Planet Skydive

How many go these thrills have you had? What are you crossing off your list next?

The KL Tower in Malaysia hosts a big BASE event every year that attracts talented BASE jumpers from around the world. This edit highlights a ton of day jumps, night jumps amidst the city lights, and other random clips that really give you a sense of this event and the people there. Heck, someone even gets married!

The post Big Time BASE appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

It’s super-mega-duper-epic-out-of-this-world dynamic flying, that’s what it is! With the line up of coaches like Peter Nilsson, Mikey Carpenter, Petter Jonsson, Steph Soria and countless of the other badasses featured in this vid, FlajFlaj at Skydive Elsinore is the Burning Man of sky jumping. You’ve GOT TO be there next year! I have no idea if you can pre-register this early (probably not), but I’m ’bout to call up Elsinore and get my name on the list.

The post The Awesomeness At Skydive Elsinore appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

United Parachute Technologies has issued PSB 20132005 – Retractable Y Strap – Student Harness, making the previously optional y-strap mandatory on all UPT tandem harnesses by December 1, 2013.

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…

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: mike@uptvector.com.

Download the service bulletin: PSB 20132005 – Retractable Y Strap – Student Harness 

Online content related to the Cover photo and Night Owls feature in the magazine.

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An awesome HALO jump by a civilian from 30,000 feet… more than 2 minutes of freefall from 5.5 miles above the earth.

The post Civilian HALO Skydive from 30,000 ft. appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Red Bull gives you balls! Just another day at the office for the guy who invented the MotoX double backflip, madman Travis Pastrana skydives over Arecibo, Puerto Rico without a parachute. It’s like that scene from the movie Point Break where Keanu Reeves skydives without a rig, only this is real. What do you think: coolness or recklessness?

The post Travis Pastrana Skydives Without Parachute appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

In Douggs’ recent article, “Dealing with Death in the Sport of Life,” I made a pretty awful typo and misidentified Roland “Slim” Simpson as Robert Pecnik (and yes I even misspelled “Pecnik” just to add insult to injury).

Here is the caption Douggs submitted to go with this photo:

And here is the photo and caption we actually printed:

Robert, I am terribly sorry for this mistake! And to the rest of the world: Robert Pecnik of Phoenix Fly is alive, well, and doing awesome shit:

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Photos by Justin Carmody

The Performance Designs Factory Team has the longest history of any team in the canopy piloting discipline, having celebrated its 10-year anniversary in 2012. With a few roster changes along the way, its members have been a driving force in the canopy piloting world, winning scores of competitions and sometimes sweeping entire podiums. In January 2013, the team announced the addition of two new members, Gage Galle and Julien Guiho. These are the first new additions since the team’s X-Project, a major expansion event in 2009 that added five members. In contrast to 2009, this time around there was no massive tryout event, no open call and no hype leading up to the additions. The team simply chose two new members.

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This article originally appeared in the May/June issue of Blue Skies Mag, and in issue 64 of the Australian Skydiver Magazine.

by Chris “Douggs” McDougall

How lucky are we? We found the ultimate sports of skydiving and BASE jumping that have completely changed our lives and created amazing lifestyles, passions, and families of unconditional love. And for each and every one of us, our first skydives—and even our first BASE jumps—changed our lives for the better for evermore. Sure we know it can be dangerous but that’s part of why we signed up in the first place, isn’t it? The adrenaline, the freedom, the feeling of self-achievement by conquering our fears and achieving human flight, turning a normal, mundane life into a three-dimensional paradise of enlightenment, bliss, and smiles. Sure there is a chance I or my friends could die but I am all over this shit. It can’t happen to me, and it can’t happen to my mates. I feel invincible.

That’s how I felt when I started jumping at the age of 20. I just wanted to do one skydive with my mates for an adrenaline buzz to show myself, and the world that I am hard core! I heard of people dying but it was just by word-of-mouth or in skydiving magazines so it never really bothered me because I am fine—I am safe and I would never make mistakes, nor would my mates.

And then bit by bit, the deaths and downside of our beautiful sports came crashing down around me and they haven’t stopped since. One minute my friends are there and the next they are dead, gone forever. The most beautiful, amazing, full-of-life people that I have ever met and they are gone forever, just like that. What the fuck! No No NO! This can’t be happening. Not to me and definitely not to all my best friends in the whole damn world. How do I deal with this? What do I do now? I can’t believe it!

Well believe it! The unfortunate truth about our amazing sports is that there is a very dark side that can be difficult to deal with and that will change your life forever.

While the rest of the world goes on living life with blinkers, working until they retire and dying the slow, miserable death of life, they haven’t realized that life can be gone in a split second, taken away forever. We are lucky, really, because by committing to skydiving and BASE jumping we accept that life is finite. That yes, we can die doing what we love, so let’s make the most of every single day and enjoy life while we can.

That’s great and all but when something does go wrong, whom do we turn to for help, for guidance, for understanding?

We are not like most people and it is very difficult for the normal person to understand our pain, let alone help us because the truth is, we are selfish and we have made these choices in our lives. So at the end of the day we are mostly left alone to deal with the loss of a loved one, a partner, a friend and it is rough—really rough sometimes.

Unfortunately for me, I have been through almost every scenario over the last 15 years in these sports that I love and adore and that have become a major part of my life. I have learned the hard way how to deal with death and I hope this article may help other people deal with death if they are ever faced with it.

I must state that from here on these are purely my experiences and my perceptions. They may be the same as yours or they may be completely different and you may completely disagree with everything I say, which is fine. There are no rules or even guidelines to any of this so it all comes down to personal experiences and opinions. These are mine.

I have put skydiving and BASE jumping deaths into 6 categories:

1. Someone I don’t know dies that I didn’t witness.	2. Someone I don’t know dies that I did witness.
3. A friend dies that I didn’t witness.	4. A friend dies that I did witness.
5. A partner dies that I didn’t witness.	6. A partner dies that I did witness.

1. Someone I don’t know that dies that I didn’t witness

It is a lot less traumatic for me if I don’t watch someone die. Mostly it doesn’t hit home too much if it is a stranger because there is just no emotional tie there. I either hear it by word-of-mouth, by reading it in a paper or on the Internet, or by watching it on TV. Bad things happen every day on TV and it is normal to watch it without emotion.

I am able to distance myself from it a little bit because I was not part of their final situation. For me then, the trauma comes from interacting with the people who were there and with their families and friends. I feel their pain, not my own, because I am disassociated from it. Unfortunately, I also built up a tolerance for it over the years, which is a bit sad but it’s sort of like a hardened soldier. I am not too sure why but sometimes it is a blessing while other times it is a curse. This is really just a heads-up that this may or may not happen to you. I guess I have just become battle hardened over the years now.

2. Someone I don’t know dies that I did witness.

Now for the tricky part—watching someone die. In a word it is fucked! Whether I don’t know the person or it is a friend or partner, watching someone die is a horrible experience but it is how you learn to deal with these things over time that makes you a better person. This will sound horrible but I was lucky enough that the first person I watched die wasn’t someone I knew. I was on the jump with him but I didn’t know him.

It was horrible and I will never ever forget the sound of him hitting the water with only a pilot chute out. It was like a cannon firing. That will stay with me forever. I was lucky enough to have friends around who had dealt with it before and so I was looked after. But watching something like this scared me forever still. The whole experience was surreal and it was a lot for me to take in.

The crazy part for me was how quick someone goes from being alive to being dead. It still spins me out every time it happens. To see a body go from a warm living creature to a cold, pale shell is a horrible experience. Even though you might not know the person, seeing it happen has a major effect, and especially if their friends and family are present, it can get very emotional.

