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Those Born Without Wings Should Jump Instead

One of the coolest things about being a reporter is trying new things every day, and on occasion trying something very few people get the opportunity to do.  This week was the annual Tyndall Air Show.  I was glad to find out we had an air show this weekend because I’d never been to one before.  I figured I’d be on the ground with my camera shooting up at the planes and parachuters, ooo-ing and aaaa-ing with the rest of the crowd… a good way to spend my Saturday reporting.  What I didn’t expect was to be up above shooting down below, catching the air show from an angle hardly anyone gets to see.  But that’s what I did.

Saturday I went up with the U.S Army Golden Knight Parachute Team! Sitting on a plane next to an open door, strapped to my camera, I got a unique angle on the opening ceremony and a better understanding of how it all works.  The team of 6 were all fun to watch and get to know.  They have several traditional rituals they go through before jumping, including a cheer on the ground to get themselves pumped up.  Each team member has worked with the others for about 4 years, and every individual has a special hand-shake with every team-mate.  They told me the handshake was one of the hardest things they had to learn during training.  Before jumping, they do their personalized handshake for every team member, miming it in the air if they’re too far apart.  Some of them also gave me “knucks” before leaving the plane.  Just by spending a day with them, you can tell how much they love their job for whatever reason, which, when I asked one member why he wanted to jump from planes, he replied, “they just keep leaving the door open.”

As much fun as it looked, however, I don’t think I’ll be jumping out of planes any time soon.  Just watching their bodies get smaller and smaller so quickly, I had a tiny heart attack each time a member left the plane.  I prefer being strapped to my camera, and the best seat in the house.

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