Planet Skydive

Miss Melanie, of course, is one of Blue Skies Mag’s amazing contributors, and has been with us from the start. Inspirational, courageous, giving, loving, hilarious, and awesome, Melanie has helped our little magazine in more ways than we can count. We’ve heard from so many of you that her words impact your lives, too. So, join us in wishing this beautiful woman a great birthday and another fantastic year!

PS – Maybe a good birthday gift would be to like her Highcomms.com Facebook page ;)

PPS – We have a $5 reward for any information on how in hell #6 got so lucky.

The Beginning of the End of My Flourishing Career: From Cutaway to 3Ring 

Originally published in the September 2011 issue of Blue Skies Magazine. 

How do you cutaway once you’ve realized everything has pretty much gone to shit and your beloved canopy (or life, for that matter) is one big malfunction? As baby skydivers, we’re trained to look at the cutaway handle, then pull it, look at the reserve handle, then pull it, or some variation of that. The point is, it’s a very robotic thing once you actually do it in real life. However, if you’re cutting away like one of the Baldwin brothers, it’s a bit different. Some people just yank the handle and then don’t really know where the reserve is or what to do with it or how it works. Or in my case, you chop that bitch and the RSL does the rest.

This is the story of how I actually cut away. Fade to “cutaway” montage from the movie that said “cutaway” one too many times.

We left off at January 2nd, with me sitting on the bench near the swoop pond at Zhills, having just decided that I’m quitting my awesome job in Austin and going after this whole living the dream thing.

Well, let’s rewind for a second, shall we? Flashback to November, a balmy 70 degrees (compared to 30′s in Chicago) and I’m all sitting at my fancy ass computer at my superawesome agency job in Austin. I ordered my rig earlier in the season and it wasn’t ready by the time I left Chicago, so I had it delivered to the office, because I was living in this gigantic swanky ass apartment complex and I didn’t want it to get lost. Obviously. So my rig arrives and I call Doug, the DZO at CSC, and we shoot the shit for a bit, mostly me squealing about how pretty my rig is. I had been working with Doug since the middle of the summer, so once CSC shut down and Doug wasn’t as busy as he usually is in season, the emails started piling up.

So we’re on the phone and I’m giving him shit about how there’s a good chance I’m doing more work for him than I am my clients when he asked me how everything was going since the big move. I ramble on about how I’m working like a crazy person, billing 300 hours in November. For the record, 300 hours = 37.5 8-hour working days. In case you didn’t know this, there aren’t 37.5 8-hour working days in November, or any month on the planet Earth, but that’s what I was billing. I was used to jumping Friday at sunset, all day Saturday and Sunday and leaving the DZ for the city on Monday morning. I had been in Austin for six weeks and hadn’t jumped yet. Unacceptable.

Doug: “So, that’s not exactly what you signed up for, huh?”

Me: “Honestly, I’d rather just work with you full time, and come back in the spring when season starts and take care of all of your marketing and stuff.”

I said that. To Doug. Sitting at my desk at my shiny new job that I had been at for oh, maybe four weeks.

Doug said that was entirely possible.

I hang up with Doug and call the boyfriend. He’s pumped. His wheels are turning. He thinks this could be a really great opportunity for me.

I hang up with him and call my parents. Mom and Dad listen and tell me to call them later when I get home. So I do. They think I’m insane. They say that there’s no way I’m ready for this and that I JUST got to Austin and I have an obligation to them and I should stay and that the skydiving industry isn’t a great place to start out on my own in the marketing world. My parents, who have never told me that I couldn’t do anything, think it’s probably the worst idea I’ve ever come up with in the history of ideas.

That was November. Bring it back to January and my dad has just told me I’d be stupid not to go with this plan.

I come back to my job in Austin only to get sat down for our Monday morning staff meeting and be told that the guy who recruited me (a huge reason I joined the company because he’s wicked smart), is leaving for another agency. This is the biz. People come and go. However, that day, I was going to let my team know that I was planning on departing in March. So my whole grand plan of how I’m going to have this incredibly difficult conversation just went to shit.

I ask the guy who recruited me (dubbed “The Quitter) if he wants to take an afternoon stroll over to Starbucks to chat. I start by asking him about where he’s going, what he’ll be doing there and his motivations for leaving. Then I lay it on him.

Me: “So, um, I’m leaving too.”

The Quitter: Laughing and shaking his head: “You’re… what?”

Me: “I’m quitting and moving back to Illinois to do the whole skydiving thing.”

The Quitter: “You’re kidding, right?”

Me: “Nope.”

The Quitter: “Well that is really fucking awesome for you, congrats!”

Unfortunately the decision with the other guy who played a role in my recruitment (dubbed “The Stormy Cloud”) didn’t take it so well. I waited until my friend had worked out his two weeks and then I told my teams that I was outta there. I took another afternoon stroll over to Starbucks with one of the guys who was technically my boss.

Him: “So, let’s chat about why you want to leave.”

The Stormy Cloud: “Well, I am beyond excited to be pursuing an opportunity with CSC, where I learned how to skydive, and I’ll be working with them doing their marketing, PR, social media stuff, etc.”

The Stormy Cloud: “It sounds like more of an obsession than a career move.”

Me: “Well I’m very excited about the opportunity to combine all things social media and marketing with all things skydiving. It’s pretty much my dream job.”

The Stormy Cloud: “Well I think you’re making a huge mistake.”

Me: Silence

Everyone else in the office that I had quickly made friends with in my 3-month stint were beyond excited. Like, so floored they couldn’t stand it. People who wanted absolutely nothing to do with jumping out of planes, who hadn’t known me for very long, saw that this was pretty much a dream gig for me. There were many a cocktail had in celebration.

There was one last dude to tell, and that was my actual boss. He wasn’t on any of my teams, we didn’t really work together, but he is totally heads up. We’ll call him “Sunshine” for the sake of talking.

Sunshine: “So, I hear you’re leaving us. So soon!”

Me: “Yeah, I’d be stupid if I didn’t pursue this opportunity.”

Sunshine: “Seriously, Syd, now’s the time. If you screw up, you screw up, but this sounds like something right up your alley.”

Me: ::wave of relief:: “Thank you! I’m excited, obviously a little scared and kinda sad because Austin is pretty much the best city ever, but excited.”

Sunshine: “Now let’s talk about your decision. Make sure that you view this as ‘total opportunity’ – the knowledge you’ll gain, what you’ll put into it, how much you can get out of it, and how this plays into your overall career goals.”

Me: Thinking: holy shit, I’ve known this man for three months, spent maybe eight working hours with him total and he’s helping me see the big picture instead of bashing my decision. This guy is freaking brilliant. I am so lucky to have this dude in my life right now. 

So the office knows I’m leaving. Now it’s time to get down to business.

The big picture? I’ll start my own company this year, and while I’m working with CSC, I’ll start to build relationships with people who could be potential clients, I’ll figure out what my product offering will be, and eventually, over the course of the year, start putting out feelers for additional clients. This ends up working out perfectly because in my role with CSC, I’m an independent contractor, so technically, CSC is my first client. Not a bad gig right out of the gate. Thus, my RSL. I chopped that job knowing that I had a backup plan that would deploy pretty much immediately and on its own.

I was thinking of all the different ways I could incorporate skydiving into my company name. I had a bunch of bad ideas for a company name before I decided on 3Ring Media. 3Ring is pretty much perfect. It incorporates the skydiving side, as well as the actual sentiment of how 3Ring is a result of me cutting away from my former life in the agency world, and setting out on this new adventure. A whuffo friend of mine said “oh, like a circus?” and originally I was a bit miffed by it. Then I realized, yes, a little bit like a circus. 3Ring Media is my company. My circus? Love. Skydiving. Life. So, on January 17, 3Ring Media was born with the help of my friends at LegalZoom.com. I got my confirmation email that the company was legit. I didn’t know what it would grow to be yet, but it was official.

So fast forward to present day: 3Ring Media is growing. Every day is a new adventure at CSC and I’m learning a whole boatload about this industry, the people in it, and where I could potentially go with this. I’ve divided the services that 3Ring offers into a “skydiving related” and “everyone else” kind of deal. On the skydiving side, focusing on event/boogie coordination, social media and marketing education (I don’t mind doing the execution but I’m much more inclined to teach you everything you need to know about it to do it successfully, like social media boot camp), and eventually, coaching. I earned coach my rating earlier this season and I’m still working on developing and improving my skills so I can be a total rockstar with students.

All I know is I want to help people, small businesses, DZO’s, whoever – get up to speed on all things social media and marketing. There is too much power in the tools available today to not be taking advantage of it. Oh, and I’d like to earn my AFF rating someday. But I should probably make time for skydiving if I ever want to get there.

