San Diego. Symposium 2001 broke all attendance records. More than 1,200 people from 44 countries took part in the classes and visited the exhibits; up from 1,100 and 33 nations two years earlier at the same location. Classroom attendees increased from 497 to 580, exhibit visitors were up from 295 to 420, the number of exhibitors grew from 58 to 64 and speakers increased from 82 to 100. And there were more staff and support personnel this time.
 
Col. Joe Kittinger keynoted the opening ceremonies. Kittinger jumped from a balloon at 102,000 feet 40 years ago.
 
Many other parachute organizations co-located their meetings with the Parachute Industry Association in order to take part in the seminars and exhibits: The USPA held their board meeting, the International Parachute Commission of the FAI met, The Aerodynamic Decelerator Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aerodynamic and Astronautics got together, USPA hosted the DZ Operators Conference, The SAE's S-17 parachute specification committee met, Cesar Aguilar hosted a COLPAR meeting, the FAA staged a DPRE meeting and several manufacturers held dealer meetings.
 
Symposium 2001 was the largest gathering of the most important people in parachutes and skydiving ever held: manufacturers, designers, dealers, skydiving instructors, pilots, the military, riggers, smokejumpers, competition judges and skydivers. Sited in Southern California, there was a significant increase in skydivers attending.
 
The next PIA Symposium will take place in Jacksonville, Florida, February 27-March 3, 2003. See http://www.pia.com.
 
All photos taken by the official symposium photographer are online and ready for viewing at www.partypics.com The event code is PIA. These photos include the USPA DZO Conference and the USPA BOD meeting, as well as photos taken by some folks with Col. Joe Kittinger.

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BASE jumping fun in Kualar Lumpur

For the second time in recent weeks, Malaysia has allowed skydivers to parachute off buildings. On Thursday, February 1, 2001, hundreds watched as 53 BASE jumpers from all over the world jumped off the world's fourth tallest communications building, the broadcasting tower [424 m = 1389 ft] in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Participants in the latest leap included skydivers from the USA, Australia, Malaysia, Sweden, Canada, Britain, Iceland, Norway, New Zealand and Switzerland. Each parachutist made 10 jumps from the 300-meter [985 ft] mark of the tower's observation deck during the six-hour event.
 
Malaysia has welcomed the sport, which some say could be promoted as a tourist attraction. On New Year's Eve 2000, 15 jumpers leapt off Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Twin Towers, the world's tallest buildings. In August, Skyventure Productions, the company which sponsored the event in Malaysia, hopes to set up an extreme jumping world championship there.
 
For a full media coverage of the events check out the following links: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1148000/1148627.stm http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010129/ipbc_extre.html http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/malaysia010201_sport.html http://news.excite.com/news/ap/010201/05/int-extreme-skydivers/

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USPA Executive Committee elected

New USPA members of the executive committee were elected by the Board of Directors. The new USPA officers are: President - Don Yahrling, Vice-President - John DeSantis (NOT John Goswitz, Secretary - John Goswitz, Treasurer - "Doc" Lee Schlichtemeier, Chairman of the Board - Gene Paul Thacker, and Member-at-Large - Madolyn Murdock.

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Civil penalties after Hawaiian plane crash

Civil penalties of $1,100 were being levied against the skydivers that jumped from the ill-fated airplane in Hawaii in 1999 [see final report of the NTSB]. Two violations were cited -- the 20,000 foot jump and the jump after sunset. It appears that all but one jumper has accepted. He has hired a lawyer and will fight the penalty.

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News from Arizona Airspeed
by Dan B.C. and Alan Metni - www.airspeed.org

As you might have heard, Airspeed is going to represent the US at the 2001 World Meet in both 4-way and 8-way. We have a busy training year ahead of us but, as you might have guessed, we have made time for both work and play.
 
Skills Camps at Skydive AZ:
The AirSpeed Training Camps have been busier than ever. The winter Basic Skills Camp is already full but there are slots available on the waiting list. The Advanced Camp (January 17 - 21) has room for one more team. In response to your requests, we have scheduled another camp for this spring from April 28 - May 6. You can register at www.airspeed.org.
 
Airspeed Tunnel Camps:
we have several available throughout the year. January ones are all full but there are slots available in March. We have rebuilt the website. Check out www.tunnelcamp.com for registration and information.
 
Boogies:
Airspeed will be organizing fun and challenging dives at this year's Easter Boogie and Christmas Boogie at Eloy. For those of you who are ready for the ultimate skydiving vacation there will be AirSpeed organizers at the South of the Border Boogie in San Carlos, Mexico from March 14 - 19. Five Star Resort on the beach and much more. Take a look at www.skydiveaz.com.

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Skyventure's manager becomes a skydiver

SkyVenture's wind tunnel general manager, Trevor Thompson, has become a skydiver. Thompson had not really planned to become a skydiver when he took his new job. He remembers that he told the headhunter who directed him to SkyVenture, that he would never jump from a plane. However, he finally decided to try the element that everybody has been talking about. He made a tandem jump in April 2000 that was organized by SkyCoaster as a company incentive. Thompson liked it, and after three hours of tunnel training, he made his first AFF jump in July 2000. Tunnel rats Doug Park and Joey Jones of team FX were his AFF instructors. It took Thompson seven jumps to run through the AFF program. In January 2001 he completed it successfully. It required a longer time period since his job does not allow him much time to play. Thompson is not planning to compete with his young tunnel instructors for medals at the Nationals or to try out for the team. He sees himself as a recreational skydiver in the future. Have fun, Trevor!

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Skydive Daytona Beach will close

Skydive Daytona Beach in Florida will close its doors on February 25. They will be flying the Porter through that last day. The will also have a party on Saturday, February 17, on the deck or in the restaurant, whichever weather permits. Jerry Bird will be there for organizing.

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Eight US world champions will compete in Spain

It took a while until the final decision was made. It is definite now: the same Airspeed 8 team squad that won the 1999 World Championship will represent the United States next year in Spain. As for the U.S. Nationals 2000, Dan BC, Jack Jefferies and Gary Beyer will return to competition from their retirement homes. Mark Kirkby, Kirk Verner, John Eagle, Alan Metni and Craig Girard will complete the Airspeed 8 team for the World Championship 2001 in Spain. As difficult as it was to come to this decision, it will not become much easier from here on for the defending 8-way world champions. Pressure and responsibility will be huge.

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"Evolution" Canopy Control School

The Icarus canopies factory team [Jim Slaton, J.C. Colcasure, Clint Clawson, Luigi Cani and Wyat Drews] has opened up the Canopy Control School "Elsinore Evolution" at Skydive Elsinore, California. The school offers canopy training for pilots of all levels and specializes in high performance canopy flight. The school/dropzone has training rooms, a swoop park with 220 x 40 ft. pond, two Super Twin Otters, professional canopy competitions and more! Additional information by email at vxfactorypilot@excite.com.

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Last Jumps at Brown Field

Sunday, January 21, was the last day of jumping by Air Adventures Skydiving, Inc. in San Diego. The dropzone was open 7-1/2 years but had to move because Brown Field is being transformed into a major cargo airport. The dropzone is now relocating to their new Otay Lakes location in San Diego at 13531 Otay Lakes Road. For more information call 619-661-6671 or visit their website at http://AirAdventures.com/.

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