On the weekend of August 31st/September 1st (Labor Day), Skydive Dallas will host a 2013 Texas Head-Down State Record camp to bust the previous 2010 record of 23. This year Skydive Spaceland is proud to host monthly head-down big-way camps in preparation for the event. Each month will be led by a different participant of the last Head-Down World Record 138-way formation in order to allow for the most diverse training and education opportunity possible.
There are three ways onto a freefly record event:
- Having been a participant of the previous record
- Having participated in a larger successful formation
- Receiving an invite based on camp/tryout performance
So if you’d like to start learning about how to become successful at larger group head down formations, if you’d like to sharpen up your bigway skills after a long winter, if you’d practice some different big-way slots you don’t often get to practice, or if you want to show off your stuff and get an invite to the record, put these events on the calendar!
Minimum skill level for group participation:
You should already be able to safely fly on level with a good grasp on proximity control in groups of at least four flyers. Perfect docking skills are not essential as they can be worked on in the camp. You should be proficient at turning 180 degrees and backtracking.
Audible altimeters, hard helmets, and AADs are STRONGLY recommended.
Camp Schedule
| Weekend | Organizer | Representing |
| February 23 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Simon Bones | Houston, TX |
| March 23 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Chad Ross | Skydive San Diego, CA |
| April 13 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Brandon Chouinard | Skydive Dallas, TX |
| May 18 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Chris Dixon | iFly Austin |
| June 8 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Aaron Necessary | iFly Austin |
| July 13 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Ryan Risberg | Colorado |
| August 3 8:30 am ready to dirt dive |
Manuel Guevara | Skydive Sebastian, FL |
Organizers
Simon Bones
- First Skydive: August 30th 2003, Skydive New England, Lebanon Maine
- First BASE jump: March 30th 2006, Spain
- Total skydives: 3,800+
- Freefly: 3,000+
- Camera: 2,000+
- Tandem: 500+
- Wingsuit: 100+
- AFF: 100+
- BASE: 150+ from 40 objects
- Cutaways: 5 sport, 5 tandem, 1 demo, 1 BASE
Accomplishments:
- 2nd Place (Silver) Mountain State vertical formation skydiving 4way competition, Skyventure Colorado 2013
- Jason David Frank Guinness World Record board breaking team, 2013 Skydive Spaceland, TX
- US National upright formation record, 2012 Skydive Crosskeys, NJ
- 138/142 way head down formation official world record, 2012 Skydive Chicago, IL
- Vertical World Record Formation Tryouts (Photo/Video team), 2012, Skydive Arizona AZ
- Texas state upright formation record, 2012, Skydive Spaceland, TX
- Vertical World Record Formation Tryouts (Photo/Video team), 2011, Skydive Sebastian, FL
- Connecticut state head down formation record, 2011 Connecticut Parachutists Inc, CT
- Parachutist Magazine Profile, August 2011
- Women’s Vertical World Record (Photo/Video team) 2010, Skydive Arizona, AZ
- Joe Genius TV show film contributor, Episode 13
- California state head down formation record, 2010 Skydive Perris, CA
- Texas state head down formation record, 2010 Skydive Dallas, TX
- South Carolina state head down formation record, 2010 Skydive Carolina, SC
- 4th Place AZ Freefly Money Meet Open Class, 2010 Skydive Arizona. AZ
- 2nd Place (Silver) Intermediate Class Artistic Freeflying, 2009 USPA Nationals
- 2nd Place (Silver) Advanced Class Vertical Formation Skydiving, 2009 USPA Nationals
- 108 way head down formation official world record, 2009 Skydive Chicago. IL
- Unofficial California state head down sequential formation record, 2008 Lodi Parachute Center, CA
- South Carolina state head down formation record, 2008 Skydive Carolina, SC
Ratings/Licenses:
- USPA D-28573
- BASE #1339
- USPA Tandem Instructor
- UPT Vector/Sigma Tandem Master
- Skydive University Tandem Instructor
- USPA Accelerated Freefall Instructor
- IBA Wind tunnel coach (Level 4)
- IBA Wind tunnel Flyer PRO rated
- FAA Senior Parachute Rigger (back & seat)
- USPA coach
Active Sponsorship by:
- Kurupee Freefly Suits
- Airtec Cypres
- Sunpath Products
Chad Adee Ross (March 23 organizer)
- Age: 28
- Hometown: San Diego, CA
- Nationality: U.S.