3. A friend dies that I didn’t witness.

I have lost nearly every one of my best friends. It just sucks. The coolest people in your life and in an instant they are gone forever. But again, not being present to watch them die seems to make it easier to deal with. It is still horrible of course but not being there or watching it on a camera is just so different to actually being present.

Don’t get me wrong, when I heard that my best friends Coombesy and Ted Rudd had been killed from proximity tracking, it devastated me and I still miss these guys every day. But I wasn’t there when it happened. I was talking with people who were there and it is a horrible thing they have to experience.

When you get the news over the phone your heart sinks and you feel so alone. You know that these amazing people are gone forever and nothing will bring them back. You give support to their friends and family and in turn you receive support from them. But the pain of losing a good friend never completely goes away. So you have to learn to live with it and deal with it and support your friends and the family of the deceased through this rough time—and it can take years.

4. A friend dies that I did witness.

When you watch a friend die it is totally fucked, and the aftermath is even worse. I had to deal with this last year when they brought my mate down from a cliff in a chopper, hog-tied to the bottom of it without even a body bag. Then I and another friend had to identify the mangled body after a terminal wingsuit impact on a ledge. This was not cool and I would hate to have had to deal with this as my first death. It was very hard.

Even harder is watching a friend die when there are other friends there or a family member or partner. They do not deal with this very well at all and things can get crazy with emotion, from tears to anger and everything in between. It is a very touchy situation to be in and must be dealt with delicately. It takes a lot of time to get over this type of situation and I never really do. I not only deal with my demons but also their family and friends, and generally have involvement in the funeral arrangements too.

5. A partner dies that I didn’t witness.

This is one of the hardest things to deal with I am sure. Losing a partner in any situation is a horrible thing—the person you love, gone forever. It can be very difficult to deal with the families of a partner as well, especially if they didn’t condone the sports in the first place. There can be a lot of anger directed at you, which can be hard to manage while you are dealing with your own emotions. But again, not being there makes it just that bit easier for me to dissociate from it all. If your last communication with your partner was not a good one, this can play very hard on you forever until you are able to let it go and move on, which can take years, if ever.

6. A partner dies that I did witness.

The hardest one for me was watching my girlfriend die years ago; it still stirs emotions up even as I write this. When my mum died after an 8-year battle with cancer, I had time to get closure with her, talk to her about it all, and say my goodbyes. It actually wasn’t that hard when she died and I just moved on over time.

But when my girlfriend died it was in an instant and all the times I had been an asshole and all the things I should’ve said but will never get the chance to say started haunting me and still does. She had a main/reserve entanglement that I witnessed, and was first to her body. It was a gruesome find, as she hit feet, pelvis, face. I had nightmares for months and needed to keep a photo next to me to remember what she actually looked like alive.

It was the hardest death I have had to deal with so far. I went on a 6-month downward spiral and stopped caring about myself, something that no one should ever do. I was drinking a lot and doing some recreational drugs (which I still enjoy doing) but not in a good way, in a self-destructive way.

It was not going to end well for me if I kept this up. My dad and a couple of friends got me out of it though. Dad was very simple. “Which road do you want to take, son? The upward positive road or the downward spiraling negative road? It is your choice!”

And that is the thing with grief; it comes down to your choice of how you deal with it. You can get on with things and make each day a better day and see the good things and the positive things—or, you can stay in a rut forever and focus on the negative things. I have a family member like that and you can just feel the negativity creeping into you from them; it just doesn’t need to be like that.

So how do we deal with all this?

Drinking and Partying
When I lose someone I have no hesitation in getting all fucked up with my mates for a day or two. Long-term alcohol and drug abuse to hide your pain is a negative thing, but short term it can be very helpful for me. Once I’m a bit wasted it is a lot easier to bring to the surface and release my raw emotions—get them out there and lay them on the table for me and my friends to see. That way I can start to deal with them because I know what they are.

But for now, just get smashed and celebrate the deceased person’s life because most likely they were an amazing person who was high on life and wouldn’t want you to be sad forever! So get wasted for a bit, release the pain and start planning on how to move on with life because it is finite for all of us.

Humor
With my skydiving and BASE jumping friends at least, we use extreme humor and very black humor to get through these dark times. From an outsider’s point of view it seems callous, disgusting, and downright disrespectful that we would talk like that. For me and my mates, it is a release to bring back some laughter in a dark time, which is the best emotional tool to bring positivity back into my life when it’s at its worst.

Probably one of the harshest things ever said to me (from an outsider’s point of view) was when I watched my girlfriend die. I was on a team called “The Shovels” back then and about two hours after she went in, I had just finished with the police and was a total mess. My teammate rings me up and first thing he says is, “At least there was a Shovel there to scrape her up!”

Now to anyone else that may be the most horrible thing in the world to say, but for me it was like, “Oh, you sick mother fucker bro!” With a dark giggle and for a moment it lightened the heavy load I had on my shoulders. Of course this is an extreme comment but one I want to get across to people. Humor is a great way to release pain. We will normally only wait a couple of hours before we give our dead mates shit. Again, it sounds harsh but I would expect nothing less from my mates if it were me! Remember it was their choice to start these sports, as it is yours!

Crying
I never used to cry. I never really cried after my mum’s death but after my girlfriend’s death I lost my shit and would cry for hours. Crying is awesome and I recommend it. It is such a great release of pain and a great way to get in touch with your emotions, especially if you are one of these Alpha male macho men out there. You won’t cry forever and to cry yourself out is a great way to move forward.

When you stop crying you might get all like, “Fuck man, harden up, and get on with it,” or something similar but if you didn’t cry it out and become vulnerable in the first place then you’ll just keep bottling up these emotions for god knows how long and it is just not healthy.

Now I have gone from never crying to crying during most movies which sux when on airplanes. But again, this is a good thing. It means you are keeping your emotions on the outside where they can breathe and grow and not bottled up on the inside, slowly engulfing you.

Time Alone
I always make sure I have a lot of time on my own, not only to have a bit of a cry and reflect on someone’s passing but also to reflect on my life—past, present, and future. I can’t change the past but I can focus on the present and strive to improve the future. It is good to have time alone to question everything. Your motives, your hopes, your dreams, and things you could’ve done better. You should of course make sure you have friends around you too but make sure you get some alone time. A good long walk on the beach, through the forest, or in the desert, with or without music.

When my girlfriend died I went to Nepal and hiked to Everest base camp and the surrounding areas. It was a very tough time and I found more questions than answers for sure. But this really helped me in the long run, and it is a long run. The pain doesn’t go away overnight so be patient, but always try to see a light at the end of the tunnel. You need this to keep moving forward. The pain never completely goes away for me but it subsides enough to get on with things and make a better life.

Acceptance
Long ago I accepted my own death and mortality and that is why I have so much fun now—I really know that my time here on earth is finite. Whether I die jumping tomorrow or of cancer in 40 years, my time is still finite—so all of the sudden, most of life’s petty problems don’t matter anymore and I can get on with things that truly matter (to me) and not worry about what others think and all the man-made bullshit problems out there.

Accepting death gives you the true chance to live and if you work this out while you’re young then you are on the yellow brick road to Oz, ticking off all your hopes and dreams along the way. Most people work it out after they have retired, only to realize they worked 40 years to give the bank interest payments for material possessions they don’t really need.

So, accept that you will die—and so will every single person around you, at some point. It is the harsh reality of not only our sports but of life itself. Then at least, if something does go wrong one day with you or someone you love, you will at least be a little bit mentally prepared.

