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That's right! You heard it here first. Skydive America Palm Beach is now the proud landlord of some new guests. Yep, that's right. Scotty Carbone (a self-proclaimed skydiving gypsy), his lovely wife, Tammy, and his 3-legged dog, Hercules, have traveled across time and space from their last dropzone which was Skydive Spaceland in Texas and have finally landed and set up home on the Skydive America property. This is fantastic news for Skydive America and the jumpers as they have brought their entourage of trailers and tents including the cutaway cafe. Now Skydive America has the one thing it was missing -- the constant smell of food in the air, as they knock out some smashing breakfasts lunches, and dinners along with plenty of cold drinks, tea, coffee and homemade sandwiches, munchies and all sorts of skydiving goodies. Skydive America was, is, and has always been an awesome dropzone which I thought had everything (except decent food). I mean where else do you get to jump with Olav Zipser, Jerry Bird and Scotty Carbone all on the same load on a weekly basis? When asked how long they are going to stay, the reply was, "for at least a couple of years." Scotty brings with him about 12,000 skydives, good food, a bang-on sense of humor and some great organizing, along with more stories than an old Jewish grandma at a Matzo ball party. This weekend the skydiver writing this actually replaced his gold chain, that's been around his neck for the last 15 years, with a black piece of leather, a closing pin and a couple of beads, after being told by Carbone, "why you wearing that girlie thing kid, you need to be wearing one of these," as he kindly charged me $18 for my new necklace and told me how all skydivers with more than 200 jumps must wear these (hey who was I to argue -- I have 250 jumps -- he has over 12,000 and he did give me a free cup of tea). Anyway, having Scotty and Tammy there have only added brownie points to the dropzone and added a sense of history. I mean, when I am awakened at 7:00 AM on a Sunday morning by the sound of horribly loud 70's music blasting from the "Carbone Zone" Trailer/Café, and I walk out of the bunkhouse and there's the sweet smell of bacon and French toast in the air and then there's Scotty Carbone with his big chef's hat, a pair of boots and boxer shorts and not too much else, scuttling around and kicking up dust dancing with cooking spatula in hand, it reminded me of a scene from "Good Morning Vietnam" or of old skydiving days. I don't know -- it just seemed to make me feel nostalgic and was definitely a lot better than a bunch of us sitting around eating cold Egg Mcmuffins before first load. So, needless to say, the "Carbone Zone", Tammy and Hercules, the 3-legged dog (who runs 22 miles an hour behind Scotty's scooter wherever he goes -- you have to see it -- it's hysterical), are warmly welcomed by the all the skydivers and everyone at Skydive America. (Yes, even the freeflyers have to eat you know.) When I arrived home after another great weekend of jumpin', the wife said "Where's your chain?" I said, "its in my bag -- I am not wearing it anymore. I'm a skydiver and Scotty Carbone said I have to wear this." To this she replied, "Who the f#@# is Scotty Carbone. If he told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?" (She's not a jumper.) Then, surprisingly, she said, "I actually hated that gold chain -- you look much better in that new thing, whatever it is." Andre Stepsky b32323 TFQ #1 www.tumblefuqs.com

March 2, 2002, Perris Valley Skydiving - BUZZZZZZZ!!! "Ack, stupid alarm... six a.m. on a Saturday, why did I even set the stupid thing? Oh yeah! Today's the day the California fruits and nuts are going to shatter the Dropzone.com RW record...." I roll out of bed and hop in the shower. When I climb out I can smell the fresh coffee brewing in the kitchen. Ah, coffee, can use a pot or so after a late Friday night helping to set up the new and improved Square One store on the Perris dz. Soon enough it's a little after 7, time to throw the gear in the car and get rolling; we're meeting at the Bombshelter at 8 am (who's idea was THAT?). Grab the digital camera and some extra clothes in case it's cold up there and out the door I go. It's a bit chilly still as I pull into the Perris parking lot a few minutes before 8. Linda (hottamaly) is unloading her car as I park. We both gather our gear and wander onto the dropzone. We drop our stuff on one of the tables near manifest and head down to the Bombshelter to wait for everyone to arrive. 8 o'clock rolls around and we're hanging out; the dropzone.com regulars are slowly trickling in. By 8:30 there is quite a crowd gathered around the tables - skybytch (Lisa), hottamaly (Linda), Shark (Mark), ltdiver (Lori), keith (Keith), grasshopper (Aaron), michele (Michele), billvon (Bill), Viking (Arthur), SBS (Steve), Sebazz1 (Sebastian), gman (Gilman), quade (Paul), Albatross (Chris), cptnstratn (Steve), yahooLV (Kurt), chopchop (Roy), and SassyRodriguez (Aisha). The wind gods are threatening to mess with our plans, so after a quick briefing from Linda we head off to the creeper pad to dirtdive the first jump. Linda manifests us on the SkyVan as we all get our jumpsuits and circle up. After a couple of run throughs we all go get our gear on and head to the loading area. Perris' Super SkyVan rockets us to altitude; all of a sudden the red light is on and the tailgate is lifted open. The base lines up then slowly works their way to the edge, green light, GO! After a clean exit by the base everyone starts working their way into their slots. The formation built to 9 when an attempted power dock takes me out; the dive built to 11 by 6500' when a couple of the group decided to bail early. Winds are coming up but not too bad yet as we land. Across the runway we go and everyone gets packing; the winds are getting a bit stronger every minute and we want to go back up and try that again. We all gather around Linda - the last one left packing - and encourage her to hurry it up... for some reason she didn't appreciate that much... Michele is walking to the loading area all geared up for her first jump since October; we all give her a shout of encouragement. Linda finishes her pack job to a round of applause from the group and it's over to room G to watch the video. After a quick debrief we head out to the creeper pad to dirtdive the next one. Linda switches a couple of people in slots and then manifest announces that the whole dz is on wind hold. Sigh. An early lunch break it is then! Most of the group end up in the Bombshelter, and shortly after a disappointed Michele joins us - she had to ride the plane down because the winds came up. To our pleasant surprise the winds died off after about 45 minutes. Linda's off to manifest to get us on the next available load; the SkyVan is done for the day so we're on a 40 minute call for Gypsy Rose, one of Perris' fleet of three Super Otters. We dirt dive the new exit plan and the same dive and soon enough it's time to gear up again. The second dive is going much better. They pull a nice four way base off the Otter and everyone flies to their slots. The formation is buildng nicely with smooth, controlled docks; up to thirteen and one of the flakers goes low. Bummer! Grasshopper is doing his best to make it fourteen but everytime he comes in to dock he floats up. 4500' comes too soon; a 13 way that breaks the record by "Texas rules". We all land with smiles on our faces. The winds keep cooperating with us. We're in the video room debriefing the dive when we see Michele headed to the plane again - woo hoo! Several of the guys head to the door and give her the ultimate in encouragement - a B.A.!! After the debrief, Linda gets us on a quick call. We're losing Sebazz1; he's off to jump with his bachelor party friends from Monterey. Linda changes the formation to a 14 way, which makes for an interesting, fast dirt dive. We all say we've got it and hustle over to grab our gear so we can jam up the exit. The loader is staring us down as we all hurry to the plane. This dive doesn't go so well... The base funnels out the door. It rebuilds to three when one jumper drops in from above on top of chopchop. Linda hangs on to him and checks him out to make sure he's okay as the rest of us fly in. Break off comes soon enough for all of us this time! We land from that one and get packed up. chopchop and Sassy have decided to leave us to go do some freeflying; gman and sbs also decide to go off and do other things leaving us with a 10 way. A 30 minute call on Gypsy and we're dirt diving a whole new jump. Looking at the experience level on this one, Linda plans two points. We all are confident that we can do it right this time. Once again we're a minute or so late for the plane and the loader again gives us the evil eye. It's a relaxed ride to altitude in a cramped Otter, with several of the group geeking quade's camera hard. Jump run comes and a nice four way base comes off the plane. It quickly builds to a six way round with four flakers and Linda keys the second point - a ten way star that flies beautifully, even considering that we are all geeking each other (and quade above us) really hard! We did it! A two point 10 way, flown as dirt dived with everybody in! The video debrief is a happy place as we watch it several times and revel in our accomplishment. Linda pulls out the "records" - three ancient, scratched up albums (for you younger readers, "albums" are the forerunners of CD's; we also used to call them "records"). I hustle down to Square One to borrow a hammer... gonna smash that Texas record!! Which once Linda snapped it, I did with a vengeance - it was kinda dangerous being within about 4 feet of me for a few minutes there. Linda finished up by looking right into quade's camera and saying "Jumperpaula - it's time take off your shirt!" and we all head down to the Bombshelter to top the day off with some classic skydiver partying. The record holders - hottamaly, skybytch, ltdiver, Albatross, cptnstratn, Shark, billvon, YahooLV, Keith, and grasshopper. Video and stills by quade. All in all, it was a great day meeting, jumping and partying with the people we spend so much time "with" online in the Forums. Now it's time for jumpers in some other area of the world to get together and break our record so we have a good excuse to do this again! 10 Way Record Photo Gallery Previous Record 8 Way

