall of Fame. More than 300 people from around the world are expected to join in the festivities and the event is expected to bring in more than $125,000 to support building the museum. The fundraiser will benefit the National Skydiving Museum's $6-million capital program that will raise the necessary funds to build the museum in Fredericksburg, VA. The National Skydiving Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation governed by a Board of Trustees. For more information and to register for the National Skydiving Museum Weekend and Hall of Fame celebration, visit www.skydivingmuseum.org or contact museum administrator, Nancy Kemble, at 540-604-9745 or [email protected]. -
Estimated to cost USD 1.3 Billion for a month, the billboard features a Jet Pack Man flying around the billboard in a seconds-long promotion for Skydive Dubai and Go Fast Skydive Dubai, the world's premiere skydiving center, in association with Go Fast, a global energy brand, showcased the world's most expensive billboard located in Downtown Dubai, yesterday, at 6pm. In what is deemed to be the most expensive billboard, Skydive Dubai and Go Fast have utilized a Jet Pack to create the interactive billboard. The billboard involves a man with a Jet Pack, initially hidden within the billboard, to emerge from the billboard and fly around it for approximately 20-30 seconds, before landing back on the billboard. If the Jet Pack act for the billboard were to continue for a month, it would cost approximately USD 1.3 Billion. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ptr5gyLwq8 The billboard is strategically positioned at the entrance of the stunning Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. Located in one of the most premier destinations in the world, Downtown Dubai, billed as 'The Centre of Now,' the Go Fast billboard by Skydive Dubai has created a new landmark for Dubai. Commenting on the Skydive Dubai's association with Go Fast for the billboard, Mr. Nasser Al Neyadi, Chairman of Skydive Dubai, said: "This is an epic moment, and we are very proud to be part of it. This initiative is another example showcasing Dubai as a world leader in innovation and technology. The billboard came into being with a simple idea that has transformed into an exceptional event to attract a global audience. Our gratitude to our partners, Go Fast and Emaar Properties, without whose support, this would not have been possible." "Skydive Dubai would like to acknowledge that the creation of such a monumental dropzone would not be possible without the support and extraordinary vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and President of the Dubai Sports Council." Skydive Dubai is supported by Emaar Properties PJSC, the global property developer of iconic projects, and the provider of premier lifestyles. Emaar has been shaping landscapes and lives in the Emirate since its inception in 1997, creating value-added, master-planned communities that meet the full spectrum of lifestyle needs. Downtown Dubai is the flagship mega-development of Emaar, and features iconic developments including Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall and The Dubai Fountain, in addition to homes, commercial offices and leisure attractions. Mr. Troy Widgery, CEO of Go Fast, commented on the event, saying, "We are very happy to be in Dubai. During our first visit two years ago, the city left us mesmerized. Its people and the culture here is amazing. We were immediately convinced to bring Go Fast to the UAE and have introduced the Go Fast Halal Energy Formula, the first of its kind in the world, developed especially for this region. We are certain that the brand will be received very well here. We are grateful for the support of Skydive Dubai for our venture in this part of the world. With this billboard, we want the people to know that we will be here soon." The seconds of flight time for the billboard in Downtown Dubai would cost a minimum of USD 500 per second. If the number of seconds in a month (60 seconds x 60 minutes x 24hours x 30 days = 2,592,000 seconds) is multiplied by USD 500, the total amounts to approximately USD 1.3 Billion for the month long fly time for the billboard. Skydive Dubai is an all-turbine drop zone, offering safe, professional and fun skydiving experience over the breathtaking Dubai skylines. Skydive Dubai caters to skydivers of all experience levels from the first time tandem jumpers to fun jumpers and experienced skydivers. Go Fast is an independent, authentic, lifestyle brand. Based out of Denver, Colorado, Go Fast was established in 1996 to support the lifestyle of extreme sports enthusiasts. The world-recognized brand is known for the Go Fast Energy Drinks, Go Fast Energy Gum, Go Fast Gear, & and everything that Goes Fast! For Further information, please contact: Mr. Firas Al Jabi Skydive Dubai Tel: + 971-50-348-8802 Email: [email protected] -
Mike Marcon has written of a time in the 1960's when sport parachuting, or "skydiving," as it is called today, was just starting to come into its own as a sport. In the U.S., Europe and across the world, even in the Soviet Union, small groups of jumpers would gather at local airports and grass airstrips on the week-ends. The equipment they used was usually military surplus -- their aircraft, a mixed bag of smaller airplanes. Mike's early days as a jumper took place mainly in the south, starting first in Mississippi and later, in Louisiana. Mike revelled in the sport as a young guy with nothing on his mind but jumping, girls and partying. He was the master of practical jokes. The characters he recounts in "Red Beans & Ripcords" are varied and slightly off-balance. There was Major Goody who tried to kill a cat with home-made nitroglycerine, and Swartz who jumped