Pieter Kemp was a man who could never experience what we as skydivers experience every time we step out of a plane and experience freefall. Yet despite this fact he knew more about this sport than most people who have a hundred jumps.

From the day I did my first jump course at JSC on 28 July 2001, my father visited drop zones on a regular basis and became a good friend to many. He always provided a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen to stories – good and bad – and a seemingly limitless supply of good advice - about matters legal as well as about life.

Over the years, my father supported my progress through the sport unwaveringly and was at my side while also being strong for my mother and sister throughout the ordeal when I was injured on a swoop jump in 2006.

In recognition of my father’s involvement with the sport, he was made a non-skydiving member in 2004 and was issued with a licence - Whuffo 1 – the certificate had pride of place in his office. He continued to renew his membership every year after that along with the rest of us.

In 2006, my father was elected at the AGM as a Non-Executive Director (NED) and served with distinction in this position for 2 years until he stepped down due to ill health.

My father loved this sport although he could never participate. He was a big part in many skydivers’ lives in the sport and will be missed.

Blue skies
His son
Dian Kemp, D800

Official representation was received from various military units including 44 Parachute Regiment, 5 Special Forces Regiment, Pretoria Military Parachute Club, 101 Air Supply Unit, Air Force Base Bloemspruit and the SANDF Physical Training Sport and Recreation Training Centre. Chief military judge, Annelie Hoeksema, held a Classic Accuracy competition at the event with military and civilian participants.

Tandem Master Erik Vliegenthart with passenger Mike Burnett - Sales and Marketing Director for Protea Hotel Ranch Resort

The SANDF saw The Ranch SkyDiving Boogie and Symposium as an ideal opportunity to enhance cooperation and learning opportunities, promoting military interest in sport skydiving and the inter-operateability with PASA whilst learning and sharing ideas by participating at events and with skydiving clubs outside of the military.

A large number of visitors came along to “discover” what skydiving and parachuting in the 21st century is all about. An incredible 78 Tandem introductory skydives were facilitated by a team of 9 experienced Tandem Masters over the 5 days of the event. 3 people came back for a second Tandem Skydive.

Coinciding with National Women’s Day, Miss Limpopo Kholofelo Madiba, was trained to skydive at the event and completed 5 AFF skydives.

Great media coverage was secured with the event featured on various news, sport and current affairs television programmes as well as on numerous radio stations with some presenters doing tandems before going live on-air immediately afterwards to talk about their experience. A number of print and online media also published features on the event.

Making use of 2 turbine Atlas Angel jump ships a total of 90 loads were flown to 12 000ft AGL over the 5 days of the event, a total of 767 people were dropped from the skies above The Ranch Resort.

It’s Friday night, 29 July 2011. A cold front is approaching but it does not curb the enthusiasm of 11 skydivers from all skill levels to learn from Tim Mace – large formation expert and member of the 400 Way World Team.

Tim takes the group through the various aspects of large formation skydiving – from exit to approach to break-off.

Participants divided into 2 groups with Simba taking care of the blue team and Tim in charge of the red team and all 10 jumps were briefed for the next two days.

Jumps were planned mainly around exit positions and no contact position flying when in the formation. The last two jumps consisted of a Speedstar competition and a mystery dive where jumpers will get the brief only at 2000ft. A total of 7 jumps were completed on Saturday and unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, the camp had to be cut short on 8 jumps. Everyone agreed to continue on 10 September.

As 10 September drew closer, some of the original camp participants had to cancel and contingency plans in the form of Pottie and Marisa had to be made. Well done to Mohan who still arrived on the drop zone for the event – broken femur and all (Did we see you try and lurk a load??). Tim planned 5 additional jumps before the Red team took on the Blue team in the Speedstar. These jumps included open formation flying, tracking in pairs, break-off at different altitudes for the groups and deploying while in a track. All elements that are used when part of a large formation.

The Red team took honours in the Speedstar event, mainly due to some technical difficulties experienced by the other team. The mystery dive was for most the highlight of the camp. Nervous-excited the teams got into the plane, only to reshuffle at 2 000ft when you were handed a piece of paper to reveal your part in the formation. On the piece of paper was your exit position, which hand needs to take what grip on point 1 and point 2.