ELLINGTON -- Marylou Laughlin wiped tears from her eyes as she walked off the field next to Ellington Airport, her parachute in tow. Moments earlier, she was one of 39 skydivers to form a flower-like formation thousands of feet above. The formation set a state skydiving record - all in the name of Robert "Bobo" Bonadies, an instructor who died in a parachuting accident May 6. Bonadies died helping a student pull her parachute rip cord; he never had time to pull his own, police and skydivers said. "This is the first time I cried since the fatality," said Laughlin, of Granby, who is the United States Parachutist Association regional director and a member of Connecticut Parachutists Inc. "It was like Bobo was really with us," she said. Wednesday was the first of a two-day skydiving event that Bonadies, president of the Connecticut group, helped plan. Bonadies, 47, of Vernon, wanted to get more than three dozen skydivers airborne to complete the formation. The club's goal was 56 skydivers, a far cry from the 28 who failed to properly complete a formation in an impromptu jump eight years ago. Rather than dampen their passion, Bonadies' death motivated the skydivers to carry on. Called "Bobo's Big Dream," the event continues today, as skydivers attempt to form multiple formations within jumps. More than 50 skydivers traveled from as far as Philadelphia for the first day of jumping. They ranged from 67-year-old Howard Burling of Bristol to Paula Philbrook of Pepperell, Mass., who brought her 4-year-old son and mother to watch. But success wasn't easy to achieve. Menacing rain clouds kept skydivers on the ground until the afternoon. Then, as the sun broke through the clouds, revealing blue patches, the skydivers got ready for the first jump. First, they practiced on the ground ("dirt diving"). Hunched over like dads playing monster, they extended their arms, moved toward each other to form loops and broke away. They rehearsed jumping out of the plane on wooden platforms. Then came the real thing. Thirty-nine parachutists, plus three with video cameras, piled into three planes. On the first jump, the formation was almost completed, save for a few jumpers who were unable to latch onto a loop. The second time, 40 jumpers were too far apart to create any kind of pattern, save the central ring. The third time was the charm. Thirty-nine skydivers fell into formation like clockwork, forming four rings outside a central ring. Three of the outer rings, or "rooms," had a jumper in the middle. The fourth room was empty, in a salute to Bonadies. By one count, the skydivers held on to each other for 11 seconds. That's out of a 50-second descent from 13,500 feet at about 120 mph. Their landings were staggered, punctuated by fluttering parachutes. Spectators cheered as skydivers whooshed across the grass below and hugged one another. "Hey, don't forget, guys, that wasn't 39, it was 40, and it was for Bobo," said Roger Ponce de Leon of Hamden, who helped plan the formations. ~ The Hartford Courant

FORT BRAGG -- An Army pilot so skilled he could fly eight types of aircraft was remembered today by fellow members of the Golden Knights parachute exhibition team. Chief Warrant Officer Lowell Timmons, 45, died last week when the UV-20 single-engine turboprop he was flying near Tucson, Ariz., collided with a civilian skydiving plane. No one else was killed. About 300 people attended the service today at the main chapel at Fort Bragg, home of the Golden Knights and the Army's 18th Airborne Corps. At the front of the gathering, Timmons' dog tags and flight helmet hung on the butt of a M-16 rifle mounted vertically. On the floor beside it the rifle was a pair of empty jump boots. The display was backed by crossed United States and Golden Knights flags. The demonstration team's commanding officer, Lt. Col. David Liwang, said while some Americans find it difficult to learn to drive a stick-shift automobile, Timmons was proficient flying everything from helicopters to cargo planes. His 6,000 hours of flight experience was equivalent to flying nonstop for nearly nine months, Liwang said. "It's been my honor and my pleasure to serve with him," Maj. Trey Kelly, commander of the parachute team's pilots and crew members, said before stepping back from the podium and saluting. Chief Warrant Officer Ken Breeden, a fellow pilot, knew Timmons when they served together in Korea before joining the Golden Knights. Breeden said Timmons had a knack for instantly earning the respect of fellow fliers and parachute troops. Timmons was due for a promotion within a few months to become the aviator in charge of polishing the training of the team's instructor pilots, said Sgt. 1st Class Ken Kassens, a Golden Knights spokesman. The Army's Aviation Safety Center and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of last week's fatal crash. Four Golden Knights had made a practice jump shortly before the collision with a Cessna 182 carrying four civilian skydivers. The four civilians aboard the Cessna jumped afterward. Timmons, a 16-year veteran born in Fort Wayne, Ind., had served in Somalia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia, Germany and Korea. He is survived by his wife, Teresa, three daughters and three brothers. His funeral will be held Saturday at Richmond Hill, Ga., near Savannah.

Moments after a jury cleared him of any wrongdoing in the death of a skydiver, Michael Hawkes stood on the front steps of the Foley Federal Building and pointed skyward at the Air Force Thunderbirds as they performed maneuvers. "Hey! They're celebrating our win," Hawkes yelled over to fellow defendant Joe Herbst. "That's pretty good." On Friday a Clark County civil jury ruled that Hawkes, the owner of Skydive Las Vegas, was not responsible for the May 1998 death of Vic Pappadato, an Emmy-award winning videographer and skydiver. They also found that Herbst, a former teacher who jumped that day with Pappadato, did not contribute to Pappadato's death. In fact, they awarded Herbst $1, saying Pappadato caused the midair collision that led to his death and seriously injured Herbst. The four-week trial was held in the Foley Federal Building to provide extra space. The parents and brother of Vic Pappadato had claimed that Hawkes had a history of violating safety rules and on the afternoon of May 10, 1998, allowed a group to dive even though some of them had been partying the previous evening. The family's attorney said those mistakes led to Pappadato's death. Hawkes and Herbst's attorneys told jurors that Pappadato deviated from a pre-arranged plan, and his mistakes led to his death. They also pointed out that Pappadato had signed a waiver releasing Skydive Las Vegas from any liability. "It's been a long four weeks since the trial began and a long four years since the accident," Hawkes said. "I'm just very happy the waiver stood out and was upheld. Everyone who jumps out of airplanes knows it is potentially dangerous. "There's been a lot of pain and suffering on both sides. I'm very sorry for the Pappadatos' loss, but this lawsuit should never have happened." In a written statement, Vince Pappadato, Vic's brother wrote: "We accept the jury's verdict, although we do not necessarily agree with the outcome. Sometimes the truth cannot always be proven. "This is just another bump in the road for us, and Vic Pappadato will never be forgotten for the champion he was in the sport that he loved so much, for the son and brother that he is, and for the man he became that everyone loved and misses dearly." Vince Pappadato said his family also wished for peace for the Herbst family. Herbst, who suffered internal injuries and broken bones in the accident, said he regretted having to file his counter-claim against Pappadato's estate. He said he went ahead with the lawsuit to clear his name. "I have no animosity toward the Pappadato family, that's why I only asked for a dollar," Herbst said. Herbst, who has made 1,000 dives since the accident, said the accident happened as the result of a few bad decisions made over a nine-second period. "Who hasn't made bad decisions?" Herbst said. "I had forgiven Vic before I hit the ground." ~ LAS VEGAS SUN

