Introduction

The SSA fees for the year April 2011 to March 2012 are R150 per member.

The SSA committees have prepared the following budget and activity plans based on an estimate of 680 members (with an average of 694 over the past 3 years, this is a reasonably conservative estimate).

More than 680 members will mean more funds are available for events later in the year. Fewer will mean that expenditure in the latter half of the membership year will need to be adjusted. This is monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that budgets are met.

Each discipline is required to provide a budget for approval by its members and the Management Council. Funds are allocated to each discipline with an approved budget and according to the following formula:

The shared expenses for administration (R6000 p.a.) and IPC delegate travel (R12 000 p.a.), to which each discipline contributes equally, are provided for before allocating funds.

The balance of income is split 40/60 with 40% being split equally among the 7 disciplines and the remaining 60% being split according to the ticks on members’ renewal forms.

The SSA, as a whole, contribute R25 000 towards the hosting of the South African National Championships in all disciplines except Wingsuiting which does not currently have a competition format. Since nationals is often held in the first quarter of a membership year, the members' ticks for that year are not yet known at the time of the competition. For this reason, the SSA committees have elected to split the R25 000 between the disciplines based on the previous year’s ticks and then weight to exclude Wingsuiting. This also allows for a more accurate estimate of funds available per discipline at the time bids are called for from all drop zones.

Below are the major plans for each discipline for the year ahead extracted from the detailed budget and activity plan document.

Formation Skydiving

National Championships

The FS Committee continues to support SASL as a means to grow the discipline. The intention is to continue this long term strategy. There has been significant growth in both quality and quantity of competing novice FS teams. We hope to see this feed into the Open category over 2011.  Our 2012 Nationals goal is a minimum entry of 5 open teams.
R12 869.75 to be spent on hosting FS nationals plus R1 287.06 for medals.

Skills Development Activities

1. Cat II Coach day: [R 2 700].  Goal is to increase the quality of FS Cat II coaching and to assist 3 drop zones in skilling up and qualifying 1 Cat II coach each by means of a coaching and evaluation weekend.  The identified drop zones are Eston, Bloemfontein and Grahamstown and the camp will be held at Bloemfontein with the other DZ’s attendees travelling through to Bloem for the weekend.
2. 8 Way Skills camp: [R 5 000].  French 8 way (World Champions) coach, Martial Ferré is willing to run an 8 way camp.  We need to raise enough funds to cover his expenses, so a registration fee estimated at R500 per person is expected to cover the shortfall of the expenses, currently estimated at R11 000 but not yet confirmed.  This camp is dependent on enough attendees committing to the camp.  The camp will focus on functional, productive open 8-way for existing teams and jumpers wanting to learn more specific techniques and technical knowledge in competitive 8-way.
3. C-Licence day [R5 300]: Venue unconfirmed. Funds and activity carried over from last year.  This is a day to facilitate functional, productive 8-ways for jumpers who need their C-Licence requirements, have done the necessary preparation and are proven as ready to complete the requirements, and just need more capable jumpers to complete the required jumps with.  In the wake of well-intentioned events we have seen over the last year with similar goals, participants must have proof of readiness and capability to complete the jumps.  Jumpers who are not successfully achieving productive 4-way or larger formations will not be permitted onto this camp as it wastes the time and money of those genuinely ready for their C-Licence.  C-Licence is an indication of a certain proficiency level, not a fluke achievement needed for pre-requisites.
4. 16-way day: [no cost].  Venue unconfirmed.  A minimum of one 16-way sequential invitational day will be organised.  This is aimed at the senior jumpers who we feel give back to the sport and deserve an event just for them.  Sequential 16-ways planned for adequately skilled jumpers.  Some will require the jumps for their D-Licence and we aim to provide the opportunity, however, like the C-Licence day, jumpers will be allowed onto the jumps based on capability and not need as many other jumpers will be spending their money on the jumps with the intention of completing challenging, successful sequential skydives.  If the day is well supported, subsequent similar events will be organised.
5. Large formation skills camp [R 1 540].  The coach slot for 7 slots will be sponsored on this camp intended to build the skills needed for big way formations.  Big formations will not be built as the focus is on the lasting skill set, not just the completing a big-way.

