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One of the things that all most every Dropzone or Boogie waiver has is a space to list an Emergency contact. Most jumpers just fill this information in with the first relative or friends name that pops into their head as they fill out the waiver, but jumpers should fill this section out after carefully selecting a contact. Jumpers should put more thought into this decision then they do into what type of jumpsuit they are going to buy. There are criteria that make people better emergency contacts then others and jumpers should keep this in mind as they make their selection. Potential emergency contacts should meet the following criteria at a minimum: Potential emergency contacts need to be aware of any medical issues or conflicts that you might have. If someone is allergic to something and forgets to put it on their waiver the emergency contact might just be the last line of defense there is to prevent the emergency responders from giving them a potentially dangerous drug or drug combinations. Emergency contacts should have phone numbers to your immediate family members rapidly available so they may inform your loved ones about any potential incidents that might have happened. Poor choices for emergency contacts include people that have never met you or your family before you visit the DZ. At a minimum your emergency contact should have the phone number to contact the person that you would want to be notified of your injury or death first. Another trait that makes a good emergency contact is choosing someone that is not at the airport the same time you are. In the case of something like a plane crash or canopy entanglement you might be involved in the incident with potential emergency contacts. By choosing someone that is not involved in skydiving or at the airport at all you maximize the availability of contacts that DZ personal might be able to reach in the case of an emergency on the dropzone. Contacts should be someone that will be able to initially handle receiving potentially devastating news about you. Choosing someone that is known to be extremely emotional over the phone might be a poor choice as a contact if the Dropzone or medical teams need to ask questions of the emergency contact. Choose someone that will be able to calmly answer any potential questions after being informed that you are injured or worse. Having multiple methods of contacting emergency contacts makes the task of reaching the emergency contact a lot easier for the dropzone personal. Emergency contacts should have at least one phone number and if possible multiple phones. List every phone number in the order that they should be called. Listing mobile numbers, home numbers and work numbers should all be done at a minimum to insure the maximum possibility of reaching someone in a true emergency. Other things that should be used as criteria in potential emergency contacts include knowing who might be on vacation and out of reach at the time of certain boogies, knowing which contacts will be available to rapidly travel to deal with incidents if they happen, and in the case of international jumpers knowing the time difference and how that is going to affect the ability to contact your potential contact. Using these criteria to choose an emergency contact will increase the probability that the dropzone personal will be able to reach and inform people of emergencies involving you, plus it will reduce the anxiety factor on the dropzone staff side in contacting people if they know they will not have to end up calling 10 people to reach someone that has needed answers about you.

Jennifer Panicorp of Covington, Washington (USA) is the happy winner of a free complete Aerodyne parachute system, consisting of an Icon harness-container system, a Smart reserve and a main canopy of her choice. On January 6th Jennifer’s e-mail address was drawn as the winning entry in the tombola which Aerodyne organized on its Internet site over the Christmas period. The tombola was open to all website visitors and only required the submission of an e-mail address. The only rule to comply with was that the winner must show a valid parachuting licence in order to claim the prize. With a modest 50 jumps to her account Jennifer is a relatively newcomer to the sport. She received her USPA A licence in September last year. As one would expect Jennifer was quick to return a happy reply to Aerodyne: "OH MY LORDY THAT IS BEYOND COOL!!!! Thank you so much!!!! … I just can't believe this, I'm so excited!! ". Aerodyne’s marketing director, Edward "Bushman" Anderson stated: "The internet is a key element in our communication and we will continue to drive skydivers to our website with these type of events. Within the next month we will introduce a new and more dynamic version of our website. The new site will enhance user experience with a more intuitive user interface and navigation system, The new site is also designed for those users still using dial up connections and loads considerably faster than the existing site". For more information about Aerodyne and our products please go to www.aerodyne-int.com

Initial tests prove that the L-1 wind tunnel is everything that it's fathers designed it to be... Under development for nearly a decade, dreamt about for 2 more before that, and the L-1 Vertical Wind Tunnel is NOW a reality. L-1 is not your typical wind tunnel facility, built by the most experienced wind tunnel flyers in the world, our forefathers of this sport. And by our forefathers I mean, those who flew before us, still fly with us today and who invented the maneuvers that today win competitions. These are the guys who do it because they LOVE it, it's a passion in life, they are drawn to it like a writer to paper, or a bee to honey, or a bird to the skies... L-1 is the ultimate playground and classroom for any participant at every level. The desire to build an L-1 type facility came immediately after experiencing the air quality Wright Patterson Air Force Base Military Tunnel. These poor underprivileged flyers who came from propeller driven tunnels, could now see an amazing change in the air that they relied so heavily on. But what could a couple of tunnel rats do about it? Remember our forefathers weren't always fathers, they started out as kids too :) Determination, intervention and devotion to the future guided them on the path to their destiny. Their dream so simple, to have smooth, quiet air at tunnels across the globe, they weren't motivated by greed or profit, but by a sheer drive to share their experience with the rest of the world. Generous assistance from world-renown aerodynamicists, scientists and engineers along side of the worlds most knowledgeable bodyflyers, yielded an amazing 1/12 scale working model of the future L-1 VWT producing laminar flow. The test section of this tunnel is an extraordinary 70ft in length and is able to create a new dynamic within the industry; multi-level flight platforms on a single column of air. The designing didn't stop there either, the aesthetic beauty of an L-1 will certainly leave you without words, other than perhaps "Wow" Unlike other facilities, the only interaction you will have with the mechanical systems is to know that they are there...somewhere. It's sounds so quiet, you can carry on a cell phone conversation 25ft away from a flyer. Additionally the catch net on this tunnel was built with aerobatics in mind, built like a trapeze net, it cradles the fallen flyer safely. Today, L-1 is a reality, built in the open air of North Carolina, it's a picturesque representation of future facilities across the globe. L-1 was also produced with the intention of reproduction, and full sales information will be made available to the general public by early spring 2004. Although you won't see any enclosures or tubes at this facility, those options are available to interested buyers. Prospective buyers can learn more about this facility and schedule a showing by visiting Bodyflight Concepts www.bodyflightconcepts.com

