In mid-June, freefall photographer Mike McGowan released “Selections by Mike McGowan,” a fine-art book that documents more than 50 years of skydiving history through more than 100 of his finest photographs. 

Levity, which launched in June, is a line of littleto- no waste hammocks, swinging chairs and more made a lmost entirely of donated and upcycled parachutes and gear. 

In May, the International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame announced the creation of the Path of Excellence Award, an honor it will present to groups, companies or teams that have played a prominent role in the growth and development of the sport. 

Approximately 120 jumpers, 40 of them women, attended the 2018 West Tennessee Skydiving Sisters in Skydiving Boogie May 11-13. DZO Mike Mullins flew 40 14,500-foot King Air loads, as well as a 23,000-foot high-altitude load with oxygen, and 11 inverted bi-plane loads. Attendees also had the opportunity to get on two helicopter loads. Everyone had a blast at the 1980s-themed lip sync contest. Event organizers Elizabeth and Christian Young and the drop zone staff put on an amazing show.

Skydive Spaceland’s sport accuracy competitions have long been a fun way to focus skydivers on safe, accurate landings and introduce newer jumpers to competition. With free canopy coaching and three classes of competition to provide jumpers of all experience levels an opportunity to compete for prizes, including a free day of jumping, the meets usually draw a good crowd.

On Tuesday, April 17, jumpers made history at USPA Foreign Affiliate Skydive Cuautla in Morelos, Mexico. At 2 p.m., 49 jumpers exited three planes flying at 16,000 feet and built the Mexican Record for Largest Formation Skydive.

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.