The camp was enjoyed by all. Boundaries were pushed and the learning curve skyrocketed. It will definitely be a regular fixture on the FS Committee’s calendar in years to come. Feedback was received and comments taken into consideration to make this camp even better. Some of the feedback received was:

“We had a good time, definitely a success!!!, and well worth attending.” – Ian van den Berge

“What a great weekend and what a clever idea and structure. We all got a chance to try each of the seven or eight different exits , to exit them and fly into slot in a very specific pattern. The dives are designed in such a way that you were free to push the limit and test and improve your own skill levels and the beauty of then flying a no contact star is that if someone did not get it quite right it did not affect the others and the skydive was a success. An eye opener to some of the technical aspects of Big Way and loads of fun. Thanks and well done to Tim and Simba.” – Mark Trethewey

“Well worth every ZAR spent! Various skill levels were able to safely dive together and built on their current FS abilities in an accelerated way. Lots of cool tips and skills also applicable to 12, 16 way FS formation out of 2 jump ships etc.” – Rainer Coetzee

“It was truly a great experience and I learned allot, information and skills wise. I would actually recommend something similar for more Junior skydivers as well, as the information and skills are relevant for almost everything we do in the air.” – Francois Dippenaar

“I can’t think of when I was last on a programme in almost any facet of life that produced such accelerated results. The philosophy of transferring knowledge, skills and some experience of the approach to exit / approach / fly / break off on a big way without actually having a big way is practical for the SA reality of very limited lift capacity – and then the way that it is done is super effective. Although Tim has presented the course 2x before, this was the first time I helped him with it and I was very impressed at the learning curves – including my own.” – Simba

“A huge thanks to YOU Tim! I certainly learned a lot from you and I will recommend this to anyone. See you at the next camp!” – Pottie

“Saturday and the previous training day was awesome, I really learnt allot and did stuff that I did not think I was capable off. It was just incredible. Thanks for your time and input as well as everyone else.” – Bertus Haring

And finally, some closing words from the master:  ”What a great day. Thanks to everyone for focussing and concentrating. You were doing all the work, but I had a ball watching it all happen. I hope you all learned a lot and will keep using it. Congratulations to Karen on her 500th on the mystery dive. What a cool way to get your D licence.” – Tim Mace

11 people attended a PRO Rating Course held on 24 and 25 September 2011 at Skydive Rustenburg.

Run by CI Graham Field and DZO Mike Rumble, the course covered all the practical elements of the PRO requirements as well as much fun. There were flag and streamer jumps, landings between hangars and buildings, low altitude exits, jumps into the Rustenburg Show Grounds and the Olympia Park Stadium.

Feedback from everyone on the course was awesome.  Everyone learnt plenty, and everyone did a number of things for the first time including their first NSTO approved stadium jumps towards their PRO rating.

Skydive Rustenburg intends on holding a second similar event before the end of the year for those who couldn't make this one - your PRO rating will make you a safer and more confident skydiver!

Salient issues discussed at this seminar include:

To improve canopy control and landings:

• The ISP programme will include 4 landing and canopy skills briefings for the student to practice after ISP jumps.
• Ten canopy related questions to be added to the A and B licence tests.

To reduce risk to students who go uncurrent frequently:

• It is recommended that students only be permitted to have refresher training twice during the course of their progression.

AAD use:

• With immediate effect, the use of an AAD is mandatory up to A licence.
• Making AAD use mandatory up to B licence will be proposed and sent to the ADZO and the SSA for comment. The proposal is to phase it in over a two year period.

Jumpmaster training at AFF only drop zones:

• The jumpmaster course is to be adapted and updated to provide for drop zones that do not offer static line training.

Wingsuiting:

• Steve Bartels will be responsible for maintaining and controlling wingsuiting as per best practice.

Military and Task Force integration into PASA:

• Military and Police candidates once signed off on their specific free fall training programmes are to complete the PASA ISP in order to qualify for a PASA A licence.
• The Military contact is Laurel Thatcher.
• The Task Force contact is Bertus Nagel.

Bottle to throttle:

• Skydivers must take cognisance of the dangers of drinking and partying the night before skydiving. MOPs to reflect a 12 hour window.

After what always seems too long a break between seasons, we’re finally into season 3 of the South African Skydiving League.  Once again we have awesome prizes and are still working on securing a few more.  Larsen & Brusgaard have once again come on board with audibles and digital alti’s, Bev Suits are also behind us again and of course we have returning support from the SSA and so many individuals in our skydiving community.  If you’d like to get involved, please give us a shout.

