The Drop
News and Resources from AXIS Flight School
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I would like to thank Parachutist Magazine for utilizing one of my Todd Love photographs for the August 2013 cover spot. It depicts Todd doing 9-way over Skydive Arizona.
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I would like to thank 90Percent (Italian Skydiving Magazine) for utilizing one of my Todd Love photographs for the July/August 2013 cover spot. It depicts Todd doing some head up flying during his A-License check dive over Skydive Arizona.
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Photo by Amy Chmelecki
Article by Sara Curtis
“On July 6th, during the Patriots Boogie, Skydive Arizona and Arizona Arsenal hosted a 2-Way VFS competition. This will be a new test event at this year’s U.S. Nationals at Skydive Chicago in September. 2-Way VFS was developed by SoCal Converge and Arizona Arsenal in order to bridge the gap in competition between Artistic Freefly and 4-Way VFS. It also provides a stepping stone for smaller groups to learn the basics of VFS while adding in elements of belly/back flying.
Six teams took part in the competition and Arsenal provided video for teams who did not come with their own camera flyer. The draw included both vertical and belly/back points which made the inside flying and the camera flying uniquely challenging.
The official competition will be six rounds. However, due to the very hot weather, Arsenal decided to keep this competition to four rounds. When the competition jumps were complete, the participants went up for a large group flock as a final fifth jump.
First place went to AXIS Flight School with Niklas Daniel, Brianne Thompson, and Dave Rhea (camera) at a total of 42 points. Second place was taken by Ludicrous Speed with Vince Arnone of SkyVenture Arizona, Paige Milligan, and Steve Curtis (camera) with a total of 32 points. The third place award went to team 3-D with Chazi Blacksher and Amy Benton, both Skydive Arizona freefly organizers, and Nik Blacksher on camera. 3-D scored a total of 28 points.
Thanks to all participants for braving the Arizona heat, contributing to this worthy cause, and helping to test this exciting new discipline.”
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The AXIS Flight School Draw Generator is now available to the public! Just visit the AXIS home page and scroll to the bottom menu. The Draw Generator is located in the second column, just above the Skydiving References link. Enjoy!
First screen – enter the event name, date, and select your discipline and devision. You will notice that the generator will include or omit the formations that are found in your selected division. Then click Generate.
Second screen – displays your custom draw
Click “Pictures” in the top right corner to view images of the individual moves
Click Generate PDF (top right corner) for a print friendly version and to share it with your team. If you have any questions of suggestions please send them to Info@AXISFlightSchool.com -
Arizona Arsenal has been a competitive 4-way Vertical Formation Skydiving Team since the first test USPA Nationals in 2006. At this time VFS was called VRW, Vertical Relative Work. Since then Arsenal has maintained its status as a top tier medalling competitor winning gold and silver medals each year at both the National and World levels.Check out some of the awesome photos Brandon Atwood took during out last training camp at Skydive Arizona with his Go Pro 3.
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Congratulations Todd! It was an honor to meet you and jump with you. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to next time 🙂
Todd flying with his Instructors Brianne Thompson of AXIS Flight School (to Todd’s right), and Tom Deacon (to Todd’s left). Also accompanying him are Skydive Arizona locals Sandy Radsek (red shirt), Ian Mackenzie, and 4-way Team Arizona Airspeed (Above Camera flyer is Justin Price of Airspeed). 
Todd Love during his grad jump over Skydive Arizona – flying in the head up orientation. -
Todd Love is a USMC veteran who lost both of his legs and his left hand to an IED in Afghanistan, who’s determined to not let that get in the way of ANYTHING (Watch Todd’s story: http://vimeo.com/23424390). He has been surfing, skiing, scuba diving, wrestling alligators, and now learning to skydive. After completing his first tandem skydive with Mike Elliott into the start of the XTERRA Trail Run World Championship in Hawaii he was hooked! And since “impossible” and “can’t” are not part of Todd’s vocabulary, his teammates at Operation Enduring Warrior turned to AXIS Flight School to make his dream of solo skydiving come true.