Stump has a great time at the Mountain State Boogie. Dave gets to jump with some newer jumpers. PD has another episode of their "Office" spoofs out. Safety First with Brian Germain discusses pull out deployment systems. Pic of the Week - The 42-way Florida State Vertical record completes over Skydive Sebastian during the 2012 Invasion Boogie. Photo by Kazu Oyama. Some photo shopped images you may or may not see in an upcoming issue of Parachutist. We want head's up displays in our skydiving helmets. More discussion on kids in skydiving. Listener emails.

Mohammad Al-Refaei, B-36248, is a Skydive City jumper from Kuwait who took this awesome shot on Saturday after the FLCPA meet. Check out more of his stuff on flickr.

The Beginning of the End of My Flourishing Career: Is it there? Square? Landable? 

Originally published in the August 2011 issue of Blue Skies Magazine. 

Remember that one time that skydiving changed my life, I started dating one of my instructors after I graduated, decided I wanted to move to Texas so I could get paid more and thus skydive more, declared my love for the state of Texas, then I decided I didn’t really love Texas all that much and at the ZHills New Years Boogie I decided to quit my job, start my own company and CSC was my first client and holy shit I’m running out of breath because this sentence is the longest sentence in the history of sentences? You don’t? Oh, well let me tell you all about THAT.

Where do I begin? Girl meets skydiving, skydiving changes girls life, girl meets instructor, girl starts dating instructor, girl wants to skydive all the time and chase the sunshine like all of her friends that skydive all the time.

I decided early that this whole “working-60-hours-a-week-and-getting-paid-peanuts” thing wasn’t for me. At least not working 60 hours doing PR in an environment that makes me dread getting out of bed in the morning. You can only write so many digital content calendars for that hot dog company that has a car shaped like a hot dog before you get tired of all the puns and late night crises when someone finds out that the processed meat isn’t all that tasty and blows up the Facebook page about it. See, people, getting paid to save the world one Facebook post or tweet at a time isn’t all fame, fortune and glamour.

So, right, working sucks. Isn’t that what we all discover after we discover how awesome skydiving is? I know I’m not the first Corporate America worker turned skydiving bum, but holy shit did my eyes open fast.

Fast forward to September, and we’re road tripping to SkyVenture Colorado for a tunnel camp. Five skydivers, packed in Robin, my Civic Hybrid, trucking it across the midwest to the majestic mountains in and around Denver, Colorado. Day one is full of hiking and non-tunnel activities, and we wrap up the day by me accidentally mentioning that I was hopefully interviewing for a job in Austin when we got back. See, the boy was scheduled to go to Spaceland in November and I had been talking to a certain agency in Austin since June and didn’t want him to think that I was looking to get a new job in Texas because he was going to be in Texas because I didn’t know if we were actually together let alone serious. So, I didn’t tell him about the interviews.

The morning of day two starts with the boy borderline screaming about his neck and how he needs to go to the hospital. Earlier in the season he had a whacker of an opening and had continued to jump on it all season long. Apparently 16 hours in a car and hiking led us to the tipping point, where the pain was so excruciating and he could barely walk. So I take him to a hospital in Parker, Colorado, and spend the rest of the trip there. He has surgery, all is well, we go home and I go to Austin for an interview. I get the job. I move to Austin at the end of October. Now the boy is out for six months to recover from the surgery so no jumping which sucks but is also awesome because he can come stay with me in Texas and then roam around Florida for a bit.

Between me moving to Austin around the end of October and season wrapping up at CSC, I don’t see the boy for almost a month. Which is like, a third of how long we’d been dating at that point. Surprisingly, it seems I’ve grown up a lot since the last time I dated someone and it all works out. I’m not a hot mess this time. Things are working out well, despite the fact that I’m not there with him or vice versa. He comes down around Thanksgiving, we tear it up in Austin for a month, and then we take Christmas-New Years off and galavant around Florida.

We had coordinated a Freefall University trip to Skydive City in Zephyrhills for the New Years boogie. Seven 2010 grads and two instructors, rippin’ it up in the sunshine. My parents were coming out to watch the skydiving action and experience a day at the DZ after New Years. I was so pumped for them to finally see what all the fuss was about. The boy and I are walking around the trailer park at Z-Hills and he said “so, what do you think about getting a trailer and coming down here in November?” and I stopped and smiled. I had never been more excited to live in a trailer in my entire life. The thought was exhilarating. I had discussed an opportunity with the DZO at CSC to join the team and do the marketing and events, but had turned it down because I had let other people convince me I wasn’t ready. That I couldn’t handle being THE marketing department, that I wouldn’t have anyone to teach me anything, and that I wouldn’t learn as much as I would if I stayed at my agency job in Austin.

My parents show up on the 2nd, and after a tour of the place, introductions to my friends, and seeing a couple loads land, my dad pulls me aside.

I will never forget the scene. We’re sitting on the long bench sandwiched between the swoop pond and the spectator deck. It’s a bit cloudy, so I grounded myself because clouds make me nervous, and he’s just taking it all in. He turns to me, with a little bit of a misty eye and says:

“I finally get it. For the past six months all you’ve been talking about is skydiving, skydiving, skydiving. I totally get it. And you’d be stupid to not pursue that opportunity at CSC.”

And so it was. My “someday” plan was to quit my job, start my own company and take clients and spread the love and education that I have for all things geeky and social media and marketing. My “someday” plan was to work at the DZ, jump my ass off, learn as much as possible, get my coach rating, and eventually become an AFF instructor.

My “someday” plan went into effect on January 2nd, 2011. I started making plans on when to quit my job and how much money I’d need to survive. I started posting my furniture on Craigslist, looking for someone to sublet my apartment, and started to check out what I needed to do to start my own company so I could live life the way I wanted to live it.

(I realize that I go on 7-8 skydiving “trips” per year and I often don’t write about them. It may be fun to read about the special events later, so I’m going to try my best to publicly write about my adventures. For an aggregation of random skydiving blogs, check out planetskydive.net)

A few weeks ago, I returned from a 12 day skydiving trip to Skydive Arizona. The highlights of this trip were 2011 Holiday Boogie, freefly load organizers, an hour of tunnel time, getting food poisoning, and a CRW Bigway camp. All while meeting new and old friends. This was my first far-away skydiving trip that I went on by myself, it takes abit to figure out who to jump with but just introducing yourself to the load organizers helps with that. Soon, they are seeking you out to jump because it is their job to encourage you to spend money

So, a great success overall. I made 53 skydives in 10 days (minus 2 days for the food poisoning incident) and had a great time. There are pictures of the CRW camp, here. A couple of my favorites are these…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course, my cutaway…

With years of planning behind us, it was time to take on Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Team Tsunami gathered its forces and assembled in Kenya where we drove to the base of the mountain that stands 19,340 feet tall.  With 11 of us in total, we had chosen the Lemosho route.  It's a newer route that takes 7 days and approaches from the north side, descending on the south side.  Day 6 was brutal.  I can honestly say that day 6 was easily the most physically challenging of my entire life.  It started as early as any day can start, at midnight.  Headlamps on and all the layers we could wear, we started the slog up the side of Kilimanjaro.  This day would result in climbing to the summit over 4,000 feet above us and then descending over 9,000 feet back into the oxygen.  It took us just under 16 hours to complete.  Lack of oxygen for sustained amounts of time begins to do funny things to the human body.  Some don't react well, others feel just a little off. In our group we had all of the above from potential brain swelling to vomiting to head aches to just simply not remembering parts of the summit day.  All in all we managed to make it to the top and down safely.  The funny thing about getting to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro is that once you reach it, the only thing you want to do is get away from it....and that means going down.

To see the Full Gallery click here.







Once we finished the climb, we went on Safari in the Serengeti.  Pictures coming soon.  In the meantime, if you'd like to see the Full Kilimanjaro Gallery click here.

If you were one of the nearly 9,000 people that signed an online White House petition opposing an aviation user fee, you may have received the White House’s response via email last week. Not surprisingly, the administration used the opportunity to justify its desire to impose a $100 per flight fee on many segments of aviation. While their plan is still vague—at one time they described an exemption for “recreational” aviation; more recently they said they would exempt “piston aircraft”—the fact is that all of the aviation community should be opposed to the concept. Once approved, and following the creation of new FAA offices to track, invoice and collect the fee, any “exempted” aviation segments are sure to face the fee later on. The good news is that aviation has many friends in Congress; lawmakers who understand the importance of a thriving aviation system, and who agree that a per-flight fee is counterproductive. Congress has repeatedly beat back similar user fee proposals before, and will be called upon to do so again at the proper time.