Choice
If you are reading this then you have probably chosen to be a skydiver or BASE jumper and that is one of the most important things to remember through all the bad times. IT IS YOUR CHOICE!
Obviously none of us chooses to die but if you are going to put yourself in a position where you or your friends can get killed then you have to accept that. No one is making you jump out of an airplane. No one is making you jump off a building. I mean really, what we do is pretty silly. It is amazing as well but we are making a conscious choice to put ourselves right in front of the reaper and tell him, “Catch me if you can!”

I like to put it like this: Every time I go on a BASE jumping trip with my mates, I treat it like we are a battalion going into battle. The battle of freedom and fun! Like in a war, there are sometimes casualties. Unlike in the world wars where they were forced to be there, we have a choice and every time I go on a jumping trip I am fully aware that not everyone will always come back. Again, it comes back to acceptance.

Hugs and Love
I always try to hug my friends when I see them and hug them again when they leave. If nothing else it is just a cool act of affection to show your friends and family that you care. Most importantly, if something does happen you can at least get some closure from the fact that you gave them a hug and left things in a happy, positive way. This will save a lot of the haunting negativity if you left things on bad terms.

Don’t freak out boys, but you can tell your mates you love them too! You don’t have to love them in a family way, a partner way, or a sexual way. But they are your mates! I love my mates just like I love everything good—I love the mountains, I love being happy. Love is a strong emotion and we all have access to it. It has an endless supply so use it as much as you can!

Time Heals All Wounds
I hate to say it but it is true. Time heals all wounds. The pain might not ever fully go away but it will subside over time. At worst, it will allow you to keep on keeping on and at best, it will help you move onward and upward in your life with passion and enjoyment. It doesn’t mean you have to forget your friends who have passed but you can honor them by getting on with things and not dwelling too much—and I bet they wouldn’t want you to dwell either!

And lastly . . .
At least you got to know them
One of my good friends helped me out a lot after my girlfriend died. She has been BASE jumping for over 30 years and seen a lot of bad and she really hit the nail on the head for me. She said, “These are the people I think about a few times a day,” and she rolled off about 20 names. “These are the people I think about once a day,” and she rolled off about another 20 names. “And these are the people I think about every now and then,” and mentioned another 20 or so names. She said, “The most important thing is that you actually got time with these people, no matter how short it was. At least you had the pleasure of meeting them, knowing them and loving them—what an honor! So many people on the planet never got to meet these amazing people and yet you did, so be thankful for that.

This was a huge one for me and I live by that now. I honor my dead mates rather than grieve for them and I remember how much fun we all had together, how much we laughed together and stoke out on all the crazy adventures we had together.

So remember folks . . . your time on this planet is finite and so is your friend’s time on this planet so enjoy this fact and make the most of it. Always hug your mates and tell them how amazing they are! Try not to get caught up in petty bullshit, as it is a waste of time. If you have a dream, go and live it now, not tomorrow. And be safe out there, nothing is worth dying for.

Hugs and love to all,
Douggs

About the author: Chris “Douggs” McDougall is one of the most experienced, hard-core BASE jumpers on the planet, and the author of the book “Confessions of an Idiot: A Colourful Tale of a Life in Freefall.” Douggs’ BASE jumping, speedflying, paragliding, climbing and surfing missions

I’m pretty sure it could be yours, too. That is, if your subscription is still current! (For the record, your subscription expiration date is in the email we sent to you, if we have your email address on file.)

If you like what you see and don’t have a subscription, you can subscribe now at blueskiesmag.com/subscribe!

If you are a current subscriber and do not have your magazine by June 1, email Kolla@blueskiesmag.com. She is back from baby leave with the cutest tiny intern ever.

So what does my esteemed copy editor/mother think is so great about this issue? This:

On the cover is Chad Wilcox’s first (BEER!) cover shot, of Team Alter Ego member Ryan Brownlow at the swoop meet in North Carolina.

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Opening Kuwait by Chris “Douggs” McDougall

 

Douggs‘ first article of the month, about the first BASE jumps in Kuwait, is the cover story.

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 Where You Need to Be

• Wingsuit Sequential Competition, Chicagoland Skydiving Center, June 28-30 >>link<<
• Vector Festival, France, July 9-14 >>link<<
• Project “Skydive the Freezer,” Alaska, July 12-25 >>link<< Unfortunately the boogie has been canceled this year
• Redemption Boogie, LSPC, July 18-21 >>link<<
• tit4tat Day at PST, Toronto, July 27 >>link<<
• Flight-1 Canopy Control Courses >>link<<

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The FlyBy

World CP Rankings, the monthly tit4tat, reader news and views, Cold Steel Award, Double Uniform Porn, 500 Naked Skydives, Lodi Ladies Sequentials

Skydiving Word of the Month: Bridle

Is: bridle Noun The length of fabric that attaches your pilot chute to your deployment bag.	Is not: bridal Adjective Of or concerning a bride or a wedding.
Bridle: This is part of a rig and helps to save your life.	Bridal: This cannot fit in a rig and will not save your life.

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Death in the Sport of Life by Douggs

Douggs’ second contribution this month. Read it in full here and in the Australian Skydiver Magazine.

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Not the Usual Suspects by Dean “Princess” Ricci

Fun facts about skydiving’s favorite supermodel: she was a kickboxer, worked in a pizzeria to pay her way through AFF, and is Italian.

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Photo Essay: Riviera Nayarit Beach Boogie by Norman Kent

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Airtight Bodyflight: How to Start Clunking Around in a Clear Tube by Annette O’Neil

Learn a thing or two about this tunnel thing everyone’s talking about.

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Paving the Runway: Crash Test Dummies and Stealth Bombers by Blannie Wagner

The latest installment from the “Hey, let’s open a drop zone!” files.

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Love in the Air by Murv

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Still feel like complaining about whatever terrible thing you thought happened in your day?

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BSBD, Kurt Ruppert, Jr. by Betsy Waite

You’ve surely heard about the Florida wingsuit jumper lost in the mountains of Washington earlier this year. Now read about the man we lost, from his girlfriend Betsy.

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Turning Points: Outdoor/Indoor Skydiving 2013 by Kurt Gaebel, NSL

Tunnels, yay!

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Tunnel Vision by The Fuckin’ Pilot

Tunnels, boo!

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Gravy by Melanie Curtis, highcomms.com

Ease up and make some gravy.

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Dear SkyGod

Help us all.

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Rats in the Ductwork by Moe Viletto

Another back-in-the-day BASE story from the master storyteller! And, did you catch him on the latest Skydive Radio?

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And that’s what made reader Missy comment, “Wow. Stellar issue this month!! ‘I always try to hug my friends when I see them and hug them again when they leave’ – best advice and fantastic article by Chris “Douggs” McDougall. And Annette O’Neil’s article about the tunnel > THANK YOU. I want to hug the shit out of this woman. Finishing the rest of the mag tonight where I’m sure to bother you again later Really great job this month everybody!!”

What do you think? Email me, lara@blueskiesmag.com, or submit a letter to the editor, or stop by our offices, or write stuff on a piece of paper, address it to Blue Skies Mag, 1665 Lexington Ave. #103, Deland FL 32724, and give it to a mailman.

******

If you have news, story ideas, photos, or reader accomplishments for our next issue (#44, July 2013), please get it to me by May 31 at lara@blueskiesmag.com.