The Monkey Claw Free fly Team/School, based out of Skydive Cross Keys in Williamstown, New Jersey, just returned from Puerto Rico. Skydive Puerto Rico, located at the Humacao airport outside of San Juan, was the host of the 2nd Annual Free fall Festival. The festival was held from February 6 to the tenth and it was a huge success. The Monkey Claw Team arrived a few days prior to the start of the event to see old friends, explore the island and get in a little relaxation. They were greeted at the airport by local skydivers Hector, Julio and Christie. After a half-hour drive to Humacao they arrived at the DZ. Already the wheels were turning and tents were being raised in anticipation of the coming skydivers headed for the boogie. Afterwards the team went to their hotel at Palmas Del Mar only a few minutes from the DZ. Over the next few days the local skydiving community were gracious hosts and ample tour guides. On the list of attractions in Puerto Rico were El Yunque, a rain forest that is full of wild life, waterfalls, swimming holes and hiking trails. Another adventure was El Morro, a forbidding fortress in San Juan that was once used to protect the island from intruders. One morning a chartered Caravan was used to access Culebra, a tiny island off the coast of Puerto Rico. The island is great for a day of rest and relaxation. The beaches are vast and semi-private so there is no trouble finding that perfect spot by the water. The water is a blue and warm and full of reefs and fish to gaze at while snorkeling off the beach. Wednesday the boogie began. Skydivers from all over the globe made their way to the little Caribbean island for the festival. There were jumpers from the United States, England, Argentina, Chile and St. Thomas. Over 200 skydivers would register for the event by the end of the week. John Eddowes from Skydive Cross Keys flew down only two of his growing fleet of aircraft. Thanks to the flying of John and another Cross Keys pilot, Rob Branch, skydivers were lifted to altitudes of 14,000 feet in a Super Otter and Super Sky van all week. A surprise arrived on Friday as a Bell Helicopter arrived to give rides and jumps to all of the boogie goers. Skydivers were treated to a fantastic ride up the river and along the coast before exiting 7,000 feet above the DZ. For RW jumpers Lyle Presse and Marc Cruse were available for load organizing and two attempts were made at breaking the Puerto Rico record over the weekend. The record was not broken but everyone learned a lot from the attempts and they are ready to break the record next year. Adrian Nicholas was available for load organizing and camera flying throughout the week. For the free flyers, Monkey Claw was available with their staff of Glenn "Stuey" Newman, Tim Miller, Bert Navarette, Adam Rosen and Heath Richardson. Monkey Claw offered load organizing for all skill levels throughout the boogie. There were flocking dives, tracking dives, big ways, sit jumps and tube jumps. The five instructors also offered one-on-one coaching to those interested in improving their skill level in all orientations. On the DZ there were food stands to satisfy even the hungriest skydiver. There were also two masseuses on site to soothe aching muscles. At night seminars were given on topics such as canopy flying and relative work skills. But the parties were even better. Every night something was planned. Thanks to the work of Hector Flores and the many sponsors of the boogie there was plenty of free beer. One night the entire DZ made its was to the local Chili's Restaurant for food, drinks and to watch videos from that days skydiving. There were bonfires on the beach, pool parties, deejays and lots of good vibes. Records were broken from day one. With over 200 registrants, making over 2300 skydives with over 120 loads and 12 helicopter jumps the boogie was a huge success. The added beauty of the island and the generosity of the local skydivers were an added bonus. If you did not make your way to Puerto Rico for the first two Free fall Festivals, mark your calendar for February 2003, because it is only going to get bigger and better.

DELAND -- Skydive DeLand, the city airport's most prominent business, is under scrutiny by local factions of pilots and aviation businesses here who say the company gets preferential treatment from the city. Skydive DeLand has operated out of the tiny airport for 20 years, slowly building the city's worldwide reputation as a skydiving mecca. Its local lore has also grown, as a place with loud planes and reckless pilots that not only attracts thousands of skydivers from all over Europe and South America, but also lets them stay in campers, tents -- even a teepee -- on airport property. In recent months, people have complained about the "unsightliness" of the campground, and more than 100 people signed a petition asking the city to investigate the "dangerous" flying practices of Skydive DeLand's pilots. The complaints surfaced as city officials are trying to map out the airport's future and decide if it will remain a small, mom-and-pop operation or grow to accommodate corporate jets for the city's adjacent industrial park. "I think right now Skydive DeLand feels a little persecuted," said City Commissioner Charles Paiva, who is also a pilot who uses the airport. "People's perceptions are that [Skydive DeLand] does what they want to do and isn't very regulated. I think there needs to be some leeway given to a very good tenant that brings a lot of jobs and a lot of money. I don't want anyone to think we're giving anyone special treatment." Company drops plansLast week, Skydive DeLand dropped its plans to build a second RV park near its hangars and other buildings, which house a bar, a restaurant, a shop and indoor training classrooms. Owner Bob Hallett said the city was insisting on too many restrictions -- such as an audit by the city's code enforcement office every six months to make sure people weren't using the campground as a permanent home -- to make the RV park worthwhile. "It was not in our political or financial interest to continue the project," Hallett said. "What other RV parks have that type of restriction?" Under Skydive DeLand's lease with the city, the business is allowed to sublease the 18 spots in its existing RV park. It receives about $150 a month from each of those tenants. Some of those tenants have kept trailers on the property for years, but they are out-of-towners who use it as a skydiving headquarters rather than a permanent home, said Skydive DeLand manager Mike Johnston. Johnston told city commissioners last week that he doesn't understand what is prompting the complaints. "These complaints have surfaced recently and we're not doing anything different," he said. Johnston said his pilots are not reckless and, in fact, follow standard skydive flight procedures accepted nationally. FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the agency is investigating the complaints about the pilots. Neil Brady, a private pilot who has used the airport for 18 years, is part of the faction that has complained about Skydive DeLand. "This airport has grown tremendously in the last 18 years," he said. "There's a lot of flying activity here, and they simply cannot fly the way they did 18 years ago because it's not safe. Their airplane is no better than mine or a student pilot's or anyone else's out here." Brady said he is also pleased the company decided not to build a second RV park because he considers the existing one an eyesore. That RV park and campground are part of what has made it a successful draw for competitive and recreational skydivers all over the world, Johnston said. Word of mouth across Europe and South America, say those who come here, is that Skydive DeLand is the place to train. 'Biggest skydive center'"It's known as the biggest skydive center in the world, really," said Simon Staalnacke, 26, of Norway. He arrived in town about two weeks ago with two buddies from Sweden and Norway. On a recent morning, the three sat outside the large teepee they've been sleeping in, lounging on an old couch that they say they inherited from the last people who stayed in the teepee. "The atmosphere is so nice here," Staalnacke said as his friend, Stefan Diahlkrist, strummed a guitar and sang Swedish songs. "Everybody is so fun and laid-back." Staalnacke and Diahlkrist are typical of the foreign tourists Skydive DeLand attracts. From DeLand, they intend to make their way to another extreme sport -- snowboarding in Colorado. Their teepee was one of seven tents set up in the yard next to the company's restaurant and bar, which boasts of a large number of imported beers to make their patrons feel at home. National skydiving teams from Switzerland, Sweden and Italy are training at the facility now, but are renting homes in DeLand rather than camping. "Florida is the mecca of skydiving in the world, and this has always been the No. 1 place in Florida," said Kurt Gaebel, who moved to DeLand from Germany to make a career as a skydiving coach. Along with new residents and tourists, several skydiving equipment manufacturers have set up shop in DeLand near the airport. The city estimates Skydive DeLand's economic impact on the city to be near $30 million, said Assistant City Manager Michael Pleus. Hallett, the company's owner, said he isn't surprised some airport users are getting restless from the growth, and says he also wants to keep the airport small. "I really don't blame them," he said. "They really want the airport to go back to the days when it was just them and their buddies. We don't like to see the change either." ~Orlando Sentinel