Todd’s Tunnel Training just two months earlier.
Here are some of my selects from Todd’s AFF progression:
Brianne and Todd spot from the aircraft door. 
Todd flying a Performance Designs Spectre 170. 
Todd flying a Performance Designs Spectre 170. 
Todd refining his tracking skills with Brianne in the background. 
Todd demonstrates control in free fall by recovering from a front flip. 
Todd reviews photos of possible canopy malfunctions while suspended in his harness. Here are some additional photos courtesy of Mike McGowan:
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“Here are some nuggets from the Vertical Challenge at Skydive Arizona. The song is Colours by Grouplove. Oh yeah, and The Final Countdown by Europe :)” – Video edited by Brandon Atwood
The Az Vertical Challenge, ran along side the celebrated belly version, the Arizona Challenge, was held this year May 24- 27, 2013. The event was hosted by Skydive Arizona and organized by Arizona Arsenal. The purpose was to bring participants together to perform unique vertical formations with multiple points.
All 14 jumps went to 16,500 feet and were between 23 to 32 ways, 12 formation jumps, and 2 full skyvan loads. Registered participants paid the Memorial Day Boogie price of $21.00 per jump plus $5.50 for extra altitude w/ oxygen.
The goal was multiple point head down big ways, with some upright bonus points. An awesome mixed group of flyers showed up including experienced locals such as former Arsenal member Jason Peters, PD Flight-1 Coach Travis Mills, and Kim Winslow and Friday Friedman of Arizona Drive. The group also included accomplished visitors like tunnel instructors Aaron Necessary and Antonio Arias, and Paul Cooper and Dafi Filipowski coming all the way from the UK and Eastern Europe. Enthusiastic new talent like locals Paige Milligan and Melissa Zender got in there on some tough slots and rocked it. Fun was had by all!
There was also an impromptu smaller “skills camp” group of between 4 and 8 people working on VFS core fundamentals such as launching bases, diving, floating, stinging and break-offs.
Some of the cool jumps were the “fountain” with several concentric rings breaking off from the center, and the “three eyed monkey” where the 28 way built then became 7 different pieces with translation, rotation and vertical movement in relation to the base.
There were two Huck Jams at the tunnel, 1 hour each night organized by Ty Losey, Brandon Atwood, Steve Curtis, Sara Curtis and Jason Peters. Participants worked on vfs, dynamic, and multi-dimensional flying.
At the dz, early start times allowed for getting the jumps in before temperatures got too hot and turbulent. Any summertime visitor to Skydive Az knows that the key to making the most of your day in the summer desert is to get going early, and finish up early.
Many people travelled from as far away as Europe to jump with the Arizona crew. Thanks to you all for making this event such a great time. We hope to get things even bigger next year, as we’ve got the aircraft on hand to make it happen! So bring your friends and join us for dodging dust devils in the desert.
Challenge Participants: Craig Amrine, Antonio Arias, Vince Arnone, Brandon Atwood, Becky Baird, Wade Baird, Amy Benton, John Blackburn, Chazi Blacksher, Paul Cooper, Luke Cotton, Sara Curtis, Steve Curtis, Niklas Daniel, Dafi Filipowski, Danielle Ford, Mike “Friday” Freidman, Dave Hawley, Jeff Johnson, Nancy Koreen, Eric Leggiere, Ty Losey, Lisa Mazzetta, Paige Milligan, Travis Mills, Aaron Necessary, Jason Peters, James Schroeppel, Mark Stoddart, Kim Winslow, Melissa Zender, Dave Rhea (video and stills)
Skills Camp Participants: Derek Wallen, Nick Blacksher, Gary Schmit, Whitney Reighly, Ed Varley, Brianne Thompson
A special thanks to Mike Coffey, local freefly organizer who helped fill those morning early high altitude loads with his groups of fun jumpers!