On December 18th a DC-9 jet landed at Perris Valley Airport in Southern California marking the latest addition to the largest fleet of skydiving aircraft on the West coast. The DC-9 is an ideal jet for skydiving because the rear steps can be removed making for a clean exit out of the rear of the plane while in flight. Owner Ben Conatser said it will take several months to get all of the FAA paperwork processed but you can look for the plane to be flying during special events here at Perris Valley Skydiving and on the boogie circuit later this year. Ben's son and co-owner, Pat Conatser, said that he had been keeping an eye on DC-9s for sometime, waiting for the right deal to come along. He said they are quite fortunate with the plane they found because it is in such good shape both mechanically and cosmetically. "Really the bulk of the work needed to get this bird ready to fly jumpers is administrative." In addition to flying sport parachutists, Perris Valley Aviation plans on using the DC-9 for movie work as well as military training.

MOSS POINT - An award-winning skydiver was killed New Year's Eve night attempting a high-speed stunt landing. Michael "Scotty" Agent, a Gulfport resident and six-year employee of Gold Coast Skydivers in Moss Point, was attempting a "high performance" parachute landing when a low turn went wrong and he hit the ground at high speed, officials said. Agent, 34, suffered severe head trauma and was rushed from a landing site at Trent Lott International Airport to Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula, where he died just after 10 p.m. "Everybody is just walking around awestruck," Mike Igo, owner of Gold Coast Skydivers, said of the mood at the office Thursday morning. "We haven't even flown today." Igo said many skydivers enjoy jumping at night, particularly on a night like New Year's Eve. "It is pretty out there with the fireworks and all," he said. Injuries from stunt landings are becoming more frequent in the world of skydiving as more sophisticated gear is developed and avid practitioners work to develop more daring maneuvers, Igo said. "It's just speed," he said. "People are pushing the limits." Agent's gear was functioning properly. Agent was no amateur. A bronze medal winner in landing accuracy at last year's Skydiving Nationals, Agent served as videographer for Gold Coast Skydivers for several years. Gold Coast Skydivers provides skydiving trips and training. "He was a very capable canopy pilot, but the difference between a very awesome high-speed landing and doing what he did is a matter of seconds or a few feet," Igo said. Moss Point police responded to the emergency call at 9:22 p.m. The cause of death listed by the coroner was "massive head trauma." Igo said that of the 3 million jumps made last year, only 28 fatalities were reported. "Statistically, it's a very safe sport. But when you see accidents happen that could have been prevented, that's when it's time to talk about it."

A poll conducted by a British charity has found that more people would rather participate in a tandem skydive with Homer Simpson than with George Bush. Twenty per cent of respondents said they would trust a skydive with the daft cartoon dad, compared with eight per cent for the US president, according to the poll for the Leonard Cheshire organisation. Eighteen per cent trusted Anne Robinson, host of the BBC game show The Weakest Link. Least trusted was Charles Ingram, a former army major convicted of cheating on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? at three per cent. "Homer Simpson might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but he has a good heart - and his laughter value alone would make him an invaluable skydiving partner," said TV psychologist Gladeana McMahon. Leonard Cheshire, a disability charity, commissioned the survey of 1,000 people across Britain to find out their attitudes towards different challenges. Its new fundraising initiative, called Challenge for Change, offers individuals the opportunity to try different sports - including skydiving.

