South Pole Skydive, Antarctica

[AlexZander 0]

Hello everyone!

An expedition has been formed to skydive at the South Pole, Antarctica in early December, 2014. Limited amount of slots available and some people are on board already including Omar Alhegelan.

1. Kick off - First half of December, 2014 (exact date to be finalized)
2. Duration - approximately 2 weeks
3. Start and end point – Cape Town, South Africa
4. Must have C or D license or the equivalent.
4. Price starting 30,000 Euro per person (price depends on the final group size)
5. Option to do a High altitude jump with supplementary oxygen equipment (for extra charge)
6. This trip will allow you to have an incredible once in a life time experience in Antarctica, spending some time at the actual South Pole, observing wild life, visiting Antarctic mountains and much more.

If interested please contact me, I will be able to provide a detailed itinerary for this trip

Alex

[GD64 1]

Sounds like a great adventure.
Considering the Winter we have just had, I'll pass this time.
I'm headed south this winter, but not that far south.
Heck, the local's have yet to get their first cutting of hay, and it's the middle of July!
I need some warmth.
Apologies for mini rant.
It does sound like a once-in-a-lifetime experience

[AlexZander 0]

GD64

Sounds like a great adventure.
Considering the Winter we have just had, I'll pass this time.
I'm headed south this winter, but not that far south.
Heck, the local's have yet to get their first cutting of hay, and it's the middle of July!
I need some warmth.
Apologies for mini rant.
It does sound like a once-in-a-lifetime experience

Hi GD, thanx alot :) if you love winters you can also consider the most northern part of the planet :)), The North pole, Im part of that expedition crew as well. It kicks off and the end of March each year - although being mid spring the frost is still in full swing there (with down to -40C) :))
At least there you are "head up" :)
ps sorry for the off-topic

[oalhegelan 0]

Hi Dropzoners,

Indeed an amazing opportunity for a once in a lifetime adventure has presented itself!
For the first time in a couple of decades a group will finally be going to the South Pole to skydive:)

Having jumped with Alex over the North Pole & Everest; it seemed only logical to try and tackle the complexities of organising a jump over the South Pole, Antarctica.

Most of the ducks are in a row; T's are crossed & I's are dotted.

This expedition will prove to be an adventure like no other.
It will tap into the visuals & cold similar to that of the North Pole jumps, while the altitude of the LZ makes this jump comparable to that of Skydive Everest!
Its like a skydive Everest & North pole jumps all rolled up into one!!!

Please do let us know if you are interested in joining us in this journey & if you would rather do an O2 equipped High Alt jump.

Looking forward to jumping together over this most unique spot.
With Love, Peace & respect,
Omar

[BeauRiebe 0]

Did I read that right- 30000 euros like $40000? That's like, more money than I have ever had. Good luck, wish I could join you, but holy smokes that's not cheap. I didn't know skydivers had that much money!

[3mpire 0]

$40k USD and you still have to pay more for extra alt

[gowlerk 2,190]

Considering the challenges the price is not unreasonable. Obviously this kind of expedition is only for people who do not need to concern themselves about the cost. The 1% of the skydiving world. If you have that kind of cash to spend, and the skill to go along with it, I can hardly think of a better way to use it.

My main concern would be the fact that people treating Antarctica as a tourist destination are making a huge mistake. Things can and do go wrong there. And when they do the cost of the rescue runs into millions, and is not always possible. The scientists and institutions that operate there hate tourist expeditions, and for good reason.

Think at least twice about this before risking other people's lives unnecessarily.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[AlexZander 0]

BeauRiebe

Did I read that right- 30000 euros like $40000? That's like, more money than I have ever had. Good luck, wish I could join you, but holy smokes that's not cheap. I didn't know skydivers had that much money!

Yes thats right, any kind of operations in remote locations such as Antarctica and Arctica are very expensive, thats what in turn forms the price.

[AlexZander 0]

gowlerk

Considering the challenges the price is not unreasonable. Obviously this kind of expedition is only for people who do not need to concern themselves about the cost. The 1% of the skydiving world. If you have that kind of cash to spend, and the skill to go along with it, I can hardly think of a better way to use it.