USPA has reached out to the other aviation associations to join their coalition and help fight user fees. We do so not just because a $100 per flight fee on turbine jump planes will dramatically increase the cost of a jump ticket, but because the whole concept of charging operators for each flight will throttle aviation’s efficiency, reduce flying and cost jobs. Jump operators, like all operators, currently pay a federal tax on each gallon of fuel burned, and all want to keep it that way. So stand by and be prepared to voice your concerns to your legislator at the appropriate time. We’ll let you know the very day that is needed.

Ed Scott
Executive Director

Filed under: USPA

One unique group that comes together behind the scenes to help make Bridge Day a success is its sponsors. In recent years, Subaru, Red Bull, Geico, Stanley, BB&T and many others have made a commitment to help host the event.

Many folks put in months of hard work planning every detail of the day, Bridge Day workers and sponsors alike.

Bridge Day sponsors are responsible for many of the extra activities that take place around the event.  Into the Gorge shuttles are courtesy of Hometown Subaru, and the Down Under Tours were sponsored by Glade Springs in 2011. The Oak Hill and Fayetteville Rotary Clubs host Taste of Bridge Day, which is quickly becoming a weekend favorite.

Bridge Day sponsors are in the middle of all the action, helping plan the event and being part of a successful day on the Bridge.

If you’re interested in being a Bridge Day sponsor, now is the time to get involved.  The Bridge Day team works with potential sponsors to help them figure out how they can get the most out of their sponsorship.

Ready to jump in?

Share and Enjoy:

Saturday January 21st brings the first meet of the 2012 season for the Florida Canopy Piloting League (FLCPA), taking place on the glorious pond at Skydive City, Zephyrhills, Florida. We have always been supportive of the FLCPA – it’s a league that fosters competition but also provides an incredible training environment for jumpers wanting to get into swooping, complete with top-notch coaches. It’s easy to get behind that kind of “pay it forward” attitude.

Quite a few of the top pilots in the world came up through the FLCPA, and this environment has fostered a few champions, both national and international. The FLCPA meets continue to draw a strong pool of competitors and 25 are already registered for Saturday. You can take a look at some of the names already registered on the Swoop League website. Pay special attention to competitor #20, and lets see if you can guess his or her name based on these few clues below:

• The person in question has just taken receipt of 2 brand new Comp Velocities.
• This swooper is a World Champion
• This swooper is not Jay Moledzki

Leave your guess in the comments below or on our Facebook page. Let’s see who can figure out the name of the mystery swooper!

Well, our last post evidently didn’t tell the whole story! Dreadful journalism on my behalf, but then again I hope you can forgive me. I thought footie pj’s for grownups were a NEW abomination, rather than a resurrected one from mere 2 years ago.
After we bragged about the event on Twitter, Daniel Croft was kind enough to point us to the original video of a 7-way footie PJ jump! This was initially done by some Ranch hands at the Blue Skies Ranch in Gardiner, NY, but like most New Yorker’s, they were too modest to flaunt their accomplishment.
The Ranch hands did however stick to belly only, so we will give the Blue Skies Boogie crew in Nevada the credit for the biggest freefly Footie PJ Record.

But now that begs the question, in the world of Footie PJ’s, what comes next?!
A jump off? Footie PJ hybrids? The possibilities are endless.

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowFullScreen" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/12013633?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitAllowFullScreen" width="500"></iframe>

Fun jumping in Nevada? You betcha. And not just fun jumping, but some amazing talent met up at the Blue Skies Boogie for hard hittin’ record settin’ jumpin’.

Without further ado, we present the Footie Pajama World Record, set in Mesquite, NV on January 14th, 2012. Congrats to Gunnar Jeannette, Mike Steen, Thomas Hughes, Dan Drage, Sean Hennessey, Jason Powell and Sher Drage for a brilliant performance.

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowFullScreen" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35079009?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitAllowFullScreen" width="500"></iframe>

If you didn’t get one for Christmas (poor thing), these cozy little jumpsuits can be ordered here.

Many thanks to Gunnar Jeannette and Mike Steen for sharing!

This email just went out to everyone who signed the “Take Aviation User Fees off the table” petition at the White House’s new We the People site:

Why We Need Aviation User Fees

By Dana Hyde, Associate Director for General Government Programs, Office of Management and Budget

Thank you for signing the petition “Take Aviation User Fees Off the Table.” We appreciate your participation in the We the People platform on WhiteHouse.gov and your concerns about user fees in a challenging economy.

In a challenging budget environment, the Obama Administration believes it’s essential that those who benefit from our world-class aviation system help pay for its ongoing operation. And we want to ensure that everyone is paying their fair share. For example, under current law, a large commercial aircraft flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco pays between twenty-one and thirty-three times the fuel taxes paid by a corporate jet flying the same route and using the same FAA air traffic services. This is why the Administration proposed to establish a new surcharge for air traffic services.

The proposed $100 per flight fee would generate an estimated $11 billion over 10 years, reducing the deficit and more equitably sharing the cost of air traffic services across the aviation user community. All piston aircraft, military aircraft, public aircraft, air ambulances, aircraft operating outside of controlled airspace, and Canada-to-Canada flights would be exempted.

We appreciate your petition’s acknowledgment that there needs to be an increased user contribution to aviation system funding in the current fiscal climate, and we recognize that some would prefer to raise the tax rate on aviation fuel. At the same time, we have concluded that a $100 per flight user fee is an equitable way for those who benefit to bear the cost of this essential service.

As we work to get our Nation back on a sustainable fiscal path, the Administration is making tough choices across the Federal budget and asking everyone to do their fair share. We recognize these shared sacrifices are not easy, but together with investments in our economic growth and job creation, they will make us stronger and more competitive for the future. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Congress and the aviation stakeholder community on this issue, and thank you again for your constructive input.

Check out this response on We the People.

So what do you think? Will we be seeing an extra $100 fee onto every skydiving load? Would that make you switch sports to paragliding, BASE jumping, or ground launching?

This past weekend Skydive Arizona hosted the first(beer) big way CReW camp of the 2012 season. Brian Pangburn and Kirk VanZandt organized the event which officially began on Friday, but that didn't stop the CReW dogs from hooking up canopies...

Phatty sits in for Stump. Invasion recap. Safety First with Brian Germain discusses landing into the wind. Pic of the Week - Raise the Sky’s Project XRW flies over Skydive Sebastian. Photo by Jeff Nebelkopf. Roundtable discussion with Project XRW participants. Listener emails and facebook comments.

M&M‘s

 

     O yes, it’s that time of year again, my most favorite time of year! I love it when October is over and November is heading south for the winter, and December is the watchword of the day. Why, you ask? Simple……. It’s the holidays.