Sttttrike! A swooper takes out a “spectator” (for lack of a better term) at a respectable speed. Why wasn’t she watching?? No one can see how awesome you are if they’re not watching.

The post Friday Freakout: Sttttrike! Swooper Hits Spectator. appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Have you ever been in the plane on the way to altitude and people by the door only open it halfway? Let this video serve as a reminder as to why, if the door is open, we gotta push that bad boy all the way up. More air for everyone, and in the event that you find your reserve deploying in the plane, you won’t get stuck in the half-open door — or even worse, ripped through it. This one’s a doozy.

The post Friday Freakout: Reserve Parachute Rips Paratrooper Out Of Plane appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Brought to you by AXIS Flight School Instructor Niklas Daniel at Skydive Arizona in Eloy. Photos by Steve Curtis. For more information visit axisflightschool.com or search “Axis Flight School” on Facebook.

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As a student, your instructor taught you (or should have taught you) how to perform a proper gear inspection, as well as basic rig maintenance such as replacing a closing loop and maintaining the 3-ring release system. Remember that training? If a recent Safety Day seminar gives any indication, the answer is probably not! During the seminar, a USPA Safety and Training Advisor had participants examine an intentionally fouled-up rig to try to find 17 different rigging errors. A surprising number of participants missed basic items such as leg straps that were improperly routed through the friction adapters, a misrouted main bridle and an incorrectly assembled 3-ring system. Surprisingly, the newly licensed jumpers scored better than the more experienced skydivers!

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Q:

 

What are tension knots, and how can I avoid them?

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During normal use, a slider will repeatedly rub against the washers that are inside the slider stops and create friction. Over time, this friction can wear the stabilizer fabric, eventually creating holes that can expose the metal washers inside. These washers then wear on the slider grommets, which can create burrs on the grommets that will damage the canopy’s suspension lines during every deployment. In a worst-case scenario, the washer could fall out and allow the slider to trap part of the stabilizer in one of its grommets. This would likely cause a streamer malfunction, as the slider would be stuck all the way at the top of the lines.

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For a tandem instructor, the day can get pretty busy (and even a little monotonous) when there are lots of students waiting to jump. However, the key word here is “student.” Each person gets to have only one first skydive, and the focus of that skydive must be the student’s experience, from start to finish. Tandem skydiving is a student training discipline, with Federal Aviation Administration requirements that instructors must meet with every student. Federal Aviation Regulation 105.45 states the following:

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by Ali VanHoose | B-37618 | Celebration, Florida

In 2003, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression with a side of anxiety. I got on meds, went to therapy regularly and tried to sort out my life. I came across an organization called SOAR (Speaking Out About Rape), founded by Kellie Greene. In 2005, I had the pleasure of meeting her at a weekend retreat in Orlando. It was then that I heard about Operation Freefall, an annual skydiving fundraiser hosted by SOAR. It involved raising money by jumping out of a plane. At the time, I took little pink pills to calm my nerves on flights. I always wanted to jump, dreamed of flying and desired to participate, but fear held me back for years. Seven years, to be exact.

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Stunning and surreal. Hands up if you’d like to have a skydiving holiday at Skydive Sebastian. Hells yeah! It seems the time to go is springtime to join in on the March Madness. Sunshine, tracking, zooming and sunsets. Winning combo.

The post A VIOLENT SKY appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

“Fuckin’ hell, that was close. Closest I’ve ever come.” Spoken like a true Aussie ninja, talkin’ all casual as his end cells nearly hit the trees. This was Chris ‘Douggs’ McDougall’s first serious off-heading opening after 15 years and over 2,600 BASE jumps. If this was any closer, it would’ve ended up as a proper Friday Freakout cliff strike, but Douggs handled it like the pro that he is. But what else would ya expect – he’s from ‘Straya!

The post Douggs’ Off-Heading Opening, Near Miss Cliff Strike appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Would you be able to do your job on a skydive?

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ToraTora presents Cowboy Camp 2013 at Skydive Arizona, with 2 freefly coaches and 2 wingsuit coaches to spread the love of flying and expand everyone’s skills in that big blue playground we call the sky. This edit by Eli Gerris gives you a window into their world of the pleasure and joy of human flight.

The post Cowboy Camp: The Wild Wingsuits Of The West appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Pro skater Bob Burnquist is badass. True story. Why hike the Grand Canyon or sit there and stare at it when you can ride your skateboard off a kicker, grind a rail, then BASE jump INTO it?! I mean, really. THIS is the way to see the glory that is the Grand Canyon.

The post Bob Burnquist’s Grand Canyon Skateboard BASE Jump appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

The New River Gorge Bridge might be our favorite bridge of the Gorge, but it’s not, by far, the only one. There are several tucked into these rolling mountains that you should stop and see on your trip.

Here are just a few other bridges you might want to add to your checklist:

Bridge At Thurmond
Among the ruins of this Gorge ghost town, follow the tracks to an old rail bridge. Watch out for traffic, as the bridge still sees the occasional vehicle, but venture out onto the bridge and peer between the grate to get a unique glimpse of the rushing river below.

Glade Creek Trail Footbridge
Crossing over Glade Creek about 3 miles from the New River, this bridge gives you a great view of the kayakers who paddle the creek’s numerous small waterfalls, and leads you toward some of the best fishing in the area. The moderate, 5.6-mile trail snakes along an abandoned railroad.

Bridge to Glade Creek Grist Mill, Babcock State Park
You can argue over what the prettiest sight in the Gorge is, but the Grist Mill holds the crowd favorite crown for most-photographed area in the entire state. From the parking lot, you can cross a small bridge over he creek to the old, still-churning mill. For a unique angle of the bridge, try the view from the underbelly: hop (carefully!) across the natural bridge of rocks across the stream.

Hawk’s Nest Rail Trail Bridges, Hawk’s Nest State Park
Head out from the Hawk’s Nest Nature Center, and bike or walk this easy 1.8-mile gravel path. You’ll cross over two trestles between waterfall sightings. You can use the path to continue down to the riverbed, or circle back on the aerial tram.

Hughes Bridge, Summersville, WV
Taking traffic across the Summersville Lake, the Hughes Bridge gets its name from a historic bridge that once crossed the Gauley River. The views are so spectacular around the bridge that area explorers have stashed many geocaches in the area to encourage you to stop and take a moment to look around and seek them out.

Sandstone Falls Boardwalk
A scenic riverside drive will lead you to a boardwalk and bridge system that spans out into the wilderness, and stretches in front of the cascading Sandstone Falls for a close-up view. The falls are short in height, but they cover more than 1500 feet length-wise. Signs along the boardwalk explain local flora, some of which is rare to see, sprouting up only a few places in the state.

Which off-the-beaten-path Gorge area bridge is your favorite?

Reader Roger Guia sent us a letter asking how in the world skydivers balance family and financial responsibility with the ridiculously expensive sport of skydiving:

So here I am, sitting outside on a beautiful day reading the latest issue of Blue Skies Magazine. Reading about of what it seems to be the life of a lot of wonderful people that has become part of the skydive community around the world. It really inspires me a lot every time I read it. And every time I read a new article there is only one thing that comes to my mind:

How can everybody in this community afford to be a skydiver?  

And I’m not talking about the rich and privilege people that can buy a state-of-the-art rig. I’m talking about regular people like me. With regular jobs and family, (responsibilities).

Coincidentally, Melanie Curtis turned in her column the next month (issue #42) addressing this very question.

If you find yourself in this type of skydiving financial bind, go through the following questions to help clarify your unique situation. With clarity, we can consciously determine what action is best for us each to take, and ultimately feel good in our choice, no matter what it looks like.

