Youngest skydiver...

[mirochristie 0]

Zach Mullins is the youngest skydiver I`ve met....so far.

This little kid started jumping last June 2003...and I met him at the WFFC 2003 in August. He had 200+jumps at the start of this boogie. By the time the boogie finished, he had a couple of hundred more...!!!

I know, sounds incredible, right?

Jeffrey Mullins, Zach`s brother (17 years old), started when he was 11, ok?

Lucky kids born to the living legend, Mike Mullins, a.k.a. "Owns and flies the fastest KingAir" and he also owns a dz...So there you go!

Show me pics of the yougest skydiver you`ve met...

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[MC208B 0]

I don't think that kids should jump, just my opinion

[quade 4]

Depends on the situation. For the vast majority of folks, yes, I totally agree with you, but I have no problem whatsoever with the son or daughter of a DZO going up at an early age.

We certainly would never want to get into a Jessica Dubroff situation where people are trying to have the youngest kid setting some sort of arbitrary record, but again, if an experienced DZO wants to do it -- who are we to stop them or even to judge them?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[skygod7777 0]

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I don't think that kids should jump, just my opinion

do you mind me asking why??

i am one of those special kids (i know, not that kind of "special ) that got to start very early. i made my first tandem when i was 7 years old. i did 10 tandems over 4 years and then when i was 11 i made my first solo. it was a static line. 38 static lines later, i was on freefall.

i am 16 now, have about 1100 logged jumped (i would have more, but i didn't log very well for a year).

why is this a problem for a dz kid?? for the average kid off the street, maybe not. but for people like me, zach mullins, or jeff mullins what is the problem (there are more that everyone has heard of but they are all over 18 by now)?? we all grew up around it.

later

[mirochristie 0]

I know....It felt wierd.
I was amused and shocked at the same time. I saw him pack several times and you can see he struggles closing the container....So,...imagine if he had a severe linetwist or even worst?
He was jumping a Nitron 98, but I think he weights 98lbs.

I hope he has the strength to deal with it,...when the time comes

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[mirochristie 0]

Yeah, and also they are not USPA members, right?

LiquidSky
@(^_^)@

[skygod7777 0]

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Yeah, and also they are not USPA members, right?

jeff is now, and so am i. now. but like zach, when i was under 16, i wasn't breaking any rules if i wasn't a member. i was told this by mike, he asked me one day if i was a member, and at the time i was about to become a member, and he was like no no no, you don't want to do that. if you do that you'll be breaking the rules .

later

[mikkey 0]

In New Zealand a 5 year old girl did a Tandem with her father a couple of month ago. I assume that would be the age "record" regarding youngest skydiver... (?).

---------------------------------------------------------
When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[skygod7777 0]

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In New Zealand a 5 year old girl did a Tandem with her father a couple of month ago. I assume that would be the age "record" regarding youngest skydiver... (?).

no, rook nelson made his first jump at like 3.

i'm not sure if rook was the youngest, but it would seam like it.

later

[sunshine 2]

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no, rook nelson made his first jump at like 3.

He was 4. It's on video too. He looks like he's having a great time.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[Taz 0]

A 3-yr-old made a tandem jump this year at my DZ, his dad has thousands of tandem jumps and was insistant that the kid be the youngest ever. Apparently he screamed bloody murder in the door but loved the canopy ride. Has his own jumpsuit and everything, but when kids are still talking to imaginary friends and can't distinguish between fantasy and reality, I think it's a bit young to be telling them they can "fly". For the week after his tandem, we were all watching this kid to make sure he didn't try to "fly" off of any objects. BASE clearly comes later in life.

It's the Year of the Dragon.

[MC208B 0]

my reason why has alredy been answered by Quade. It would be a terrible black eye for the sport if a 10 year old went in.

As for judging anyone that lets kids jump, I'm not. I'm just stating a personal opinion.

I personally would not let my younger kids jump even if they could (My older two each got a tandem when they turned 18).

Sorry if you think I'm trying to stir up some shit, it wasn't my intent.

Mike

[lewmonst 0]

Zach's a good kid. I took some photos of him in Rantoul and I found out long after the fact that he and his mom had bought one of those photos from Martini Shots. I owe them one (or more), as Mullins supported our photogrophy crew unlike any other. The Mullins family rocks.

there was something posted a while ago about a 2 yr-old on a tandem.

my only problem with kids skydiving is that i'm jealous of them. I wish i'd grown up in the sport with the knowledge and experience they have.

and kelly's not bad either

it is strange though when I am teaching my 7th graders to think Zach is the same age as they are. none of the kids i teach are mature enough to skydive, of course.

peace
lew

http://www.exitshot.com

[Squeak 17]

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i am 16 now, have about 1100 logged jumped (i would have more, but i didn't log very well for a year).

Man you suck I am sooo jealous
I could hardly walk and chew gum at that age

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[tbrown 26]

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my reason why has alredy been answered by Quade. It would be a terrible black eye for the sport if a 10 year old went in.