For most skydivers, the reality of human flight is a dream come true. This May, a group of skydivers in Illinois will seek to make someone else's dream come true while remembering a few friends who have died living theirs. Team Funnel is a loose organization of skydivers dedicated to the belief that no one should have to jump alone. With an emphasis on safety and inclusion, the more than eighty members across the world achieve their mission by seeking out low-timers and visitors at their home drop zones and organizing skydives and educational and social events to spread the joy and camaraderie of skydiving. In the Fall of 2001, Team Funnel lost three members to skydiving accidents. In honor of these members, and in honor of all passed skydivers, Team Funnel will hold the first annual Team Funnel Memorial Boogie on Saturday, May 25, 2002, at Skydive Chicago, in Ottawa, Illinois. By remembering their fellow skydivers with a charity event, Team Funnel hopes to not only support the Make-A-Wish foundation, but also bring skydivers together in a relaxed, non-competitive atmosphere. Team Funnel co-founder Bill Homer summarizes the mission by saying, "even though we have lost some close friends, we want to remember them in a hopeful way. They lived their dreams, and we must continue to live ours, and pass the joy it gives us on to others." The primary goal of the event is to make one child's dream come true, through the resources of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Funds will be raised through three activities: A raffle, offering prizes such as merchandise from all the major manufacturers in the industry, coach jumps with some of the nation's leading freeflyers, gift certificates from Ottawa area merchants, and massages, video, rigging, and other services. Raffle tickets will be sold in advance and at the door for $5.00 each, or 5 for $20.00. A silent auction featuring bigger-ticket items such as the chance to skydive naked with beautiful women. There will be a $10.00 charge for unlimited bidding in the auction. A sunset barbecue on the docks of the Skydive Chicago swoop pond, with tickets going for $10.00, $5.00 for children under 8 years old. 100 percent of the proceeds from this event will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Held concurrently with Skydive Chicago's Memorial Day Boogie, the weekend will also include organized loads for all kinds of flyers, induction of new members into Team Funnel, and discounted skydives for registered participants in the Skydive Chicago Boogie. For more information about the event or Team Funnel, visit www.TeamFunnel.com and follow the link to "TF Memorial Boogie." To make a donation or purchase raffle tickets in advance, please email TequilaBill@TeamFunnel.com. For directions or more information on the Skydive Chicago Memorial Day Boogie, please visit www.skydivechicago.com.

SEBASTIAN -- Skydive Sebastian officials say they will now consider a city proposal to move their landing zone after initially objecting to the move. Jim Iannaccone, a representative of Skydive Sebastian, said the organization initially objected to the airport master plan, which requires the move, "because they hadn't had an opportunity to examine or discuss the viability of the northwest corner as a landing area." Iannaccone said Skydive Sebastian is now willing to look at the city's offer. "In light of the city's recent offer, Skydive is willing to look at and discuss the city's plans in the hope of finding a mutually beneficial solution," he said.In a letter to the city council last week, City Manager Terrence Moore said the city will reserve land adjacent to the northwestern landing zones if Skydive Sebastian decides to move its operation to the northwestern area of the airport. Recently, the Sebastian city council voted to pass the airport master plan, which requires the moving of Skydive's landing zone to the northwestern part of the airport. It was a move Skydive Sebastian officials initially objected to because they said it would inconvenience skydivers by making them travel 1,500 feet back to the main facility after a jump. Skydive officials said the move would turn away potential skydivers and hurt Skydive Sebastian's business. Skydive Sebastian officials also said it is important to have a landing zone adjacent to the skydive facilities to ensure Skydive Sebastian's survival. The current drop zone is adjacent to the Skydive Sebastian facilities. Jason Milewski, Sebastian Municipal Airport manager, said the northwest section of the airport has been deemed the safest spot by the Federal Aviation Administration for skydivers to land. Milewski added it would be safer because skydivers won't be landing near the east-west runway when the runway is reopened. City officials argue that leaving the drop zone where it is now would endanger skydivers because airplanes would be taking off and landing nearby. ~ FLORIDA TODAY

These quality swivel clamps were machined precisely to hold a ring sight in place. Most machine shop clamps are made to hold gauges, etc. and can't take the high torque that your sight goes through with random bumps and knocks. This clamp has a semi circle binding ring (see the arrow above) that ensures maximum holding power. The aluminum post is slightly longer than most hardware store posts, and milled to exact dimensions for precise fit. This design is NEW! We have improved the design to replace the old knurled thumbwheel with a low profile Allen screw. This makes the clamp less likely to snag a line during an unstable deployment. The clamp comes with an Allen wrench for your toolkit. Pricing is as follows: Mounting kit (Clamp and Post) $30 + shipping. Clamp without the post is $25 + shipping. Call Brent Finley at 480-855-7779. Send Check or Money Order to Brent Finley, 3102 S. Marigold Place, Chandler, AZ 85248 www.brentfinley.net Brent's Galleries

The Monkey Claw Freefly Team and Freefly School had a busy 2001 season and it preparing for an even busier 2002 season. The Monkey Claw Freefly Team is based at Skydive Cross Keys, in Williamstown, New Jersey. The Team consists of Glen "Stuey" Newman, Tim Miller, Adam Rosen, Heath Richardson and Bert Navarette. They train at their home DZ and run a school where they instruct freefly students of all levels. On a regular basis they load organize freeflyers of all skill levels at Cross Keys. The 2001 season included their Annual Monkey Jams over the Memorial Day and Labor Day holiday weekends. At these events freeflyers travel from across the globe to participate in big ways, tracking dives, tube dives as well as some one on one coaching with Monkey Claw. Every night there is plenty to entertain the hundreds of skydivers registered for the event. There is free food, free beer and fun activities that are always kept a secret until the last moment. Last year someone lit himself on fire (this year it was on purpose), there was a bungee racetrack and a psycho swing. All of the other amenities at Cross Keys are available as well, the Long Delay Café, the Tiki Bar, the swimming pool and the Booze Cruise. Away from Cross Keys the Team traveled to many events and DZ's for coaching and load organizing. Some of the places included Lost Prairie, Quincy, Skydive Delmarva and Chicagoland. Chicagoland will also be the home of the first Monkey Claw Satellite School run by Brandon Park with visits from the rest of the team throughout the summer. New for this season Skydive Cross Keys has its own fleet of aircraft's for all jumpers. At Cross Keys you have your choice of jumping from a Caravan, Skyvan, Super Otter, Biplane, Helicopter and of course a Cessna. Square 3 is located right on the DZ for all of you equipment needs. There are hot showers, bathrooms and plenty of camping areas on the premises. The Long Delay Café keeps jumpers fed throughout the day and the beach, Tiki Bar and Swimming pool are located right next to the landing area. The Team just returned from the 2nd Freefall Festival in Puerto Rico where they were coaching and load organizing throughout the boogie. Over 200 skydivers from around the world attended the event and records were broken for number of registrants, loads flown and skydives made. For the upcoming season the calendar is still being put together. Of course there will be the annual Memorial Day and Labor Day Monkey Jams and the theme for the first Jam has already been chosen. The team will be traveling to Chicagoland as well as Lost Prairie for the Voodoo Rendezvous. There are a lot of other events that are still being finalized at the moment. If you want to learn more about Monkey Claw you can visit their website at www.monkeyclaw.com. At the site you can find photos, videos, a list of events and you can contact the members for more information. Adam Rosens Monkey Claw GalleryAll photos by: Adam Rosen

