After a somewhat long and rather strange winter we are ready to get the season started. 

Over the winter I got an opportunity to travel a bit and spread the word on how great SDC really is.  We are calling this year the ‘event’ year with BIG events planned throughout summer.  With such big events I have people are calling booking RV slots a month at a time.  I am really looking forward to the biggest year SDC has had yet.  It’s probably going to give me gray hair, but the SDC staff and I are up for the challenge. 

I started out the winter bringing the otter to Sebastian, Florida for the holidays.  The Sebastian gang was more then welcoming.    We had quite the SDC crew there representing and even got in one night at the tunnel!  Special thanks to Dave for flying; I’m sure he didn’t mind getting out of the cold.  I look forward having Dave back on the SDC team for a busy year. 

January was busy getting a start on Nationals.  There is a lot of prep work for this event and we are not wasting any time.  We are going to make this the best nationals anyone has had yet.  I want to thank Eric Darren for being our meet director; he has a thankless job so if you see him around this year let him know you appreciate his work. 

February was a road trip for me.  I started in Reno attending the PIA.  There was a lot of cool ‘toys’ on display including unmanned parachutes a 9,000sq ft. parachute and flying wings!  PIA is held every two years and if you are interested in attending check out the web site www.PIA.com for more info. 

While at PIA there was a DZO conference that was rather interesting.   As most of you know our sport has been in a decline ever since 9/11.  If you ask a DZO about the business it has never been better, YEAH RIGHT!  I’m not solely blaming the incident, however, I do think that had a major contribution.  As mentioned by Gary Peek our regional director, our sport seems to be sorting itself out for the past few years.  People’s mindsets are a little different than they used to be.  USPA has seen a HUGE lose in members; I’m talking in the thousands!  We all need to step in and make a difference.  I’m putting out an SOS (SAVE OUR SPORT) bulletin.  We each need to spread the word on how great our sport is.  We as DZO are making it easier than ever to learn how to skydive and get your ratings.  But remember it’s not all about skydiving.  A lot of people enjoy the social life that goes along with this great sport.  I’m not talking about the 70’s where we get as messed up as possible, I’m talking about feeling welcome, part of something big, a brotherhood (freakbrother?).  Sharing stories about how many points you ‘thought’ you did (video doesn’t lie).  Most new jumpers get scared away by the ‘skygods’. They want to be good but don’t know where to go.  We as ‘skygods’ need to step back and look at the sport. If you want to keep enjoying the sport we love, we need to pump people up and give back to the sport that has given us so much.  I hear stories all the time about how skydiving changing people’s lives and I have seen it countless number of times.  How can we let a sport just go away?  So I’m asking you all to spread the word about skydiving.  This isn’t a marketing scam this is real.  I will do my best to have the best place for people to jump and bring as many new people into the sport I love.  Imagine if we all stepped in and got just one person into the sport?  If you give a person a fish he will have one meal, if you teach a person how to fish and he will have food for a lifetime!  We need to give the gift of Skydiving to people and SAVE OUR SPORT. 

After PIA I headed south to California for the first of the Freefly Record camps held in Perris.  When we organized the first records we just called up some of our friends and asked them to come out.  Due to the size we have to recruit some new freeflyers and are holding tryout camps.  27 people attended mostly from California and everyone walked away gaining some valuable knowledge.  The next camp is taking place April 20-22 in Perris.  We are holding Big Way warm-ups July 30-31 and the record attempts August 1-4.  For more info e-mail bigways@freeflymegacenter.com or check out the SDC web site. 

Speaking of websites, some of you may have noticed that we have recently changed ours.  Matt Christenson is working hard to streamline the jumpers experience with his new business, Real Skydiving.  Jumpers will now be able to view accounts online, post payments, and register for events.  Like anything new please bear with us as we work the bugs out. 

You are going to be seeing some new faces around SDC this year.  We are bringing in more packers / AFP instructors / Manifesters / and grounds crew.  We welcome the new team members and are happy they are here. 

We have spent all winter going over the otter with a fine tooth comb.  We are trying to avoid and maintenance issues that seemed to plague us last year.  N10EA is ready to go and will be flying this weekend.  N30EA is getting new landing gear and will be up and running the following week.  SDC strives will continue to have the safest planes to jump from. 

Team training starts for most teams April 1^st.  We are happy to announce that there will be four 4-way teams here this year.  This means early morning starts (great for swoopers) and lots of loads throughout the day.  Good luck to the teams and make SDC proud! 

We will be hosting Safety day this Sunday the 18 starting at 9am in the Skylounge.  It will be an open discussion from gear checks to canopy control to emergencies.  We will cover, as much as possible or till there are no more questions.  I encourage everyone to attended and get your mind back in the game.  There is no fee for the event.

Para-Concepts will be hosting a rigger’s course starting on the 24 of March.  If you are interested in getting your rigger’s rating contact Kirk@para-concepts.com for more info.

April we start our rating courses for coach, Tandem and AFF.  If you are interested please go to the calendar of events and click on the link for more info. 

T.J. Hine and others are working hard organizing several big-way belly flyer events starting with Roger Ponce weekend June 14-17^th.  Also we are hosting a POPS record July 6-8.  Keep your eyes on the website for the latest info. 

I look forward seeing all the faces that make up SDC this weekend! 

Rook