    Not because of shopping, family, cold air, snow, children laughing, politicians away for the rest of the year…..Heck NO!!    I love the seasons because of M&M‘s. Yep, that’s right, M&M’s.     You see, during the year, when you buy  M&M‘s, especially the peanut ones, which I dearly love and worship, you can only buy them in ‘normal’ packages. I mean, they come in every color under the sun, especially that horrendous blue color which tastes funny.  Sure, in the spring you can buy bags of pastel pink, blue, and green, but it’s not the same as the ones you get during the winter holidays. Even the Hallow’een ones aren’t as good.Don’t believe me? Do the taste test. I have!! In fact, I did it in the Reno Airport last year, and bet the clerk there that I could taste the difference between the blue ones, and the rest of the colors. Orange and brown taste pretty much the same to me, but Blue??? Bleeeeeeech. (By the way, I won the bet…)    Red and green though, they are a different story. They have a ‘special’ taste. A very special taste. They are sweeter, more refined, more gentle and more genteel. Smoother on the stomach, more luscious on the tongue, these candy-coated delicacies are truly the fruit of the gods…..Actually, more like the vegetable of the gods…. but don’t feel bad, if you can’t taste the difference in the colors, you shouldn’t be eating the peanut M&M‘s anyway. Only gifted persons are permitted to do so.     Did you know that green M&M‘smeet all 4 food groups? Of course they do! Don’t ask your mother, what could she possibly know about M&M‘s that I don’t know? See, it works like this:The peanut part, obviously that’s a meat, and meets all requirements of meat. You know, you’ve heard of ‘nutmeats’, etc. So peanuts are a nut, and therefore qualify as a meat.    The small kernel at the top of the peanut is fiber. Even better is when you get a nut that isn’t completely free of the skin that covers the nut inside the peanut shell, after it’s harvested and shelled. This grants even more fiber, and even though it tastes funny, it’s still pretty darn good. Better than rutabaga anyways….    The chocolate part, that’s patently obvious. It’s a dairy product, made with milk. Those poor cows that eat all the cocoa plants though, it’s no wonder that they are brown, but the chocolate milk they give out is awesome. Check out the Nestle’ factory sometimes. It’s amazing how clean they keep it with all those chocolate cows coming through. I have cows, so I know what a mess they are. Just shows ya what a bit of money can do for a bovine image.        Last but not least, green M&M’s are a vegetable. Really. They ARE!! Anything green MUST be a vegetable, just has to be. Cuz other than feeding cows that DON’T give out chocolate milk, green stuff isn’t good for anything human. But nevertheless, if you still don’t believe me, look at the packages that M&M’s come in. Says right there on the back, ‘vegetable dyes‘. You didn’t believe me did ya? Would I lie about something as important as nutrition? No WAY!!    Just look at my body. I consume several pounds of M&M‘s every week, and about a ton between December 1 and February 1, because they take the holiday M‘s (we’re intimate, I can call them M‘s) off the store shelves by February to make room for those wimpy, whiney, flatulent ridden Easter confections. They don’t even deserve to be called M’s.        Now, for those of you just getting into the M thing, you gotta know how to eat them like a pro.First, you place 2 or 10 Ms in your mouth. Maneuver them with your tongue, so that the M is perfectly placed halfway between the teeth. Bite down GENTLY, so as not to bruise the nut hidden beneath the shell and chocolate covering.                       Carefully, using your tongue, remove the candy and chocolate shell from the nut. Chew it, and swallow it without damaging the nut, or damaging the other M’s in your cheek storage area. Now remove the other half of the candy shell, again using the tongue. This is tricky for you beginners. Older folks, help the younger ones along. Teenagers, show your parents.        Push the remaining nut, unbruised into the upper reaches of the cheek storage area.         Repeat the process, until your cheeks are overflowing with nuts, and you look like a chipmunk caught in the candy jar. Now allow all of the unbruised peanuts to enter the main cavity of the mouth, chew slowly and firmly, savoring the sweetness of chocolate-marinated peanuts. MM,MM,MM,,,,,as Andy Taylor might say…Dang, that’s good! Now, if you are a true nut connoisseur like I am, you’ll quickly learn to split the peanut in half, without bruising the nut. Again using the tongue, carefully remove the fiber portion/oil gland of the nut. Store that gland deep in the recesses of your nut filled cheeks. After chewing up the remaining nut halves, you’ll be wanting to chew up the oil gland part too. It’s like a desert, but one must develop a true taste for such things, much like learning the bouquet of a fine wine. Also, if you are a true connoisseur of the confection of M, you’ll know the rumours around the green ones are simply not true. If it were, there would be more children born in September than statistics would bear out, because more green M‘s are consumed during the holidays than any other time. 

    The other way that ‘pros’ consume M‘s, especially those folks with no teeth, is to melt the candy coating from the outside, and then by using the tongue, wiping the peanut clean of all traces of chocolate. This is a method perhaps practiced best on a deserted island where the emergency ration bag of M‘s has to last a looooooooong time, or for when you are being punished for something, and the aquisition of M‘s becomes questionable. (this is why I ALWAYS keep a stash of a small bag of M‘s beneath my bed)

     Regardless, it’s simple logic that if you practice eating M&M‘s like a pro, or a connoisseur as I myself am, you’ll be a much better kisser. (Playing/practicing the flute and tonguing techniques accomplishes the same goal, but eating M‘s is much more fun!) Work those mouth muscles out, and eat candy like a MAN!! ( or a woman if you are of female gender)One last thought, why is it that M&M’s in the 2 pound bag always taste better?Happy Seasons and Holidays to you and yours,From the nuttiest windbag alive,

          

12/6/99 I receive dozensof mails about the various editorials, and as a policy, I keep the comments and opinions to myself. However, one mail we received from a Mrs. Lonnie C had me laughing and wondering if she was really serious or not. Since I’ll never experience PMS, I’ll never know the answer. Perhaps you could tell me….Anyway, here is what she writes;

>From a female perspective, did you know that taking two Pamprins, washed down with Sprite, followed quickly by a small bag of peanut M & M’s will cure PMS?????  Pamprin can’t work without M & M’s!  When I shared this medical discovery with my OB/GYN he was sceptical, said he loved M & M’s too, but thought this “treatment” would add extra weight.  I assured him it doesn’t, if you only eat the small bag, not the large ones.  Since I am not over weight, think I convinced him, and I am sure he now prescribes this to all his patients with PMS.<

January 1st, 2012 Dr. T. Elaine McLaughlin passed away due to trauma sustained after a low cutaway followed by reserve deployed too late to inflate. The incident took place at Skydive City, Zephyrhills, FL.

Dr. T. Elaine was 60 years old and an active and current skydiver in Z-Hills. After deploying her parachute (a Spectre 120 in a Javelin container) at a normal altitude, her canopy was observed to be turning, followed by a very low cutaway. Reserve was deployed manually but did not have enough time to inflate. Sources from the dropzone estimate cutaway hight at approximately 700 ft and reserve activation at approximately 400 ft.
It is not known why the cutaway was performed so low. Details of the accident are still under investigation.

We send our sincere condolences to her family and friends in Z-Hills. Memorial services have already taken place. Her obituary in the Tampa Bay Times can be found here.

Safety & Training Advisors spend a considerable amount of time telling people they shouldn’t be loading their canopies so heavily. But 90 percent of the time, jumpers don’t listen. Skydivers can have a bit of an ego, and many simply hear, “I think you’re a crappy canopy pilot who can’t handle a smaller wing.” So they downsize anyway and break their legs, backs and pelvises with some regularity.

read more

by Cindy Coker | D-14847

Jump Number: 548 | Date: October 3, 1993

read more

Brought to you by Brianne Thompson of AXIS Flight School at Skydive Arizona in Eloy with Thomas Hughes of Arizona Airspeed. Photos by Niklas Daniel.

read more

If you happen to be rafting, biking, hiking or just hanging out in the New River Gorge, one thing you can’t help but notice is that it is comprised mostly of forest. At any point in the Gorge there may be thousands of acres in any direction with no civilization present. This makes it a great place for wildlife to reside.

Many people visit the Gorge and never see a single animal. After all, many adventure activities don’t really allow for a lot of scenery-watching. But there is plenty of wildlife here in the Gorge, and if you take the time to look for it, it can be found.

The Critters

Here’s a small list of some of the animals that make their home in the Gorge.

• Squirrels
• Raccoons
• Skunks
• Opossums
• Hawks (many varieties)
• Falcons
• Bald Eagles
• Turkey
• Deer
• Bear
• Coyotes
• Bobcats
• Mink
• Otters

 

There is also a large variety of bird species, small rodents, amphibians, reptiles and fish that call this area home. The Gorge is a very healthy ecosystem and its protected status is a major reason why.

Wildlife Viewing

If it’s wildlife viewing you’re after, then there are a few ways you can make it more likely that you’ll have a successful outing.

• When hiking, cover ground slowly and fairly quietly. Remember, the farther away you get from roads or well-used areas, the more likely you are to encounter wildlife.
• Stop, look and listen.  Take your time to look around and don’t get in a hurry to move. Scan the area very carefully before moving again.
• Timing is key.  Very early mornings and late evenings are the optimal time to see animals, as they are either coming out of their hiding spots or getting ready to disappear into the foliage.
• Come to the Gorge for one of our animal-related events.  The New River Birding and Nature Festival takes place every May and is a great way to learn from some expert birdwatchers.

 

Just remember that no matter how cute, cuddly or friendly an animal looks, keep a respectful distance. There’s a reason why they call it wildlife.

What wildlife have you seen in the Gorge?