Troy Widgery, founder of Go Fast, stands atop the company Range Rover in front of their building at 1935 W. 12th Ave. in Denver. Maybe that's why Denver native Troy Widgery, a skydiver, has poured all his energy and money into Go Fast energy drink. He's trying to pry his way into a $275 million industry dominated by Red Bull of Austria and U.S. beverage giants Anheuser-Busch and Hansen's. So far, sales are up for the caffeine and herb-packed beverage, which was launched in November. Go Fast is sold in liquor stores, bars and shops around the state, including The Church, Sacre Bleu, Java Creek and Mondo Vino in Denver. This year, Go Fast Beverage Co. expects to go a lot faster. National Distributing Co. today will begin pushing Go Fast to its 7,500 accounts statewide. Other distributing deals are in the works, said Widgery, whose latest passion is kiteboarding, a hybrid of surfing and parasailing. "When you were a little kid and wanted to get lifted by your kite, that's kind of what happens," he said, describing the new sport he learned in Hawaii and Mexico. But Widgery is spending more time these days on a forklift in Go Fast's warehouse. The company is ramping up marketing, and he's out rounding up new capital for growth. In 1996, Widgery started Go Fast Sports, a clothing company that sells mostly to motorcycle, bike and surf specialty stores. The 35-year-old Cherry Creek High grad also owns Sky Systems Inc., a 14-year-old company that designs helmets for skydiving and other extreme sports like water-ski jumping. Sky Systems makes a patented product called Tube Stoe - essentially a rubber band that's used to pack a parachute. Sales from Tube Stoe helped Widgery fund Go Fast Sports, which has since grown about 300 percent a year, he said. "Because of our involvement with extreme sports, last year we saw the market potential for an energy drink and we wanted one that was better than the current drinks out there," Widgery said. "A lot of energy drinks give you a kick that makes you sort of jittery and you drop off quickly. Ours is smoother and more sustained. Ours has the least amount of sugar." Most "true" energy drinks include stimulants caffeine and ginseng and the amino acid taurine, Widgery said. Go Fast also contains guarana and ginko. Some stimulate the mind and others the body. Some industry watchers question whether energy drinks, which sell for $2 a can, are just a fad. Can they pose health risks? The nutritional research is inconclusive, but some critics fear the greatest detriment is mixing energy drinks and alcohol because the stimulants can fool a person into thinking they're sober enough to drive. Widgery said a number of nutritional experts and chemists formulated Go Fast. Regas Christou, owner of The Church, hasn't had problems with the drink and said that Red Bull and Go Fast sales are strong. "A lot more people are drinking more of the energy drinks," Christou said. "Every single egg is in the basket," Widgery said. "I believe in it. The energy market is here to stay." Energy drinks have been sold in Europe for more than a decade, Widgery noted. In the United States, sales skyrocketed to $275 million last year compared with $130 million in 2000, according to Beverage Marketing Corp. Widgery expects fallout in the energy drink category because he said only a handful of the so-called drinks actually have ingredients to get your heart and mind racing. Go Fast is in discussions with an Oklahoma-based bicycle parts distributor, which is interested in selling the drink to its 7,000 bike store customers nationwide. Widgery met earlier this week with a New York nutritional ingredients supplier who wants to take the product to China. For all his confidence in Go Fast, Widgery's voice is even-keeled when he talks about growth. "We want to make the brand grow properly, and not just oversaturate the market," he said, noting the target energy-drink consumers are young and discriminating - those who seek what's on the fringe, not mainstream grocery products. "The brand has to maintain its soul," Widgery said. "You have to appeal to the "go fast' type of person." ~ Denver Post

Originally designed for jumpers who regularly go higher than 18,000 FT MSL, the Stratosphere includes all the features of the Galaxy, plus an extended range mechanism which registers altitudes to 30,000 FT MSL.

The family of a famous skydiving videographer blames a Las Vegas company and another skydiver for his death, the family's attorney said in opening statements Thursday in the jury trial of a lawsuit. In the suit against Michael Hawkes, his company -- Skydive Las Vegas -- and local teacher and skydiver Joseph Herbst, the parents and brother of Vic Pappadato claim that Hawkes has a long history of violating safety rules and on the afternoon of May 10, 1998, allowed a group to dive even though some of them had been partying the previous evening. The family's attorney said those mistakes led to Pappadato's death. The plaintiffs' attorney, Frank Sabaitis, told jurors that Vic Pappadato, 33, agreed to videotape the dive for a friend, who was celebrating a birthday. Pappadato had more than 5,000 jumps to his credit. The group was supposed to jump from the plane, form a circle and then move away from each other as Pappadato taped the event, Sabaitis said. At least one of the members lacked the skills necessary to move into the circle and struck Pappadato, the attorney said. Pappadato continued the taping, but when it came time for him to deploy his parachute at 4,000 feet he could not. When Pappadato was forced to deploy his chute seconds later to avoid hitting a skydiver below him who was opening his own chute, the lines of Pappadato's chute became entangled, Sabaitis said. Before he could straighten the lines or deploy his alternate parachute Pappadato was struck by Herbst, Sabaitis said. He then fell to his death. Sabaitis said that although two of the divers later said they either smelled alcohol or had attended a party the night before, the others joined ranks and blamed Pappadato for the tragedy. Pappadato's video of the jump will show the other jumpers were at fault, Sabaitis said. "He was a compulsive safety nerd," Sabaitis said. "He was obsessive, and yet the defense is that Vic Pappadato made all of the mistakes that day." Greg Miles, who represents Hawkes, said many of the Pappadatos' witnesses are disgruntled former employees of Hawkes', and that his client had no reason to suspect anyone was intoxicated that day, he said. Herbst's attorney, Imanuel Arin, said the evidence will clearly show Pappadato deviated from the plan during the jump. Herbst was below Pappadato when Pappadato struck him, and the "low man always has the right of way." Jurors this week also are scheduled to hear a countersuit filed by Herbst against Pappadato. ~ LAS VEGAS SUN

