The PD Blog

AXIS goes to M.O.A.B.

Brianne Thompson and Niklas Daniel of AXIS Flight School arrived with the Skydive Arizona otter in MOAB to help organize during the 8th annual Mother Of All Boogies. Over the course of four days, jumpers from all over flocked to the beautiful dropzone to enjoy the great scenery, friendly people, and make some awesome jumps. We had an awesome time jumping and organizing at this boogie and would like to thank everyone who attended!

 

 

In addition, AXIS was able to take part in some of the off-site jumps, such as MOAB Airpark and  Castle Valley in order to take pictures. Please visit Nik's Blog to view more images.

And for all you freeflyers out there, here is some GoPro footage from an interesting jump we did with some tunnel instructors from SVCO (Skyventure Colorado).

 

AXIS would like to thank Skydive Moab for hosting this great event, and is looking forward to attening next year!

Happy Learning with Axis Flight School!

For those of you in the US or abroad who read USPA's Parachutist magazine, be sure to check out Page 69.  The next in a series from Axis Flight school teaching the foundations of flight, this months article discusses the toggle stall.  You can also check out the article at Parachutist online.  Happy Learning!!!

 

Tracking anyone?

Photographer Niklas Daniel captured this shot of Brianne Thompson of AXIS Flight School

diving out of an otter over Skydive Arizona. 

Katana over Arizona

Photographer Niklas Daniel captured this shot of Brianne Thompson under her KA 97 over Eloy, AZ.

PD Instructors over the skies in Deland

It's been a busy few weeks at PD's local DZ.  Skydive Deland is playing host to a number of students, accuracy jumpers and 4-way teams from Qatar's Armed forces.

A total of 59 students with no prior experience arrived mid-September and over 40 have already graduated AFF and are on their way to gaining their USPA A license.  Using an intense combination of air and tunnel time, the staff have been able to teach a greater number of these students in a shorter time frame. The program is being overseen by world renowned coach, instructor, and world champion, Solly Williams.  Solly is utilizing a large pool of instructors, from Deland and around Florida for this project.  The distinct lemon black and white PD instructorcanopies can be seen flying over Deland as these staff members return to the ground as they build new skydivers.

Reported by: Maxine Tate, PD Instructor

 

 

September 2010 Instructor of the Month: Nick Kaminski

This months instructor can be found most weekends at Skydive Orange in the great state of Virginia.  Nick is one of their most respected AFF instructors who can be found mentoring skydivers from their first jump through their A-license on any given weekend in the summer months.  But as hard as he works, he certainly knows how to play as well filling his spare time with flying heli's, paragliding and speedflying the mountains of the US, and scuba diving.

 

Pilot:  Nick Kaminski

Main:  Velocity 96

Reserve:  Optimum 126

Container: UPT Vector

AAD:  Vigil II

Born:  December, 1975

Nationality:  USA

Profession:  Professional Skydiver, Helicopter Pilot

Hobbies:  Paragliding, SCUBA, Backpacking, Speedflying, Adventure Travel

Jumps:  7000 Total:  2000+ tandems, 900+ AFF’s, 500+ Camera, 400 BASE jumps, 1000 hop’n’pops, 2000 4-way jumps, 500 freefly jumps

Competitions:  4-Way Nationals, Swooping Circuit and Nationals

Intentional Cutaways:  10’ish

Emergency Cutaways:   15’ish

Tandem Cutaways: 2

Licenses/Ratings:  AFF Evaluator, Tandem Instructor, Static-Line Instructor, Coach, PRO Rating demo jumper, PRO rated swooper, P-2 Paraglide Pilot, Instrument/Commercial Helicopter Pilot

Canopy Progression:  Sabre 150, purchased before I was old enough to jump after working for the PD tour with John and Bibi (I feel old!), Sabre 135, Sabre 120, Nova 120, 110, 99, 88 (I know, I know….), Stiletto 120, Stiletto 107, Stiletto 97, Velocity 84, 90 and 96

Philosophy:  Don’t take this sport too seriously that you forget you’re spending thousands of $$ to have fun, but take it seriously    enough to know that many before you have died doing something foolish.  Seek out the best instruction in your endeavors.

Most Valuable Skydiving Lesson Learned:  That swooping stuff (and the planet) is a lot harder than it looks!

  

     
 
 
  
  

 

 

 

 

August 2010 Instructor of the Month: Chris Howard

This month we're going to change things up a bit and profile one of those who lives and works in our sport teaching other how to skydive.  This months instructor of the month spends his life living on opposite sides of the world 6 months out of every year.  From the city of brotherly love, to the youngest country on earth, what a life!   

Name: Chris Howard

Year of Birth: 1982

Occupation: Skydiving Instructor

Nationalty: Australian

Hobbies: Skydiving, BASE, Hiking & Travel.

Team name: N/A

Total jumps: 4900

Home dropzone: Skydive Philadelphia/NZone Queenstown

Year of first skydive: 2002

Main canopy: Velocity 90

Reserve canopy: Optimum 126

Container: Javelin Odyssey

AAD: Cypres 2 (Speed)

Total Jumps: 4900

RW: 600

Free Fly: 300

Hop & Pops: 100

Camera: 400

Tandem: 3000

AFF: 500

Emergency Cutaways: 9   (5 Tandem, 4 Sport).

Licenses/Ratings:

USPA: D Licence 28490, Coach, AFF Instructor, Tandem Instructor (Strong, Vector, Sigma), S&TA.

