During a weekend of jumping out of history at Jumptown in Orange, Massachusetts, Casey Tylek exits Whiskey 7, a World War II-era C-47 that carried 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers during the D-Day invasions.

Photo by David Bryce | D-20372

Having just landed, a tandem pair watches another pair come in on its final approach at Skydive Orange in Virginia.

Photo by David Cherry | D-33500

A multicultural group of jumpers—(clockwise from top) Herman Landsman of the Netherlands, Mathieu Boyer of France, Samantha Joseph of the U.S., Hani Lapodi of the United Arab Emirates, Nicolás Fierro of Chile and Robert Compton of the U.S.—form a star over the Pyramid of Khafre in Giza, Egypt.

Photo by Bruno Brokken | USPA #96017

Photo by David Wybenga | D-31862

At Skydive Arizona in Eloy during the Arizona Challenge, a formation skydiving event organized by former and current members of champion 4-way FS team Arizona Airspeed, participants build the event’s grand-finale formation, a representation of the team’s triangular logo.

Jumpers fly head down during the Sun Path Sequentials freefly event at Skydive Midwest in Sturtevant, Wisconsin.

Photo by David Cherry | D-33500

Following the annual TeXXas 20-Ways event at Skydive Spaceland–Houston in Rosharon, Texas, 20 talented women from around the state completed this 20-way Texas star on their second try, impressing the female air traffic controller on duty in the process.

Photo by Alan Levy | D-18332

At Skydive Spaceland–Dallas in Whitewright, Texas, Debbie Bohannon, the wife of the late Richard “Bo” Bohannon, releases his ashes during a tandem skydive with instructor Ernie Long and friends (from left) Dave Eisele, Gary Haas and Scott Kucel.

Zach Lewis | D-21616

Bill Wenger, D-3774 and a U.S. Army Golden Knight from 1974-1980, has dedicated much of his life to coaching and developing military skydivers, bringing dozens of teams to the USPA National Collegiate Parachuting Championships. He helped pioneer the 8-way FS discipline and earned numerous medals in FS and accuracy at national and world competitions. His peers describe him as “a great guy,” “humble,” “hard working” and “a great father” (to current Golden Knight Jason Wenger).

Paint and marker
 

Heather Weter and Karen Figenshau | B-47715 and A-80088
Ozark, Missouri, and St. Louis, Missouri

Photo by Roy Wimmer Jaglom  |  USPA #279679
Matt Leonard from Team Control Tower flies his canopy over new USPA Foreign Affiliate DZ Skydive Bovec in Slovenia.

Have you ever spent months working with a student, ensuring that you covered each category and transferred the necessary knowledge and skills, then proudly stamped the A-license card and watched in disbelief as he ran off to sign up for a 10-way speedstar competition with a freshly mounted GoPro on his helmet?

USPA achieved a milestone—40,000 current members!

After exiting properly for your wingsuit skydive (covered in “Wingsuit Progression—Part Two: Exits,” July Parachutist), you still have the rest of your jump ahead of you. All skydives require planning and careful execution, but wingsuit skydives require just a little extra.

Thailand is magical. It deserves to be referred to as the “Land of Smiles.” Anyone who has been there will tell you it’s unforgettable. The air is warm and damp. Transitioning to the outdoors from an air-conditioned space feels like a warm embrace.

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. One way to enjoy both is to be involved in large-formation skydiving events.

Each year, the International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame inducts a select few men and women who have “defined, promoted, inspired and advanced the sport at the highest levels.” This year’s induction ceremony and gala dinner for the 10 newest members will take place during the 2018 International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame Celebration November 1-3 at Skydive City Zephyrhills in Florida.

Brought to you by Niklas Daniel and Brianne Thompson of AXIS Flight School at Skydive Arizona in Eloy. Photos by David Cherry. Information about AXIS' coaching and instructional services is available at axisflightschool.com.

A properly sized and adjusted harness-and-container is essential to your safety both in freefall and under canopy. It’s likely that many jumpers who are reading this right now are in real danger of coming out of their harnesses during their next skydives and don’t even realize it.