with his dog. There were the first-jump students he trained and the jumpers who became his extended family. There were the ocelots kept as pets that terrorized the various visitors that visited his parachute center. There were outrageous drinking games and eating unbelievable amounts of a southern staple, red beans and rice. You'll roar with laughter at the story of "Eddy and the Body." And, through it all, there was Leon, the Cajun, his mentor and friend. You'll most likely hear the sound of Zydeco music in the pages of this book. Mike Marcon resides in Virginia with his wife, Marianne. He has written professionally since 1984. He has been published by Random House, Prentice-Hall, and Hilltop Publishers. He also writes for many regional magazines and newspapers. Today, he operates Marcon Publishing, helping new writers bring their words to readers worldwide. He is currently co-authoring another book to be debuted later this year. Marcon Publishing can be found on the internet here: www.mikemarcon.info
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He’s funny, he’s creative, a world champion, an instructor, he’s the best friend you never knew you had, he’s a gifted skydiver and businessman, and right now, he’s missing. Most of the skydiving community is now aware that World-Champion skydiver Dave (David Roy Brown) Brown has been missing for nearly two weeks at the time of this writing. Dave recently began working at Skydive Moab, and was last seen at the home of Skydive Moab’s DZO, Clint MacBeth. Searchers are scouring the canyons of Moab, but it is literally tens of thousands of square miles. The search is a difficult, arduous process in the worst heat the year has to offer. Your help is needed and appreciated. Keeping aircraft, powered paragliders, search ATVs, vehicles is an expense not easily managed. We're asking the skydiving community for any help they can offer. Donations to assist in the search for Dave Brown may be made to: Dave Brown Search (PayPal) At the request of Dave's wife, the timeline of this article has been removed.
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Thousands of toys and paratroopers, hundreds of volunteers, and more than a dozen aircraft come together December 10th and 11th at Fort Bragg in order to give back to the surrounding community. WHEN: Friday, December 10, 2010 for Toy Collection and Lottery [ 9:00am – 10:30am ] Saturday, December 11, 2010 for the Airborne Operation [ 7:00am – 3:00pm ] WHERE: Green Ramp, Pope Air Force Base (Friday) Sicily Drop Zone, Fort Bragg (Saturday) What makes this year’s Toy Drop different? The addition of the 437th Air Wing out of Charleston Air Force Base and their unofficial challenge to “out-toy” Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base by collecting more toys for underprivileged families throughout the region. This year’s operation will also include double the amount of jump masters from allied militaries – greatly expanding the number of foreign jump wings awarded to U.S. paratroopers who participate. Operation Toy Drop’s goal is to collect more than 6,000 new toys for children and families throughout the region who may not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season. America’s paratroopers don’t hold back – donations last year included numerous high-end game consoles, countless bicycles, and more otherwise unattainable toys for children of underprivileged families. Media opportunities include: hundreds of Paratroopers lined up to donate toys for their chance to join the jump; the jump itself; paratroopers delivering toys, and more. Live interviews via satellite uplink will be available Friday during toy collection and airborne refresher training and Saturday morning from the drop zone during the jump. Dozens of parachute silhouettes raining down against the North Carolina sky are nothing out of the ordinary around Fort Bragg, but each December since 1998, Airborne operations have taken on a different meaning to America's men and women in uniform with the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop. An annual opportunity for Fort Bragg's military community to help families in need over the holidays, Operation Toy Drop combines the efforts of Army, Air Force and civilian service organizations in a truly unique event. Operation Toy Drop is a week-long, philanthropic project where Fort Bragg's paratroopers (or visiting paratroopers from across the nation) individually contribute new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to local children's homes and social service agencies. Despite the project's name, these toys are not "dropped" anywhere except into the arms of deserving children throughout Cumberland County and North Carolina. The drop is actually a daytime, non-tactical airborne operation supervised by foreign military jumpmasters – a rare treat for participating Soldiers who relish the opportunity to earn a foreign nation's "jump wings". Masterminded by then-Staff Sgt. Randy Oler in 1998, Operation Toy Drop started as a relatively small-time success backed by some big-time coordination. Oler's dream of incorporating Airborne operations, foreign military jumpmasters and local charities was a tall order, but Oler was never one to shy away from a challenge. He approached his commanding general within the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command with the idea and was given the green light to spearhead the project. That December, after eight months of planning, USACAPOC(A)'s first annual Operation Toy Drop had been completed on a wing, a prayer, and Oler's handshakes across several organizations. It was small, and very few toys had actually been raised - but it was a start, and from that point on Oler had a foundation to build on. Over