- Profession:
- Skydiving Instructor and Coach
- Tunnel Coach
- Military Free Fall Instructor
- Military Staticline Instructor
Skydiving stats:
- First jump October 15, 2004
- Years in Sport 8
- Total jumps 7500+
- AFF: 2000
- MFF: 1200
- VID: 300
- Tandem: 3000
- Freefly: 1000
- Staticline Round: 3
- *( 800+ MFF- Night, Combat Equipment, HAHO/HALO )
- *CA State Head Down Formation Record
- *CO State Belly Formation Record
- *2012 Vertical World Record
- *3rd Nationals 2011- Advanced VFS
- *2nd Nationals 2012-Advanced VFS
- *3rd Ifly Hollywood VFS 2way
- *3rd Ifly Hollywood VFS freestyle
- *3rd SVCO VFS 4way
Skydiving ratings/licenses:
- USPA #2020209
- USPA Coach
- USPA AFF-I
- USPA SL-I
- USPA IAD-I
- USPA TAN-I
- USPA Pro
- Wind Tunnel Coach FS- Freefly
- Military Tunnel Coach
Tunnel: 120+ Hours
IMDB # 81MN42LZ
Chad Ross is also well known for his participation with all the successful antics associated with the Elsinore Honey Badger VFS team
Brandon Chouinard (April 13th)
- First jump: 1996, Oklahoma Skydiving Center
- Home Drop Zone: Skydive Dallas
- Total jumps: 5200+
- Age: 37
Accomplishments:
- 2001 15-way head down world record at Skydive Chicago (unofficial)
- 2004 USPA Nationals – Intermediate Freeflying Gold Medal Champions (Team VIBE)
- 2006 14-way head down Texas state record (organizer)
- 2006 USPA Nationals – Open Freeflying Silver Medal (Team VIBE)
- 2007 19-way head down Texas state record (organizer)
- 2009 108-way head down world record (Skydive Chicago)
- 2009 USPA Nationals – Advanced VFS Silver Medal (Gravity Rats)
- 2009 USPA Nationals – Intermediate Freeflying Silver Medal (SDH In-laws – pick up team)
- 2010 23-way head down Texas state record (organizer)
- 2012 138-way (official) and 142-way (unofficial) Head Down World Record (Skydive Chicago)
Chris Dixon (May 18th)
Experience
- Total jumps: 2000
- Total tunnel time: 3000+ hours
- 2009 SDU, Skyventure Orlando, 1st Place, 2way freefly
- 2009 USPA Nationals, 2nd Place, Open Freefly
- 2010 FIA World Parachuting Championships, 3rd Place, Freefly
- 2011 Skyventure New Hampshire, 3rd Place, 2way Freefly
- 2012 42 way Florida Vertical State Record, Skydive Sebastian
- 2012 FAI 138 way Vertical Formation World Record, Skydive Chicago
Ratings
- USPA Coach
- IBA Tunnel Trainer Level 4
- IBA Tunnel Instructor Level 4
Aaron Necessary (June 8th)
- 3000+ Jumps
- IBA Wind Tunnel Instructor and Coach at iFly Austin
- Member of previous 3 Texas State Vertical Records (14,19,23)
- Member of South Carolina 21 way vertical record
- Florida 42 way vertical record
- Current vertical World record 138 way as well as unofficial 142 way
- I am currently a UPT sponsored athlete
- I enjoy Freeflying, canopy piloting, long walks on the beach, and of course beer.
Ryan Risberg (July 13)
- 3000 + Jumps (freefly, video, AFF, coach, RW)
- 2000 + Hrs Tunnel (flying, coaching and instructing)
- FAI 138 Vertical World Record, unofficial 142
- State Vertical Records: California 58, Texas 23 (organizer), South Carolina 21 (organizer), Nebraska 10 (organizer), Wisconsin 8 (organizer)
- Freefly Organizer: Sebastian Invasion, Carolinafest, Chicks Rock, Redemption, Couch Freaks, Bridge The Gap, SVCO Elsinore Invasion, Twin Cities
Ratings/Licenses:
- USPA D-22873
- USPA Coach
- USPA Accelerated Freefall Instructor
- IBA Wind Tunnel Instructor Level 4
- IBA Wind tunnel Flyer PRO rated
Sponsors:
- United Parachute Technologies
- Performance Designs
- Tonfly USA
- Vigil
- Larsen and Brusgaard
Manuel “Manny” Guevara
- Live in Sebastian, Florida
- First jumped in Skydive America, August 10th 2002
- 2800+ jumps
- Coach and organizer at Skydive Sebastian’s fly4life school
COACHING AND ORGANIZING
- Raeford, North Carolina – Paraclete XP tunnel camp Organizer, September 2012
- Ottawa, IL- world record 138way August, 2012
- Sebastian, Florida – Skydive Sebastian Invasion, December 2011 Organizer
- Sebastian, Florida – Skydive Sebastian March Madness, March 2011 Organizer
- Sebastian, Florida – Skydive Sebastian The Invasion 2010-2011 Organizer
- Sebastian, Florida – Skydive Sebastian Halloween Extravaganza Organizer, October 2010
- Chester, South Carolina- State head down record on june 5th, 2010
- Crosskeys, NJ- State head down record, 2010.
- Raeford, North Carolina – Paraclete XP tunnel camp Organizer, October 2010
- Sebastian, FL – Skydive Sebastian The Invasion 2009-2010