For those who haven’t participated before, get yourself onto www.skyleague.co.za to see how novice skydivers can fairly compete against experienced skydivers, and win!  Check out who your DZ’s SASL reps are and give them a shout for guidance, tips, advice and information or just ask the SASL Committee on GameOn@skyleague.co.za.

We have 2 major changes this season.  After such a good participation level in the FS category it seemed only right that we up the rewards a bit. There will now be prizes for the first and second placed individuals in FS.  Remember, you don’t need a running team – it’s all individual and it’s only your personal commitment you need to rely on to keep doing well!

In the Freefly category, we have changed the rounds in line with the FAI changes.  You will now have 2 free rounds and 1 compulsory round each month.  Remember:  A compulsory round is not a speed round – check out the site or chat to us if you have questions.

The first weekend in October delivered rubbish weather for many of us, but last weekend was just beautiful for most, so hopefully you have taken to the skies and started with your rounds – the more you practice them, the better your chances.  You still have 3 weekends to do round 1, so get cracking.

If you have registered on the website for a previous season, you don’t need to re-register.  If you didn’t – go to http://www.skyeague.co.za/ to register so you can get in on the deal.

This season is looking huge!  Don’t miss out.  Find the right mix of experience versus weighting.  And the vital factor is to enter every month! 

Game ON!

Hey FS Jumpers!  For those who may have forgotten to register – there are still a few available slots for the 8-way camps with Martial Ferré, current 8 Way World Champion (amongst many other FS achievements).

Open FS jumpers will tell you what international coaching costs – and what an amazing opportunity and hot bargain this is.

Martial is no lightweight in FS, his experience includes the following:

• 4 way European Champion in 1996 and 1998
• 4 way 2nd place in 1997
• 4 way World champion in 1999 
• 8 way World Cup winner in 2002
• 8 way French champion in 2008
• 8 way World Champion in 2010 
• Martial is the organizer of Wind tunnel championships in France and is an instructor at the Wind tunnel in Paris 
• Current coach for the Swiss 8-way team

Martial has kindly offered to come out to SA to share some of his knowledge and skills in helping us to build our 8-way skills in SA. We have seen a renewed interest in 8-way recently and would like to build more fixed teams and more skills for the scratch teams. Do not miss out – this truly is an opportunity that cannot be ignored.

Martial will be running 2 camps, one at PSC on 29 and 30 October and one at JSC on 22 and 23 October 2011. You may enter one or both camps. 

What are you waiting for??!

Secure your place on the camp! Limited space still available!!

Contact the FS committee for more information.

Claire King cking@nspace.co.za
Marisa Dold mdold@amadeus.co.za
Ian van den Berge ian@worldofdiamonds.co.za 

Join us on 5 and 6 November, 2011 at the Johannesburg Skydiving Club for one of the biggest annual boogies in SA. Organizers will be available for every discipline, but if you fly a wingsuit, this is an event especially not to be missed!

Raise the Sky charity drive and raffle, prizes, event T-shirts, and a big party Saturday night, as always.

Taya Weiss and Jeff Nebelkopf (the TonySuit Wingsuit Designer) will be organizing flocks for all levels throughout the weekend. We will also talk about the next Wingsuit World Record, to be held in Perris, California September 2012, what's happening with Team XRW (eXtreme Relative Work), what's next in wingsuit design, and other upcoming projects.

Demo wingsuits will be on hand to fly. We will film the flocks and take high-quality still photographs, and attempt to break the current 8-way Wingsuit National Record.

Be there!

Skydive Robertson is proud to announce that on the 12th and 13th November 2011 we will be hosting a Wingsuit Camp.

We will have qualified coaches available on the weekend to assist you with learning how to fly a wingsuit or better your skills at wingsuit flying.

Please make sure that if you have not jumped a wingsuit before that you have the pre-requisites according to the MOPS to be allowed to skydive with a wingsuit. For detailed requirements, please see the Manual of Procedures (http://www.para.co.za/documents.aspx).

The SSA Wingsuit committee will be sending Frederik Potgieter to join us and he will be bringing the SSA demo suits as well as the new Fly-Sight's which allow direct audio feedback with regards to glide ratio as well as allowing detailed de-briefings after the jumps.

Come Join us for some of the most picturesque Wingsuiting South Africa has to offer!

If you are keen to join please email Bookings@skydive.co.za with the subject line: "Wingsuit Camp".