Share and Enjoy:

An experienced jumper purchased a new main canopy and installed it himself, hooking the suspension lines to his existing risers using the supplied soft links. After he landed from his first jump on the new canopy, a parachute rigger noticed him trying to untangle it. Upon inspection, the rigger found the following installation errors:

read more

USPA Instructors and Coaches are busy keeping our sport replenished, vibrant and growing at drop zones around the world, and the demand on their time is heavy. Drop zones can help their teams keep the quality of instruction high, minimize burnout, reduce liability, provide consistent curriculums and capitalize on new student enthusiasm, all without spending additional money, by using the website skydiveschool.org.

read more

Many canopy-related accidents are rooted in a lack of basic skill and knowledge regarding canopy flight. The USPA Board of Directors has taken a step toward reducing canopy-related injuries and fatalities by mandating new requirements for the USPA B license. As of January 1, USPA’s new requirements are in place. Jumpers must now take a canopy course and submit a completed and properly signed USPA Canopy Piloting Proficiency Card before receiving a USPA B-license.

read more

Q:

 

How do I choose the correct reserve?

read more

Imagine your last living thought being, “That was stupid of me.” Imagine your friends after your death, dressed in black, tears filling their eyes, saying, “If only,” over and over again. Imagine your family going on without you, with a wound in their hearts that will never heal.

read more

by Ralph Kubicsek | C-37834 | Gainesville, Florida

Skydiving first came into my life in 2001 when I was 22 years old. I was sitting on the couch with my girlfriend at the time and said, “Let’s go jump out of a plane!” It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and she was game. We drove to a DZ, and I got my first taste of skydiving. I remember being very nervous and excited at the same time. I have always been a bit on the anxious side, even as a kid, and this was really pushing me to the edge of my comfort zone. The entire experience was amazing. It really did feel like a dream, and I remember wanting to go again as soon as my feet hit the ground.

read more

Sara Curtis, D-28147, joined vertical formation skydiving team Arizona Arsenal in 2006 as its camera flyer. Since then, the team has won numerous medals nationally and internationally. In 2011, Curtis took off the camera and took on new challenges as an inside flyer on the team. She also co-organized the current women’s head-down world record—a 41-way set in 2010—and has signed on again as an organizer for the latest attempts, which are scheduled for 2013.

read more

Share and Enjoy:

Rook Nelson guest hosts. Check out the student documentary about LSPC, Come Fly with Me by Alex Matczyszyn. A listener voicemail prompts some talk about hook turns. Full or open face helmet discussion. Safety First with Brian Germain discusses canopy stalls. Video contest announced. Win 1 hour of coached tunnel time and 2 nights hotel from Skyventure Colorado and Skydive Radio. Pic of the Week - A 5-way canopy flock flies over Perris Valley. Photo by Niklas Daniel. Have we become our own "big brother" with Go-Pro's and Facebook? Discussion on multi-generation skydivers and kids in the sport. Listener voicemails.

Enjoy the holidays, hug your friends, love your family, make lots of jumps (if appropriate) and pay homage to SkyGod for getting us through yet another year.

Best wishes from the Blue Skies Mag team,
Kolla, Lara and Pierre.

What a great way to celebrate the new year!  With another month in Frittfall's 2012 Kalendar!  A few shots from Chicks Rock at Skydive Elsinore will do the trick.  Thanks guys!

A few weekends ago I headed up to Snowmass to check out the 36th Annual Snowmass Balloon Festival.  I've only jumped out of a hot air balloon once and it was an amazing experience.  But this was more about seeing lots of balloon all right next to each other.  Between the evening glow session where they just fired up the burners and inflated the balloons to actually launching them in the early morning hours attempting to capture that still air it was an amazing experience to see that many, balloons that close together.  For a photographer, photographing balloons is almost too easy.  They always launch early in the morning because of the favorable wind conditions and at the same time for us, it's that magic hour of the day when the light is warm and just begging you to take a picture.

With all of that said, here are a few of my favorites from the session.  If you'd like to SEE THE ENTIRE GALLERY CLICK HERE.








Again, if you'd like to SEE THE ENTIRE GALLERY CLICK HERE.

Not long ago, a visit to the New River Gorge in the winter wasn’t high on many folk’s list. Although that has changed somewhat over the years, it’s still not common knowledge that this place is pretty amazing in the wintertime too. That’s why winter is a wonderful time to visit and take advantage of all the Gorge has to offer this time of year.

Great lodging rates and amazing cool weather mean that the Gorge is a special place to visit during what most call the “off season.” Let’s look at some of the reasons to make a trip to the Gorge before summer rolls back around.

Cozy Cabins

Winter availability at many of the area chalets and cabins is easy to find, even on short notice. That means that at the last minute, you can check the weather (“Hey, it’s going to snow!  Let’s go skiing!) and easily find a cozy West Virginia cabin.

One of the best parts about visiting the New River Gorge is the peace and solitude in your surroundings. Many of the cabins or chalets are fairly secluded.  In fact, many times in the winter you may stay a day or two at a cabin in the woods and not see another soul. People from the city may find this concept foreign, but trust us, you’ll love it.

Winter Adventures

Winter in the Gorge doesn’t mean sitting in your cabin and playing board games all day to pass the time. You’re in the heart of an outdoor adventure hub, so get active! Try some of these winter outdoor activities:

• Hiking
• Biking
• Zip Lines
• Bridge Walk
• Skiing, snowboarding and tubing
• Cross Country Skiing
• ATV tours
• Rock Climbing

 

And after a day on the slopes or trails, there are lots of interesting places to stop for dinner, shopping, and entertainment.

Finding a reason to plan a winter getaway shouldn’t be hard. Are you visiting the Gorge soon?

Share and Enjoy:

Steve and JaNette Lefkowitz join the SDR crew this week to fill us in on their experience at the Dubai Cup. Are packers heading towards an airline business model? A bit more talk about toggle stowing. SDC Rhythm XP holds tryouts to replace Team member Rob Radez. Congratulations to SDR listener Ria Moothilal and his team who just finished a 7700 mile bicycle trip from Cape Town to Cairo. Safety first with Brian Germain discusses skydiving helmets. Pic of the Week - Mike Hoy takes Jenny Bridgewater for a tandem jump from a hot air balloon. Photo by John Musgrave. Conversation with original Airspeed member Dan BC. Are you ever too old to skydive? Pressure equalization tubes may help some jumpers. An inside joke for our new friend Steph.

A damn sweet video, featuring the good boys from Jump4Heros, brightening the day of children whose parents are currently serving in Afghanistan. Santa unfortunately couldn’t bring their mom or dads home for the holidays, but at least he was able to give them a good show, hand out some presents and most importantly – deliver the children heartfelt letters from their parents.

A nice article showing a close-up of Santa’s swooping setup can be found here.

Crappy weather in Deland today, clouds kicking around the tree tops and not much to do.
Caption Contest to the rescue – let’s hear your best ones!!

Photo snapped by Brianne Thompson of AXIS Flight School, taken at their homebase in Eloy, Arizona.
The sad guy in the photo is Trunk from Hypoxic. Trunk is probably responsible for all the GoPro’s already in the basket, can you count how many?

 

This article is not intended as wingsuit training. It is intended to inform existing and would-be wingsuit coaches about our methodology. A wingsuit coach is highly recommended, and it is equally recommended that a quality coach be sought out, safety record questioned, and methods explained before hand. A 10 minute first-flight course isn’t training. A proper, complete FFC is going to last a minimum of 45 minutes, with 90 minutes being more common. PLEASE SEEK QUALIFIED COACHING** for a First Flight Course and at least a few post-FFC jumps. This is important for your personal safety, for aircraft safety, and the safety of others. Wingsuiting is different from ‘normal’ freefall due in part to the horizontal component, and the speeds at which we can travel, in addition to deployment differences and the potential for higher speeds if instability occurs. 

Each part of  the jump is broken into smaller chunks of manageable  information, which are then combined to complete the jump. Whether it’s the first flight course or a post-FFC coaching jump, every module is broken down into at least two parts. There are at least two modules to every jump.
Currently we offer 10 levels beginning with the FFC and finishing with an introduction to backflying. Most of the levels are supported with kinesthetic and isometric exercises, not unlike the Skydive University methods taught in the USPA Cat G-H coaching jumps for new skydivers.

FFC’s are broken down into five elements/modules;

• Exit
• Navigation (with practice touches)
• Deployment
• Clearing the Suit
• Emergency Procedures

The elements/modules are heavily drilled/practiced on the ground, and supported with pre-jump training video.

Often times, we have would-be wingsuiters with exactly the minimum number of jumps required by the USPA BSR, and they may or may not be current. Our coaches use discretion in training, however, low jump number students are often required to do all FFC ground training and a wingsuit-less wingsuit jump (performing all tasks that they’ll be performing when they don the wingsuit) prior to doing a jump with the wingsuit and continuing training.

This is a pre-FFC training jump. The student fulfills all wingsuit tasks without wearing the wingsuit. The student has already been through the ground portions of the FFC.

EXITS:

Wingsuit students often express fear of the horizontal stabilizer (rightfully so) during the pre-course interview. Exits are drilled until the student can confidently exit the mockup with eyes closed. We spend more time on exits than in any other module of the course, as the setup, launch, flyaway, and horizontal stab avoidance are part of every wingsuit jump in the future, and the only part of the jump that is life-threatening for both the student and pilot (and others that may still be in the aircraft after a wingsuiter exits).
We teach a positive-contact exit method that assures closure of the wing; there can be no mistake. This exit method serves every turbine aircraft with a side door, and we train wingsuiters (on request) to manage 206 and 182 aircraft exits. 

NAVIGATION  (WITH PRACTICE TOUCHES)

(Skydive Elsinore provides wingsuits students with a 90 degree turn from jumprun upon coach request. Not only does this practice offer the student a more straight-on flight path, it also ensures that First-Flight wingsuit students are well off the path of jumprun, preventing proximity with tandems and/or other skydivers in most situations). Practice touches are broken down into four components. Note that waveoffs are part of the practice-touch process; waveoffs should be taught in all First Flight Courses.