I don't like it when I see 4 yr olds tearing around in those little battery powered jeeps either. I just don't think kids have the maturity to make the kind of snap decisions that things like driving - or skydiving - require. Am I jealous ? You bet I am ! I wanted to skydive ever since I was 7 yrs old. I had to wait until I was 18 because my parents wouldn't sign off on it when I was 16. I'm just not sure that a kid understands that this sport could get him or her killed and that you only have to screw up badly enough once. They just think it's a blast, and I'm sure they can fly graceful circles around 18 year old geezers, but what happens when they get a violent spinner ? Or a hung up steering line ? The kind of dumb stuff that kills adults with thousands of jumps, who should know better ?

I'm proud of these kids, don't get me wrong. But I do think of them as an aberration, from skydiving families, with DZO dads and moms. I only hope the families can deal with it if the worst happens. I'm making my own kids wait 'til they're 18. They have to pay for it too, though I will hire a cameraman to jump with them. And I've made it ice cold crystal clear to them that they should never think they need to do it just to please the old man. It's OK with me if they never jump.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[happythoughts 0]

I started driving tractors and trucks when I was 10. Slow stuff. When you are 16, in your car, and someone pulls out in front of you, it freaks you out. You may not react correctly the first time. There is no second time in skydiving.

I met Charlie when he was 16 and could fly circles around me. I still don't think it is a good idea to put a 13 yo in the possible situations. I always recommend adults do a tandem for the first jump also.

[GroundZero 0]

Christie,

I thought I was the youngest skydiver you had ever met...

(I frost my hair and glue on the beard to make people think that I'm older.)

Being a DZO and Father, I'm willing to take my kids as soon as they want to, but they have to ask me first... my kids are 28 son, 8 daughter and 1 daughter. You know what? None have asked me yet.

Because they have all been exposed to the dropzone, it seems almost boring to them. Perhaps they don't understand what we love it so much, (28 son told me many years ago that it wasn't his idea of fun)...

Perhaps my girls will skydive someday, but I won't encourage it. Skydiving is evil (hehehe and I want all that evil myself!)

I like my kids to think openly and honestly. And at the younger ages, my kids have not wanted to skydive yet... (yet, I wanted to try it when I saw the first skydiver tow a streamer in ... I was about age 5 ... at an airshow... maybe it's not for everyone.)

Young Zach has made a very informed decision and by getting an early start, I'm sure he will be a very accomplished skydiver just like his older brothers. All have been trained safely and show an excellent amount of judgement. (it was funny to watch his older brother watch over him as he down sized to the 98, then the 88.)

Yes, it is a good thing. To start early, these guys will have a tremendous head start over others. But they need to "want" to skydive... all these guys seem to "want" to do it. I think it's shown by their proficiency and careful progression.

Chris

[GroundZero 0]

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it is strange though when I am teaching my 7th graders to think Zach is the same age as they are. none of the kids i teach are mature enough to skydive, of course.

Or is it possible that the kids are mature enough to skydive (or handle some task of equal nature) and perhaps, we are not able to recognize it?

Chris

I keep holding my baby's hand, because I'm afraid she may fall and bump her head.

[lewmonst 0]

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it is strange though when I am teaching my 7th graders to think Zach is the same age as they are. none of the kids i teach are mature enough to skydive, of course.

Or is it possible that the kids are mature enough to skydive (or handle some task of equal nature) and perhaps, we are not able to recognize it?

Chris

I keep holding my baby's hand, because I'm afraid she may fall and bump her head.

I suppose that's possible, but seriously, you don't know my kids. I have known 12 year olds in my opinion were mature enough to handle it (besides zach), but none of my current bunch seem to be. A girl I coached in volleyball a couple years ago could definately have handled it at age 12.

peace
lew

http://www.exitshot.com

[Squeak 17]

Dont forget ppl, that Jet Fighter piolets start at 17ish.
A 16 year old could very well have much much better reflexes than an adult.
Maturity to deal with any given situation is not always dictated by age.
I teach 14 -16 yo delinquent boys and most of these guys are extremely competant with Risky sports, skydiving, to some of these kids would be no big issue.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Amazon 7]

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I teach 14 -16 yo delinquent boys

Oh great an adult delinquent in charge of juvenile delinquents....

[vdschoor 0]

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A 3-yr-old made a tandem jump this year at my DZ, his dad has thousands of tandem jumps and was insistant that the kid be the youngest ever.

Hmm.. that was probably not the youngest kid ever..
Herman Landsman (owner of Paracentrum Texel in the Netherlands) jumped with his 2.5 year old daughter some time ago.
Earlier this year he jumped with his 3.5 year old son.

Iwan

[Squeak 17]

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I teach 14 -16 yo delinquent boys

Oh great an adult delinquent in charge of juvenile delinquents....

Who better than one who knows

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[rmsmith 1]

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I know, sounds incredible, right?

Not at all; three cheers for nepotism!

[Jasmin 0]

My bro and I both started at 14. But our younger brother will do his second jump on his 14th b'day as he did his first jump at age ten!!!!
(14 is age limit in oz)

I could have done my first couple of tandems at age 5 out of some c-130's but the harness was too big for me!!!!!!

xj

"I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both."