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Launch Full Issue in Flipbook

Flip through the pages of back issues from September 1957 to today as if you were holding the real magazine! Once you open an issue, swipe the hand icon to the left to begin reading. (You may need to disable your pop-up blocker to view.)

Sequential Games Completes Two-Point 202-Way!   (Sep 2015) Competition Records

An international group of formation skydivers has set a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale sequential formation skydiving world record (pending ratification) with a two-point 202-way. The group completed the jump Tuesday, September 29, at Skydive Perris in California. Dieter Kirsch, Milko Hodgkinson and Patrick Passe organized the event, which they called the Sequential Games. For the past five years, a number of attempts at this record have come close, but none has succeeded—until now.

September 2015 Cover   (Sep 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Juan Mayer | D-26130

Latifa Al-Maktoum, D-34327, deploys her canopy after a wingsuit flight at Skydive Dubai. 

Jumpers Break Head-Down Record at Skydive Chicago   (Aug 2015) Competition Records

An international team of skydivers from 23 nations built a 164-way head-down formation on Friday, July 31, at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois, eclipsing the 138-Way World Record for Largest Head-Down Formation set at the same location in 2012. It took 13 attempts to build the formation, which resembled a giant flower. International formation skydiving judges Randy Connell, Marylou Laughlin and Jami Pillasch certified the performance, which will now go to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for ratification.

August 2015 Cover   (Aug 2015) Covers

Photo by Norman Kent | D-8369

Jumpers pour out of a Twin Otter for a head-down jump during the Big Wayze 2015 event at Skydive Spaceland in Houston, Texas. 

July 2015 Cover   (Jul 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Luciano Bacque | #140185

Jumpers complete a challenging formation at the P3 Spring Fling event at Skydive Perris in California. 

June 2015 Cover   (Jun 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Max Haim | D-23779

While wearing L.E.D. lights, Abdulbari Qubaisi swoops the pond at Skydive Dubai. 

Olav Zipser | D-11733 by Brian Giboney   (Jun 2015) Homepage People Profiles

Olav Zipser spearheaded the freefly revolution of the early 1990s. He, along with a group of jumpers known as the Freefly Clowns, pioneered head-down skydiving and freeflying as we know it today. Zipser founded the Space Games freefly competition and has earned numerous championships and records, as well as an Emmy award for his work on ESPN’s “X-Games.” He has traveled extensively for decades teaching jumpers all over the world his art of freeflying, and his students say he has a Zen-like presence in the sky.

May 2015 Cover   (May 2015) Featured Photos Covers

 

Photo by Norman Kent | D-8369

Caroline Layne goes for a magic carpet ride on wingsuit flyer Jeff Provenzano at the Pachangon Beach Boogie in Mexico.

April 2015 Cover   (Apr 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Craig O'Brien | D-19294

Jumpers at Skydive Perris in California build a "human planet" formation, bringing to life Paul Bond's painting that appeared on the February 1980 cover of Parachutist portraying a then-imaginary 3-D skydive. 

March 2015 Cover   (Mar 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Laszlo Andacs | D-22468

Douglas Hendrix moves in on the score pad on his way to taking the bronze medal in the sport accuracy masters class at the USPA National Collegiate Parachuting Championships.

Eustace and StratEx Nominated for Collier Trophy!   (Feb 2015) Competition Records

Following last October’s world-record-breaking leap from 135,897 feet, Alan Eustace and the StratEx Team are among this year’s nominees for the National Aeronautic Association’s prestigious Collier Trophy.

February 2015 Cover   (Feb 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Samantha Schwann | C-37975 

Niklas Daniel swoops the pond at Skydive Arizona. 

How Skydiving Changed My Life by Shauna Finley   (Jan 2015) Homepage How Skydiving Changed My Life

July 22, 2013, was the day that changed my life. A week earlier, a coworker and I had received a briefing that a new drop zone was opening in our patrol area. The owners had invited troopers from our station to come out and make a tandem skydive.

January 2015 Cover   (Jan 2015) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Dave Jourdan

During one of the test jumps for his successful high-altitude world record attempt, Alan Eustace waves to the StratEx ground crew as a balloon lifts him to the stratosphere.

December 2014   (Dec 2014) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Norman Kent | D-8369

Lesley Gale (center) and Kate Cooper-Jensen (green helmet) lead the base out of the Skyvan during the world record sequential event.

November 2014 Cover   (Nov 2014) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Randy Swallows | D-31271

Fresh off of its win at the 2014 World Championships of 8-Way Formation Skydiving, the US Army Golden Knights turn in another gold-medal-winning performance at the USPA Nationals.

Rating Corner | Rules, Reasoning, Liability & Ethics By Jen Sharp   (Oct 2014) Safety & Training The Rating Corner

Does an instructional rating holder have more liability than those not coaching or instructing? Inherently, yes. You take on more responsibility—hence more liability—by assuming a role that cares for students. However, there are clear limits to that liability and simple ways to reduce the likelihood that you will be held legally accountable in any situation. How do you reduce your risk? By applying your ethics.

October 2014 Cover   (Oct 2014) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Craig O'Brien | D-19294

Rob Carter radiates hapiness as he flies down over Skydive Perris in California.

5 Things To Ask Yourself Before Downsizing By Melissa Garcia and Ella Ran   (Sep 2014) Features

It's a topic that nearly all skydivers face at some point in their skydiving careers: downsizing. And it's a discussion that the Performance Designs staff has had with numerous skydivers of all experience levels over the years. Now, with the majority of incidents in skydiving occurring under fully open (and fully functional) canopies, it’s that much more important to talk about when it is and is not appropriate to downsize. 

September 2014 Cover   (Sep 2014) Featured Photos Covers

Photo by Iwan van der Schoor | D-29627
Mark and Nancy Lichtle exit a helicopter for a demonstration jump into Lake of the Pines, California, to kick off the community's Fourth of July parade.

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