Ehab Mahmoud, a highly-decorated accuracy landing competitor and accomplished canopy formation skydiver, recently set a USPA National Record by recording six consecutive dead centers during a competition. Born in Egypt, where he learned to skydive as a member of the Egyptian Airborne, he is now based in Florida—though he still travels the world to compete.
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“In addition to the recent national record, my dear friend and teammate Ehab Mahmoud won the USPA Accuracy Landing National Championships in 2021. These milestones come after years of exceptionally hard work and dedication to our sport. Best of all, his greatest achievements lie ahead. Look out!” -James Hayhurst, Profilee #129
Age: 44
Height: 5’10”
Birthplace: Egypt
Marital Status: Married
Children: Four boys
Occupation: Restaurant owner
Hobbies: Soccer
Life Philosophy: Never give up.
Jump Philosophy: Hard work will pay off one day.
Neat packer or a trash packer? Neat and fast
Did you start out as an AFF, static-line or tandem student? Static-line
Sponsors: Adrenaline, Airtec Cypres,Alti-2, Performance Designs, Sun Path
Container: Rigging Innovations/Sun Path CPX
Main Canopy: Performance Designs Zero 305
Reserve Canopy: Performance Designs Optimum
AAD: Airtec Cypres
Disciplines: Accuracy landing and canopy formation
Year of First Jump: 1998
License: D-31446
Championships, Medals and Records:
- 2021 USPA National Accuracy Landing Champion
- Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Canopy Formation World Record 100-way
- USPA National Record, Most Dead Centers Followed by A Miss—3cm (with 6)
Total Number of Jumps: 20,453
Accuracy: 8,000 CF: 8,000 Freefly: 2,000 FS: 1,500 Demos: 1,000
Total Number of Cutaways: 23
How long do you plan on skydiving?
As long as I can still physically do it.
What is the best thing about accuracy competition?
You can’t expect who the winner will be ahead of time. You have to nail that last landing no matter how great your first seven rounds were.
What do you like most about the sport?
The adrenaline, and the amazing views all around the world.
What do you like least about the sport?
When there’s an accident.
What are your futwure skydiving goals?
I want to win multiple FAI World Championships.
Who have been your skydiving mentors?
Chris Gay and Vittorio Guarinelli.
I skydive because …
I like adventure, heights and adrenaline, and I’m a hard worker.
Any suggestions for students?
Don’t downsize too quickly.
What is the most bad-ass thing you can do in the air?
Nothing is more bad-ass than canopy formation.
What is your favorite jump plane and why?
Not a plane—a helicopter, because they climb so fast.
The toughest thing to do in the sport of skydiving is:
To maintain high performance throughout a competition—especially accuracy landing.
How do you keep that focus throughout a meet?
It all comes from confidence. I always believe in my skills and what I can achieve and that I gave everything during my training. When you compete, it’s time to just let what you learned during training happen, taking it jump by jump. And don’t follow others’ scores!
What kind of skydiving student were you?
A complete natural.
Out of all of your thousands of jumps, is there one you would like to do over again?
That CF 100-way. It was the most amazing jump—getting so close and then joining that huge formation was truly an unforgettable moment.
After doing so much with Canopy Formation, what drew you to shooting accuracy?
I’m an army guy, and accuracy is all about getting many, many details right together.
What do you consider your most significant life achievement?
Having a successful family.
Are your sons interested in skydiving?
They love it. They always come with me to training and film my jumps.
Do you have any suggestions for USPA?
Review team selection, specifically in the accuracy landing event. One competition is definitely not enough!
What do you see as the future of the accuracy discipline?
The growth of accuracy may seem slow in the United States, especially after the Army Golden Knights stopped competing, but it is much more widespread elsewhere in the world, especially in Europe.
What advice do you have for a newer jumper interested in accuracy?
It takes time and dedication over a long period of time. They need to have patience.