Photo by Dan Chrobak  |  D-37105
Neil Kuhlman swoops the surf at Mokuleia Beach while participating in an offsite jump during the Sky-HI invitational event at Pacific Skydiving Center in Waialua, Hawaii.

Jumpers fly an early-season sunset 19-way over Skydive Carolina in Chester South Carolina to celebrate Lauren Piscetalli, D-34257, making her 3,000th jump and Amie Begg, C-46156, making her 400th.

Photo by Daniel Schiermeyer  |  D-31153

On February 10, Seven Hills Skydivers of Madison, WI, located in York Center, Wisconsin, revived a tradition when it hosted ice jumps onto Lake Mendota, just five blocks from the Wisconsin State Capitol.

Photo by Terry Schumacher | D-22794

During a 10-way speed formation skydiving competition at Skydive Arizona in Eloy, team Games of Jones—featuring patriarch Bill Jones and five other members of his family—build a point.

More than 60 skydivers played in the skies over Skydive San Diego in Jamul, California, on December 2 during the DZ’s first Sisters in Skydiving event, Women of the Sky.

The American classic movie “The Wizard of Oz” laid the (yellow) brickwork for a one-of-a-kind Sisters in Skydiving event at Skydive Arizona in Eloy January 26-28. Amy Benton and Chazi Blacksher (affectionately known as “the Working Girls”) collaborated with Larsen & Brusgaard to bring more than 90 women together for a weekend of sharing, giving, jumping, tunnel flying, winning prizes and dressing in costume.

Tracy Barrett, the author of many books for young readers, recently turned her attention to skydiving by penning the novel “Freefall Summer.”

Canopy manufacturer Fluid Wings recently released the Gangster, a nine-cell, partially cross-braced wing with a tri-taper leading edge and mini-ribs at the trailing edge.

When USPA receives a complaint about an individual member or a Group Member drop zone violating rules or acting in an unsafe manner, the USPA Board of Directors’ Compliance Group investigates the allegations using a specific process that the USPA Governance Manual outlines.

Jason Gonzalez and Viviana De Jesus of Xtreme Divers West in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, hosted the 16th Puerto Rico Freefall Festival February 7-11, an event many thought impossible after the island suffered a direct blow from Hurricane Maria last year.

On February 17, Skydive Arizona in Eloy hosted a mixed formation skydiving scrambles meet, which paired participants with a new partner in each of the five rounds.

On February 3 at Skydive Arizona in Eloy, 18 jumpers set two Skydivers Over Sixty state records, one of which also qualified as a Parachutists Over Phorty Society record.

On January 30 at Skydive DeLand in Florida, the two questions on the minds of the team of 48 international skydivers were, “What does it mean and why are we doing this?”

The USPA Membership Services Committee is currently seeking nominations for three of its service awards: the Lifetime Achievement Award (a maximum of one recipient annually), the Gold Medal for Meritorious Service (up to three recipients annually) and the Regional Achievement Award (up to five recipients annually).

Photo by Laszlo Andacs | D-22468

Clancy Ewald, camera pool photographer at the USPA National Collegiate Parachuting Championships at Skydive Lake Wales, flies to the landing area after a round of competition.

Photo by Brian Festi | D-26788

At Skydive DeLand in Florida, jumpers practice a sector of a formation they will build for a television program celebrating Chinese New Year.

Photo by Raymond Adams | D-30158

Jumpers exit during the Sebastian Vertical Elite Camp at Skydive Sebastian in Florida.

Norwood Thomas, a World War II veteran who jumped into Normandy, France, on D-Day with the 101st Airborne Division, makes a tandem skydive with instructor Alberto Macias at Skydive Suffolk in Virginia.

I have found that shedding my ego is easier now that I have become a skydiver. There is so much fear in this sport, especially at first. The cool thing about this is that every time I jump, I train my mind to compartmentalize fear. 

Raymond Adams, D-30158, is a talented vertical formation skydiver and camera flyer who started jumping in 1993. Adams can often be found at boogies and record events, participating both as an inside flyer and outside cameraman. His photos have graced numerous Parachutist covers and centerfolds. Despite his accomplishments, his friends describe him as “humble,” as well as “someone you can count on” and “an asset to skydiving.”