DEPLOYMENT:

First Flight Students frequently express trepidation about deployment; getting the parachute out cleanly while wearing large surface areas is daunting for even the most experienced skydiver. We drill deployment procedures to the point that students are able to do them with their eyes closed on the ground.  This builds confidence and muscle memory. Kinesthetic reinforcement is very important in this drill. A waveoff before deployment is required of the student. Some coaches do not teach a wave off, citing that it “might be too much information for new wingsuiters.” This is simply ridiculous. We teach waveoff in the FJC, so if  a first-jump AFF skydiver can wave off, so can a first flight wingsuit student with at least 200 jumps. Ingrain the habit from the start. We also may never see this wingsuiter again after the First Flight Course.

CLEARING THE SUIT:

Clearing the suit does not have a supportive video;  it is fairly straightforward, and takes only a few minutes to teach although this part of the training is also broken down into three parts, then assembled as a whole.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

INSTABILITY RECOVERY:
We spend a significant portion of allotted time on instability recovery. Many FFC students have been watching YouTube, reading Dropzone.com, or have heard horror stories about the mythical flatspin (that doesn’t occur with properly taught FFC courses).  They are fearful, and often express fear in the FFC interview process.

When coaching, we do not refer to “flatspins” but rather “instability.”  Old school methods teach to ball up; this presents its own problems as students progress into larger and larger suits. The method we train is effective whether in large or small wingsuit, rather than having one procedure for large suits and one procedure for small suits.  We train on creepers with kinesthetics and isometrics, and the student is well prepared to deal with any instability or rotation that may occur.

LINETWISTS:

Linetwists are a part of the Emergency Procedures module. We offer multiple methods for the beginning wingsuiter. There are other methods available; we’ve found these two methods to be quite effective for the new wingsuiter. 

Linetwists occur in a small percentage of FFC’s. Of course there are other methods for clearing linetwists; we’ve found these methods to be very effective for the newer wingsuiter, without adding to their set of training tasks.

FFC/JUMP ONE

Once the FFC has been successfully completed, we move into rapidly advancing skills and confidence of the FFC student while their confidence is high.
The second jump in the series trains a front float exit with start/coast/stop and forward motion control. We teach this immediately so that students understand various methods of slowing down or “stopping” in the event they may be flying too close or too fast towards another wingsuiter in a group setting. We feel this is the next most-important skillset.

JUMP TWO:

Front Float Exit/Start/Coast/Stop skills.
Student will exit front float (coach in rear) and once relative to coach, the student will perform three tasks prior to deployment. The front float exit is arguably the most safe exit for wingsuiting, and it is taught very early. We also use this exit as an FFC with students that are very tall.

JUMP THREE:

Running/Pivot Exit (for Otters, Caravans, Skyvans, other large door aircraft)
Up/Down fall rate skills (performed with the hips, not head, arms, or legs)

JUMP FOUR:

GAINER EXIT (for Otters, Caravans, Skyvans, other large door aircraft)
This is a “rabbit jump” where the student is no longer base; the Coach acts as a base and provides a stable reference for the student to fly to.
(No Supporting Video)

JUMP FIVE:

Students are prepped for barrel rolls. A Front Float exit is common, but students are given a choice of Running/Pivot or Front Float exits. Gainer Exits are generally not appropriate for barrel roll jumps. The purpose of this jump is as much about instability as it is about performing the barrel rolls.  Students that are able to deal with mild instability are generally prepared for beginning backflying.

JUMP SIX

Baton Passes. Student choice of exit.

JUMP SEVEN

Performance Category jump. Student has two options from which to choose.

JUMP EIGHT

Performance Category jump. Student has two options from which to choose.

JUMP NINE

Performance Category jump. Student has two options from which to choose.

JUMP TEN

Running pivot exit. Student will transition from belly to back, backfly for five seconds, and transition to belly for five seconds. This is an introduction to backflying.

Phoenix-fly and Skydive Elsinore have funded and facilitated the development of the training method.  I’m very grateful to them both for making it possible to develop a program for wingsuiters that is sensible and efficient for cross-training AFFI’s, USPA Coaches, and Wingsuit Coaches.  Wingsuiting is still seen as a discipline similar to freefall, and the dedication to creating better, more consistent training on the part of both groups is inspiring and appreciated.

Coaching helps wingsuit students arrive safely at backflying confidence with the entry-level to flying on their back.

Positive-contact exits work very well, offer great stability, and provide a method that assures there can be no tail strike.

Kinesthetics and isometrics play a big role in coaching at Skydive Elsinore Wingsuit School.

**Jump numbers are not what makes for a “Qualified Coach.”  Manufacturer ratings are a good place to start; There are great coaches without manufacturer ratings and there are terrible coaches with them.  

 

Old Man Winter has only shown his face a couple of times so far this year (here, at least).  On the other hand, St. Nick is getting ready to make his appearance and this means festive times in the New River Gorge.  Whether you need to work on your Christmas list or just want to get into the holiday spirit, you’ll find everything you’re looking for right by the Bridge.

Shopping

There are plenty of shopping options in this area, especially if you’re looking for something a little different than a department store offering.  Canyon Rim Gift Shop and the National Park Service Canyon Rim Visitor Center are next to the Bridge and have a lot of interesting gifts that you won’t find anywhere else.

Wisteria’s Gifts, located just south of the Bridge in Fayetteville, has a great deal of handcrafted and unique gifts. Pottery, jewelry, glass, children’s items, and much more line the shelves of this cozy shop.

If you need a present for someone who loves being outside, then Water Stone Outdoorsin downtown Fayetteville can’t be missed. From climbing gear and shoes to all sorts of outdoor clothing, Water Stone has a great selection of items for all kinds of outdoor activities.

Downtown Fayetteville has many other little specialty shops offering antiques, clothing and crafts. Take some time to stroll around town and pop in on these local merchants.  You never know what you might find.

And here’s what we think is the perfect gift – a West Virginia adventure experience!  Purchase a gift certificate from one of our area outfitters and give a rafting trip, a jetboat ride, or a zip line tour.

Holiday Activities

Lacy’s Lights are an annual favorite at the Fayette County Park.  For just a small donation, you can drive through the display, which boasts over 300,000 lights.  In Ansted, visit the Page/Vawter House for it’s Christmas lights and tour. If these holiday lights don’t get you into the spirit, nothing will.

The Historic Fayette Theater has a couple of holiday shows in the works. The New River Youth Symphony Chorus will have their winter concert on December 10 at 7 pm. Then, The Wild Rumpus will host their third annual New Years Bash on New Years Eve. Both of these events are fun for the family.

How are you getting in the spirit around the Gorge this year?

Share and Enjoy:

I did my first Senior Portrait shoot with a good friend's daughter a little over a month ago.  I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I can very comfortably say that I'm happy with the results.  We started in the studio and then went outside to take advantage of the fall colors.  Mom was my very important assistant and helped with wardrobe and hair that was flying in the breeze.  All in all it was a good experience and I'm looking forward to doing more in the future.

If you'd like to book your photo shoot or contact me with any questions you might have, you can do so right here online.

Article written by Rob Kendall

Day 7 here at the DIPC was a windy one but more about that later……lets start with day 6

Day 6 started bright and early with the swooper’s trying their luck at speed. With a less than ideal head wind they were having a hard time finishing their runs without having to run. The scores (speeds) they had gotten in the previous round were far from reach in this one.
Only the big hitters were managing to get through the course completely.

Classics resumed after the wind had died down and later during the day it was announced that they would finish with the last round of RW, We at Airtec are VERY proud to announce that we have all the podium placings in the open class of RW Congratulations to the French National Team, The Belgium National team (Hayabusa) and of course SDC Rhythm…… An outstanding performance!

Open:

Gold-France
Silver-Belgium Hayabusa
Bronze-USA SDC Rhythm XP

Gulf Cup:

Gold-Qatar Tigers
Silver-UAE Red
Bronze-UAE Gold

We are for sure so stoked for them, I would like to know what they are going to spend the prize money on? Albi and i found out during the day that once again everybody was going to Bab Al Shams desert resort later that day. You may remember that the DIPC took everybody there in 2010 and I can say it is still as spectacular as it was back then.

After about 1 hours drive into the desert we arrived at the location and were greeted with local song and snacks , camels in the background and welcoming drinks. Once the others had arrived we moved into the main area and our eyes feasted on the most delicious selection of food I had only ever seen the last time I was there lol.