A Pacific Aerospace Corporation 750XL, the first passenger-carrying aircraft designed and built in New Zealand, has crashed at sea while being delivered to its American buyer. Early reports said the plane may have experienced mechanical problems. The pilot, Kelvin Stark, 58, of Tauranga, died in the controlled crash, which was observed by an airborne US Coast Guard crew that had guided him through the emergency landing. Mr Stark was delivering the aircraft, one of the first sold by Hamilton-based Pacific Aerospace Corporation (PAC), to Utility Aircraft Corporation, a Woodland, California-based company that converts planes for skydiving and acts as PAC's distributor in the Americas. According to wire reports, the crash took place about 310 miles (496 km) from land at Monterey, California, when Mr Stark was forced to attempt an emergency water landing because he had run out of fuel. The attempt took place during daylight, at around 9 am local time, and appeared to go smoothly, according to Coast Guard Lt Geoff Borree, who was part of the rescue team that observed the crash and had been waiting to drop Mr Stark a raft. His landing "wasn't violent at all," Lt Borree said. "He obviously had some good piloting skills." But Mr Stark did not emerge and the Coast Guard then called in parajumpers, an Air Force plane and a nearby commercial vessel to assist in a deep sea rescue. The jumpers arrived about three hours later and found Mr Stark in the submerged cockpit of his overturned plane, according to the Associated Press, citing Veronica Bandrowsky, a Coast Guard spokeswoman. Rough seas made it impossible to immediately retrieve Mr Stark from the plane and Lt Boree said it was not clear whether Mr Stark had been knocked unconscious on impact or become trapped in the plane after the landing, which had caused the aircraft to flip onto its top. Mr Stark's brother-in-law, Mike Fletcher, told the New Zealand Herald that the plane was either low on fuel or developed a fuel-transfer problem involving one of the fuel tanks inside the plane. The plane should have been carrying enough fuel for 17 hours of flight but Mr Stark reported he was low on fuel after only 11 hours in the air. According to the AP, he had only 45 minutes of fuel left when the Coast Guard team caught up with him at 10,000 feet. Ray Ferrell, one of Utility Aircraft's owners, told the AP that the loss of the aircraft was disheartening, "but it's no comparison to the loss of Kelvin. He was talented man." In August, the first plane off the 750XL's Hamilton production line was purchased by Taupo's Great Lake Skydive Center. PAC says it has firm orders or sales for 18 of the PAC750XL aircraft, which was specially designed for the rapidly growing skydiving market and can carry 17 passengers, but which can also function in a variety of other contexts. It said before the crash that it had received options for another 260 of the new aircraft. The company says that in addition to being the first aircraft designed and built in New Zealand, it is also the first new aircraft built in the last 25 years specifically to target the burgeoning adventure parachuting market. The aircraft can take 17 fully kitted skydivers to 3600 metres in 12 minutes and can cruise at 160 knots for up to five hours with a full passenger load. In October, Mr Stark flew a prototype of the plane to the United States for testing by the FAA. That flight took four days and the plane was fitted out with additional fuel tanks for the trip. The company says the flight took refueling stops at Pago Pago, American Samoa, (a 10.5 hour flight from Hamilton), Christmas Island, part of the Kiribati Group (9.5hr from Pago Pago), Hilo, Hawaii (after 7.5 hrs flying from Christmas Island) and finally reaching Davis Airfield (California) after a mammoth 16 hr flight. Total flight time was 43.5hrs, over four days. The plane crashed while duplicating the last leg of that run, between Hawaii and Davis Airfield. The plane is not yet certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, which will join with the National Transportation Safety Board in the investigation into the crash. The plane and Mr Stark's body are in water judged too deep for recovery. The doomed single-engine turbo-prop, priced at $US994,000 ($1.7 million NZD), was the third off the PAC production line, according to The San Franscisco Chronicle.

