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January 21, 2009
Upcoming Event: rEvolution Challenge JAN. 24 (THIS WEEKEND!) The rEvolution is coming! - 4 Way Challenge Jan. 24 Please join us on Jan 24th for the rEvolution 4 Way Challenge. In this event, participants will be teamed up to compete against each other in a fun/learning environment. For low timers this is a great chance for you to check out the world of 4 way and meet other jumpers. For the more experienced jumper the challenge will be organizing and structuring the dives as they are presented to your team. Participants will be debriefed on all their skydives; this includes debrief of the engineering of the jump, the freefall, and landings. Canopy coaches will be stationed at multiple targets to video landings. Teams will be drawn the morning of the event and paired based on experience. The Challenge will consist of 3 rounds (presented at the participants briefing) with Jan 25 being our rain date. This event is especially for new jumpers and is focused on teaching and learning. This is a great warm-up for the 4 way scrambles in February. Cost is $79 per person; this includes your jumps as well as all video and coaching. Following the 4 Way Challenge we will have organized jumps for all levels; these jumps have standard jump prices. For more information, contact Brian Ball (BrianLBall@gmail.com) or DJ Marvin (djmarvin@skydivespaceland.com) 4-Way Scrambles, Team Building Seminar Feb. 28; 4-Way Speed Star Meet Mar. 1 Events are open to all jumpers regardless of experience level or preferred discipline!
This opportunity is a great way to gear up for the upcoming season here at Skydive Spaceland where the 2009 Skydiving National Championships will be held! This is also an opportunity for you seasoned jumpers to give back to the newer jumpers. Your participation ensures the continued growth of our sport and helps to cultivate a healthy group of new skydivers who may decide to form new teams for the season and represent our home dz. Remember.....someone had to teach you what you know.... way back when! What is a Scrambles event? It is a meet that is structured for individuals to sign up and be randomly placed on 4-way teams according to experience levels. The intermediate dive pool will be used for the event. Special care will be taken to make sure that the teams are as even as possible. The meet will consist of 4 rounds and will be judged by USPA sanctioned judge, Tom Jenkins. The jump price is $22 per jump and this covers the camera slot which is a great deal! As a jumper, what do you get for joining us at the Spaceland 4-Way Scrambles event?
TEAM BUILDING SEMINAR SATURDAY NIGHT @ 6:30 PM Spaceland will have a team building seminar given by Jack Berke of Deguello. Topics will cover all aspects of building a team, training, and keeping a team together. This seminar has always been a great help to those interested in competing and will include an opportunity for participants to ask questions and get great advice from a seasoned team leader with years of experience. (The inclement weather day for the 4-Way Scrambles event will be Sunday March 1st) However, if we complete the Scrambles on Saturday and enough people want to play... 4 WAY SPEED STAR COMPETITION
SUNDAY, MARCH 1 On Sunday following the Scrambles Competition, Spaceland will be holding a 4-way Speed Star competition that is sure to be a blast!! Start forming your team now!!! Teams can consist of any jumper regardless of discipline or experience level (freefly or RW). The meet will consist of 4 rounds. The team with the lowest cumulative team time will be the winner. There will also be a winner for "most creative team" demonstrating the best display after the star is formed. This will be determined by a panel of qualified judges. If you are a new jumper, this meet is an excellent opportunity for you to jump with some of the best RW jumpers around. They will share their knowledge with you and offer very valuable information for free!! So....if you are interested in participating in the 4-WAY SCRAMBLES MEET or THE SPEED STAR COMPETITION, please do one of the following:
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR CAMERA FLYERS FOR THE WEEKEND'S EVENTS. YOUR SLOT IS COVERED, SO CONTACT US AND COME PLAY! The TSL (Texas Skydiving League) is in full effect this year. As you already know the US Nationals are being hosted here at Spaceland. This is a great accomplishment for Texas Skydiving. That being said, the TSL will have a very strong attendance as teams form and train for this "local" Nationals. Also, it's imperative that RW teams be in the competitive environment prior to the National Competitions. So instead of putting pressure on the outside teams to register for TSL, drop zone owners will be responsible for registering their teams (at least 4) in order to have a competition at their facilities. Our Spaceland teams need to register on their own or if you need help let me know. We would really like to see several drop zones participate so people can experience different facilities which can change up the competitive mentality. If you'd like to register teams to get a competition scheduled for your dropzone, contact Eric Boyd at eric@skydivespaceland.com or 281-369-3337. If your team is ready to register now then click here. Online registration is always the easiest. Visit www.texasskydivingleague.org for more information. TSL 09 Competition Dates