John DeRosalia recently helped Sebastian XL place fourth at the 2001 World Air Games in Spain. Peak performance in sport is about achieving personal bests in competition, when it really matters. What you do in training is irrelevant, it is how you perform at the Olympics or World Meet which will put your name in history. Often mental toughness can make the difference at this elite level where technical ability is similar. A skydiver himself, John is the only licensed psychotherapist in the sport dedicated to working with peak performance. He also has a successful private practice in New York, where he works with athletes, musicians, writers, and business professionals. Why is there a need for peak performance training? For most people, old and faulty belief systems interfere with our ability to achieve peak performance. These systems damage, limit and narrow our belief in ourselves and our abilities. They rob us of the joy we used to feel about making our dreams come true. They tell us, 'Don't bother trying. You'll never get there anyway. It's just a waste of time.' What's the secret to believing in ourselves? Think of a child at play. Children don't 'try' to learn or succeed. They just learn and succeed. They're not playing at being firemen. They ARE firemen! Adults find it more difficult to dream and think positively and joyfully about our goals. We've lost the courage to dream because, over the years many of us find that our enthusiasm for life somehow vanishes. That's when it's time to fearlessly look inward. We all have a passion for something. Sometimes it just takes a while to uncover or rediscover it. How do we get in touch with that passion? I begin by helping people reconnect to what they love to do and why. Only then are they able to achieve a level of personal excellence. Once they discover a goal they're passionate about, we design a realistic plan to achieve it. Hypnotherapy is one of the tools I use because it puts people in alpha and theta brainwave states; highly receptive levels of consciousness where suggestibility is at its maximum. Working in these states of consciousness enables me to access dynamic and creative centres in the brain that are generally unavailable during a normal waking state. Powerful, positive suggestions can be programmed into the unconscious that greatly stimulate the ability to learn, improve and even perfect technical skills, as well as increase confidence and self-esteem. Why is picturing success important and how is it done? In order to be successful, you need to have a clear picture of what your goal looks like. You also need to be very certain about why you want to accomplish this. To be able to picture success requires learning and practicing some mental skills such as visualization and imagery which can help you experience and benefit from achieving the goal even before it occurs." Ultimately, peak performance isn't just about technical excellence. It's about the purpose behind the whole experience-your deepest motivation. Remember that success comes in many forms. Realising a goal you've set - even if that goal is just to enjoy yourself - is success. What should a skydiver do when negative thoughts interrupt their mindset? Positive images are a good place to begin. If you're having negative thoughts in the plane, you can 'change the channel' by replacing the negative thoughts with positive or neutral ones. Think about anything else; a great skydive, the band you saw last night or an exciting movie. A technique I sometimes use is to pretend I'm a great skydiver (I get a clear picture in my mind of my favourite skydiving hero) and then I ask myself, 'What would he be thinking now? How would he be acting now?' Then I act and think as he would. Pretending you're someone else can produce amazing results because you wind up doing things that you couldn't normally do. You temporarily forget your limitations and then they're not limits any more. Why is mental training important? Mental training helps to ensure that, at least for the duration of that skydive, negative thoughts won't return. If you've practiced, you can learn to get rid of self-doubt the first time it invades your mind. This isn't to say that those thoughts don't warrant your time and energy at a later point. It's important not to ignore your feelings. But for the time being, you need to concentrate on the task at hand. The point is to have a number of mental techniques at your disposal. Carpenters don't walk around with just a hammer in their tool box. When negativity invades, and it does for everyone at some point, you need to be well prepared. What other tools are useful? Try looking at a situation from a different perspective. I have my own way of looking at things. So do you. Most of us believe that ours is the only one. But you can make a mediocre experience into a great one just by thinking about it in a different way. We move towards what we see - and if you see a mediocre skydive, that's probably what you're going to create. That's why you hear smart people say, 'Don't practice mistakes.' It's not a good idea to watch a video over and over, focusing on the errors. If you make a skydive with ten mistakes and one good point, take a quick look at the mistakes, learn what you can from them, but then delete them from your mind and magnify the good point. Fix it in your head. You're not changing the reality. You're just being selective about the reality you're choosing to hold onto. What's the most powerful peak performance tool? My 'miracle tool' is a Personal Vision Statement; a written description of the goal, its time-frame, the steps you'll take to achieve it, and a list of reasons that make it important to you. Writing this out can be time-consuming but it's worth the effort. Most people have thoughts, ideas and dreams of what they'd like to do. But thinking about something is only the first level. Putting your thoughts into words is a second, much more powerful level. A recent study revealed that over 90% of Olympic gold medal winners had their goals down in writing. The third level is taking action in the direction of your goals. The idea is to begin living your dreams and not just thinking about them. Thought, word, and deed are cornerstones in every major philosophy and religion throughout time. The idea in peak performance is to reach for the highest thought. Mental Training for Skydiving and LifeWhy is this tool so powerful? It forces you to answer the question, 'Why am I here?' That's the hardest question for most of us to answer, which is why it's usually the one we're afraid to ask. What keeps each of us moving toward what we want to achieve is our level of passion. If you desire peak performance in any area, you first have to access the passion behind it - the passion that created the goal to begin with - and then you have to constantly draw on that passion as fuel, especially when the going gets tough. If you want to run a certain time in a marathon or achieve a level of excellence in skydiving - or whatever it is you aspire to - you have to face the fact that there will be days when you don't want to train. But if you hold fast to your highest thought, which ultimately turns out to be your deepest and most compelling motivation, then you can continue through the difficult times. And then anything becomes possible. John was talking to Margaret Winchell Miller (MM28@aol.com) Contact John DeRosalia at skymind@pobox.com for his book, Mental Training for Skydiving and Life, and performance enhancement tapes