None of us want to think about a member of our skydiving family getting hurt or killed, much less getting hurt or killed while skydiving. Even further down the list is having to talk to a journalist about a skydiving incident. As distasteful as it is to try to explain to a whuffo reporter why a fellow skydiver was injured or killed while jumping, though, it's actually an opportunity to improve the image of the sport. As we well know, most journalists aren't skydivers and at best have a tough time explaining the circumstances of a skydiving incident. They often get it wrong with a common theme of "The parachute didn't open." But while it is certainly their responsibility to get the story right, they can't do it without help from the experts-which in this case is you, the skydivers who were present during an incident and are designated media contacts. Avoidance and condemning of the media for their often poor explanation of skydiving incidents is common among skydivers, but we can do the sport far more justice by working with journalists towards a proper article than by blowing them off. It requires more effort, to be sure, but more accurate coverage of these incidents can help dispel the image of skydiving as a ruthless sport in which some participants die despite doing everything right. Take the common statement of "The parachute failed to open," for example. This implies that the gear is at fault, when we all know that it's a very rare situation when the skydiver can do everything right and still die. Almost 100% of the time, a skydiver dies because of a primary (e.g., no pull, low pull, low turn) or secondary (incorrect response to a malfunction) mistake. The public doesn't understand this. While it might not seem important that they do, think of the number of times you are asked by non-skydiving friends and coworkers why you skydive, or hear a comment of how they can't believe you skydive, all with the overtone of why would someone want to do a sport that everyone knows will kill you. Do you get tired of that? I do. The simple fact is that a large percentage of the non-skydiving population thinks that people who die skydiving die through no fault of their own, thus they think skydivers are a bunch of adrenaline junkies who don't care if they die skydiving. We know that's far from the truth, but when news articles don't give the whole story for long periods of time, this is the result. Additionally, it's frustrating to all of us skydivers when the story isn't right. Following are some suggestions for dealing with the media in the event of a skydiving incident. Thankfully, most of you will never have to do this, but if you do perhaps this will help. Send them to the source. If you are not the S&TA or other appointed drop zone media liaison, do not discuss the incident with a journalist. We all know that rumors bloom fast and furiously on drop zones, particularly in situations such as this. What began as a simple low turn by an inexperienced jumper on a smaller canopy than he was used to can quickly become an evasion of traffic, a dropped toggle, avoidance of an obstacle, etc., via the rumor mill. Whether you saw the incident or not, don't talk about it to the media and don't offer any opinions unless you're the media liaison. Refer any reporters to the S&TA or DZO, or whomever the drop zone has designated as the media contact. This person's job is no fun, but it's their responsibility to investigate the incident based on witness accounts and gear information, to prepare a complete report, and to deal with the media (and the coroner if the accident was fatal). Again, no one but the designated media contact should be talking to the media. Don't dodge the press. We'll give chapter and verse to anyone who asks about most things related to skydiving, but when it comes to chatting with a reporter about a skydiving incident we often clam up. Why? Because we're afraid they'll get it wrong again. But if we don't give them information, we're guaranteed a minimal or misleading report of the incident. If we want these incidents to be reported accurately, the information has to come from us-the S&TA or designated media contact. Be professional and courteous. Don't say, "You shouldn't be writing about this," because they will anyway, and this will just annoy the reporter and make it more likely that he/she will write something negative about the situation, the drop zone, and/or the sport. Also, it will burn a bridge that can be used for publicizing positive events at the drop zone such as charity events or milestones. Anytime you speak as a skydiver or skydive in front of non-skydivers, you are an ambassador for the sport whether you like it or not. Use this interaction with the media as a chance to portray skydiving accurately, and in the best light possible in a bad situation, by being honest and helpful. Avoid the "us vs. them" kind of interaction; this doesn't have to be a challenge where either you or the reporter gets their objective at the other's expense. Think about your description beforehand. In all likelihood, reporters won't be there right away following an incident, unless it occurs during a demo. In either case, coverage of the incident will turn out better with better information, and you will be able to give better information after thinking about the incident a bit and getting it clear in your mind. Be specific, but simple. It's pretty clear by now that I'm asking for more accurate reporting of skydiving incidents, and this isn't a problem for skydivers. What is more of a problem, especially if we're distracted by the substantial emotional impact of the incident, is that we'll talk to a reporter in the same way we'll talk to fellow skydivers-discussing things in skydiving terms rather than lay terms--if we talk to them at all. This doesn't improve the coverage, it just makes their eyes glaze over. For example, don't say "The right toggle came unstowed from the toggle tip keeper, allowing the cat's eye to come off of the loosely stowed brake and sending the canopy into a left-hand spiral to the ground," Instead, think about your audience (the general public as well as the reporter) and say, "It appears that a minor malfunction during deployment caused the parachute to spiral down, and so and so did not correct it in time to avoid the hard landing from the spiral." Refer questions about a jump plane crash to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). It is extremely counterproductive to speculate about the cause of a jump plane crash without an investigation report. If you are asked about a jump plane crash, refer reporters to the designated NTSB public affairs officer once he/she has arrived on the scene. We don't like it when uninformed reporters speculate about the causes of skydiving accidents, and the pilot (if he survived) and his family won't appreciate uninformed speculation about the plane crash either. Offer to review the article before publication. It's not often that you will get the opportunity to do this, but you might if you offer it. What better chance will you get to ensure that the coverage is accurate? Of course, the reporter will reserve the right to accept or reject your changes as they choose, but the chance to review the article before publication is something not to be turned down. The relationship between skydivers and the media has not always been a good one in general, as is often the case when laymen try to describe technical pursuits. That can't be changed overnight. But things won't get better without a responsible effort from both sides, hence the two-part coverage of this topic directed to both groups. A better working relationship between skydivers and the media, both for good and not-so-good events, will benefit both of us. If you found Part 1 of this series useful-"Skydiving Incident Reporting for Mass Media Reporters"-please feel free to copy it and give it to any media representatives (print, web, or television) whom you think would benefit from it. Sidebar: Recommendations for Working With PoliceWorking with the police in the aftermath of a skydiving incident is about as much fun as dealing with the press, but there are a couple of things they should know about the investigation that will make things easier for everyone. First of all, the gear is only to be removed from the area by the coroner, not the police or the local rigger. When the coroner gets there, the drop zone representative and hopefully a rigger should be there to help answer any gear questions. Most policemen don't know how to investigate the gear or scene, so removing evidence (gear) hampers the ability of those skilled in accident investigation-the coroner and your S&TA, rigger, or whoever is designated to investigate-to determine what happened. If the police want to rope off the area without disturbing the scene, that's fine. But if they try to remove the gear without it being investigated by the coroner, politely advise that they will get far more information if they will wait until the coroner, along with the S&TA or rigger, can inspect the scene and the gear with them. Don't get angry with them-which is easy to do when a member of our skydiving family has died and the police and/or media seem to be handling things wrong. Anger will only introduce further tension into an already awful situation, and make it less likely that things will get handled with skydiver input. When the coroner is finished with the gear, the police often will impound it, do whatever they need to do with it, then release it to the FAA. The FAA then will usually inspect the gear with a rigger of their choice as part of an investigation. Working with instead of against the police can help us get better answers to a skydiver's death than a feud. Make every effort to keep things civil and helpful, and this unpleasant situation will be minimally unpleasant for all concerned. Thanks to Randy Connell, S&TA, S/L I, AFF I, for his contributions to this article. Christy West is a journalist and gold/silver skydiving medalist with over 1,800 jumps.

