In May, the CYPRES Demo Team received the official Guinness World Record for Largest Flag Flown While Parachuting. The team set the record when member Ralf Grabowsky flew a 2,607.21-square-meter (28.063.76-square-foot) German flag on July 11, 2017, at the opening ceremony for the CISM World Military Parachuting Championship 2017 in Warendorf, Germany.

As the winter skydiving season came to a close, Skydive Arizona in Eloy hosted state wingsuit flying record attempts in conjunction with a training camp for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale World Record attempts scheduled for November 16-20 at Skydive City Zephyrhills in Florida.

Chazi Blacksher, D-28539, is a busy load organizer and competitor who is heavily involved in the Sisters in Skydiving program, women’s world record jumps and freestyle competition. Blacksher moved to Arizona years ago but stays close to her roots at the Lincoln Sport Parachute Club in Weeping Water, Nebraska, where she load organizes at the DZ’s Redemption Boogie every year.

We all owe deep appreciation and grateful thanks to our current ranks of instructors and coaches for their diligence and professionalism.

Out of all the jumpers, staff and organizers in Rockmart, Georgia, at Skydive Spaceland– Atlanta’s Third Birthday Boogie April 27-29, the MVP was Mother Nature herself!

Suicide among veterans returning from war has become an epidemic problem in the United States. To help combat this, skydiver and Navy veteran Jim Osterman is making a cross-country motorcycle ride to multiple drop zones in an effort to raise awareness of the issue of veteran suicides

Photo By Steve Shorten | D-27932

Jumpers Paul Cochran, Art Cross, Tim Guy, Daryl Harmon, Mike McCormick, Jim Nelson, Dana Parker, Dick Pigg, Bob Summers, Jim Trimby and Ed Zell set the 11-way Indiana Skydivers Over Sixty Record for Largest Formation Skydive over Frankfort, Indiana.

The Federal Aviation Administration ruled in favor of a USPA member who sought airport access for his skydiving business in Romeo, Michigan.

These days it often seems that everything is described in the extreme. Simply fun outings become “epic,” everyday good things are “amazing” or “awesome,” and everyday good people become “legends.” However, that which is truly epic, amazing or legendary clearly stands out as the genuine article. Thomas Jenkins was absolutely such a legend.

USPA is looking for 15 remarkable photographs for the 2019 USPA Skydive Calendar. Photographers must submit entries by July 31 for consideration.

Photo by August Haeuser | D-32152

I am by no means a skydiver, but skydiving did truly change my life!

After I had a heart-crushing breakup, my friend Jenn told me how she once went skydiving to feel alive again after hitting rock bottom. Completely devastated, I agreed, and we made tandem appointments at Freefall Adventures (now called Skydive Cross Keys) in New Jersey. Little did I know that fate had plans for me.

Rachel Kennedy | B-46618
Clinton Township, Michigan 

Each year, the National Aeronautic Association selects what it considers aviation's most memorable records from the previous year and honors those records at an event near Washington, D.C. 

Competing  in  4-way  formation  skydiving  can  be  a  lot  of  fun  and  also  very  challenging.  It’s  the  kind  of  sport  you  can  enjoy  casually  on  the weekend  or  devote  your  life  to  (like  the  members  of  SDC  Rhythm  XP  do)! If  you’re  thinking  of  participating,  you’ll  first  need  to  learn  a  little about  the  formations  and  the  five  positions  on  the  team.

For skydivers, two things keep us in the sport—our passion for human flight and the amazing friendships we build with others who share that passion.

Welcome to the front office! This new bimonthly column will take you behind the scenes of jump piloting to give you insight into the job and why your pilots do what they do. Author Chas Hines, C-41147, is an airline pilot and certified flight instructor who spent five years as a jump pilot at various drop zones. He has logged more than 5,000 hours of flight time, 500 of those instructing other pilots. He’s also been skydiving for 13 years and has more than 1,500 jumps. He can often be found load organizing at Skydive Arizona in Eloy. 

In May, USPA promoted Steve Hubbard to director of the competition and records department, which is responsible for the USPA National Championships, the U.S. Parachute Team, competitive events and skydiving records.

By Gary Patmor | D-720