Sponsorships

SASL Sponsorship R3000 – FS has a long term strategy to partner with SASL in building competitive formation skydiving, increasing competition opportunity and growing the discipline.

Miscellaneous

SuperSport DVD R1500 – FS will contribute to the first DVD being produced with the intention of publicising skydiving on television.

Artistic Events

National Championships

R12 869.75 to be spent on hosting AE nationals plus R1 287.06 for medals. 

Skills Development Activities

Skills camp 1: Western Cape Skills Camp, Skydive Robertson, Freefly Coaching for all Western Cape Freeflyers (including Skydive Cape Town, Robertson, Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay) – Coaches: André du Preez / Pierre Marais Badenhorst, Basic Skills Development [R2000 – SSA pays 50% of coach jump + student pays 50% = 16 jumps (8 per coach)].

Skills camp 2: KZN, Bloemfontein and EP Cape Skills Camp, Angels Way, Freefly Coaching – Coaching with Michael Mackenzie (TBC) and another coach (TBC), Basic Skills Development [R2000 – SSA pays 50% of coach jump + student pays 50% = 16 jumps (8 per coach)].

Skills camp 3: Gauteng and Mpumalanga Skills Camp, JSC, Freefly Coaching – Coaching with Brendon van Niekerk and Brendon Delate, Basic Skills Development [R2000 – SSA pays 50% of coach jump + student pays 50% = 16 jumps (8 per coach)].

Skills Camp 4: JSC, Advanced Skills Camp, Freefly Sequentials with Michael Mackenzie, Advanced Skills and possible new record attempt, [R1000 travel cost for Michael Mackenzie and participants split his slots].

Miscellaneous

R1500 towards skydiving development DVD of Nationals 2010 on SuperSport.

Canopy Formation

National Championships

R1 398.30 - Nationals to be held at Skydive Xtreme 25/26 June 2011. Two 4-way Rotations teams planned as well as four 2-way Sequential teams. Zimbabwean 4-way Rotations team invited to attend. TBC.
R381.90 to be spent on medals.

Skills Development Activities

R5500 allocated to two skills camps planned for the year. JSC and Bloemfontein have both requested. Planned expenses split equally between the two with the remaining expenses for the Coaches’ own pockets.
R1000 allocated to travel costs.

Freefall Style and Accuracy Landing & Paraski

National Championships

R2 632.57- Nationals to be held at Skydive Xtreme 25/26 June 2011.
R1 032.84 to be spent on medals.

Skills Development Activities

R2200 allocated to two skills camps planned for the year.

Miscellaneous

Repayment of loan for 2009 purchase of Weckbecker – R4 000.

Canopy Piloting

Equipment

The CP measuring equipment is owned by different individuals and was developed for the 2 World Competitions held at PSC and JSC.  The CP Committee would like to purchase this equipment and a complete list with pricing will be submitted to the SSA for approval as soon as we receive it.  We have estimated the amount to be around R10 000.  Should our estimates be completely wrong, the CP Committee requests that our portion of the SSA funds be kept in order to purchase the equipment in 2012.

Proposed List:

1. Windblades
2. Measuring Tape (2)
3. Laser Stands
4. Accuracy Course Tapes
5. Bollards and covers

Repair of the Laser Stands which was broken during a competition in 2010. Cost R1 414.

National Championships

Our goal is to have 15 entrants for Nationals this year, 10 Senior and 5 Intermediates.

Nationals to be held at Pretoria Skydiving Club 13 to 15 May 2011.

R2 508.87 to be spent on Nationals.

R566.58 to be spent on medals.

Skills Development Activities

Skills camps will be hosted at PSC until JSC have appointed a person responsible for the pond and competitions.

Skills camp 1: PSC, latter part of 2011, the goal is to encourage more intermediates and to test the new freestyle rules from the IPC. Cost: R1 000.00

Skills camps 2 and 3: PSC, 1^st half of 2012, 2 competitions will be held prior to Nationals.