Reporting a skydiving (or any other technical sport) accident isn't an easy job, but making the effort to do it thoroughly can give your readers a better product that tops competing publications in this area. Why is improving coverage of this relatively rare event important? The reason is because turning out boilerplate or inaccurate coverage of these incidents angers many skydivers, who might then become ex-readers, and gives the non-jumping segment of your audience nothing special to take away from the story and thus doesn't reinforce your publication's brand. Accuracy, Not Generalities Before you think I'm suggesting that you write a full investigative report of any sport accident, let me say that I don't suggest any additional words in your reports. What I am suggesting is making those words count, with more solid information. Often the sentences that appear in skydiving accident coverage are misleading as to the true nature of the accident. For example, the explanation of "The parachute failed to open" that is so often used in such reports is not a simplification for an audience uneducated about skydiving; it's just plain wrong nearly all the time. It's comparable to saying of a single-vehicle accident, "The car failed to stay on the road," implying that the car is at fault rather than the driver. Such a statement implies that the skydiver did everything in his power, correctly, and still his/her equipment failed to function. However, this is exceedingly rare-occurring far less often than once per year. What is far more common is that a skydiver makes a mistake landing a perfectly good canopy (39% of the 35 U.S. skydiving deaths in 2002, the most common cause of death), collides with another skydiver in freefall or under his parachute (21% of the 2002 deaths), or fails to respond correctly to a survivable equipment malfunction (12% of the 2002 deaths). (Note: skydivers do carry reserve, or backup, parachutes; a malfunction of the main parachute does not automatically kill the skydiver.) We all like to think that we'll make all the right decisions when the chips are down, but the unfortunate truth is that nearly all skydiving deaths are caused by "pilot error"-a mistake on the part of the skydiver. This doesn't mean that we have to crucify this person who made the mistake, but we shouldn't imply that the equipment was at fault when it wasn't necessarily the main factor in the accident. Getting the Scoop Reporting the specific cause of sport accidents gives more "meat" to your story, which both your skydiving and non-skydiving readers will appreciate. But how do you know what to write when you're not a skydiver and don't understand the topic you're supposed to report? Work with the experts-foremost of whom is that drop zone's safety and training adviser (S&TA). The S&TA is an individual appointed at almost every drop zone in the U.S., and abroad, by each Regional Director of the United States Parachute Association (USPA), regardless of whether or not the drop zone is a Group Member of USPA. This individual is tasked with many different safety and administrative-related duties at their appointed drop zone, one of which is investigating skydiving accidents and fatalities. Investigating incidents is one of the less enjoyable responsibilities of an S&TA. Other interview possibilities include the coroner (if the skydiver involved is deceased) and the rigger (person licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration to pack reserve parachutes, and usually knowledgeable about skydiving gear malfunctions) who inspected the gear--if applicable and if the S&TA directs you to talk to this person. A third possibility is the drop zone owner/manager if an S&TA is not available. The USPA is a good source of general skydiving information, but is not a good source of information on specific incidents. The local sheriff or a representative often becomes a media liaison by default, but unless this person is a skydiver working closely with the drop zone's S&TA, then working only with this person is not good. A sheriff with no skydiving experience is no better information source on a skydiving incident than a reporter with no skydiving experience, and will often garble information he or she is given simply through unfamiliarity with the topic. Ask the previously listed skydiving professionals to explain to you, in layman's terms, the cause of the accident so that you can accurately report it. They may not yet have all the answers, especially if certain equipment malfunctions are suspected, but if you are polite and interested rather than forceful about getting the story before an early deadline you will get a lot more cooperation. A good working relationship with the drop zone in question is ideal, because not only will this help you on this story, but you will also get a much better story for other drop zone events such as charity fundraisers (skydiving is interesting to your non-skydiving readers, and can sell publications when good events happen as well as accidents). Introducing more specifics to your report will be good for your readers, but more information requires more fact-checking. If possible, send a copy of the article to your source at the drop zone before publication. The source will likely jump (pardon the pun) at the chance to review the coverage for accuracy. Don't Make These Mistakes Skydivers do not skydive because of a death wish. If that were the case, they'd only make one jump apiece. They most definitely are thrill seekers, but they are dedicated to skydiving safely, even while pushing the envelope, so they can continue to skydive. Portraying skydivers and skydiving as irresponsible, imminently dangerous, or suicidal is an inaccurate disservice. It is also inaccurate to imply that drop zone management is to blame for most skydiving deaths, because it is every skydivers' choice to exit the aircraft; once they have done so, the only person who can keep one safe is himself/herself. For the most part, blaming a drop zone for an experienced skydiver's death (nearly always skydiver error, as previously stated) is similar to blaming the highway system for a motorist's death. The system simply provides the place for the motorist to drive; the drop zone merely provides an aircraft and landing area for the skydiver to jump and land. What a skydiver does with those resources is his or her responsibility alone. Also, keep in mind that stating or implying that a drop zone is to blame for an incident could lead to a libel suit if there is no evidence to back up the accusation. While the following isn't technically a mistake, it is the author's firm belief that in most cases, the practice of including a roll call of any deaths that have previously occurred at a drop zone (or any other sports facility) with an accident article serves no good purpose. If all of these deaths were attributable to the management or equipment provided by the drop zone, then there is something going on that should be exposed. Without proof of such culpability, however, listing previous deaths generally just angers skydivers and creates the mistaken assumption by non-skydiving readers that there is something going on that should be stopped. Again, keep libel laws in mind. Jump Plane Accidents Thankfully even less common than skydiving fatalities, jump plane accidents present a different reporting challenge mainly because aviation accident investigation falls under the authority of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The local skydivers might or might not have an aviation and accident investigation background, and might or might not know the cause of the accident; they are not the people you should interview about aircraft incidents. Just because the accident involved a jump plane doesn't make it a skydiving accident. The pilot would be a good source if he survived, but NTSB is the final authority on aircraft accidents, and their reports tend to take some time to come out. They do send public affairs officers to the scene of aircraft accidents; these people are the ones you should talk to in this instance. Resources for journalists regarding aviation accidents can be found on their web site at www.ntsb.gov/events/journalist/default.htm. The end goal of this article is more informative, balanced, tasteful reporting of skydiving and other sport incidents in order to better serve readers and thereby the commercial publications they purchase. Thanks to Randy Connell, S&TA, S/L Instructor, AFF Instructor; Chris Schindler, ATP, CFII; and Jim Crouch, AFF/I, USPA Director of Safety and Training, for their contributions to this article. Resources: www.uspa.org www.ntsb.gov Christy West is a journalist and gold/silver skydiving medalist with over 1,800 jumps.

