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.

  • Right This Minute Valentines Skydiving Skype Interview

    Valentine’s Day rolls around each year and that means it’s time for the annual Valentine’s Skydiving Meet over Eloy, Arizona. RTM interviewed me over Skype to find out more about the event. To check it out, please follow this link:

    Right This Minute Valentines Meet Coverage 

    “Right This Minute (RTM) is a daily, news and information program that takes the internet, social and mobile media, citizen reporters wrapped into the thrill of discovery. Designed for active viewers who want to stay informed. It is a fast-paced roundup of the most timely, engaging and explosive stories, as well as the stories that viewers determine are of most interest. The most-incredible video, the stories that make people stop and think, compelling human-condition stories, and the next day’s popular “water cooler” stories will be covered in every RightThisMinute episode.” – RTM Facebook page

    For all you Arizona Airspeed fans, here is the 2012 competition video by Bill Schmitz:

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    (26 Average and first meet with a low score of 23 points in any round.)

    Here is another one of the old line up performing 74 points in 35 seconds!

     

  • Testing New Canon Lenses

    Thanks to Cameron, one of my skydiving students, I was able to make some test jumps on a couple of new Canon lenses that he let me borrow:

    Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye and Canon Super Wide Angle EF 14mm f/2.8L.

    Let me just start by saying that both of these lenses are fantastic. Even though they weigh noticeably more when they are on your head, the shots you land with are well worth it!

    I tested both of these lenses on the Canon 7D, which is what I jump primarily, and the Canon 5D Mark II.

    “The fixed 14mm is a bright lens that provides an ultra wide-angle view, and has the shortest focal length in the line-up of L series lenses. Its diagonal angle of view is an impressive 114° – anything larger would be a fisheye lens.” – B&H

    “The 8-15mm delivers 180° diagonal angle of view images for all EOS SLR cameras with imaging formats ranging from full-frame to APS-C. When the lens is used with full-frame cameras you can choose between a circular fisheye image or full-frame image by using the zoom.” – B&H

  • NEW UPT AD!

    Check out the awesome upcoming UPT ad. I captured this shot of Alex Bittner and his girlfriend Jessica Spreng (Team Carolina Ragamuffins) during the 2011 USPA Nationals in Eloy, Arizona. Thanks for the great edit Seth!

  • AXIS Foundations of Flight – 2-way Verticals

    Welcome to February’s installment of AXIS Flight School‘s Foundations of Flight! This month we will be discussing how to do a two-way vertical transition while belly flying. A new feature we will be providing in future FOF editions, is the addition of a QR code. This square barcode can be photographed with any smart phone, thus allowing the reader to view the tutorial in a video format as well. Enjoy!

  • 1st SIS event held at Skydive Arizona Jan 27th-29th 2012

    Sisters in Skydiving is the U.S. Parachute Association‘s female mentorship program. SIS invites experienced women skydivers to sign up to act as mentors to student and novice female jumpers. By giving new women jumpers experienced female role models to help guide and support them, SIS is be able to increase retention of female students, adding depth and diversity to the sport. On January 27th to the 29th, big sisters set up a slumber-party style event especially for Lil Sisters at Skydive Arizona. This event was geared toward the under 200 jumps girls. Organized by Lisa Mazetta, Amy Benton & Chazi Blacksher, this was the first official SIS event / boogie. Many females from around the country attended, getting to know some of the most established female skydivers in the world. In addition, venders were present to showcase and educate new jumpers on the latest equipment. Water training was available for those seeking to receive their B-license.

    As the sun went down, the ladies migrated to the SkyVenture Arizona tunnel, where a one hour session was divided amongst the participants. For some of the little sisters, it was the first time they had ever stepped into a vertical wind tunnel.

    In the evening, a banquet was held at the Bent Prop, where all participants were fed and able to bond while skydiving videos were playing in the background. After the festivities, some of the sport’s top female athletes gave speeches about their involvement in the sport and were later available for a little Q&A. Prizes were handed out that ranged from free helmets, jumps suits, gift certificates for containers, canopies, and the list goes on!