1. How much joy will I get from the jumps I want to pay for?
2. How much stress will I experience shelling out the cash for those jumps?
3. Will the joy I get from those jumps be greater than the stress from the financial output?
   • If yes, go for it. Doing what we love brings good juju into our brain, body, and being. Feel the flow, use it to kick a** at work and make the money you need to keep jumping the way you want.
   • If no, consider what possible opportunities you can create to improve your financial standing so you can fit the amount of jumping you really want into your life. Answer the following question and do your own brainstorming:
     • What can you do right now to improve your financial standing so you can do the jumping you want to do? Work more shifts? Pack parachutes one day a weekend? Sell some stuff out of your closet? Work out a deal with the DZ to get discounted jumps in exchange for giving back, organizing, or whatever? Something else?

If you’re not sure what to do, consider this thought: “I am choosing my current financial approach.”

This might sound like BS, but think about it…no matter what is happening, we choose to spend our money the way we spend it based on what’s important to us. Maybe you’re keeping your family fed. Maybe you’re keeping your credit card balance low. Theoretically, we could rack up the charges, buy 20 jumps a weekend without a care in the world, we could file for bankruptcy in a few years, or whatever else…but we’re not doing that.

It’s easy to get caught up feeling stuck in our financial situation, but when we step back and really look at our actions, it’s easy to see that we’re choosing based on our own financial value system. And that’s GREAT. We’re choosing to be in the world with a certain level of financial responsibility, and can always go to sleep at night feeling good about that even if it means we’re not jumping as much as we’d ideally like to be…for now.

So how do you afford skydiving with a family, responsibilities, and all of life’s other demands?

This skydiving student is fine, just a minor bruise to his ego. In the wise words of Tyler Durden from Fight Club… “JUST LET GO!”

The post Skydiving Student Hits Plane… JUST LET GO! appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Well bend me elbow and call me a wingsuiter if that bronc buster ain’t on the bug juice! Word. That’s right –- our cowboy is drinking a beer mid-rodeo. The skillful acting and salute to the sun posse really tops this video off.

The post Beer Wingsuit Rodeo: Drink Up, Cowboy! appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Kolla and I got a little bored with our regular events listings in the mag, so we put out a call for the biggest boogie whores we could find to be boogie correspondents. These boys responded.

Yep, we fell in love with them too.

Jordan and Joel will be traveling the boogie circuit, mostly in the Midwest U.S., as their home base is in Minnesota. They’ll report back on their shenanigans, so watch out for Facebook and website posts from the Jagerbrothers, and of course, a monthly column in the mag. If you want them at your boogie, we hear they are easily bribed with Jager and lift tickets. And other stuff that we probably don’t want to know about.

Welcome to the team, boys! We hope you enjoy the no pay, long hours, mosquitoes, and dirty couches to sleep on. Boogie on!

A totally rad (and totally legal) BASE jump off a massive antenna at an undisclosed location (to protect the innocent). Welcome to slider up, boys!

The post Massive 1,650ft Antenna BASE Jump appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Start your week off right with some South American skydiving during a flight camp at Skydive Venezuela. Moar angle flying!

The post South American Skydiving: Angle Flying in Venezuela appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Donagene Jones – one of the hottest up-and-coming freefly stars.

Skydiving might be my passion, but the people are my family. Once in a while someone will pop up who is simply extraordinary.  You know, the ones who are making things happen, super nice, humble  inviting to everyone, happy, go lucky, generous and always seems to be there when you need them. They are gravitational. Most times you will find them on a mission, organizing, creating space for fantastic skydiving, learning ops and partying.  They are the ones when you see them, you immediately smile.

Enter, Donagene Jones – Skydiving Diva Extraordinaire!

I was fortunate enough to meet Dona for the first time during the “Pink Chair Party” Mexico Boogie.  I didn’t know many people coming directly from the East Coast and she picked right up on it, welcomed me with open arms, and included me on just about everything.  Within a day it seemed like I had known her all my life and wouldn’t know what to do without her.  She seemed to have this effect on everyone she met.

Dona is all about FreeFlying and she is hitting the skydiving scene, hard.  Within a few years in the sport, under 1,000 jumps, and countless hours in the tunnel, Dona is mastering FreeFly at record speeds.  Her networking, organizing and love of community sets her up for multiple home runs.

“I’m just a girl who loves to skydive. I love family and the skydiving community is what drives all my passion and energy. I love my peeps!” says Dona.

What most don’t know about Dona is she is a well-known choreographer of gymnastics clubs around the world and travels quite extensively.  As a rock climber for over 10 years Dona knew Dean Potter and some other greats of climbing.  This led her to the dream of BASE jumping and to Lodi, where she took her training.

This is also where Dona met her instructor, MX, who quickly become her sidekick and still is today.. For those that don’t know, MX, is also known as Dona’s girl, Tutti Patooti, Toots and Tall dark and Handsome.  The two make quite a dynamic freefly organizing duo through their whip cream romance.  They are a couple most hope to become.

MX is one of the bad boys of freefly right now and is also catapulting himself into the organizing scene. MX boasts over 12 years in the sport, 10,000 plus jumps, 500+ tunnel hours, load organizer world-wide, an undercover ninja and an electrician by trade. “I’m just part of the package” States Dona. “Actually I get to follow MX around and love every minute of it” Dona Says.

Dona gets to organize the “Undercover Ninjas” with MX.  The undercover ninjas are almost 30 strong.  A group of undercover hardcore freefly kings who meet in secret at tunnel and skydiving gatherings across the globe during the night at undisclosed locations.  Together they are working on freefly media domination campaign with their ever accumulating freefly magic videos only known and seen by a few.  Yeah, really.  And you didn’t hear it from me.

Dona’s next move?  A freefly team of course.  Team “Super Serious” is now underway. “Our goal is pretty simple, make jumps, friends, have fun, compete at Nationals and survive as a team for an entire year.” The team is comprised of some super cool Nor Cal personalities, Chip Keating, Sam Lendle, Ted Volpendesta and Dona  as herself.  The video slot is in transition.  When I caught up with them in Lodi, World Famous Karlee Ayers was filming them.  She has since moved out to Europe for the summer.

“Our Biggest hurdle of creating the team is time.  Creating space for training between all the events we organize, attend and the coaching leave’s little room. Our biggest asset is the mix of personalities, we have fun, we love jumping together and there is a great vibe.  Through that we accomplish a LOT and it’s SUPER fun,” says Dona.

Their secret sauce for accelerated learning is the tunnel, of course, and they use it a lot. The entire team practices in the tunnel as individuals and as a group and they constantly work together in the tunnel during events. Dona is a sponsorship’s dream.  She’s inviting, outgoing, networks, creates tons of media, friends, and is a social media butterfly who can create a conversation and excitement about anything, but this isn’t what’s she’s after.

“Coming from a place like Lodi, I’ve paid my own way. This is about fun. This is not my job, it’s my passion and the playground of love for my boyfriend.”  Dona states.

Still, its hard to think a few of the manufacture’s won’t try to snap her up.  Check out her latest list of events for both herself and Tutti Patooti, also known as MX, as organizers and simply as participants, below.  If one of her organized events seems doable, I highly suggest you search her out.  If fun is what you are looking for, you just found it.

Your slot is waiting.

Thanks for tuning in,

THP

www.TheHarryParker.com

Dona & MX’s 2013 Skydiving and Tunnel Schedule

May 11-12^th            Elsionore Film Festival and Cali Freefly Record camp – MX will be organizing and I will be attending this event!