the following years, Operation Toy Drop expanded to include aircraft support from Pope Air Force Base's 43rd Airlift Wing, and welcomed the participation of Soldiers from Fort Bragg's XVIII Airborne Corps and 82nd Airborne Division. These Soldiers’ enthusiasm to participate in the budding holiday tradition greatly outweighed the number of jump slots available. With limited space on the planes, the project's organizers arranged to draw names of participating Soldiers at random to fill the slots. The name drawing has become one of the main spectacles of Operation Toy Drop, where hundreds of Soldiers crowd together for the chance to hear their ticket number called, no matter how long the wait. Each iteration of Operation Toy Drop has brought in more toys for children in need. Even as USACAPOC(A) Soldiers mobilized with the rest of the military community in support of the Global War on Terrorism, those who remained stateside continued the tradition. In 2001, each child who lost a family member in the Sept. 11 attacks received a toy raised in the following December's Operation Toy Drop. As the war broke out, Oler remained at the helm of the operation. By April of 2004, he'd been promoted to Sgt. 1st Class and was finishing up an assignment at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Even as the USACAPOC(A) commanding general was fighting Oler's relocation orders, which would take him away from Fort Bragg, Oler was starting to get the ball rolling for Operation Toy Drop, 2004, which was less than eight months away. Oler had warned his colleagues that he might not be around for what would have been his seventh year running Operation Toy Drop. Sadly, he was right, but not due to any relocation orders. On April 20th, 2004, Sgt. 1st Class Randall R. Oler suffered a heart attack while performing jumpmaster duties aboard a C-130 aircraft. At 43 years old, Oler was pronounced dead at Womack Army Medical Center. The Tennessee native had joined the Army in 1979 as an Infantryman, spending time in Ranger and Special Forces battalions throughout his career, and had deployed in support of Operations Desert Storm, Provide Comfort and Joint Endeavor. In 1995, he joined USACAPOC(A) to become a Civil Affairs specialist. Oler's humanitarian spirit built Operation Toy Drop from the ground up, and it's only appropriate that the following December, his dream-turned-reality was dubbed the Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop by those who had worked so closely with him over the years. The void left by Oler's death was a difficult one to fill – Oler had run the operation from memory for six years. With no written notes to work from, key players scrambled to make the connections that Oler had worked from his head over the previous years. To this date, Operation Toy Drop has collected and distributed over 35,000 toys – from bikes, to dolls, to video game systems – for local families and children in need. In 2007, Operation Toy Drop's 10-year anniversary, over 3,000 participants brought in approximately $55,000 worth of toys. USACAPOC(A), a subordinate of the Army Reserve Command, has had control over Operation Toy Drop since Oler, a USACAPOC(A) Soldier, initiated the event in 1998. Oler's passion for helping those in need is echoed again and again among USACAPOC(A)'s nearly 10,000 Army Reservists, whose civilian experiences play important roles in their units' missions overseas. By conducting civil-military projects and humanitarian assistance efforts, USACAPOC(A) Soldiers are making non-lethal contributions to global peace and stability across the world. Located at Fort Bragg, USACAPOC(A) is headquarters to the 69 Army Reserve Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations units across the nation. Civil Affairs and PSYOP Soldiers account for only five percent of the U.S. Army Reserve force, but comprise 20 percent of Army Reserve deployments.
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Preston, UK – Sep 15, 2010 – Beginning in September, GoWear skydiving t-shirts from the USA will be available in the UK through Go-Wear (Europe) Ltd, a new company formed by UK skydiver Adrian Bond. “This will be good news for skydivers in the UK and Europe,” says Kris Ruff, the American skydiver and designer who started GoWear back in 2000. “There’s always been a lot of interest in our products in Europe, but the high cost of shipping overseas has made it difficult for our customers to get them. Now, t-shirts like our classic Jumps from Perfectly Good Airplanes t-shirt can be ordered from a UK-based website instead of having to come all the way from the U.S.” A Good Partnership Kris is excited to be working with Adrian, who will be the sole distributor of GoWear’s products in Europe. “Adrian brings great business expertise to this new partnership and has lots of great ideas for new products to add to the GoWear brand.” Go-Wear (Europe) will start with 12 of the most popular GoWear t-shirts and widen the range in the coming months. In addition to t-shirts, other products, including personalized products that will be completely new to the market, are in the works. All the Details GoWear skydiving t-shirts and other products will be available in Europe at www.Go-Wear.co.uk during August. Unisex tees will sell for £17.99 and the luxury women’s fitted tees will be £21.99. In addition, some DZ shops will be carrying the range. Go-Wear (Europe) Ltd is also looking for agents in Europe. If you’re interested, contact Adrian Bond at [email protected] or t: 0843 289 1655 or m: 07786 980 984. Author: Adrian Bond has been a skydiver for 7 years and jumps camera for a four way FS team, he is also on the BPA council and has been for 6 years. As well as launching Go Wear is also a management consultant.
