The National Aeronautic Association, the official record keeper for U.S. aviation, held its Aviation Records Celebration at the Lockheed Martin Fighter Demonstration Center in Arlington, Virginia, on April 28. During the gala—the first held after a two-year absence due to COVID restrictions—NAA President Greg Principato and NAA Contest and Records Director Art Greenfield presented the Most Memorable Aviation Records awards for 2019, 2020 and 2021. Out of a pool of 234 records, the NAA chose 11 for the award, and two of those were skydiving records! 

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale World Record for Largest Canopy Formation at Night was a recipient of one of the Most Memorable Aviation Records awards. The 36-way, complete with pyrotechnics, took place at Skydive Sebastian in Florida on March 14, 2019. The record organizer, Chris Gay, was unable to attend the event, so USPA Executive Director Albert Berchtold accepted the award on his and the record team’s behalf.

The NAA also recognized the team that set the FAI World Record for Largest Head-Up Formation Skydive with a Most Memorable Records award. The 84-way jump took place at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois, on July 26, 2019. Record organizers Amy Chmelecki and Sara Curtis accepted the award from Principato. Chmelecki remarked that 10 of the 84 head-up record participants were women and announced to the assembled crowd that she and Curtis are organizing Project-19, an all-female 101-way head-down record attempt that will take place later this year.