World Team 2006
Some of you were around when this was going on 2 years ago, some of you weren’t, but either way - here we go again!
My step-dad, Roger, and many of our friends left for Thailand this week to participate in World Team 2006, “the largest multi-national sports team ever united to pursue a common goal” - to build the world’s largest freefall formation record with 400 skydivers linked together. This group set the record in 2004 with 357 people in one formation, and are making a huge leap (pardon the pun) to up it by 43 people.
The challenge here is in the details. In order for it to be official, they must build to three specific rules. They must (a), build what they intend to (if they leave the plane with 400 people, they must build to 400 people, not 399; (b) every participant must be in their designated slot (if a person is swapped with even the person next to them, the entire formation is null); and (c) the formation must be held for at least 6 continuous seconds. These are the best large-formation skydivers in the world, and they will push themselves very hard. Not that they won’t have fun in the meantime, but there is a goal, and they are very determined.
5 C-130 Hercules will be flown in formation by the Royal Thai Air Force at 24,000 feet. The skydivers will be divided into the aircraft according to a unique exit pattern that will allow them to exit and fly to the formation on the most efficient path possible. Once they come together, build the formation, and reach a specific altitude, they will also have a designated ‘break-off’ pattern to leave the formation in stages to ensure they can all pull their parachutes with minimal traffic congestion. (Maybe I’m biased having grown up around this, but I think these sequences are some of the most beautiful things in the world.)
The group will start the with practice jumps, and progress to building larger formations (several groups of 100+ formations and then join them together). There are links below to pictures from the last record as well the planned formation for this one. Roger is the captain of Sector 9, a good friend of ours from Dallas, Larry Henderson is the captain of Sector 10 and my mom’s boss, Tony Domenico is captain of the base (center) in Sector 1. Most of the people in those sectors are our friends, but there are many others are the record that we know or have met throughout the years.
The World Team website will have daily updates on the ‘06 News Page with progress reports, aerial video and stills. I’ll probably do a few little updates over the next few weeks, but feel free to check the site if you are interested. I’m exited for them (if you couldn’t tell) and really looking forward to the phone call with the cheers in the background yelling that they did it.
On a side note, it’s finally supposed to rain in Austin after months of dry weather. I, personally, don’t mind a little rain if it means maybe a little more sun in Thailand. ;)
Heat in the C130s (The “fog” is the A/C turning on, it was very hot)
C130s in formation
C130 Exit
Breakoff
2004 Record
400-way planned record
*Photos courtesy of The World Team website
January 30th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
WOW. So, I’ve always thought I would love to skydive. But I will admit that when I looked at the “exit” picture, it was the first time I even got a glimpse of how terrifying/potentially exhilarating actually jumping out of an airplane might be.
January 30th, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Oops, it’s actually the “C130s in formation” picture I’m talking about!
January 31st, 2006 at 5:22 pm
I love that shot - gives you a bit of vertigo when you have that perspective coming off the C130 ramp. :)
I’m going to have to post an update soon. They are now on day two of practice jumps (building several groups of 112, tomorrow they’ll do two groups of 220 and then bring it all together for 400 - HELL YEAH). AND I have a funny ‘engrish’ story too. Hang tight.