I've always considered myself to be an average recreational skydiver. Although I've been throwing myself out of airplanes for twelve years now for various reasons I've never been able to afford to jump as hard as is needed to be really good at this. A year ago while I was lying around recovering from back surgery I decided that 2002 is my year; this is the year that I'm going to go from being average to being one of the best female big way RW jumpers in the world. I'm going to be a world record holder! My employers, Kate Cooper and Tony Domenico, are the dive organizers and two of the principals in Jump For The Cause. They were responsible for organizing the current Women's World Record skydive, a 118 way which was achieved in September, 1999 at Perris Valley Skydiving in California. The 1999 event was also a benefit for breast cancer research, raising almost a half million dollars for the Susan B. Komen Foundation. I was involved in fundraising for the '99 event, but my skydiving skills were not up to the level required to be a part of such a big dive. JFTC is doing it again in 2002 and this time it's going to be bigger and better. Plans are to not just break the old records (both skydiving and fundraising) but to shatter them! The dive will be a 141-way, and the fundraising goal is to raise over one million dollars in donations. The beneficiary this time is the City of Hope, a hospital just outside Los Angeles, California. JFTC's focus is again breast cancer as this form of cancer hits far too many women, including several survivors who were on the '99 dives and will be a part of the '02 dives also. The City of Hope treats patients suffering from all forms of cancer without regard to the patient's ability to pay. Coming back from 15 months stuck on the ground due to a back injury to being a part of the next women's world record skydive in only ten months is a huge goal. Getting there is going to require not only a lot of jumps, but also a large financial, mental, physical and emotional commitment. Over the next months I'm going to keep you up to date on my progress toward this goal through monthly "dispatches" as I go about chasing that world record. Getting back in the air slowly so I would not re-injure myself was important to me. Since jumping safely is one of my primary goals I sold my old gear and upsized both my main and reserve. Once I had my new rig complete it was time to start jumping again. I did one solo on January 5th just to see how it felt. That jump went well, and it felt so good to be back home in freefall that I did another the next day. The following weekend it was time to do an RW jump and see how the back held up. Saturday the 12th I showed up at the Perris DZ and hooked up with RW organizer Mark Brown. He had a 9 way group already on a twenty minute call so I joined them to make it a 10 way. We dirt dived a few points, geared up and got on the Otter. I was diving out of the plane right behind the base, which was a great test for the back. Very happy with my flying on that dive; even though we never built the first point I was in my slot and flying pretty well. My back muscles were a bit sore after that dive so for the second dive of the day I did another freefly solo and worked on my sit. Kate and Tony were organizing some larger dives for the Jack Off To Perris boogie the next weekend. They were asking for a full day commitment from those who wanted to join them; this meant five RW dives in one day. While I was unsure of my physical ability to make five hard RW jumps I committed to doing it for one day anyway. Showing up at the dz at 8 am on a chilly Saturday morning was the first challenge! Thanks to a pot of coffee and thermal underwear I managed to get there a few minutes early. A group of 26 jumpers met up in the Bombshelter for the briefing. Looking around I saw jumpers with a wide range of experience, from 200-ish jumps on up to several who were part of the world record skydive done in Thailand in 1999. After a briefing from Kate and Tony emphasizing safety we adjourned to the creeper pad to dirt dive the first load. Much more time is spent on dirt diving a larger formation load than on any freefly or smaller belly fly jump. First the organizer places the jumpers in their slots, then everyone shifts around for the second point, then back to the first. After running through the dive several times the organizers put it in the plane, with half or less of the jumpers directed to the trail plane and the rest to the lead plane. After a few run-throughs of the entire dive, from exit to breakoff, it's usually just about time to load the plane. Everyone runs off to grab their gear and meet up in the loading area for another dirt dive or two in full gear. This is the time you focus on memorizing your keys - the four to six different things that will let you know you're in the right quadrant, docking on the right person and setting your body up at the correct angles - and being sure that you know what you need to do to make the second point happen. The sun was starting to do it's job as we loaded the planes for the first load but my feet were still semi-numb despite the two pairs of socks I had on. I'd be floating the trail plane on the first jump so I was one of the last to climb on the Otter. We were a happy little group; manifest had given us the plane to ourselves so we had a comfortable and fast ride to altitude. The ability to predetermine what the fall rate will be on a larger dive and to "dress for success" accordingly, whether by using different suits or by adding or subtracting lead, is a primary skill for the big way jumper. I'd just purchased a slightly looser RW suit, this one with booties, as a replacement for my aging, skin-tight Pit Special (bootie-less) and was wearing it for the first dive of the day. As I approached my slot I was fighting to stay down with the formation; it took me several tries to get into my slot and make the smooth soft dock that was my personal goal for that dive. Unfortunately for me, I didn't realize what my problem was right away. We landed from the first one and I dropped my gear off with the packers. Hiring a packer is highly recommended when you're doing a big way camp; often there is barely enough time between landing and the video debrief to get packed up. Using a packer gives you time to hit the bathroom, grab a bite to eat or just to relax for a few minutes instead of rushing to pack and make the debrief. I found it well worth the $5 each pack job cost me. The second dive was going to be a repeat of the first so the dirt dive went much quicker. I didn't "dress for success"; instead I did the second dive in the same baggier suit because it allowed me to wear a sweatshirt to combat the cold. This was a mistake, as I learned when I was once again fighting to fall fast enough and still make a smooth controlled dock. For the third jump I debated between adding a weight vest or switching to my other, tighter suit. I decided to go with the other suit since I'd done enough jumps in it to be comfortable flying it; I've done so few jumps with weights that I am not yet confident in my flying skills wearing them. This turned out to be a good decision; although the third jump went to shit around me I was in my slot, falling fast, and had achieved my personal goals for that dive of a clean approach and a smooth and soft dock. The fourth jump was a repeat of the third, both in my flying and the fact that the other side of the formation was having all kinds of problems. For the last jump of the day Kate and Tony gathered three more really good jumpers to make it a 29 way, and they invited freeflier Brandon Park to play around and under us. For this dive I got to exit as a floater from the SkyVan. Floating the Van meant that I'd be exiting just ahead of the base; my job was to hang off the rope handle mounted on the wall of the inside of the Van and leave on the "G" of "Go." What a fun exit! The visuals of watching the base and then the divers leaving the tail is one of those things a whuffo will just never understand. The first point was to be much like the first two dives; a six way star with 5 and 6 way loops built off of them. We built that to 28 with one jumper going low and unable to get back up to join the formation. Kate keyed the second point anyway and we broke to a three way donut surrounded by "whackers" - the completed formation would look much like the business end of a weedwhacker. Even thought only one of the three whackers completed it was a fantastic jump for me - my whacker was complete and it was so cool to see Brandon carving around and under us! Even better for me… that was my 799th skydive. I was surprised to find that even after doing five hard and fast RW dives on Saturday I was not as sore as I'd expected to be that night or the next morning. I was strongly tempted to join the group for five more on Sunday, but I had to reserve Sunday for my son David's first skydive, an AFF Level I; this would be one skydive that I did not want to miss! My 800th jump was another freefly solo, bombing out the door just prior to David, his instructors and cameraman. I landed in the student landing area and met up with him as soon as he landed. A new skydiver had been born! The next day at work I again thanked Kate for letting me play on the great skydives we did on Saturday. I was very pleased when she told me that I'd done pretty well; as long as I continue jumping and getting really current I'd likely have a slot on the record dives come October. Going from where I'm at today to being a world record holder involves a huge financial, emotional, physical and mental commitment for me. The financial area is a big one for me, as I'm a single parent who prefers the mental and emotional satisfaction I get from my job instead of the larger paycheck I might be able to get working elsewhere. I've started my fundraising efforts. US$2250 is a lot of money to raise and I'm not able to donate the entire amount out of my own pocket. Several of the active posters in the Forums here on Dropzone.com have already started me on my way - a big thanks to all of them for your early belief in me and your support of Jump For The Cause. Along with my co-worker and fellow JFTC participant Linda Hardesty, I'm having small pink ribbon decals made up by a local vendor; these will be used as thank you gifts for those donating and will also be available whereever I am for a small donation. My federal tax refund arrived! Other than a portion set aside for some very needed car repairs, the majority of this year's refund will be going toward skydives, coaching and the deposit required of all of the dive participants. The application for my FAI sporting license has been faxed to NAA and my license should be in the mail. This license is required of every participant on an aviation sport world record attempt. A copy of the FAI license and a card showing membership in USPA or an equivalent non-US aero club, both showing expiration dates after the dates of the record dives, must be submitted to JFTC to assure a jumpers participation in the dives. Why am I doing all of this when my slot on the dives is not yet assured? That's where the mental part of my commitment comes in. Dr. John Rosalia, in his book "Mental Training for Skydiving and Life" says to achieve any goal you must first "begin thinking, living and acting as if you already have what you are striving for." Securing my slot on the dives is one of the smaller goals I've set for myself along the way to reaching my ultimate goal of being a world record holder. Working on this theory, the day the money showed up in my checking account I handed dive organizer Kate Cooper a check for $225 to cover the deposit for the WWR event. By beginning my fundraising, spending the money and taking care of the neccessary paperwork now, I'm living and acting as if I already have my slot on the record dives; in my mind it's already a done deal. Should some unforeseen circumstance keep me from reaching my goals, all moneys I've collected will be applied to the fundraising goals of other women who have their slots but are having problems raising the needed funds. Stay tuned for the next steps along the way to becoming a world record holder… Donate to JFTC though Lisa using PayPal and the email address: lisa@square1.com Dropzone.com is an official sponsor of Jump for the Cause Lisa Briggs (skybytch) is a moderator in the Dropzone.com Forums