Aerodyne is happy to announce that it secured FAA TSO C23d approval for its Icon harness-container system. Although we have already been displaying the Icon rig at various events in 2003 and have started to take orders some time ago, we are now able to launch the official introduction. It looks good Design, comfort and fit are of paramount importance. The design team of Aerodyne have worked hard to find the perfect mix of these elements. We have received a lot of good response to the Icon and we are confident it will help us to gain a place in the rig market. Safety firstThe Icon is a modern harness-container system that relies on many industry standards, but also includes new features such as the miniforce™ 3-ring system. This patented 3-ring system, designed by Aerodyne’s head of R&D; Michel Auvray, reduces the pull force required to cut-away the main canopy. With today’s smaller and elliptical main canopies, malfunctions often lead to rapid spins with higher loadings and many skydivers have been experiencing difficulties to cut away. The miniforce™ 3-ring system, coupled with “anti-twist” metal housings on the risers and a shaped sure-grip cut-away handle, considerably reduces the likelihood of cut-away problems. Other safety features of the Icon include: “Link-Stop” panels inside the main container to prevent the risers from wrapping around or catching on the corner of the reserve container; A line stow retention system on the reserve freebag to help control reserve deployments at high speeds, while not sacrificing low speed requirements; A solid platform in the reserve container to maximize the launch of the pilotchute with one of the strongest spring coils in the industry (23 kg). A base price that includes pretty much everythingIn its standard configuration the Icon offers all the popular items, such as a harness with articulation hip rings, all stainless steel hardware, choice of wide or narrow chest strap, a hand deployed pilotchute with “kill line” bridle and an aluminium hook knife. Each Icon rig is also equipped to receive a Cypres or similar type of AAD as well as a Stevens RSL system. Consequently it is very easy to retrofit an Icon rig with a RSL system, just by adding the actual lanyard. This greatly increases the second-hand value of the rig. Relatively few options are charged for additionally: They only concern the choice of a Hackey Sack or Freefly handle on the hand deployed pilotchute, a Stevens RSL lanyard or custom embroideries. A range of sizes and colors to customize your rig For the Icon Sport, not less than 5 different container sizes are available, while the harness is always made to measure. Customers can choose from a range of colors in Parapack and Cordura fabrics. Icon StudentFor instruction purposes the Icon comes also in a Student version with adjustable main lift web. The standard configuration of the Icon Student includes a BOC hand deployed pilotchute. To configure the Icon Student further for a specific method of instruction the available options include a direct bag with staticline, a BOC or hip located ripcord with spring pilotchute, as well as secondary AFF jumpmaster handles. Online ordering As is true for all Aerodyne products the Icon can be ordered either through one of our distributors or via our website www.aerodyne-int.com We offer an on line coloring program enabling customers to visualize their custom Icon before they confirm the order. Try an IconAerodyne representatives will demo the Icon harness-container system over the Christmas period. Meet us at one of the boogies in Ampuriabrava, Eloy, Capetown or Margate and we will be happy to show you the Icon. Naturally this will also be an occasion to test jump one of our main canopies. Aerodyne Research Corporation Submit a Review of the Icon Gear and Rigging Forum

Riggers (and owners), please be sure that the Sky hook hardware is sewn to the white free bag bridle correctly on all sky hook equipped rigs shipped between October 12 and December 1, 2003. There is a drawing of the correct installation and set-up sewn right next to the Sky hook on every rig, and the Sky hook itself is labeled. However, if the Sky hook hardware were sewn on the bridle backwards during manufacture or subsequent repair, (with the pointed end of the hook facing the pilot chute, instead of the bag) then you would tow your reserve pilot chute if deployed in response to a main total malfunction. As the instructions state, this pilot chute in tow can be fixed by pulling the yellow RSL tab. Remember, this situation can only be caused by an installation error at the factory, or during a rigger repair of a damaged bridle. It cannot be caused by a packing error. A PSB (PSB#20031203) has been issued in regards to this issue. Download the Service Bulletin Relative Workshop Web Site Gear and Rigging Forum

In fact, she got up before she fell-way, way up-11,000 feet above ground level to be exact. And it was no accident when the 72-year-old grandmother jumped from a 1957 single engine plane, Saturday, Nov. 29. She was making her well-planned first sky dive strapped to her son-in-law, Jay Phillips, a skydiving instructor with the Opelika Skydiving Association. "It was so much fun," Doyle said. During a tandem skydive, the student parachutist is strapped to an experienced instructor parachutist. The student wears a special harness, which attaches to the instructor's harness at two shoulder attachment points and two waist attachment points. The instructor wears the harness and container, which houses the parachute. The two hook together in the plane prior to the jump and exit together in "tandem." The pair then falls through the sky at approximately 120 miles per hour and deploys the parachute at 4,000 feet above ground level. The two then fly the rectangular shaped parachute to a pre-designated landing area. A videographer flew alongside Doyle and Phillips. "Cherry made a picture perfect skydive, flight through the air under canopy and landing right beside the camera man," Phillips said. "I didn't have to do anything," Doyle said. "I didn't get to work the controls." Doyle said the most exciting part of the jump was the 45-second free fall. She remembers lots of wind and noise and the cold. "The wind almost takes your breath away," she said. "It's cold because you're up so high." Once the parachute opened, the rush was over. "Once the chute opens, you just float down, like sitting in a chair," Doyle said. At no point during the dive did Doyle close her eyes. "I wanted to see what was going on," she said. "It was not as frightening as I thought it would be. I've been more frightened at amusement parks. I won't say it wasn't scary, but it wasn't terrible." Her practical outlook aided her attitude. "Once you get out there's nowhere to go but down," she said. "They do it every day." Although Doyle had heart surgery six years ago, her biggest concern about the jump was breaking a bone- especially her hip. But Doyle knew she was in good hands with her son-in-law, especially after her daughter and Phillip's wife, Ellen Doyle Phillips, M.D., threatened him that if anything happened to her mother she'd kill him. Another of Doyle's daughters, Amy, and her husband, David Emerson, M.D., also made tandem dives with Phillips that day. Doyle said she didn't have the opportunity to skydive when she was younger, although she had seen it on television and thought it would be fun. She "guesses" it's the most risky thing she's ever done, and something her deceased husband would not have approved. Doyle is the widow of Dr. James Doyle of Eufaula. "He would have said, 'you're not going to do that,'" she said. "He was more cautious. He would have thought it was crazy." Doyle is far from being the oldest person on record to skydive, but with the newfound enthusiasm she has for the sport, a record could be in her future. "I definitely would consider doing it again," she said. "I would recommend it (skydiving) to any adult." Doyle's jump, as well as her attitude, impressed her son-in-law. "I've never met anyone quite like Cherry," Phillips said. "She is the most outgoing, determined, optimistic and cheerful person I know. I think very highly of her. I don't think she'll ever get old.