SkyDive Rustenburg is planning to fly a shiny, noisy and smoke bellowing original piston engine Douglas DC-3 / C-47 Dakota (without doubt one of the most famous and most successful designs of aircraft in history and one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made) with 20+ skydivers from Rand Airport and to either fly clockwise or anticlockwise around as many Highveld DZs that can / will accommodate us all jumping in, packing and taking off to the next DZ.

So far we have SkyDive Rustenburg, SkyDive Pilanesberg, Skydive Xtreme, Skydive Witbank and are hoping to confirm Pretoria Skydiving Club. The Dak cannot land at the Johannesburg Skydiving Club so will do the last drop there before heading home.

The primary date option will be Saturday 26th November with Sunday 27th November being the weather day.  A pre-worked out (based on confirmed numbers) cost will be divided amongst those participating.

There is the possibility to facilitate a couple of very special tandem  skydives into each DZ on the tour, and obviously there are logistical challenges so people will need to be flexible if they want to be considered for this unique opportunity.  Let’s see!  If you know of a couple of people that might just love this opportunity for this unique and classic flight AND tandem skydive out of a DAK at a number of drop zones in one day please let us know.

We have space for 20 x B-Licence and above skydivers who must commit to the entire trip / package.  Sorry, non-skydivers cannot be accommodated on this trip!

Jumps will be from 10 000ft AGL at each DZ (we are all fans of as much altitude as possible, but you know it can’t be guaranteed!)

There is the possibility of an awesome and random show jump somewhere special on the way back to Rand Airport for those that are PRO Rated and approved by Graham Field for the specific demo jump (yet to be announced).

Do not miss this one, it may never happen again!

If you are interested in being part of this epic adventure please email SkyDive.Rustenburg@gmail.com with the subject “DAK JUMPS” with your details.

The J-Bay Boogie 2011 will be held again at Paradise Beach in Jeffreys Bay from 19 December 2011 to 2 January 2012. Come join the fun!

We are proud to announce that Jean-Phillippe Ricordeau, one of the best freeflyers and tunnel coaches in the world, will be at the boogie to coach freeflying from 27 December until 2 January.

JP's credentials:
15 years skydiving
13000+ jumps (8000 freefly)
700+ windtunnel hours
Coach AFF, tandem, freefly and tunnel
Performer Freefly team JOK’air
2 x Freefly Silver at Skydiving World Meet
1 x Freefly Silver at Skydiving World Cup

Cost per coaching jump: Your slot + JP's slot

Visit the EP Skydivers, Grahamstown website for more information. (This information is being added from today so please check back regularly for updates.)

Several people have once again asked SkyDive Rustenburg to organise night jumps… the last time we did this we pumped out 55 night descents, jumped until midnight and had a fat party.

So, with enough interest we are going to try to top our last efforts… no dates have been put down as yet, lets first see how much interest there is.

If you are interested in doing NIGHT JUMPS, please email us at SkyDive.Rustenburg@gmail.com with the subject “NIGHT JUMPS” stating the following:

*  Name and Licence Nr.
*  Have you done night jumps before and what exactly did you do?
*  Your current Club / CI?
*  Have you jumped at Rustenburg in 2011?
*  What types and how many jumps do you want to do - night and day?

The 2012 South African Skydiving National Championships will be held at the Pretoria Skydiving Club from 25 April – 1 May 2012 (Competition days starting 27 April).

The following disciplines will be offered:

• Artistic Events
• Formation Skydiving
• Canopy Piloting
• Canopy Formation
• Accuracy Landing
• Atmonauti

It’s been a while since we have had a combined SA Nationals so we’re really looking forward to the event.

Contact your discipline representatives to find out how you can take part.

Deep within the heart of the Sunshine Coast and gateway to the magnificent Garden Route, Nelson Mandela Bay brings you the ultimate playground for thrill-seeking enthusiasts.

We are proud to introduce to you:

SKYDIVE PORT ELIZABETH

Our vision is to develop and nurture a new generation of sports skydivers that will further the advancement of South African skydiving to an international level. We offer training seminars for developing skills and ratings from highly qualified, experienced and internationally trained instructors. Above all, our vision and purpose is to hold safety in the highest regard.

