Foundations of Flight | Harness Position and Inputs
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Category Archives: Photography
Foundations of Flight | Canopy Turns, Spirals and Spins
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Foundations of Flight | Ram-air parachute anatomy – Cross-bracing
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Operation Enduring Warrior through Joost’s eyes
Arizona Challenge 2022 Prints by Niklas Daniel
AXIS Flight School would like to thank Arizona Airspeed for including us in their annual invitational event – The Arizona Airspeed Challenge. Over the course of the memorial day weekend, members of the USA National 4-way Formation Skydiving Team organized some tricky 60-ways over Skydive Arizona. Jumping from an altitude of 16,000 feet, there were multiple successful completions. The last formation was built and held for 12 seconds!
“There’s No Speed Like…AIRSPEED!”
Prints of the completion shots below are available in 11×14 inches by using the links below:
More of Nik’s work can be found on his photography website: https://niklasdaniel.photography
Playing with UPT’s Mutant Harness over Skydive Arizona
Nik’s Camera Helmet 2021
Just over 5 years ago Nik posted an article called “The Greatest and Best Camera Helmet in the World“, in which he shared the ins and outs of his camera flying helmet. Nik’s opinion still stands today as he continues using his Cookie Fuel. However, camera technology has advanced significantly over the years and it is time for an update to the old post.
If you are in the market for new cameras and are looking for great side-by-side comparisons and tear downs, check out Trunk’s latest blog posts. These explain why I upgraded to the Hero9 and will be skipping the newly released Hero10.
Firstly, Nik has made a complete switch from Canon to Sony. This was mainly due to the smaller and lighter Sony a6000, which was able to take better pictures than the Canon 7d. This was an upgrade in both picture quality and shedding some weight from the helmet. However, not soon after playing around with the a6000, Nik upgraded to the Sony 7r III. This again increased the overall weight of the helmet, but is totally worth it given the quality it produces.
Nik uses both cameras depending on what the job calls for. Below you can see a weight comparison between the two different set ups using a luggage measuring scale.
When video is the priority, such as during a competition, the set up featured below works quite nicely. The GoPro functions strictly as a back up, but it can also be used to take stills. Setting the GoPro to a wider shooting angle than the camcorder ensures that no grips go out of frame during a formation competition – especially during exit.
The picture quality and image stabilization are quite good. In addition, the camcorder has some really cool slow motion features that can record up to 960fps.
Nik played around with various angles when mounting his articulating ring sight. The image below shows how the ring sight is configured and attached behind the GoPro.
Because the action camera is located in his field of view, Nik does not use a plug in indicator light. However if you wish to use one, check out the latest and greatest from Hypoxic – BLU2PRO
Custom sunglass case by Levity
Gatorz Magnum Sunglasses
PIG High Altitude Glove (HAG) – also available in white for competitors and instructors.
Black Rapid camera strap for shooting on the ground.
Below are examples of some recent work that was shot using the above cameras and gear:
Echoes in Time Parachutist Center Fold
To check out more of Nik’s work, please visit his photography website: https://niklasdaniel.photography
“Echoes in Time” Parachutist 75th Anniversary Center Fold
View the digial version of Parachutist’s 75th Anniversary issue.
Skydive Radio Photo of the Week Show #253!
I would like to thank Dave at Skydive Radio for making my image below their pic of the week! Skydive Radio is the world’s leading internet radio show dedicated to the sport of skydiving. Weekly episodes include commentary, feature interviews with industry insiders, listener-contributed photos, and e-mails from an audience that spans the globe.
To watch the video of the intensional cutaways, click here.
SKYHOOK Video
Check out our latest YouTube video where we deep dive the differences between a regular RSL (reserve static line) and a Skyhook equipped RSL. Brianne interviews UPT rep/rigger Greg Rau in the AXIS Flight School studio, as well as enjoying a weekend of intensional cutaways.
Greg Rau: “In an emergency there is a lot of other things involved, and the lower you take it, you’re just buttering up your disaster cake.”
AXIS Flight School 