On Saturday, December 30, 2000, at Skydive City in Zephyr Hills, Florida, an auction was held for the John Matthews Recovery Fund, and ... Yeahhhh! ...the auction was absolutely phenomenal. We went LARGE!! The last number I heard was over $14,000! How cool is that?! Everyone is SO stoked about the outpouring of support that was shown on that Saturday night. People were bidding outrageously above and beyond what was the cost of items.
 
For example, Wolf River Skydivers in Shiocton, WI, donated 2 sweatshirts and 2 ball caps. They went for over $100!! (thanks Kim and the rest of you guys!) Dave from Massachusetts bought 2 Time-Out batteries...INSTALLED (of course), for $500...get him to tell you the cool story behind the Time-Out batteries and how they relate to him, his first visit to Skydive City, and knowing John.
 
Bird bought a date with Alicia for a few hundred dollars. Jim O. bought back a puzzle book that he contributed to the auction himself, then gave it to the person who had the previous bid. I think it went for $70. Naked hot tub parties went for BIG bucks... (of course there had to be nakedness in there somewhere ;-)
 
Hell, there were people that bid on so many items that they're not even sure what they ended up getting! But all the auction "tabs" were paid for promptly. I think there was even a case of beer auctioned off for fifty bucks.
 
I'm telling ya, It was CRAZY! Everyone was just chomping at the bit to help out John. Cool beans! This community of skydivers rocks. Love and Peace to everyone...especially John.

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Skydive Spaceland is building a swoop ditch

Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon near Houston, Texas, is building a new swoop ditch. One of the things that makes this new Spaceland ditch so interesting is it will now be considered a swoop park, allowing for multiple courses and professional competition. "Swoop park" means that Skydive Spaceland has more than one man-made body of water used for the purpose of canopy swooping. The dropzone has a round 200-foot swoop pond and the new 300-foot linear swoop ditch being built. The new swoop ditch is co-located with their swoop pond several hundred feet from the main hanger.
 
If everything works out as predicted, Skydive Spaceland`s new swoop park could possibly be home to a Pro Canopy Tour stop or even a tour championship during the 2001/2002 season. Additional information and questions regarding swoop parks, swoop competitions, the E.C.P.A (Extreme Canopy Pilot`s Association) or the Pro Tour can be obtained by contacting TheSwoopZone@excite.com

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New wind tunnel project in Belgium

A Belgium team of investors is looking for information about the possibility of building a wind tunnel for skydivers. If a real and serious interest exists from the side of the skydiving world, and if the project is do-able, they are willing to investigate the possibility of building such a tunnel. They would like skydivers to mail them their opinions about such a project. The team is not interested in building a wind tunnel with the already-existing technology of other wind tunnels around the world. They plan to build a brand new, more powerful and better tunnel than present ones. All feedback and ideas are welcome. Contact Henri Piccini with suggestions and questions at henri.piccini@chello.be.

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Results of the British Parachute Association's Council election
by Craig Poxon - www.poxon.org/Craig/Skydive

The British Parachute Association voted it's new council in January 2001. 677 ballots were returned, 64 were invalid, leaving 613 valid. The following are the names of the 15 members who have been elected to Council: Lesley Gale, Chris Allen, Paul Applegate, David Hickling, John Smyth, Kieran Brady, Ian Midgley, John Saunders, Donna Crum, Tim Andrewes, Ian Marshall, Christine Clements, Lofty Thomas, Craig Poxon, Carl Williams.
 
Chris Allen is, again, the Chairman of the BPA. John Smyth challenged Kieran Brady for the Vice-Chair and after a secret ballot of the new Council the position was offered to John Smyth which he accepted. I believe that John Saunders continues to be the chair for the STC sub-committee and John Smyth with Competitions.
 
Lesley Gale challenged Kieran Brady for the Chair of Communications. After a secret ballot of the new Council the position was offered to Kieran Brady which he accepted. I don't know the counts for either of the secret ballots, only the results.
 
I will be sitting on the Development and Communications sub-committees, and also will be sharing the responsibility of Southern Club Representative with Chris Allen. Thanks to those of you put there who voted for me. I hope I don't disappoint!

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Spacediving - New Extreme Sport

The Canadian Arrow X-Prize team is proposing a new extreme sport - spacediving. Jumps could be made from altitudes reaching 40 miles using counter-pressure suits and a ballute. Check our their website at www.canadianarrow.com/spacediving.htm.

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New Zealand's new jump plane

Skydiving schools looking for the latest and greatest in jump planes may want to look down under. New Zealand's Pacific Aerospace Corporation (PAC) said that it is developing the 750 XL, a PT6 turboprop-powered follow-on to its Cresco, also a turbine-powered single. PAC says its rugged-looking 750 XL will be optimized for skydiving operations, with the ability to carry 17 parachutists from sea level to 14,000 feet, let them jump, and then descend and land, all within only 15 minutes. The 750 XL's first flight is set for March 2001, with Civil Aviation Authority certification expected to follow soon after.
Source: AvWeb [www.avweb.com]

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New DZ in Victoria, Australia

Total Control Skydivers opened their new dropzone January 6, 2001, at Colac Airfield, Victoria, approximately 1.5 hours (135km) from Melbourne. It is located in the surf coast shire, and Colac has all the modern conveniences, plus a huge lake. A "Fun& friendly atmosphere" is what they are aiming for. For more information check out their website.

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