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Kiernan Wimmer recently completed Skydive University’s Wingsuit 12 Jump Progression Course. Although SDU does offer a 3 jump wingsuit training course the 12 step program offers a more extensive coaching experience. The extra jumps help build confidence, improve skills, and offers the chance to fly with an experienced coach. We spoke with one of our recent graduates, Kiernan Wimmer, to get his thoughts on the 12 step program.
Bodyflight for Beginners Blog Series: 3 Tips to Accelerate Your Skydiving Skills
3. FLY SUBTLE
In this three-part series, SDU founder and chief skydiving instructor Rob Laidlaw elaborates on his top three bodyflight tips for skydiving newbies:
Bodyflight for Beginners Blog Series: 3 Tips to Accelerate Your Skydiving Skills
1. LET GO
Skydiving is an unnatural high—to become a good skydiver, you must understand that you have to alter your natural instincts in order to fly.
As land-based creatures, we push against gravity and use our strength for balance. But to control yourself in freefall you must break this paradigm and place your body in aerodynamic positions that work with, not against, the airflow.
A native of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, Taylor Rombold came to Skydive University to get his AFF Instructor Rating and his Tandem Instructor Rating. He's taking a break from his summer gig owning and operating a landscaping business up north, knocking out a couple of ratings and a whole lot of skydives.
Wingsuit student Samantha Manning was born a skydiver. "It's in my blood," she said as she described her feat of essentially doing 200 jumps before she was even born––with her mother Susanne, "Susy," as her vessel.
Learn to Skydive with a Wingsuit: Top 5 Instructor Tips for Wannabe Flyers
So, you'd like to fly a wingsuit…
You’ve seen the footage on YouTube and are attracted by the concept of flying like a bird. If this is you––this post will give you some suggestions so you can get your skydiving skills down and be on your way to all things wingsuiting.
Tunnel AFF grad Derek Barnes is a 27-year old Canadian stuntman out of Toronto. He started 2015 off right by getting his A License with Skydive University in sunny DeLand, and let's just say he definitely had a unique experience compared to your average AFF student (you'll see why in a bit). First check out his insane demo reel to see what he's capable of on the ground:
Bodyflight for Beginners Blog Series: 3 Tips to Accelerate Your Skydiving Skills
2. “RELAX”
In this series, SDU founder and chief skydive instructor Rob Laidlaw explains his top three bodyflight tips for beginner skydivers:
- LET GO
- RELAX
- FLY SUBTLE
If you know anything at all about Skydive University's founder, Rob Laidlaw, then you're probably aware that his skydiving resume is like, insane: So extensive, in fact, we couldn't fit everything on this infographic. Unfortunately Rob's personal record of 6 Naked Jumps in just 1 Day didn't make the cut––but no worries...there's always room for that in a future post.
Karin Anzures is a seasoned skydiver, athlete, and instructor based out of Skydive Cuautla in Cuautla, Mexico – a large DZ outside of Mexico City with a name that translates roughly to, "where the eagles roam."
With two world records and over 8,000 jumps under her belt, Karin also recently completed the largest double formation in history and the largest all-female sequential formation in skydiving.
Rob and his team are the best. They teach you to skydive in a safe and fun environment ... If you want to learn to skydive or build your skills, look no further, Skydive University is your place." - Bill Vance, SDU student since 2011
Bill Vance is a private pilot from Pennsylvania, and he makes the trip down to DeLand to train with us at Skydive University every couple of months. His most recent adventure has been in wingsuit training with Scotty Burns over at our FlyteSkool extension.
Some delirious people say there is only one real training facility in the South, unfortunately that's not true. People, do your research before investing in subpar training by subpar instructors, anyone can buy a rating but the ultimate goal is to earn it." - Austin Davis,
Completed Skydive University's AFF Instructor Rating Course July 2014
Skydiver Austin Davis received his AFF Instructor Rating here at Skydive University, and although DeLand had a little rainy weather to offer now and then–it didn't hold back the process in the least. In just a few days he completed the AFFI course, working one-on-one with Rob Laidlaw both in the air and on the ground.
AFF Skydiving Video: Tunnel AFF student Derek Ford's 4th solo jump, complete with backflips.
We spoke with Derek Ford and Matthew Barclay the day they had their first solo skydive (Derek's done a tandem before, but it was Matthew's first time ever jumping out of a plane). Derek and Matthew have known each other for two years; they deployed together. While in Afghanistan they were looking for something to do when they got back to the states – and getting their skydive license was the way to go.