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.

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.

Photo by Samantha Schwann | C-37975 

Niklas Daniel swoops the pond at Skydive Arizona. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Photo by Craig O'Brien | D-19294

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

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. 

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.

Photo by Luciano Bacque | USPA #140185
Paulo Pires (center) and (from left) Luis Prinetto, Nicolas Lesser, Gabriel Martin and Juan Manuel Garcia Coni angle fly during the Elite Latin Skydivers event at Skydive Perris in California.

Photo by Cheryl Brown| USPA #244108
Thomas Dellibac lands during the zone accuracy event while on his way to winning the open-class overall gold medal at the USPA National Championships of Canopy Piloting.

Photo by Zach Schroedel | D-29163
Bram Clement, owner of the SkydiveRatings instructor school in Zephyrhills, Florida, plays the student while exiting a Skyvan with AFF-rating candidate Ryan Bolohan.

Photo by Norman Kent | D-8369
Diana Osuna and Alex Klockner exit over Banderas Bay during Skydive Mex's Pachanga Beach Boogie in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Photo by Randy Forbes | D-10858
The 4-way base of a 20-way formation flies down the hill during a Wuest Ways event hosted by big-way organizers Doug and Marilyn Wuest at Skydive Perris in California.

Photo by Randy Swallows| D-31271
During the USPA National Collegiate Parachuting Championships at Florida Skydiving Center/Skydive Lake Wales, Air Force Eufouria sets a 40-point national collegiate skydiving record on its way to winning gold in the 4-way open formation skydiving event.

The choices you make when purchasing skydiving gear can literally mean the difference between life and death. The data on the causes of skydiving injuries and fatalities makes it pretty clear that nothing is more important when it comes to gear than the size and type of main canopy you choose to fly and the decisions you make while flying it.

Photo by Jason Peters | D-23332
At Skydive Arizona in Eloy, 63 jumpers set the Women's World Record for Largest Head-Down Formation.

There is probably no other piece of skydiving equipment more misunderstood than the reserve static line (RSL). If you want 10 different opinions on why you should or should not equip your container with one, simply ask 10 different skydivers.