It wasn’t long before everybody was tucking into the thousands of food selections available (well maybe not thousands but close i am sure With music and belly dancers, the feast for eyes ears and mouth was complete……… But don’t forget this is Dubai! We were also treated to a camel and horse riding display and to top it all of a wonderful fire works display………

Although it has been said many many times before this is not only a ” parachuting paradise and a the theater of dreams” but also just an awesome place to be!

As always the day tape of early day 6 from the guys at skydive Dubai

<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/XkGHqByxoPU?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XkGHqByxoPU?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></object>

Today was a windy day of sorts, Classics and CRW were up in the air early in the morning but as the day progressed the winds grew stronger and jumping stopped waiting for the winds died down. To keep the jumpers entertained PD and Regan Tetlow came up with a new way to hand out their goodies………. Take a big swoop pond, guys and girls in underwear and bikinis and get them to relay race back and forth for the chance of winning the PD good stuff. It was made even more interesting when his highness got wind of the game and decided to give the overall winner a surprise prize during the competition prize giving on Friday……We will have to wait and see what it is

The event is slowly drawing to an end on the CRW and Classics. The RW is done and we will see how far the Swoopers get tomorrow

Be sure to check the Skydive Dubai website and PD blog page to get multiple angles of the 3rd Dubai international parachuting championships and gulf cup 2011.

Pictures on the CYPRES picture gallery here
Pictures from CYPRES sponsored Bruno brokken and friends here

Facebook pages:
PD
CYPRES
DIPC

Article written by Rob Kendall

Top word of the day: RELAX!

Unfortunately winds where just a little to high for most of the day for classics and CP. The winds were just above the limits which led to lots of hanging around waiting for a chance to jump. Although i think manufactures don’t like to admit it this is awesome news for us! We have seen a steady flow of skydivers coming through the tents during the week but today it was non stop. CYPRES, Mirage, PD and Sun Path had their hands full from early morning until early evening with both skydivers and non skydivers asking questions and of course “looking” with their hands…….Just the way we like it!

The winds were in limits for all CRW disciplines and they certainly had happy faces. They managed to charge through rounds being only ones up in the air. RW had the day off, with only one round to go the organizers might be keeping it exciting and holding them back to nearer the end? It looks like a close race for 1st and 2nd and even closer for 3rd and 4th! I really can’t decide who to root for they are all awesome teams (and all CYPRES  Sponsored hehehe).

Skydivers can always keep themselves occupied some volleyball others tell the story of the big fish that got away and no-one other than Karl saw…… He told that story more than once, you don’t believe me? Look at the picture at the bottom of this post lol…….

Towards the end of the day the winds died down enough to get the classics up in the air until sunset.

Still a day like today gave the Skydive Dubai staff a chance to collect plenty of ground video material for their awesome day tape. I have been posting the day before day tape but think if i can i will post both as I have seen a few seconds of today’s and it is funny (sharks in the swoop pond).

Here is yesterdays day tape below:

<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q0SKOlfnJ3c?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q0SKOlfnJ3c?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></object>

Below is the up to date day tape.

<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/yV2lr8XziVk?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yV2lr8XziVk?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></object>

Be sure to check the Skydive Dubai website and PD blog page to get multiple angles of the 3rd Dubai international parachuting championships and gulf cup 2011.

Pictures on the CYPRES picture gallery here
Pictures from CYPRES sponsored Bruno brokken and friends here

Facebook pages:
PD
CYPRES
DIPC

Team Polte is a brand new team from Finland. Team member Lauri says, “The concept of Polte is to have fun and fly free, and share it to the world by videos and photos. That’s how people can really see what Polte and skydiving is all about. Our future plans include competing and get more involved in different skydiving events around the world and arrange our own events in Finland. At the same time we offer services for companies to promote their products in form of videos, photos and stories.”

Polte members:

• Lauri Aapro
• Tuomas Hulkkonen
• Matti Miilumäki
• Jonne Kuoksa

We can’t wait to see what comes out of Finland and Team Polte!

The 4 way Formation Skydiving event here in Dubai concluded today with the 8th and final round. The final standings: Open: Gold-France Silver-Belgium Hayabusa Bronze-USA SDC Rhythm XP 4th-USA Perris Fury Gulf Cup: Gold-Qatar Tigers Silver-UAE Red Bronze-UAE Gold 4th-Oman...

Everyone knows the magnitude of the festival that is Bridge Day. With over 400 BASE jumpers, over 300 rappellers and close to 100,000 spectators, it’s the largest one-day festival in West Virginia.

As Bridge Day has evolved over the years, one of the additions that has steadily grown in popularity and participation has been the feasting that takes place on Friday evening. The Taste of Bridge Day showcases some of the area’s finest cuisine and exposes people to the talents of local restaurants and caterers.

One of those local talents is Rezan Nese.  Rezan was raised in Fayette County, but she has Turkish roots.  She is the head chef and kitchen manager of Chetty’s Pub, one of the eateries at Adventures on the Gorge.  Rezan takes her cooking very seriously.

Background

Rezan has well over 23 years working with food. She has cooked in many different places including Costa Rica, Turkey and at her own place in Fayetteville, which she recently sold after four years. She credits her unusual recipes to the diversity of cuisine she has been exposed to around the world.

The Taste

This year’s Taste of Bridge Day featured 14 restaurants from a multi-county area. Rezan relates a few of her feelings about the annual event.  “It’s a great advertising and exposure tool for local mom and pop restaurants. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience new food and flavors that many people would not normally try or have exposure to.”

Initially we planned to share a couple of Rezan’s Taste of Bridge Day recipes here for people to recreate. But as Rezan related, “mine are all in my head, which I know seems a little crazy, but that’s just the way I do it.”

Maybe you’ll get inspiration to try making something new and unique yourself.

Her Dishes

Rezan shared some descriptions of very unique dishes created according to her varied tastes. Her Thai lettuce wrap with red curry features red curry paste, coconut milk, garlic and ginger, your choice of  meat or seafood, shredded carrots, cabbage, shittake mushrooms, leaf lettuce and green onions.

Another favorite dish of Rezan’s is a Peanut Noodle Bowl.  It features rice noodles, peanut butter, chicken broth, crushed red pepper, garlic, ginger and cashew pieces for a garnish.

Rezan has served these dishes at the Taste of Bridge Day in previous years.  They are certainly not your typical WV cuisine.  Rezan says, “Each year I try to do something unique.”

What’s your favorite Taste of Bridge Day dish?

Share and Enjoy:

Just when it didn't seem to be able to get any more amazing here in Dubai, the competition continues!! 2Way CF continues to be a tight race between the Russians, French and Aussies. With only one round left to go...

It’s always a good day in the media when skydiving/skydivers are featured in a positive and exciting manner – and the boys from Thunderstorm (the Denver Broncos demo team) got us some good press recently.

Michael Demma edited this great video showing their jump into the stadium but also gives a glimpses of what the team does behind the scenes to prepare.

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="254" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-xHmTRPTrtc" width="500"></iframe>

Slipstream Airsports members Justin Thornton and Stuart Schoenfelt do a great job during the interview. We are also happy to report now that Movember is over, Justin has shed the hairy upper lip.

The man behind the legandary wingsuit company Phoenix Fly and some of the most jaw droppingly amazing proximity flying videos is not normally one for giving interviews, so when BSM got the chance to tag along on one of his recent BASE trips, we quite literally jumped at the chance – No, seriously, we took a BASE rig. Well, it would be rude not to.

Robert Pecnik normally shies away from the media spotlight, preferring instead to focus his time on designing new, more advanced suits as well as BASE jumping his ass off as part of Team Need 4 Speed buzzing walls and flying lines that’ll leave you screaming at your monitor.

In this slightly rare video interview, we get up close and personal with Robert and ask him questions such as: Who are you? What do you do? Where do you think BASE and wingsuit skydiving are going? Oh, and, what the hell was the deal with your hamster??

It was another amazing day here in Dubai. In the Female Classic Accuracy, China and Russia are in a tight race for the gold, only 2 centimeters separate the teams. In the Open Classic Accuracy, Russia leads with 16 cents...

The weather today was wonderful here in Dubai. It was the National Day here celebrating 40 years of the UAE. The folks here have a great sense of pride in their country hanging UAE flags on the roof of their...

Article written by Rob Kendall

Well today is already over! I can’t explain how fast the day shot past…….Really….. It’s 08:00 and then before i knew it it was time to catch the bus back to the hotel. Today was super busy the competition is running like a well oiled machine with RW doing 2 rounds a day at the moment they could finish before the rest (suppose that just gives them more time to enjoy the fantastic entertainment Dubai has to offer)? Classics are running smoothly, it seems that every time i look up a canopy is coming in on “finals” lol…….. If it’s not the “0″ buzzer it’s the tchchchch of the swoop canopies going through the course. Lets not forget the Crew dogs doing their “thang” up top…..