Skydivers will soon have a new way to improve their canopy flying skills. Members of the Performance Designs Factory Swoop Team and Skydive DeLand's Freedom of Flight Canopy School have joined together to create a new coaching project called Flight-1. The group will hold a series of canopy flight camps at Skydive DeLand beginning in February of 2004. The project is being lead by Shannon Pilcher, Ian Bobo, and Scott Miller. Pilcher and Bobo are members of the PD Factory Swoop Team, and Miller is the Freedom of Flight Canopy School's Course Director. PD Factory Team members Heath Richardson, Jay Moledzky, and Francisco Neri will also participate, along with Freedom of Flight coach Jimmy Tranter. Jumpers who attend Flight-1 Canopy Camps will make approximately fifteen jumps over three days, with classroom training and video debriefing sessions. Novice, intermediate, and advanced canopy pilots are all welcome to attend. The participants will be divided into groups based on their current skills, their experience levels, and the specific canopy skills they wish to develop. A separate coach will be assigned to each group. At the beginning of each camp the coaches will focus on developing "core" skills that form the foundation for the more advanced skills practiced later in the camp. The members of Flight-1 bring an impressive combination of skill and experience to the project. Heath Richardson won 1st place at six different PST and Red Bull swoop meets this year, and finished in the top five at four other competitions. Jay Moledzky finished in 2nd place at five different meets, and together with Richardson earned 1st place finishes at three team events. Ian Bobo won 3rd place in the Speed and Distance events at this year's IPC World Cup of Canopy Piloting in Perris Valley, and also finished 3rd overall at the meet. He finished in 1st place at the Red Bull Wings Qualifier at Skydive New England in July. Bobo also has extensive CRW experience, and was a participant in the 1994 World Record 47-Way Canopy Formation. Shannon Pilcher finished 2nd at the Red Bull swooping finals in Cleveland this past August, and won 3rd overall at this year's SkyQuest Fantasy Swoop in Florida. He still holds the official swooping distance record of 418 feet, set during a Pro Blade Tour competition at Perris Valley in 2002. Bobo and Pilcher are both accomplished Formation Skydiving coaches and competitors in addition to their achievements under canopy, and are experienced canopy coaches as well. Scott Miller opened the Canopy School at Skydive DeLand in 1999, and later joined with Jimmy Tranter and a group of DeLand's freefly coaches to form the Freedom of Flight School. The school has an impressive record of helping jumpers overcome problems with their canopy flying skills. In addition to running the school in DeLand, Miller has held over 25 canopy skills camps at other drop zones in the US and Europe during the last two years. He also spent five years working as PD's chief test jumper. The Flight-1 team is initially focusing on the first series of camps, and will continue their individual coaching and skydiving activities outside of Flight-1. However, they believe Flight-1 has tremendous potential to expand in the future. Flight-1 hopes to create an unparalleled coaching program that can meet the needs of canopy pilots across the entire range of skill and experience levels. They believe these camps will appeal to novice jumpers who are looking to develop good basic flying techniques, advanced jumpers who want to practice competition-level high performance landings, and anyone in between. For more information visit www.flight-1.com or phone Skydive DeLand at (386) 738-3539.

Spaceland Anomaly, this year's silver medallist freefly team, is hosting its second annual "Insomnia Tunnel Camp" this coming January. Together with tunnel champions Juliana and Fabian Raidel and Joao Tambor, Anomaly hopes to again bring freeflyers of all experience levels to the SkyVenture tunnel in Orlando for an intensive 3 night camp. The camps are designed to be a low cost alternative to more traditional camps, while maintaining a very individualized progression for each student. As in last year's camp, the tunnel time is booked in the midnight to 6AM timeslots, which gives each student a total flying time of 2 hours over the 3 night camp. Not only does booking nights provide cooler temperatures for better air in the tunnel, but it also saves students the price of the daytime tunnel rates. After the first night's session (and many Red Bull cases), everyone adjusted to the graveyard shift schedule. Students slept their days away at the nearby Best Western while waiting for their 10PM warm up sessions at the tunnel. The coaching is the camp's strongest point, and primary focus. Each of the 3 coaches work with the same 3-4 students each night. This gives them the opportunity to tailor individual progressions based on the skill level and preferences of each student. By remaining with their students through all their tunnel time, coaches can see improvement over the 3 nights and pace the learning appropriately. Many of last year's participants started out with an introductory lesson in RW skills, both for safety reasons and to remind them of how much we all have to learn on our bellies. From there, the progression moved to backflying to sitflying, and, for some, an introduction to head down flying in the tunnel. At the end of the camp's 3rd night, students made their way to their respective hometowns with bags under their eys, smiles on their faces, and a lot more freefly skill than they came with. "It's kind of like being in another world, being in the tunnel at such odd hours, but the coaches are energetic and extremely experienced... I know I've improved 100%!" said returning student Jen Dembinski. The next Anomaly Tunnel Camp is scheduled for January 15th - 17th, with available slots going fast. Contact trent@spacelandanomaly.com for more information.