Operations:

Aircraft: C182 (more to follow)

Services :

• All Discipline Sport Skydiving
• Advanced Coaching in Freefall and Canopy work
• Tandem Skydiving
• Accelerated Freefall Training
• Static Line Training
• Aerial Photography
• Bespoke Merchandise
• Parachute Sales and Maintenance
• Rigging Services
• Display Jumps
• On-line Shopping

Facilities:
Upon entering our 400sqm hangar, you immediately realize that this operation is as professional as its instructors. Skydive Port Elizabeth is a fully equipped skydive centre comprising 100sqm of carpeted indoor packing, a viewing and editing room including cinema screen, and fully serviced manifest and training area. For recreation we have a licensed bar, braai pit, outdoor courtyard and fully equipped kitchen with tidy showers and toilets. We welcome any individual hoping to push the boundaries in the quest to perfect human flight. With the second best weather conditions in South Africa, you can expect open doors 7 days a week and great flying conditions for all.

Owners and Operators:
Donavon and Shinel Crerar, Trevor Q Harvey, Thomas Burckardt and Delene Sim

Location:
Uitenhage Aerodrome
33°47’06”S 25°22’46”E 290FT AMSL

DZ Contact details:
Tel: 073 267 2119
Email: info@skydiveportelizabeth.com
Webpage: www.skydiveportelizabeth.com

Planned to start operating from November 2011, SkyDive Pilanesberg will offer visitors to the region the opportunity to experience a tandem skydive high above one of the world’s outstanding natural phenomena, the fascinating and ancient landscape which gave birth to the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, that was some 1 300 million years ago a massive volcano reaching some 10 000ft above the plains.

SkyDive Pilanesberg is planned to operate from November 2011 and will facilitate bookings 7 days a week from sun rise to sun set. 

Expect an official launch party sometime soon and to have the opportunity to skydive over what was, 1 300 million years ago, a massive volcano. 

Johannes Selepe from Skydive Xtreme in Limpopo has been awarded a fantastic sports equipment sponsorship courtesy of the Aero Club of South Africa’s Transformation and Development programme.

The brand new equipment consists of:
Vortex 2 harness with freefly rings
Pilot 150 main canopy
Decelerator 180 reserve canopy  
Vigil
Jumpsuit
Helmet

A very special thank you needs to go to both Daniel Ralefeta and Joe Coetzer from the Aero Club’s Transformation and Development programme for assisting Norman to attain this sponsorship for Johannes.

The PAC Partnership has also come to the party and will sponsor Johannes and David Maina with a fully comprehensive two-way freefly team sponsorship. This team will be coached and videoed by Brendon van Niekerk. The PAC Partnership also funds Johannes’ daughter Lindiwe’s education on a full time basis.

Johannes currently has 268 jumps and has ambitions of being South Africa’s first black Tandem Master.

Over the past few months Liberty Life has been working on an entirely new method of risk-rating skydivers for its life and health insurance policies. As of Oct 2011 this has now resulted in a new deal offering to the market.

Liberty decided to embark on this re-rating project following a presentation in Feb 2011 to the SA Society of Insurance Medical Underwriters on 'Skydiving and Risk Management' by a current PASA instructor and competitive skydiver.

The method that Liberty has used to rate risk is now entirely different to any model previously used by the industry and we anticipate that it will be to the benefit of PASA registered skydivers to investigate the deal that you can now get at Liberty - either directly with the company or via your broker.

Suppliers & Manufactures of fine Skydiving Equipment
 

Need Skydiving Gear?
New or Second Hand
Reserve repacks and repairs 

Accessories:

Jumpsuits, Parabags, Packing mats, Helmet Bags, Altimeters - Wrist mount & Audible, Helmets,
Hook Knives, Goggles, Skydiving Videos/DVD's, Skydiving T-Shirts

 Visit our Shop

138 - 7th Ave
Edenvale
Gauteng

Contact: Manuel Cordeiro

Website: www.icarus.co.za

Email: manny@icarus.co.za or icarusaw@global.co.za

Telephone: 011-452-8858 / 083-252-8720

The admin office will be closed from Monday, 24 October to Friday, 28 October 2011.

Members who have any enquiries during this time are welcome to send an email to admin@para.co.za or fax or leave a message on the answering machine +27-21-553-3398. We will attend to all messages on Monday, 31 October.

Please also note that the email server and website will be down for part of that time for maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this issue. If you have any stories, pictures, comments or suggestions please send these to news@para.co.za

If you are interested in advertising in this newsletter, contact admin@para.co.za for more details. 

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