Martin Evans of Sky-Eye Skydiving Services has recently assumed General Management responsibility for the operation of Skydive Delmarva in Laurel, Delaware.. Brian Kunkowski the owner operator of Skydive Delmarva Inc. and Pegasus Air Inc. the jump operations aircraft supplier, will continue in his role as director of aircraft operations assisted by Chief Pilot Keith May. All enquiry's concerning their aircraft flight operations should continue to be directed to Brian or Keith, all other enquiry's concerning the jump centers daily and seasonal activities, staff employment etc. (other than flight crew) should be directed to Martin Evans.
 
They are currently operating a Twin Otter &King Air, with the Otter having been their primary aircraft on an almost daily basis throughout the 2001 season while utilizing the King Air as additional lift power.
 
Martin is currently in the process of arranging a full and varied calendar for the 2002 season, taking a different tack on past season's operations. He welcome enquiry's from all skydiving services providers, such as Instructors/Coaches, Organizers, Manufacturers/Resellers and others that feel they have something to offer the dropzone that will enhance the events and service they are striving to provide their customers.
 
Martin will be spending part of the winter in Florida (until February) and can be reached on his mobile number at 302 462 5795 at all times. Check out Delmarvas website for the latest news and an updated calender of specialty events in 2002.

[Back to Index]

 

Proposal for the FS Dive Pools

The proposed Formation Skydiving dive pools for the year 2002 have now been published on the FAI web site, together with some information on the subject prepared by Pal Bergan, Chairman of the IPC Formation Skydiving Committee.You will find this information at www.fai.org/parachuting/committees/fs/proposals2002
 
The veteran French competitors Davide Moy, Martial Ferre and Manu Ars have assembled a proposal for the FS dive pool. It is posted at www.omniskore.com/2002_fs_pool_proposal.htm. If you care about competition formation skydiving, please read their proposal, it is very well prepared. It echoes many sentiments shared by FS competitors around the world. Tim Wagner from Omiskore tossed his own two cents at www.omniskore.com/tidbits_tim_2001_12.htm.
 
Also read and comment on the proposals posted on the USPA web site. www.uspa.org www.uspa.org/NationalsQuestionaire.doc

[Back to Index]

 

Toy Balloonist Breaks Record

A man is claiming a world record after floating to 11,000ft suspended beneath 500 toy balloons. Ian Ashpole broke the record for a flight powered by toy balloons in October at Cambridgeshire, UK. When he reached his maximum height he cut himself adrift and parachuted back to earth.
 
Mr Ashpole, from Ross-on-Wye, was strapped to the three and four feet-wide balloons in a harness. He had hoped to float to 15,000ft. But the attempt in Chatteris beat the previous world record of 10,000ft set by Mr Ashpole in his home town in 1996. Read the whole story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/england/newsid_1623000/1623969.stm

[Back to Index]

 

News from The Ranch in New York

The Ranch web site at has been updated with the xmas party picturess, dropzone schedule for 2002 and the latest DZ news on the Ranch Skydiving and Freefly LeagueSL, the Rookie Challenge series, and the Hybrid Competiton.
 
Max Cohn of Generation FreeFall is back on board with a new charged battery of good vibes and great ideas. He and John Skinner along with Ace Buhr will be running the Generation Freefly School for 2002.
 
The renovation to the great hall continues. They will be adding two more 4-way video debriefing rooms in the back soon for a total of five. New this season will be the large formation 3 screen debriefing room in the great hall.
 
Also new this season will be a seperate packing covered area for payed packers. Their very own Tina will be in charge and this will free up all the packing area under the great hall pavilion for jumpers who pack their own canopies. They will also be building outdoor daily gear storage bins to throw your stuff into.
 
This and more to come at the Ranch in Gardiner, New York. Check out their website at www.ranchskydive.com

[Back to Index]

 

AAD Mandatory Overseas

With the beginning of the new year all major German dropzones that operate full time now require the use of an AAD (e.g. CYPRES). The dropzones that confirmed the mandatory so far are Hartenholm, Ganderkesee, Fehrbellin, Gransee, Kassel, Höxter, Bad Lippspringe, Paderborn, Soest, Gera and Ampfing. Many other German and European dropzones are likely to follow.
 
As of December 1, 2001 less experienced skydivers who want to jump in Australia and hold less than a "C" licence are required to have an AAD fitted to their gear. This will also apply to visiting foreign jumpers. This does not apply if you have been assessed as at "E" licence level or above (about 500 jumps). If you don't have one, get an AAD fitted before you want to jump at an Australian dropzone.
 
Starting March 1st 2002, the use of an ADD will also be mandatory at the Centro de Paracaidismo Empuriabrava in Spain. Since December 15th 2001 the use of an AAD is already mandatory for any freefly jump.

[Back to Index]