Performance Designs has released safety information regarding control systems and related issues that may result in malfunctions. The text below is the conclusion from that paper. For a more detailed discussion go to the education section on the PD web site and click on the article "Control Systems Malfunctions Information Sheet". Research ConclusionSetting a canopy’s deployment brakes correctly, which includes the proper stowing of the excess steering line, is an important part of the packing process. Failing to do this correctly may cause a control system malfunction or other type of equipment malfunction. Every time you deploy a canopy you must make sure it is fully controllable, with no unusual friction, binding, or drag on the control system. You must perform this check at a high enough altitude to allow the use of proper emergency procedures if necessary. Many jumpers do not perform control checks on every jump, and some even wait to release their brakes until they reach a fairly low altitude. If you do not perform a full controllability check after opening, or if you wait to reach lower altitudes before releasing your brakes, you may not discover a control problem in time to respond correctly. If you need to let go of your toggles in flight after releasing the brakes, you should place them on the risers against the guide rings before releasing them from your hands. Letting go of the toggles suddenly while they are pulled away from the guide rings may allow the toggles or steering lines to entangle with part of the riser assembly or some other object. A misrouted steering line, entangled steering line, or any other type of problem involving the control system may severely limit your ability to control the canopy and should be considered a serious, life-threatening malfunction. As with any malfunction, you must follow proper emergency procedures if you experience this situation. Jumpers have been severely injured and killed while attempting to land canopies with malfunctioning control systems. Even if you are using a canopy size or wing loading that is considered “conservative,” you may be severely injured or killed if you attempt to land a canopy that you cannot fully control. You should understand how to properly use every component of your parachute system, and understand any instructions, manuals, or other information supplied by the manufacturer. If you have any questions about a particular component of your parachute system, seek the advice of a qualified rigger or contact the manufacturer. If you have any questions concerning canopy deployment, canopy control, or emergency procedures, ask a qualified instructor for assistance. Download the Information Sheet Performance Designs Education Section

Relative Workshop would like to thank everyone that entered the essay contest. We would like to congratulate the runner-ups for their entries; SSG Brian Heft, Maggie Downs, and Al King. A big congratulations goes out to Ben Liston for his winning essay and the recipient of the free Vector. Ben's essay is posted below. Why I Want to Jump a VectorI still own the first rig I ever bought: a Vector II. My friends and I refer to it as "Old Blue" and it has taken me through each license, to my first gold medal (Collegiate Nationals 1996), through countless video and coach jumps, and traveled with me around the world. When I was jumping in other countries, the language barrier was sometimes tough to get through, but gear checks were never a problem. I remember a moment in Italy when I sensed that the locals were a bit skeptical of me, but after I pulled out "Old Blue," the owner of the DZ nodded at my rig, went into the hanger, and emerged with his own Vector. In broken English, he turned me and said, "Okay, we jump." It turned out to be an incredible day of 8-way, pasta, and wine. This is just one of many times I’ve been glad to have a Vector. Whether I was jumping over the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, or filming my best friend’s first AFF jump, the rig has never let me down. As a rigger, I’ve always appreciated the craftsmanship, functionality, and clean lines of Vector rigs. I like that every feature of the rig is well designed and constructed with precision. For instance, the main pilot chute’s support tape is sewn at a 45-degree angle to mesh. Sure, it would be easier to sew it in line with the mesh, but the Relative Workshop sews it to minimize the stretch and increase the pilot chute’s efficiency. There is also simplicity and ingenuity in the reserve system. I don’t know why every manufacturer doesn’t use reserve pilot chutes that create drag regardless of the angle from which they are launched and springs strong enough to clear burbles and find clean air, but I’m glad The Relative Workshop does. Packing reserves into some containers is more like a wrestling match. With Vectors, the free-bag and pilot chute close into the container cleanly, exactly as they are going to leave it if they need to be used. Every time I pack up a Micron or M-Series for one of my customers, it’s hard to give it back. I want one of my own. Most importantly, Vector Microns are safe. I appreciate that Vector rigs are designed to be as snag free as possible, that the riser covers will stay closed in freefall, and that both the main and reserve containers stay closed until the handles are pulled. It’s also comforting to know that the cut-away system is made to the standards of the original inventor and that no creative liberties have been taken with this crucial aspect of the rig. From hard housing riser inserts to pin protection, the Vector Micron and M-Series are clearly the harness/container systems that all others are measured against. Yes, there are other manufactures out there, but in a sport that has a zero tolerance for error, I want the best. On top of all of this, I want to jump a rig made by a company that stands behind its products and provides great customer service. Every interaction I’ve had with The Relative Workshop has been outstanding. Whether during a visit to the factory or getting technical assistance over the phone, everyone at the company is professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. I’m at a point where I’m ready to take my skydiving to the next level and I know a Vector Micron can help get me there. The ergonomic harness will give me the mobility to perform my best in freefall and keep me comfortable under canopy, and the design innovations will keep me safe. I work in education and whether I’m training hard, or supplementing my "four-way fund" by doing video or coach jumps, I want a Vector on my back every time I get on the plane. Skydiving is changing, and while "Old Blue" needs a replacement, I won’t let it be anything but a Micron. The Relative Workshop makes the most dependable container in the world, so the question isn’t really "Why do I want to jump a Vector?" but rather "Why would I jump anything else?"