Cost: R1 000

A Canopy Skills Camp will be hosted by the CP Committee (at a venue other than JSC or PSC – still to be determined).

Cost: R2 000 has been allocated towards travelling and coaching funds.

Wingsuiting

Equipment

Procure 3 GPS units - R7700.

Skills Development Activities

The SSA WS Committee is going to introduce wingsuit competitions to South Africa. This will be done in three parts:

Big ways:
Although some big ways have been flown there exist no clear rules and guidelines on how these formations will be judged. The SSA committee will endeavour to get governing rules in the SSA handbook. There will also be an attempt to break the current SA record of 8-way. Practice camps will be held at the major skydive boogies.

GPS competitions - this will consist of three competitions:

• Distance: the longest flight within parameters according to GPS unit;
• Speed: The fastest speed achieved between parameters according to GPS unit;
• Time: the longest time flown between parameters according to GPS unit.

The rules and specifications will also be compiled by the WS SSA committee.

Artistic event: This will be in the form of 2-way formation and will follow the same structure as the SASL. Rules will also be submitted by the WS SSA committee.

Schedule:

Big Way rules to be submitted by June

Introduction weekend July 2011 – R1000

Big Way practice camps:

• Smoking Dragon Boogie 29 April 2011
• Margate Boogie 16 June 2011
• Ranch Boogie 4 August 2011

Miscellaneous

Procure paralog licence - R1000.

Atmonauti

National Championships

The Atmo Committee voted for Cape Nationals to promote a Cape event, notwithstanding the fact that Atmo competitors would have preferred Rustenburg as a venue and would have guaranteed larger numbers. In light of this, the Atmo Committee does not expect a large representation at this year’s Nationals.
R1 191.24 to be spent on Nationals.
R396.72 to be spent on medals.

Skills Development Activities

Skills camp 1:

International Coach: JSC, 14/15 May
Expected participants 15+  Cost: R7 000 for airfare

Skills camp 2:

Latter part of year: Participation of local coaches.

Atmo committee will be relying on registration fees to compensate international coaches fees, and local coaches costs at boogies.

Atmo committee will be relying on the PAC Partnership to cover coaching slots at Boogies held at JSC.

It remains the Atmo Committee’s objective to promote Cat II and Cat III progression, with the aim to introduce the Atmo Cat II programme to a minimum of 10 new atmonauts and sign off at least 1 new Coach rating in 2011.

The Atmo SSA Committee would hope to continue the South African initiative for the integration of Atmonauti into the FAI, with a view to present to the IPC at the 2012 meeting. In addition, to ratify and formalise the Atmo MOPs working document. 

* * Just in - new stock of neck warmers and white / black skydiving gloves * *

In April the beautiful Breede River Valley welcomed more skydivers than it has ever seen at one time (so far) for the 2011 Nationals in FS, AE and Atmonauti. The event was very successful, attracting 89 entrants – a great surprise given the extra cost associated with travel to the Cape.

Skydive Robertson invited participants as well as local fun jumpers to take part in three training days from 22 to 24 April to kick things off. This gave Cape jumpers an opportunity to practise exits from the PAC – a first for many – and allowed the visitors to enjoy the scenery and get used to the landing area without the pressure of competition.

Robertson Airfield is extremely close to the town, so the Friday and Sunday training days were scheduled around the local NGK service times. This worked well on the Friday as it alleviated some of the rush when everyone arrived to register.

Sadly, this proved an unnecessary concern, with only one Intermediate Atmo team entering. Despite finding they had nobody to compete against, the Zach and Scott Show persisted and completed three rounds to earn the Gold. I think they should be applauded for going ahead and averting the embarrassment of a non-event. Well done guys!

FS and AE were to be run from the 25^th to the 28^th, with the 29^th held in reserve for speedstars if there was sufficient interest. Jumping started off on schedule, but it did not take long for the weather to roll in and mess up Liz’ careful Manifest plans. Isn’t that always the way?