Cup a load of this, girls! Forget the Wonderbra, here comes the no-blunder bra. Gorgeous TV presenter Gabrielle Richens shows off her curves in a futuristic creation which promises to keep a firm grip on ample bosoms at very high speeds. Designer Louise Cain, a keen skydiver, came up with the idea after seeing what effect the extreme sport had on well-endowed girls' assets. The G-Force resistant bra uses shock-absorbing springs and hydraulics in its high-tech cups to prevent bounce. It will also leave breasts the pairfect shape at any angle - even upside down. Louise - who unveiled her prototype in London recently - said: "Skydiving does the most unflattering things to your chest. When I was pregnant my breasts ballooned to a double F but I still did a lot of sports. It left me wishing for something that would keep them under control. "I also have a couple of large-breasted friends and one said after a night out clubbing, she was so painful from all the jumping around." The 36-year-old, of Catford, south London, took inspiration from hit PlayStation 2 game WipEout, an anti-gravity racing simulation, and aimed to create a bra that responded to movement but also looked good. She added: "Every way you move, the springs and hydraulics work together to readjust and keep the bra's shape. We've had very positive feedback from those who have worn it. They couldn't believe it at first." Sexy Gabrielle, 26, who presented Channel 5's Desert Forges and modelled for Asda, agreed. She even hailed it as the bust thing to happen for women since push-up bras. The stunner said: "It feels fantastic and is incredibly comfortable. It gives great cleavage and is the type of bra you can where for sport because it keeps everything well contained. "Push-up bras are actually quite uncomfortable and this is definitely an improvement." Louise is now looking for support from lingerie manufacturers to get her sexy number out in front of shoppers. Two versions are planned, one for clubbing and one for sport. But she hopes it will also prove a winner with female astronauts as it promises a firm round breast in any atmospheric pressure. And if Gabrielle's planets are anything to go by, it's sure to send sales rocketing. ~ The Sun

WILSON -- Marni Evans literally "dropped in" for her 90th birthday party Saturday afternoon, jumping from an airplane cruising over her farm at 12,000 feet. She said she wanted to show her friends that age is just a state of mind, even when you're nearing the century mark. More than 100 well-wishers waiting in a pasture at Springhill Plantation craned their heads upward as a dot in the sky slowly became recognizable as the form of Evans and skydiving instructor Tom Tharp dangling from a red-and-white tandem parachute. Scott Smith of Jackson and Keith Nielson of Lafayette, who followed Evans and Tharp from the plane, landed first, drawing "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd for their flawless touchdowns. A few seconds later, applause rippled around the pasture as the guests watched Evans and Tharp float to the ground. The crowd rushed forward to capture on film and videotape the big smile lighting Evans' face while she wriggled out of her jumpsuit and gear. "It went flawlessly. It was a super day and a super crew. I'm proud of all of them, especially my mom," said son Kirwin Ross, as he aimed his camera at the group. "It's going to be like stepping on a pillow," Smith had predicted before the skydivers took off from the landing strip at Jackson. Except for Evans losing her balance when Tharp bumped into her, Smith's prediction was on the money. Still, more than one person waiting in the audience was apprehensive. "Some people were hoping it would rain so she wouldn't get hurt," guest Henry Chase said. But the weather couldn't have been better. Before climbing into the Cessna 210, Evans wisecracked with pilot Tom Allain of Baton Rouge and the others almost nonstop, but grew serious for a moment to explain the purpose of her adventure. "The whole objective of this is to let these young people know that you don't have to get old just because you've been here a long time," Evans said. "Stay active ... stay alive as long as you live," she said. Evans is the oldest student Tharp has tutored in the sport of skydiving. "I've jumped with an 84 (-year-old), so this is my record," he said during the flight preparations. "She doesn't have to worry; this is my second jump," he joked. As she donned her jumpsuit and harness, Evans told the group the jump would be a first, but not for wearing a parachute. She explained that she had strapped a parachute on all the time while learning to fly in her younger days. Evans' exploits were a theme among the guests as they watched the plane make lazy circles in the sky to gain altitude. They spoke of her athletic prowess, her earning many awards in Senior Olympics competitions, her volunteering to lead exercise classes at a nursing home and her arriving at her 80th birthday party in a helicopter. Arriving for the party, Ann Reiley Jones held a sheet of paper in her hand. "We were asked not to bring gifts, but I wanted to do something, so I wrote down 90 adjectives to describe Marni," Jones said. "It wasn't hard. I thought of 10 more on the way over here."

ALOR STAR: Braving strong winds and limited landing space, 25 skydivers from six countries jumped off the Alor Star Tower here yesterday. They leapt off the tower’s open deck at 105m and were on the ground within 18 seconds. It was the first time that some of them had jumped from such a low level, which added to the challenge. Retired army special forces captain Mohd Norizan Mohd Yunus, 42, said they had to release their parachutes within two seconds. He said a person needed to complete at least 200 normal parachute jumps before becoming a BASE jumper. BASE is the acronym for buildings, antennas, spans and earth – the four types of platforms from where skydivers execute their jumps. “We were in the air for between 13 and 18 seconds only,” said Norizan, who had done 1,233 normal parachute jumps in the last 19 years. Yesterday was his fifth BASE jump. Canadian Linda Pouffard, 26, who was the only woman skydiver, said she could feel her heart beat in every jump she made in the last five years. Policeman Eric Simpson, 40, from the United States, said the low level, strong winds and limited landing space made the jump more challenging. The event was held in conjunction with the Sultan of Kedah’s birthday celebrations and was Menara Alor Star’s inaugural international jump. The skydivers from Australia, Canada, England, Sweden the United States and Malaysia will also participate in the Kuala Lumpur Tower International Jump 2002 on Sunday where they will leap from a height of 300m

Sylvester Armand St. Cyr passed away in his sleep earlier this month. It was a peaceful transition for a very productive, prolific member of the cast of the human stage and arena. Sylvester St. Cyr joined the Christian Skydivers Association in October 1994, number 215. He was a retired teacher, actor/writer, a member of POPS, SOS and jumped at Perris Valley, California. He had made over 1,000 skydives. Sylvester was a spokesman and recruiter for the CSA at POPS and SOS meets throughout the country and in Canada and Australia. In May 2001 he organized the First International CSA Freefall Fellowship at Perris Valley. Sport parachuting was not the only adventure that Sylvester knew. A paratrooper in the US ARMY in the early 1950's, he was also a two-time boxing champion and coach of the championship team while on duty in Korea. Following his stint in the military he became an undercover narcotics officer for the New Orleans Police Department. As a New Orleans patrolman, he was the victim of kidnapping and attempted murder. He escaped by defying the perpetrator's orders to run a police road block with his cruiser and instead aimed it at a tree and jumped just prior to the vehicle's impact. His adventures in undercover work and the characters he met provided the background material for his book, The Saint and Sinners. Sylvester was also an authority on New Orleans style jazz musicians. His father, Johnnie St. Cyr played in Louis Armstrong's band and with many other popular musicians. He grew up in the music business and learned it first hand. His acting career spanned movies, television and most notably the stage. Sylvester appeared in at least fifty stage productions including "Guys and Dolls," "The Philadelphia Story," "A Raisin in the Sun," and "A Soldier's Play." In addition, he also performed stunt work. In his later years, Sylvester, nicknamed L'Ange Noir or The Black Angel, teamed up with his long time friend Paul H. LaCroix to perform skydiving exhibitions, especially for high schools. LaCroix and St. Cyr, both from New Orleans, had known each other since 1947. LaCroix piloted their airplane, a Cessna 172. Often accompanied by Bob Pruitt, they claimed to be the only Black Skydiving Team in America. Sylvester lost his pilot and old friend this past summer when LaCroix also passed away. St. Cyr often filled the counselor role in his earlier work as a teacher. He was always concerned with the lack of direction in some of the young men that he met. "They think that the only way to make it is professional sports," he once said. Sylvester wanted to demonstrate that the sky's the limit for opportunities and furthermore, pro sports is open only for a few. L'Ange Noir has flown into eternity to join his beloved Jesus Christ. We will miss him but pray that his example will remain a strong vision to those that gather at the drop zones and venues around the country where he left his smile, his love and his encouragement. This is a Eulogy for Sylvester "Saint" St. Cyr by Ron Schott, CSA1 of the Christian Skydivers Association. Sylvester Armand St. Cyr West Covina, California 29 May 31 - 3 Jan 02 by Ron Schott, CSA1