Today also seemed the day that everyone wanted to find out what they have been meaning to ask ….like forever….about the CYPRES (CYbernetic Parachute RElease System) it was great to answer the many questions everyone asked and there where one or two technical questions that even had me thinking hard (but these are the most interesting and fun to think about and answer lol). Time flew by with this keeping me busy……

Albi spent the morning “checking” out the Desert DZ in Dubai (yes they have two)! He came back after getting a porter and a helicopter jump 100% happy I still don’t know if it was the DZ that he was so happy about or the jumps (I am sure it was both) the lucky bugger…….. While on his little reconnaissance mission I was left to enjoy the view  at the palm DZ (below) can’t complain really, would you?

Another item of the list of things done today was getting some video and pictures of the UAE anniversary “40″ jump yesterday that were taken by CYPRES sponsored Hayabusa cameraman Danny Jacobs…… The palm in the background kinda makes it unmistakable as to the location…….. Thanks Danny!

Today’s video is bought to you by PD productions (otherwise known as Al from PD) i hope you enjoy it as much as i did

<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/6jcps4M-8eU?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6jcps4M-8eU?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></object>

Be sure to check the Skydive Dubai website and PD blog page to get multiple angles of the 3rd Dubai international parachuting championships and gulf cup 2011.

We have also updated the pictures on the CYPRES picture gallery here
Facebook pages:
PD
CYPRES
DIPC

CYPRES blog post same time tomorrow Folks hope to see you then lol

Stay tuned for more

Skydiving changes our lives, and in turn we can use skydiving to change the world. As beginners, we look at the open airplane door and the blue sky outside, perhaps wondering for an instant why this seemed like a good idea. One or two exits later, some of us begin to fall in love with the relative wind, the feeling of being on the outside of a plane at altitude, the challenge, the community. For those who keep coming back, the time and financial investment to get licensed can seem selfish at first. But many of us are also inspired to share our risk-taking journeys in meaningful ways—we want to make a difference while doing what we love.

read more

Brought to you by Niklas Daniel of AXIS Flight School at Skydive Arizona in Eloy with his teammate from Arizona Arsenal, Steve Curtis. Photos by Travis Mills.

read more

Article written by Rob Kendall

Day 2 here at the “pearl of the Gulf”  flew by (pardon the pun). The winds died down and only left the  flutter of helicopters and screaming of planes taking the guys up, CRW, RW, Classics and CP all got up in the air.

We are all running smoothly (it must be the perfect weather conditions:-)) be it the competitors, planes, judges, DZ or us manufactures! It was fantastic to see so many “non” skydivers making their way down to watch what we do…………

Today is Decem­ber 2nd, and the 40th anniver­sary of the UAE! Everywhere flags could be seen and happy faces, The DZ really was full of families coming along to see what fun we have in the sky. We manufactures were busy chatting with both skydivers and those just interested and spent allot of time explaining what we do and how. It was great to see how much interest was shown and more than once i was asked where they could go do their 1st (beer) jump! Skydive Dubai stopped the competition briefly to celebrate the UAE anniversary by showing the crowd a great 40 in free fall, The CRW (not to be outdone) showed off with a 16 way diamond and this topped off by Zoltan amazing us with his flying skills.

Skydive Dubai has been running so efficient with posting of scores as they become available i am quite happy to just post the link (and have to admit it does save me a little time lol) Skydive have also been providing day tapes and believe me when i say that they are nothing short of amazing……….. Check it out for yourself………..

<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/dS5NuYp5ETk?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dS5NuYp5ETk?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></object>

Above is the professional edit but Albi and i still think we had more fun making our version here

It’s about that time to head on to bed. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Be sure to check the Skydive Dubai website and PD blog page to get multiple angles of the 3rd Dubai international parachuting championships and gulf cup 2011.

We will also be posting pictures on the CYPRES picture gallery here
Facebook pages:
PD
CYPRES
DIPC

Stay tuned for more

It’s official: Issue 26 has left our printer’s nest and is on its way to you — if you’re a lucky subscriber. If you’re not, you can be, simply by clicking this handy link, or mailing us a check, or calling us on the phone, or seeing us at a boogie, or sending a smoke signal.

In this issue:

• Bridge Day 2011
  Bamwich takes us along on his first Bridge Day!
• The Sex Skydive Heard ‘Round the World
  Alex Torre takes us along on his first controversial sex skydiving video!
• “I Jumped It”
  Our new gear review series. Dave Schwartz of Skydive Radio fame reviews Alti-2‘s N3 Audio.
• The Zen of BASE Part 3: Baffin
  Oh boy, Matt Gerdes‘ story is really getting good. Part 3 of 4.
• A Week in the Life of Mike Steen
  The lovely Faith chats with paragliding guru Mike Steen across continents and mountains.
• DIY: Canopy Hanger
  Rigger Please, LLC owner Chuck Marshall shows you how to build a canopy hanger of your own for $65.
• Falling Down the Rabbit Hole: From Student to Nationals in 18 Months
  Bam again. He introduces us to Team Wonderland‘s Jess, a TV news reporter who…you guessed it, went from student to USPA Nationals competitor in 18 months.
• Aerodynamics for Dummies Part 1: Lift
  Julien Peelman of NZ Aerosports throws down the physics lesson.
• Big Girls Don’t Cry: Clair Crawford
  Cynthia brings us another amazing BASE girl. Next month is the last one in the series, so collect them all!
• Turning Points: Skydiving Competition and the Media
  Kurt Gaebel of the National Skydiving League looks at how competitors handled outside media coverage at this year’s Nationals.
• The Beginning of the End of My Flourishing Career: California Dreamin’
  Sydney‘s starting a new chapter!
• The Fuckin’ Pilot: Fucking FAAcebook
  See what we did there?
• Skydiving and Life Coach: Gold or Gutter Balls
  Melanie Curtis talks Nationals competition and what the elites are really thinking of in competition.
• Jump a Random Skydiver: Julian Bergstein
  The lovely Faith went to wing night at The Perfect Spot and found us some meat.

Danish skydiver Kenneth Gajda has graciously shared with us the view through his lens, as he explores the 3rd Dubai International Parachuting Championships (DIPC).
Visit the Skydive Dubai website for scores, standings and general updates from the event.

Article written by Rob Kendall

It truly is amazing…….. This morning, I stood at the entrance of the DZ and just looked across at everything that was in place, The organizers and all the people that have helped set up the event have done a spectacular job. Each time I return they outdo themselves. The already big “country” tents now have an extra shade area, Wind-blades everywhere, Water, Fruit juice and Red bull to keep the competitors hydrated and well, the food is 1000 better than you will find at any DZ in the world! I have seen an vast improvement on the little things: Buildings in place, a tarmac road has been laid, parking spaces (with shade covers of course) done and finished…… All that’s left to build is the 22 foot wind tunnel (still rumor as far as i know) and the new run way out to sea!

This year, 47 dif­fer­ent Coun­tries will com­pete in Canopy pilot­ing, 4 way for­ma­tion sky­div­ing (Women, Men & Mix), 4 way Canopy For­ma­tion, and Accu­racy (indi­vid­ual & Teams). As if it wasn’t hard enough to organize the 3 disciplines they added a 4th
The place is alight with movement, skydivers everywhere, concentration faces on mixed with laughter and  the calm relaxation we all find when everything is running smoothly!

A few days before the official start of the event it was announced that the prize money has been dou­bled from last year, now a stag­ger­ing purse of 775,000USD or just shy of AED 3 Mil­lion! The purse in canopy pilot­ing alone is 80,000USD and in open class 4-way for­ma­tion, it is now 180,000USD reward­ing the gold medal team with 40,000USD! This does add that special edge, Wouldn’t you agree?

The morning started finishing up training jumps and Accuracy kicking off the event with their round 1. After the winds picked up a little later the CP crew finished up their training  jumps and the CF and RW team carried on jumping until the end of the day. Scores so far can be found here

The CYPRES tent is all set up ready to go, the weather is perfect and everyone has big fat smiles on their faces…….. You don’t believe me? Check out the video,

<object data="http://www.youtube.com/v/tVWsXHGuyi0?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tVWsXHGuyi0?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE&amp;rel=0"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"></object>

Be sure to check the Skydive Dubai website and PD blog page to get multiple angles of the 3rd Dubai international parachuting championships and gulf cup 2011.

We will also be posting pictures on the CYPRES picture gallery here
Facebook pages:
PD
CYPRES
DIPC

Stay tuned for more

read more

For many students, video demonstrations of what they need to accomplish during their skydives are very helpful. Until now, there have been plenty of video demonstrations of various freefall maneuvers, such as turns or back flips, but very little canopy-control footage.

read more