In all there was about 1.5 days lost to weather on the first two days of competition. On the second day, Erik cancelled jumping for the day at about lunch time. The wind that came gusting through all afternoon confirmed it to be a wise call, as well as being the perfect excuse for a mid-competition mini holiday in the Cape. Teams headed off to the surrounding wine farms for a relaxing afternoon, followed by a wine-soaked evening for most.

With a Music Festival and the Mighty Drakensberg as the backdrop and extended playground, Steve Bartels and Noogs Spall on the ground, near perfect weather the entire time, many friends (with girlfriends / boyfriends / husbands / wives, kids, pets and toys...)... the Smoking Dragon Boogie got underway... and super chilled it was! The (Super Chilled) Smoking Dragon Boogie...

From 29 April to 2 May 2011, 59 jumpers from 7 different drop zones registered, 26 people made tandem introductory skydives with Duran flying Atlas Angel Gabriel to altitude a total of 50 times. There were some high openings and some low openings, with a mass of fun, coaching, progression, firsts, naked jumps, licence requirement jumps, as well as partying and relaxation for all from sunrise to sunset and from sunset to sunrise again and again... for 4 (or was it 5?) days.

Thanks to Amphitheatre Backpackers, Vernon Kloppers, Roy Steemson, Steve Bartels, Angels Way Skydiving Club, everyone that was part of organising and running the event, as well as to all those who attended.

The Atmo Committee is pleased to announce that the 5th Atmo Skills Boogie - with the participation of International Instructor Gigliola Borgnis, and 20 South African participants from around the country - was successfully held at JSC from 13 to 15 May 2011.

The significant interest shown was cause for an additional day's jumping on the Friday, in addition to the Saturday and Sunday traditional jump days.

23 big ways - mostly slot specific 12-ways - were briefed and over 230 coaching slots successfully completed, notwithstanding the ever changing weather conditions.

Well done to Gerhard who also did his 100th Jump (Naked) on an Atmo group jump!

Thank you to all the sponsors, including Atmo SSA, PAC Partnership and JSC.

If you would like more information on what Atmo and this excitement is all about, or would like to book your place on a CAT II progression programme, email marco@macaronis.co.za or contact a coach in your area (Jhb, KZN, Cape, North). A list of Atmo coaches is available on the PASA website.

* * Check out "Atmo Skills Boogie 2" in this newsletter for information about the next Skills Boogie being held in June * *

The Sky's Your Playground tm
The Atmo SSA Committee

The Canopy Piloting Nationals Championships were held at the Pretoria Skydiving Club in May 2011 with 3 entrants in the intermediate category and 7 in the open category making for an exciting competition.

Overall top honours went to Chris Teague winning gold in all three open events. 

Final results

A normal ops Saturday at SkyDive Rustenburg on 28 May 2011 was supplemented with the rolling in of the masses from as far away as Eston and even Chad for the night jumps. Due to the interest (and having friends we can call on) we were pleased to be able to confirm the PAC 750XL for the night operations. Some people even got their first Atlas Angel and PAC 750XL jumps in on the same day!

16 people did their first night jumps, there was a bunch of night 2ways and 3ways both FS and FF, as well as even some night wingsuit rodeoing and night hybrids. We managed 5 PAC night loads and a total of 55 night descents. Proper dark with no moon, the last load exited pretty much on midnight.

Hein Geldenhuys was recently granted a licence to operate a student drop zone in Kimberley in the Northern Cape. PASA is delighted to be represented in all 9 provinces of the country now.

Skydive Northern Cape celebrated their opening weekend on 4 and 5 June 2011 in grand style with their friends from Skydive Central in Bloemfontein shutting up shop to support this event.

About 25 visiting and local skydivers as well as 9 tandem passengers ensured that the visiting Atlas Angel from Skydive Central was kept busy.

Hein Geldenhuys is the drop zone operator and chief instructor at Skydive Northern Cape. They plan to operate 7 days a week and will start training first jump students soon. Their usual jump ship will be a C182. They are located at the John Weston airfield outside Kimberley and look forward to welcoming visiting skydivers from around the country.