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    Overall this event was very successful in connecting jumpers of varying skill and experience levels. Thank you Lisa Mazetta, Amy Benton & Chazi Blacksher for organizing this event. Looking forward to next time!

  • Dean’s Tunnel Weekend

    Check out Dean’s last Arizona Tunnel Trip!

    Thanks for the edit Dean!!!

  • 2010 World Championship Video now on YouTube!

    It only took a year and a half, but I finally got around to it. Here are all 10 rounds of Spaceland Blue at the 2010 World Championships in Menzelinsk, Russia.

    Here is another video, this one form the 2009 USPA Nationals in Rosharon, Texas.

     

  • March 10th is Safety Day!

     

    In early spring, the skydiving season for much of the country is just crawling out of hibernation. Most skydivers don’t jump through the cold months as often as they do in the summer, and their skills are a bit rusty. That’s when Safety Day comes. Established in 1997 from an idea by Patti Chernis, Safety Day provides a worldwide forum at local drop zones to prepare jumpers for the year ahead. Safety Day promotes safety programs and helps inform jumpers of new developments and review important information and procedures. Activities typically include hands-on review and practice of safety procedures, seminars from skydiving operation professionals and experts, equipment evaluations and more. Most days end with a social get together. USPA encourages all jumpers of all experience levels to attend.

    Safety Day is typically held on the second Saturday in March; however, some drop zones hold it on alternate dates. USPA designated Saturday, March 10, 2012, as the 2012 Safety Day.
    Planning Your DZ’s Next Safety Day
    1. Announce to your jumpers that your DZ is hosting a Safety Day.
    You may want to offer incentives to boost attendance. Many DZs offer free or discounted jump tickets, free food, discounted reserve pack jobs, door prizes, or any combination. And plan a party for afterward.
    2. Select a suitable location.
    Think comfort. If the hangar won’t be warm or large enough, consider a restaurant, school gym, motel, or veteran’s lodge. Anticipate a good turnout and be sure you have room for lectures, training-harness drills, and rig inspections.
    3. Put a training syllabus and staff together.
    Feel free to use the training ideas included here, which involve the four modules or stations below, with just some ideas on content.
    Gear Check and Review— Have jumpers inspect their rigs with a rigger. Check closing loops and flaps, pilot chute snugness and condition, velcro, three-ring condition, RSL routing, AAD compliance with battery and factory check, etc.
    Skydiving Emergency Review and Drills— Review all types of problems, reinforce altitude awareness, discuss disorientation, practice in a suspended harness.
    Canopy Flight and Landing Patterns—Use aerial photos to show acceptable and unacceptable outs, review hazards, establish or review landing patterns, and discuss canopy handling toward preventing low-turn accidents.
    Aircraft Procedures and Emergencies—Review exit order and loading procedures, seat belt and weight and balance concerns, spotting procedures, visibility minimums and cloud clearances, air traffic control requirements, and aircraft emergency scenarios.
    4. Don’t forget the PR.
    Give recognition to those who turn out and those who teach. Remember that many local news organizations may want to provide news coverage. Take pictures and send them with a brief write-up to Parachutist. And consider that the skydivers who don’t participate may need more of your staff’s attention when the season kicks in.

    Like skydiving, Safety Day is also about fun. It certainly won’t be hard to encourage jumpers to get together at the end of the day’s activities for some mid-winter socializing. Make sure to include that in your Safety Day plan, too!

    For more safety oriented topics, please visit the USPA Website!

  • AXIS Foundations of Flight – Exiting a 2-way Compressed Accordion

    Foundations of Flight has been moved outside of its own “department” and into Safety & Training! Check out the January 2012 edition of Parachutist.

  • Quick Clips, Eloy 4

    Another great video by Dean Perrine. Check out his last Skydive AZ trip with friends. RedBull required!!!