May 18^th                  SIS Spring Break at Skydive Orange – I’m attending this event on Saturday only!

May 25-27^th           Sky’s the Limit  - MX and I are putting a spark in to their freefly peeps and organizing!

June 8-9^th                 Live BigZ Throw Down at Bay Area Skydiving  (Byron, CA) – Both MX and I will be organizing at this event!

June 22-23^rd           American Boogie (Davis, CA) – MX and I will be attending this event.

July 12-14^th             GOBIG (Montreal, Canada) – Both MX and I will be organizing at this event!

July 20-21^st             Ladies Boogie (Byron, CA) – I will be organizing at this event and I’m sure MX will attend!

August 17-18^th       Tokaya Chicks Boogie (Montreal, Canada) – I will be organizing at this ladies event!

August 31-Sept. 2^nd          Sky’s the Limit  - MX and I are putting a spark in to their freefly peeps and organizing!

Sept. 12-15^th           USPA Nationals (Skydive Chicago) – MX and I will be competing in 4way VFS/Advanced

Nov. 1-3^rd                BigZ Sequentials (Skydive Spaceland) – MX and I will be organizing this event in Texas, which has been held in Lodi for the past seven years.

Nov. 14-17^th           California Freefly Record (Perris, CA) – Both MX and I will be attending!

Nov.  26-Dec. 1^st    Women’s Vertical World Record (Eloy, AZ) – I will be attending this event!

Freefly transition + premature deployment = shredded main canopy. Now he has two parachutes for the price of one. Even I’m still seeing stars from the opening, and I only watched the video ;) All is well that ends well. Thanks to Joe Ridler for sharing his footage.

The post Friday Freakout: KABOOM! Parachute Rips In Half. appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Talk about GROUND RUSH! I can’t believe someone can hit the ground this hard and survive. My friend Liam Dunne of Deepseed is one lucky man. There are several factors that lead to this outcome, but the end result was a CYPRES save, intense ground rush, an 8 inch footprint in the ground, and surgery with 2 titanium rods and 4 screws holding his spine together. After almost a year of rehab, Liam will miraculously be jumping later this year. To read all the details about this incident, check out the Deepseed “Know Your Shit” blog post.

The post Friday Freakout: The Craziest Ground Rush You Will EVER See!!! appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

For the past year, a few Australian wingsuiters have been trying to fly like they had small canopies open. Meanwhile, canopy pilot Griggsy had been trying to fly his small speed machine from Icarus Canopies (by NZ Aerosports) like it was a wingsuit. Good times were inevitable and this is the end result. More XRW for your viewing pleasure.

The post Aussie XRW: Slow Wingsuits, Fast Parachutes appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

GoPros are the best toys out there, and as you can imagine, the GoPro Bomb Squad is armed to the teeth with said toys. This edit not only captures their speedflying in the picturesque snowy mountains of Alaska, it also captures Neil Amonson’s epic Chewbacca-esque man-beard and all the adventures of the squad‘s road trip along the way.

The post Alaskan Speedflying – GoPro Bomb Squad Strikes Again appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Meet the great outdoors! Once you’ve been introduced, you will be friends for life.

Stand up to the aging process by keeping your body fit and sharp as you get older. And get started now, etching the basic skills into your brain so you can pick up your gear 20 years from now and still have fun.

The New River Gorge is the perfect place to learn, practice and master a number of lifelong activities. Which should you choose?

Kayaking

Kayaking can be a great leisure activity, as well s a thrill ride. Many casual kayakers stick to flat water, paddling long distances to observe scenery and wildlife, building up arm strength with strong paddle strokes. And adventure seekers take on whitewater, choosing boats that can cut through the waves, or smaller play boats that allow them to maneuver more easily, doing tricks in the rapids.

Think Long-term: Any body of water can become an adventure. You can strap your boat to the top of your car and seek out new rivers to test out, or dock it at for nearest lake to await you for a spin.

Investment: You will need all the basic gear to get started: a kayak, a paddle, a personal flotation device (PFD) and a helmet. The type of kayak you buy will depend on how you intend to use it, and whitewater kayaking also requires a spray skirt to keep the pounding waves from filling your boat up with water. Or, you could opt for a milder duckie, an inflatable kayak that tips less easily in the rapids.

While it can be pricey up front, if you invest in quality gear, it will last you years. You can find used kayaks for only a few hundred dollars at festivals like Gauley Fest in Summersville. There are different sizes, so you’ll want to know how it is supposed to fit your body and find one that works for you.

Start now: You’ll want to learn basic paddling strokes to control your boat easily in any type of water. For whitewater, you’ll also want to learn to roll the kayak back over if it tips, and how to exit the kayak if you can’t correct it yourself. Learn from the pros and take a lesson or a multi-day clinic at Rolling Waters Kayak School or at ACE Adventure Resort.

Biking

An extremely diverse outdoor activity, biking can be as simple as pedaling down a path, or as adventurous as sweeping through rocky mountain terrain.

Think Long-term: They don’t say “It’s just like riding a bike” for nothing! Once you’ve gotten used to pedaling and working the trails, you’ll never have trouble hopping on a cycle and heading out.

You can integrate biking easily into your everyday life. Any point is a good place to start riding. Use it as a mode of transportation if you live in town! Biking makes it easy to get where you’re going without wasting gas (and those prices keep creeping up!)

Investment: A bike and a helmet are all you need to get rolling on a regular basis. Bikes require regular upkeep, but they’re elegantly simple machines that usually only need mild maintenance.

A good bike can last you a lifetime, and it doesn’t have to be a huge expense. A simple bike from a department store or a yard sale can be a great companion for you, or you can invest in a more mountain-ready machine to tackle a wider range of terrains.

Start now:Buy yourself a bike (or just rent one) and get rolling down the New River Gorge’s trail systems! Start with beginner paths, then see if you can handle a rockier road!

Climbing & Rappelling

The sense of accomplishment you feel when you reach the top of a cliffside is unparalleled. You pull through to the finish line, and can look down along the stretch of jagged course you’ve conquered. And, you automatically earn the rewarded of magnificent aerial views, gazing over the wilderness as it stretches into the sunset.

Think Long-term: Because you’re engaging so many muscle groups on a climb, you will strengthen your entire body and build your endurance by progressing to steeper and more technical climbs over time. You can always climb at your own pace, so you will be able to push yourself as needed, or take extra time to conquer new challenges.

Investment: Basic climbing gear is relatively inexpensive compared to other outdoor activities, and it can be very long-lasting. Different types of climbing require different gear. No matter what type of climbing you’re doing, you will definitely want to start with good climbing shoes that fit tightly and will keep you from slipping.

For safety, buy a sturdy harness, a climbing-specific rope and a helmet. (Don’t let the helmet scare you. It’s not that you’re likely to slam against a cliff or fall. The helmet is mostly to protect you from debris that might fall from above you.)  You’ll also need some small items, like carabiners, a belay device and quick draws, to help attack the rope to the cliff and to yourself.

Most climbers also recommend a chalk bag, which you can use to keep a firm grip when your hands get sweaty.

Start now: Chat with the knowledgeable staff at Waterstone Outdoors, and let them help you choose the best gear. You will definitely want to work with a knowledgeable guide who can show you the basics before you begin climbing on your own. Take courses from Hard Rock Climbing or New River Mountain Guides.

Skydiving & BASE Jumping

We’re a bit biased, but this is our personal favorite. It’s not as physical as the others on the list, and you won’t get a workout, but the thrill of the descent really gets your adrenaline pumping, and the views are breathtaking no matter how old or young you are.

