The Drop

News and Resources from AXIS Flight School

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AXIS Flight School offers structured, progressive training designed to help sport skydivers of all levels achieve their personal and competitive goals. Whether you’re looking to improve your canopy skills, master new freefall techniques in the tunnel and sky, or prepare for competition, our world-class coaches will guide you every step of the way.

  • AXIS Foundations of Flight – Back-fly Neutral Position

     

  • PD Sabre 2 Ad

    I would like to thank Scott Jontes from Performance Designs for creating the advertisement below. It features an image he took of me flying a Sabre 2 during a photo shoot in Palatka Florida back in April of 2010.

  • Dean’s SVAZ Memorial Day Weekend Tunnel Trip

  • Sun Path Ad featuring Arizona Airspeed

    Here is the new Sun Path Ad comprised from an image taken by Bill Schmitz and myself. The podium shot was taken at the 2011 USPA Nationals at Skydive Arizona.

  • AXIS Foundations of Flight – Head Down Break-off

  • Photos featured on US Parachute Team website

    “The U.S. Team has a long, proud tradition of representing the United States in international parachuting competitions dating back to the 1950s. This year is especially exciting, as the team will compete in the 2012 FAI Mondial (all events) Championships at the magnificent skydiving venue in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

    While making the U.S. Team is a great honor, did you know that most of our competitors pay all their training expenses and the cost of traveling to the World Championships on their own? Often costing thousands of dollars per competitor, these meets are only partially subsidized by the U.S. Parachute Team Trust Fund.

    We invite you to explore this site, get to know the athletes on your 2012 U.S. Team, and lend them your support. Go to the donation page and find the sponsorship level that fits your budget or customize your giving. Because USPT, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, your donations are tax deductible! Any way you give, you’ll have the satisfaction of being a part of the most competitive skydiving team in United States history. Thanks for your support!” For more updates from the US Parachute Team, please visit their Facebook page.

  • Skydiving Team Dallas Storm

    “Skydiving team Dallas Storm traveled to Eloy Arizona to train at Skydive Arizona. The team made a dozen jumps with coaching from Thomas Hughes (of Arizona Airspeed), and also completed 2.5 hours of wind tunnel training. Outside/Outside footage by Niklas Daniel”

     

  • AXIS Flight School Canopy Flocking Day – May 6th, 2012

    On May 6th, AXIS Flight School hosted a Canopy Flocking event and free seminars dedicated to educating jumpers on canopy flight at Skydive Arizona. The goal of the course was to expand on the awareness of each individual’s canopy knowledge, as well as canopy separation while in the pattern. The course welcomed jumpers from all skill and experience levels, from jumpers with less than 100 jumps, to competitive canopy-pilots with several thousand. Niklas Daniel, Justin Price and Brianne Thompson were on hand as the organizers of this event.

    After an extensive brief in the morning, the participants were then broken up into three groups with similar skill levels. Then during the jumps, practical application of rear-riser, front-riser and brakes were put to use in order to fly relative to one another. The results were a success!

    Each jumper learned something new about his or her own canopy, as well as being able to expand on their range of flight while flying relative to other jumpers. In-air communication was established, as well as expanding upon their awareness of other jumpers in the air with them. As the groups became more proficient and their understanding grew, some groups were combined to build flocking formations (Canopy formations with no contact). Starting with some basic formations such as flying side-by-side, moving up to diamonds and deltas. In an effort to learn how to get together, they inevitably learned how to stay apart and create separation when it came to landing patterns. An “Everyone has the right of way but me” attitude was fostered which resulted in more predictable landing-patterns and better separation amongst jumpers. Even though not all jumpers participate in all disciplines, we all share a canopy ride at the end. Therefore it is imperative that all jumpers seek out knowledge and gain more experience in this realm. AXIS would like to thank Skydive Arizona and its staff, as well as all the skydivers who participated in this event. Through their efforts and wanting to learn, they are making this sport a little safer not just for themselves but also for their fellow jumpers. AXIS will provide more seminars like this one to further promote safety through education. To find out about the next courses or to inquire about a personalized training plan, please contact AXIS at Events@AxisFlightSchool.com.

    For more pictures, please check out the AXIS Flight School Facebook Album!

  • PARA-MAG #300 COVER

    After the picture was digitally altered by Para-Mag, the image below ended up on the cover of the 300th edition! Please click here to view the digital version. If you missed my previous CYPRES 2 Peace of Mind post, here is the video of the cover shot moment – Enjoy 🙂

  • Skydiving Recurrence Requirements

    At AXIS Flight School we meet jumpers from all walks of life. Be it a Student who just received their A-License, the Weekend Warrior, and the Hard-Core Competitors. No matter what your experience level, each license has strict rules regarding proficiency and currency. Since we encounter question about retrains all the time, I thought it might be a good idea to highlight some of the information here:

    “Returning skydivers require thorough practical training in the following subject areas:
    a. aircraft procedures
    b. equipment
    c. exit and freefall procedures
    d. canopy control and landings
    e. emergency procedures

    USPA A-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within 60 days should make at least one jump under the supervision of a currently rated USPA instructional rating holder until demonstrating altitude awareness, freefall control on all axes, tracking, and canopy skills sufficient for safely jumping in groups

    USPA B-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within the preceding 90 days should make at least one jump under the supervision of a USPA instructional rating holder until demonstrating the ability to safely exercise the to safely exercise the privileges of that license.

    USPA C- and D-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within the preceding six months should make at least one jump under the supervision of a USPA instructional rating holder until demonstrating the ability to safely exercise the privileges of that license.

    Students who have not jumped within the preceding 30 days should make at least one jump under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated USPA Instructor.

    DZ policy: Students/Non Licensed jumpers who have not jumped within the last year will need to take a full FJC ground school training. Recurrency jumps to be determined at instructor’s discretion.”- USPA SIM.

    PDF Version

    Here are some great malfunction pictures by Performance Designs to review your emergency procedures 🙂

    To see the names and proper procedures for each one, please visit the AXIS Flight School Facebook Album!