For more information, contact Hein on skydive.nc@gmail.com  

We would like to congratulate the following judges on being selected to judge at the following international events:

Ettienne Bosch - Chief Judge -  FAI CP World Cup and European Championships Klatovy, Czech Republic, 22-27 August 2011, as well as the Dubai World Championships in CP in November and December 2011

Chanel Robinson – Event Judge - 8 Way FS and VFS -  FAI World Cup and European Championships, Saarlouis and FS and AE judge at US Nationals from 25 Oct to 5 Nov 2011.

Dirk Venter –FS judge - FAI World Cup and European Championships, Saarlouis

Stuart Robinson – AE judge - FAI World Cup and European Championships, Saarlouis, Germany

Agnieszka Solomon - CF and CP judge at the Dubai World Championships in November and December 2011

Samantha Schook – CP Judge at FAI World Cup and European Championships, Klatovy, Czech Republic, 22-27 August 2011

The SA judges Committee has internationally rated judges in FS, AE, CP, CF and are looking for anyone interested in becoming a judge or wanting to know more about it to contact Stuart Robinson.  There is a FAI sanctioned training course from the 28-30 July in Saarlouis, Germany for anyone wanting to attend the training course for FS and VFS, as well as a training course in Colorado, USA for those interested in CP.

Blue skies

Judges Committee 

Due to poor the response for Style & Accuracy and Canopy Formation Nationals 2011, Skydive Xtreme opted to cancel the event as laid out in the Bid Document and Nationals  Bulletin.

After some discussion with the SSA SAP committee, we agreed to go ahead with a competition to allow the competitors to qualify for an international event. The event details are as follows:

Dates: 25 and 26 June 2011

Events: Classic Style, Accuracy & Night Accuracy

The night accuracy event will only take place if we are able to get the temporary runway lights up. Dinner will be available at the drop-zone on Saturday night and is included for all competitors. Additional meals for partners can be pre-booked.

Competitors are welcome to join us on Friday afternoon, 24 June, for some training jumps. Please let me know soonest if you would like to manifest for these jumps. Fun jumpers are also welcome to join us on Saturday and Sunday.

Should you require any additional information, please feel free to contact me.

Marisa Dold
Skydive Xtreme
Tel:  083 759 3483

Email:  info@skydivextreme.co.za

The Ranch Boogie 2011 is being held at www.TheRanch.co.za - 25km South of Polokwane (Pietersburg) from 5 August to 9 August 2011.

The Ranch is a family owned leisure, sports, exhibition, conservation, accommodation and conferencing centre within the 1,000 ha Ranch Conservancy.

Facilities include: a 12 hole par 3 Executive Golf Course; 4 swimming pools (2 heated); gymnasium and wellness centre with steam rooms. For the kids there is a play room with computer games, pinball machines, pool table, table tennis, bowls, a tennis court, a playground, a trampoline and a jungle gym... activities include horseback safaris, lion walks, lion tours, game drives and more....

There is everything from buffet to fine dining, a cocktail bar and lounge, a poolside bar and lapa, and a coffee shop and bakery.

Accommodation consists of twenty 5 star 6 sleeper self catering chalets, tented camp accommodation for 60 guests, 7 suites and 103 deluxe 4 star hotel rooms.

This Ranch Boogie looks set to have as many Atlas Angels as required as well as some cracking entertainment. There are a number of extra special things in the planning pipeline!!!

Organisers are SkyDive Rustenburg and Pretoria Skydiving Club.

It is highly recommended to attend this boogie, and to bring the entire family...

More details as well as special package offers will be coming in the near future.

Blue Skies and Great SkyDives.

For more information: SkyDive.Rustenburg@gmail.com 

The Jeffreys Bay boogie will be held from 19 December 2011 till 2 January 2012 at Paradise Beach Airfield.

We will utilize the PAC 750,  ZS-BLU as aircraft with a surprise appearance of  a novelty chopper to skydive.

For accommodation, contact Reinette on 072-668-5222.

A website with more info will be up soon! Check http://www.para.co.za/Events.aspx for updates.

Contact: Joos Vos 

PASA and the Toggle Times cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, due to all content being submitted without verification.

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