Think Long-term: Precisely because this activity isn’t as physically demanding, it’s easy to take with you through the years. Once you get the maneuvering down and can jump on your own, you’re set to keep leaping throughout your life.

Investment: Gear for a skydive isn’t cheap, but you get a great discount on student practice jumps. Compare the costs of learning yourself to the amount you’ll pay to keep going with a skydiving guide, and the savings start to add up with each trip. Once you are certified and have what you need, you can jump over and over at a much more affordable rate.

There are major differences in the chutes and equipment you would need for skydiving and BASE jumping. You should always be cautious when buying equipment, and if you buy used, look into the history of the equipment.

Start now: Get leaping with Skydive New River Gorge. Get some experience, and maybe you can leap from the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day!

SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboarding)

Another water sport that’s enjoyable in the waves as well as the flat water, Stand-Up Paddleboarding is a simple activity to learn, and promotes full-body fitness.

Think Long-term: Leisurely paddle around the water for a great workout and views, or test your balance on the waves. You can pop your paddle board on the water anywhere, and it’s easier to transport than a kayak.

Investment: All you need is a PFD, a paddle and a board. Paddleboards are expensive, but can be durable. Longer boards move more swiftly, but shorter boards are easier to maneuver. For beginners, a wider board might offer more stability. No matter what style you choose, be sure to buy a board you can easily carry.

Start now: You can get flat water paddleboarding instruction at Summersville Lake or ACE Lake. It only takes a little guidance to master the basics of this sport! For something more exciting, learn to surf the waves in the New River. Want to make it even more relaxing? Take a SUP yoga class.

We are already excited to be 95 and still enjoying the outdoors. Will we see you out in the Gorge then, too? Which activity are you going to master first?

Not exactly brand new news, but in case you haven’t heard, Niklas Daniel will be taking on the point position on VFS team Arizona Arsenal.

Nik replaces former point Amy Chmelecki, who is moving to take the alternate slot after joining the Red Bull Air Force. Given that the winners of this years USPA Nationals will get to represent the USA at 2014 World Meet, AZ Arsenal will be training hard!

Current lineup:

Steve Curtis
Sara Curtis
Niklas Daniel
Ty Losey
Brandon Atwood – Camera
Amy Chmelecki – Alternate

As part of a campaign for a free trip to Hawaii, here’s a quick swoop into a VW Beetle Cabriolet. This reminds me of the yacht swoop in Dubai by the one and only Jonathan Tagle. Get some!

The post Skydiver Swoops Into A VW Beetle appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Superstar BASE jumpers, paragliders, Red Bull props, and wicked rigging. Respect. Just another day at the office for these adrenaline-fuelled athletes in the middle of Utah – ziplining down a 5,000 foot line and BASE jumping off it! Brewing awesomeness. This HAS to be some kind of world record for longest/highest zipline.

The post Red Bull Presents: The World’s Longest Zipline BASE Jump? appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Some fun jumps with Norman. Safety First with Brian Germain discusses turbulence. Pic of the Week - Chris Medlock, Lisa Miller, and Dave Wingard compete at Rookiefest 2012 over Skydive Chicago. Photo by Chris Goller. Moe Viletto discusses base jumping before skydiving and tells a great story of a cop with aviator sunglasses and a toothpick. What would make you give up skydiving? We talk about a few reasons it might happen. Dave has boobie bands thanks to our friend Jerry. Canadians have boogies to…eh?

by Brian Giboney

Jen Sharp is passionate about skydiving, education and the internet. Sharp holds multiple USPA instructional ratings, owns Skydive Kansas in Osage City and has developed several skydiving websites, including skydiveschool.org, an online student program; dzos.net; educationalfoundationforskydivers.org; and femaleskydivinginstructors.com. She also created Skydive JumpSTART, a team-building workshop for business people that culminates in tandem skydives and she consults with other drop zones to help them streamline their schools.

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Change requires courage! It also requires persistence and passion, but mostly, it requires patience! That was one of the first lessons I learned while attending a USPA Board of Directors meeting, and it certainly remains true today.

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Angle over-unders, smoke on da feet, splashing grass, and swooping a paraglider. Oh yeah, and the spaceball with no tail. Just the mix of stuff to make up this shorty edit. Looks fun, but you be the judge.

The post By No Means: Angles, Smoke and Spaceballs appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Remember the dude who swooped his reserve like a boss? Well Derek Dutton is at it again. Same gorgeous scenery, only this time it’s a sweeeeet swoop flying by a tree, through an open gate, and then a little blindman to top it all off. Well done, indeed. Fly sexy out there!

The post Swooping Like A Boss… Through Trees to Gate to Blindman appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Parachute Laboratories’ AngelFire reserve was approved for use in Germany late last year (2012).

To get that approval, the canopy must undergo what is called “Musterzulassung”, which is the German TSO process. Parachute Labs have been growing the line of AngelFire Reserves since originally releasing the canopy in 1991. It is now offered in 11 sport sizes ranging from 97 square feet up to 300 square feet.
Three Tandem Reserves are available as well, in sizes 360, 400 and 500 square feet.

More information about the AngelFire reserve can be found on the company website.

Bryan Buechler has been skydiving for over 20 years and has 10,000 jumps. He jumps a Comp Velocity (sizes 71, 75 and 79) and a Peregrine 64 at his home DZ, Skydive Spaceland. Bryan represented the US at the 2009...

The Moab Monkeys deliver some BASE goodness and slacklining between cliffs in Brazil, and Andy Lewis walks the slackline without a harness and leash (hey, they don’t call him Sketchy Andy for nothing). Holy crap! Big balls right here, peeps. Aggressive living of life. Get a little boost in your day by checking out this video. Booyah.

The post Urban Jungle Madness: BASE And Slacklining In Brazil appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Jump, Jump, Jump, Jump! To the left, let’s move. Do the running man and then you turn around like this. Just keep up with the pace. Jump, Jump, Jump, Jump! Move your body, everybody, won’t you move your body! This is Petter Jönsson’s Dynamic Worskshop at Skydive Arizona. Badass. I know I wanna be moving by body around the sky like this – how ‘bout you?

The post Dynamic Workshop @ Skydive Arizona. Move Your Body! appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

It’s quite convenient having New Zealand on a opposite seasonal schedule.

That way, there is always good summer flying to be had somewhere for paraglider, BASE jumper and all around fly-boy Cade Palmer.
Start your Monday off right by enjoying this latest speed flying video from Cade, roaming around Wanaka, NZ.

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Hike and Fly Wanaka, NZ from Cade Palmer on Vimeo.