After years of effort by USPA and the Parachute Industry Association, the FAA has approved a new final rule that will lengthen the parachute repack cycle from 120 days to 180 days. The effort had more twists and turns than a funneled 20-way, but the change happened when PIA and USPA joined together and finally convinced the FAA to grant a 180-day repack cycle. Skydivers and pilots who use parachutes will get an extra 60 days between mandatory repacks of their parachutes, under a revised regulation published by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The revision extends from 120 to 180 days the period between required inspection and repacking by a certificated parachute rigger. It took effect Dec. 19, 2008. The rule applies to reserve parachutes worn by all skydivers and smoke jumpers as well as emergency parachutes worn by pilots of aerobatic airplanes and gliders, air crew members, and the growing number of military special ops jumpers using commercial “off the shelf” parachute equipment. The FAA last addressed the repack cycle in 1978, when it increased the repack period from 60 to 120 days. In making that change, the FAA noted that modern parachutes were constructed of synthetic materials far less subject to degradation than parachutes made of silk, cotton, and other natural fabrics. This being said, the yearly cost of keeping your gear "in date" went down. Last year costs were ($55 x 3 (repacks per yr)= $165) and now ($75 x 2 = $150). Notice that the price per repack went up but your yearly cost went down.
The last 2 days were focused on more experienced jumpers looking to push their skydiving skills in larger, more complex 60 way formations. Event participants had a great time challenging themselves and are looking forward to next year's event. 2008 USPA National Collegiate Parachuting Championships
And last but not least... The Competitors!
If you missed it, Collegiates '09 will be held here again in December. Form your college team and represent H-town!
We are going to have multiple events with Guy Wright this year so stay tuned and check our calendar of events frequently. Check out the photos. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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But as you walk up you notice a huge growth on the outside of the packing room. What is it? You approach cautiously and then, Steve has answered your prayers. There lies before you double the square footage, 5 large flat screens displaying the departure viewer and a satellite manifest so you don't have to run across the hangar to get on a load. So I ask this, what has your DZ done for you lately? Thanks for all your support, and enjoy! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Have fun and play safe! We look forward to seeing you soon at Spaceland! Comments? Email Eric at Eric at eric@skydivespaceland.com. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In
this issue:
5th ANNUAL 4 WAY SCRAMBLES MEET
SATURDAY, FEB. 28
Skydive Spaceland hosted its annual winter Big Way Camp/
Invitational November 5th-9th with 120 participants in total. Event
captains include Kate Cooper-Jensen, Tom Jenkins, Larry Henderson, and
Scott Latinis. These captains are very accomplished current World Record
Holders and competitors with approx. 35,000 jumps between them. The
first 3 days were focused on the 60 way camp where skydivers receive
training on exit techniques from both right and left trail aircraft,
tracking tips, canopy control in large groups, and just about anything
else you might have questions on when it comes to big way formations.
The proven model the team of organizers use allow smaller formations, 20
- 40 ways, to duplicate all the jobs, visuals, and responsibilities of a
100+ way formation. This is a "no fault" approach to teaching where you
are encouraged to push your limits while learning. 
While virtually the entire country is covered in piling, blowing
snow, 110 college-age skydivers from 15 institutions of higher education arrived
at Skydive Spaceland for the 51st annual USPA National Collegiate Parachuting
Championships. Temperatures were in the mid-60s, perfect skydiving weather. With
two twin Otters and a super Caravan, every round of the seven-event meet was
finished by the closing banquet/New Year's Eve party planned for Wednesday,
December 31. Medals and championship titles were up for grabs in classic
accuracy (both individual and team), sport accuracy, 2-, 4- and 6-way formation
skydiving, and 2-way vertical formation skydiving. 
So you get to the DZ and the parking lot is full.
How can that be? It's 8:00am and you were trying to show up
early to get that perfect spot in the packing room before it got
busy. There's usually tons of gear and several teams
training/debriefing including a 16 way team. AHHHH. 
We just completed annual maintenance on
the airplanes. National Aerotech and Hoop worked long hours to
complete the job before we needed the planes for upcoming events.
We ended up finding a good deal on a couple of new engines. SF
received 2 new engines and we did 5 hot section inspections on the
other planes. Our planes are ready to work hard and give you
safe, one-way trips to altitude this upcoming season. Thanks
guys!