Australian Parachute Federation: Certificate E 2146, Instructor D, AFF Instructor 989, Tandem Instructor 621 (Strong), Starcrest 3518, Packer B 1691.

New Zealand Parachute Industry Association: Tandem Inst. (Strong, Vector, Sigma), High Altitude Endorsement.

Factory Ratings: Strong Tandem, Vector Tandem, Sigma Tandem.

Records/Competitions:

Other skydiving accomplishments:

Canopy Progression: 170, 135, 108, 96, 90.

Most valuable skydiving lesson learned: Slow down and take the time to actively build your skill set. There is no point in rushing to attempt things that you don’t yet have the skills to achieve, especially if it is putting you or your friends at risk.

Skydiving philosophy: There is no need to rush. You’ve got the rest of your life to jump.

Life philosophy: Don’t let life pass you by. Live every single day.

 

 
  If you're  a skydiving instructor and interested in learning more about PD's Instructor sponsorship program, drop us a line at sponsorship@performancedesigns.com.
 

Sponsored Instructor/Athlete pages updated! N-Z

A few weeks back we posted profiles for about 1/2 our sponsored individuals.  If you thought the first 1/2 of PD's Instructor/Athlete page was an impressive list, check out the rest of the our athletes!

http://www.thepdblog.com/pdblog/sponsored-athletesinstructors.html

 

Sponsored Instructor/Athlete Pages- A-M

If you enjoyed the last couple weeks when we brought you a detailed list of our sponsored teams, your surely going to enjoy these pages.  This week we've put together a list of some of PD's sponsored Athletes and Instructors.  Each of these people have been selected by PD to represent our company in the field.  Some of them are world champion skydivers from various discliplines. Others are accomplished photographers within our sport.  Some of them are full or part time instructors known for teaching others the great sport of skydiving.  For one reason or another, they've earned their place flying the PD colors. 

We've posted the first 1/2 of these individuals who's names begin with the letters A-M. 

http://www.thepdblog.com/pdblog/sponsored-athletesinstructors.html

 

 
 
 
 

PD Factory team Flight-1 canopy coaching at Jumptown Mass

 

Ian Bobo from the PD Factory Team arrived Wednesday night in Hartford and was whisked away to West Hartford Center to Barcelona for Tapas. Once his hunger was quenched, a migration to the newly opened Irish pub for more grub.

Thursday started out with Team Street People v.6969 laying on the boards at 7am, 4-way FS coach Bobo showed up at 7:45am with Dunkin in hand and game face on for an 8am start. This newly formed team has a total of 2 skydives together, a lack of video due to the 4 passenger Cessna. Following a full 12 hours of talk, boards, angles, box, exit info, 6 jumps and debriefing the entire team sat in a circle of 6 confident and tuckered out fellers. The day’s close out was lead in the manner the day was opened, and honest and humble explanation of how expectations and goals were planned and completed, and a  recap of how the well built foundation that was laid that day could now support the structure of the teams development to come.

Friday and Saturday were Flight-1 Essential Skills Course’s with Instructor/Coach Ian Bobo in the driver’s seat yet again. Like tourists seeing Paris for the first time on a guided bus tour Ian lead the 20 skydivers through the full curriculum of canopy theory, application and evaluation as the tourists listened to anything and everything as if they would miss the secret stuff if they dared not pay attention. Annual continuing  education for professionals that work 40+ hours a week is very common, to recognize this is needed in our sport and leap at the chance to participate is exactly what these 20 individuals did. The days class’s were filled with eager beavers, some fresh on their first course and those seasoned with as many as 3 ESC courses in the past. Attendance was mixed with skydivers of varying experience, goals and fortitude under pressure to perform for their most important audience to date, themselves. Mornings welcomed bright eyes and evenings brought out the closing out of the day, in the same manner Ian would start of with stating his goals and a review of how the group were able to work and move as a team to accomplish them.

  

Sunday is FUNDAY! Feet were on the street at 6:15am, coffee by 6:20, and waking of JumpTown’s newest packer from the club room as the Advanced Class was beginning at 7am sharp! The initial 2 scheduled courses were filled so fast a 3^rd day was added, with that offer on the table the JumpTown member answered the raise with yet another confident call, the day was filled. The day began focused on the basics, the foundation of gaining an understanding of cause and effect  with canopy flight so as not to introduce the “Mr. Wind did it theory” and embarrass one’s self. Again the experience of attendees varied widely, showing to some that the “Advanced Course” while offering more information on speed theory, creation and management than the Essential Course was really in essence a course for those who have stated that they are looking to advance both in information and application. A mid morning New England cloud cover moved the team back one jump but offered the opportunity for added class time. Following a course break where several attendees spent the majority of their free time in a starting competition with the clouds, they backed away as silent as they arrived. The loads were turning once again, the course was in full swing, information, application and evaluation set the tone for the remainder of the day. The day closed out and the score was posted, JumpTown and Flight-1 on the same team just pitched a no hitter against Mr. Wind and his sidekick Injury.

 
A couple of stats:  Flight-1 courses had 20 participants, the maximum offered. Low High - Jumps 9 up to 12,000+, WL .6 to 2.3, Years in sport: .3 to 24, Day 7am and 7pm. Hours spent giving an amazing amount of attention and energy towards others eager to learn 32. Jumps 156.

 

Reported by: Dave Brown

Photos by: Michael Bauman