57 registered. Briefing at 7:00 am. Tentative plan is to start with zone Accuracy after the practice round.
PRO

182
Seva BedrinPro1
Stepan Gurba-Pro2
Peter Kozak-Pro3

206
Greg Windmiller-Pro1
Paul Rodriguez-Pro2
Andrii Stalnyi-Pro3
Cornelia Mihai-Pro4
Billy Sharman-Pro5

182 sandy
Curt Bartholomew-Pro1
Patrick Kaye-Pro2
Timmy McMaster-Pro3
Gage Galle-Pro4
Joe Abeln-Pro5

206 turbo
Peter Kallehave-Pro1
Rob Wallace-Pro2
Jason Sanders-Pro3
Justin Thornton-Pro4
Justin Price-Pro5

182
Albert Berchtold-Pro1
Kenneth Gajda-Pro2
Kevin Techer-Pro3

206
Tom Dellibac-Pro1
Ian Bobo-Pro2
Jessica Edgeington-Pro3
Bryan Buechler-Pro4
Kritter Weiss-Pro5

182sandy
Julien Guiho-Pro1
Sergey Kotlyarov-Pro2
Yuriy Chernyshov-Pro3
Sven Jseppi-Pro4
Peter Piotrowski-Pro5

206 turbo
Nick Batsch-Pro1
Ryan Brownlow-Pro2
Scott Harper-Pro3
Pablo Hernandez-Pro4
Bart Rogowski-Pro5

182
Aaron Stoccum-Pro1
Matt Shull-Pro2
Mikeal Stevens-Pro6

Amatuer

206
Boston Hartley-Ama1
Shaggio Levesque-Ama2
Brand Coates-Ama3
Kelsey Fry-Ama4
Fraser Feltner-Ama5

182 sandy
Kyle Schoonover-Ama1
Jared Zell-Ama2
Jeannie Anderson-Ama3
Nick Peck-Ama4
Brad Moon-Ama5

206 turbo
Justin Judd-Ama1
Ben Crooch-Ama2
Milton Pachon-Ama3
Jaime Tristancho-Ama4
Nick Quigley-Ama5

182
David Hawley-Ama1
John Nolan-Ama2
Chris Day-Ama3

Located in the delightful DeLand, Florida, harness/container manufacturer Mirage Systems is looking to add a sales rep to their staff. The position is full-time, based in DeLand.

To answer your next question, yes you will have to move to Florida if you aren’t already here and tough it through the summers with the rest of us.   Lunchtime hop & pops are the way to go to cool down, along with lots of time at the beach when you aren’t working.

Contact Mirage Systems with any further questions or to apply via sales@miragesys.com.

 

Here’s something you don’t see every day (wait for it): a tandem collision near miss with one tandem in freefall and the other under canopy. Another few seconds before deploying and this might have been a tandem sandwich — or at least a very close flyby.

The post Friday Freakout: Double Tandem Collision Near Miss appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

As if hucking a double gainer off a cliff wasn’t enough excitement for one day, this lucky sonuvabitch (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) has a bridle wrap and a cliff strike on the same jump… and lands without a scratch! Yah, I’m gonna stick with LUCKY!!

The post Friday Freakout: BASE Bridle Wrap + Cliff Strike! appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

RW Skydiving Is Alive  At Sunny, Perris Valley Skydiving!

P3 Big-Way camps are underway for the next three weekends.  Attendance is high, and so are the winds this first day. Guess it’s time to make a post.

According to organizers, over 130 people registered and showed up for this series of camps and over half are first time campers.

“We are seeing growth in newcomers every year,” Kate Copper Said.

The first, this weekend, is just that, a camp for just about anyone who can make the pre-requisites.  This weekend will be nuts and bolts of Big-Way Skydiving for the newcomers and a refresher for veteran camp attendees.  This is hands on experience from the pros.  Those that do well, learn fast and apply, safely, what they are taught, move on to the next weekend.

Next weekend will be the test and goal of this camp, 100 Ways.  Full on 100-Way skydives, all four days.  I’ve been here before and seen people with no bigger then a 10-way get on a 100 and do very well.  If you pay attention you can see it.  You can see the progress in the video, in the faces and vibe of the whole event. It’s pretty cool to be around for sure.

The final weekend is “Spring Fling”, and invitational based on the campers progress, goals and workability.  The Spring Fling is another animal all together.

“The spring fling is a challenging and highly “Technical” skydive and is invitational only.  This year we will attempt “The Flower” and should be in the 100-120 jumper range  pulling jumpers from the last two weeks camps.  This is a fun three, four-day weekend stretch of jumping.” Says, Kate Cooper of P3.

And if you think that might be out of your reach, think again.  Go check out P3′s site.  Just about anyone with minimal skydiving and survival skills can get to a camp.  It’s within the group structure that the learning curve moves skyward. I believe if people knew how easy it is to get started in big way skydiving more people would run to these events.  Many dz’s would love to have an RW contention back home and getting some of your younger jumpers trained up will create RW leaders for your own DZ.

Find out more about P3 and Big-Way instruction on the website.

Want the skydiving photographer angle?  Check out first post on the Skydiving Event Photographer P3 Camp

More wind.  What’s an ADD’er to do in this weather!  Write.

Thanks for tuning in

THP

PS- Leave a comment

Hege Ringard is one badass chick. Remember her bikini BASE jump and setting the new women’s BASE world record? Yeah, she’s that badass! Here’s another vid from Hege with fun tunes and fun times.

The post BASE Fly Face appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Watching this video of FlajFlaj (pronounced Fly-Fly) at Skydive Elsinore literally put my life in perspective. Oh yeah… this is why I don’t have a life, why I work all week to play on weekends, why I count up my food and rent bill in jump tickets — a new currency. This is why I skydive, to find myself in places this awesome, doing jumps this badass, with some of the coolest people in the world. Gets me thinking that I should look at flight prices to the US of A for next March. See you there next year Peter, I promise!

The post More Fly-Fly In The Sky-Sky appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

Hop on your bike and pedal up and down the rugged trails of the New River Gorge!

• Don’t have a bike? You can rent top-quality gear for reasonable rates.
• Not sure where to start? Stop by our CVB office for trail maps and recommendations on our favorite trails.
• Never mountain biked before? Get guidance from a pro.

Still dragging your feet and tossing out excuses? Here are 5 reasons to stop stalling and get pedaling in the Gorge:

Cycling is Healthy

Pump that heart, tone those muscles and slim down that waistline! Get in that cardio workout from your bike ride, and you’ll also boost coordination, lift your mood, sharpen your brain, charge your immune system. Oh, and lengthen your overall lifespan. What’s not to love about that?

Mountain Biking is Even Healthier

Add some forest scenery, and you’ll supercharge your health benefits from your ride. Upping the ante with a mountain trail can help you double up your workout and burn more than 600 calories per hour.

Variety of Trails for any Skill Level

The New River Gorge is your connection to hundreds of trails and major trail systems, from the smooth graveled paths that weave through the mountains to the root-covered wilderness ground trails that slice up and down them. Challenge yourself with obstacle-laden trails, littered with log piles, bridges and rock gardens.

Unmatched Scenic Views

Get the highs and lows of one of the world’s most beautiful backdrops. Peer out from atop the cliffsides and take in the entirety of the New River Gorge, or dip down and ride through the riverbed, pedaling past long-abandoned coal towns and the wilderness of West Virginia.

It’s a Social Activity

Grab the family for a scenic ride together. Grab your date for a morning getaway into the wilderness. Or grab a  friend and challenge each other up and down the mountain slopes. Biking gives you time to chat, and place to go. Try seeking out a geocache together while you’re pedaling through the trails.

Convinced yet? Get pedaling! There’s no reason not to!

When you hear of skydivers “shredding it,” you most likely think of badass skydivers, NOT a super atomic skydiving wedgie. This is the furthest thing from a sexy plug for Calvin Klein underwear, but I must confess I LOL’d when he grabbed his underwear back and sniffed them. An all new low. Pun intended.

The post “Shredding It”: The Super Atomic Skydiving Wedgie appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.

We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing! Alexander Polli, the man-child behind the unbelievable wingsuit cave flight, is at it again… only this time he’s doing a 3,000 foot rope swing BASE jump with Julien Millot. Take this playful POV ride with Polli and feel like a kid again.

The post 3,000 ft. Rope Swing Cutaway by Alexander Polli appeared first on iLoveSkydiving.org.