My main concern would be the fact that people treating Antarctica as a tourist destination are making a huge mistake. Things can and do go wrong there. And when they do the cost of the rescue runs into millions, and is not always possible. The scientists and institutions that operate there hate tourist expeditions, and for good reason.

Think at least twice about this before risking other people's lives unnecessarily.

Thanx for the comment. You are absolutely correct. At the same time I would object abit about the "hate" part, both Arctic and Antarctica has been successfully open for tourists for many years. Tourist stream does not interfere much with research and scientific stations. At the same time it gives this unique opportunity to explore these very remote locations of the planet.
Riskwise, any extreme activity has got to do with managed risk, hasn't it? :)

[BillyVance 34]

I certainly hope that your expedition understands what went wrong the last time a group did a south pole jump, and takes measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[grimmie 186]

Hey Omar, need a load organizer...

[AlexZander 0]

BillyVance

I certainly hope that your expedition understands what went wrong the last time a group did a south pole jump, and takes measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.

We certainly do, thanx for this remark
It has been studied thoroughly and successful jumps have been performed already

[SWhiplash 1]

These jumps were not done at South Pole Station, but they WERE done at Willey Field on the ice runway, McMurdo Station, Antarctica during the months of November and December, 1983.

These images are photo copies of print film from that era, hence the poor quality. The PC's used were from our squadron's parachute equipment inventory. Thankfully, they let me use my "more up to date" rig. My main was a 220 ft^2 Spirit (a Comet knock off) with Super 22 foot Lopo...possibly made by National. The harness/container was a Northern Light, two pin reserve, belly band hand deployed main. I believe the Northern Light was an early model of today's Infinity. That rig was, quite possibly, the first piggy back rig and square parachute used in Antarctica. I can't prove it, but civilian aviation activity in the Antarctic prior to the 1990's was minimal....skydiving on "The Ice" in the early 80's was most likely non-existent. Military parachute equipment may have started to move towards ram air parachutes, but any cold weather training would have been done in Canada or Alaska.

I was very fortunate to be assigned to the US Navy's squadron, VXE-6, for 4 years from 1981 to 1985. While a member of VXE-6, I volunteered for our Para-Rescue Team and made many memorable jumps from our ski equipped LC-130's and the twin "Hueys". Three Man RW loads from 12,500 out of the C-130's with Master Chief John Blankenship and Lt. (Doctor) Glenn Bacon…incredible! Hovering exits out of the Hueys from 7,500 with people leaving from both skids! So cool! Of course, we had to make to obligatory 1,500 static line training jump out of the C-130’s on the 30’ T-10's. Those jumps were nail biters for this civilian trained jumper. Most of the team members had never jumped prior to volunteering for Para Rescue, however, J. Blankenship had a B License and a few hundred jumps and Doc Bacon had an A License by completing AFF at Perris Valley prior to our 1983 deployment. A few others on the team were able to get enough jumps to advance to hop & pops and 10 to 15 second delays.

There was a rumor on one deployment we would get the chance to jump at South Pole Station…on New Years Eve, but the request was disapproved by “Upper Management”. I heard of one Para Rescue Team making a jump at the South Pole a few years before my time. I understand it was a near disaster due to high winds both aloft and on the surface. Round T-10’s, high winds and a 10,000 foot MSL drop zone don’t fit into anyone’s definition of a “fun jump”. As they say at South Pole Station…”Ski the South Pole….1/2 inch of powder…..10,000 feet of base”

Good luck to you and your plan to jump the South Pole. I hope you are able to make it happen.

[grimmie 186]

You should post that great story and photos in the history section. Excellent.

[AlexZander 0]

Very impressive! Thank you for sharing this incredible experience and photos, were there any videos shot during that expedition? At the moment we are looking at attracting one of the film crews to come along and do a documentary, perhaps some of your materials may be very useful at some point of time if everything goes according to plan

[BillyVance 34]

AlexZander

Very impressive! Thank you for sharing this incredible experience and photos, were there any videos shot during that expedition? At the moment we are looking at attracting one of the film crews to come along and do a documentary, perhaps some of your materials may be very useful at some point of time if everything goes according to plan

That sounds like a good idea, if to add a historical perspective to the documentary.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[SWhiplash 1]

I'm afraid there were no video's or film made of our jumps. Just a few still photos like the ones I posted.

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