23 FEB 2014

		The jumping this weekend started early on Friday when Sidney Hoelscher made two jumps, including her awesome release dive on Level 3! Also on Friday, after waiting a week or so due to weather, Jasper Byrom finally got to go up and do his Level 1 jump! Saturday, Daniel Ruiz took the First jump course from Shelby, making his very first skydive with Scott on a Cat A Tandem in winds a bit too high for regular AFF. Welcome to the windy skies, Daniel! On Sunday, it was Tom Dean who took the FJC from Scott, and got his Training Tandem done. Welcome Tom! Also on Sunday, Joel Gibson make a couple of coach jumps working on his dive and docks!
SAFETY DAY IN 2 WEEKS		Don't miss Safety Day, Saturday, March 8th starting at 9 am at the DZ! We want to take some time after a winter break to emphasize safe skydiving habits, review accident trends, and have tons of fun doing safety day activities. And after jumping, we'll have dinner at the DZ and a raffle! This week's issue of Temple Times links to a very good article on downsizing to a smaller parachute: here are seven skills to master first!
		HAVE YOU MET YANN? From the north west coast of France, Brittany to be exact, flies in our new pilot Yann Gautier. Yann came to the US as an exchange student when he was just 16 years old, and after earning an MBA and working in the Banking industry for many years, Yann finally found his true calling in aviation. Yann has been flying full-time for the last four years and during the week when he is not having fun flying jumpers, he is a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) at a local college and teaching private lessons. So, if you want to sit in the cockpit someday and drive, now you know who to see.
SDT GETS READY TO UNVEIL NEW LOOK		Say your good-byes to our old, busy Texas-map-flag-waving-parachuting-sneaker-clad-sun-glasses-wearing-armadillo logo; Skydive Temple is getting a make over! Our new modern logo is clean, cool, simple, and easy-to-read, and soon, you'll see the new branding all around the DZ and on the web. Changing logos is a lot of work, and the staff is putting in hard hours getting everything in place, so let them know how you like it next time you see them.
		DID YOU KNOW... The United States Parachute Association coordinates with skydiving organizations around the world, including the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale’s International Parachuting Commission Last month, the group met in Vienna, Austria, and voted to, among other things, hold the very first World Cup of Indoor Skydiving at our local iFly Austin, this November 11-16. Events will include 4-way formation skydiving and 4-way vertical formation skydiving, open and female classes. You can read more about the IPC meeting highlights at USPA's website
SAFETY TIP OF THE WEEK		One of the least understood -- and often misunderstood -- components of your gear is the Reserve Static Line (RSL), sometimes referred to as the "Reserve Static Lanyard." In the past, some skydivers were leery of the RSL, believing it might cause more problems than it was worth. Check out this great article separating fact from fiction on the RSL and get to know this life-saving device. The next life it saves could be yours.
Contact Skydive Temple at 254-947-3483 or email jump@skydivetemple.com

18 FEB 2014

		On Saturday, Sidney Hoelscher was able to do her level 1 AFF early on the first load of the day before the winds kicked up and grounded all the other students. Lucky! Then on Sunday, Johnny Nichols waited out the low clouds all day in the First Jump course, then made his very first skydive, doing a training tandem with Scott on a beautiful, near sunset load!
SAFETY DAY MARCH 8TH		Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 8th starting at 9 am at the DZ for Safety Day! Every year, USPA group member drop zones like Skydive Temple meet to emphasize safe skydiving habits, review accident trends, and participate in safety day activities. It's a date you won't want to miss. And this year, after jumping, we'll have dinner at the DZ and a raffle! Every issue of Temple Times between now and Safety Day will link to some material to get you prepped: here is a great article on how to create separation between canopies for landing!
		HAVE YOU MET BOB? If you've been lucky enough to be hungry at the DZ and ordered food from the snack bar, then you've met Bob McLaughlin. Bob was a chief in an Austin 4-star restaurant for many years, and he brings his expert culinary skills to Skydive Temple. In honor of his son who was killed in an auto accident, Bob named the snack bar Jake's Place where, in addition to hamburgers and hotdogs, you can order more eclectic dishes like quiche, orange jalapeño chicken salad or tasty breakfast burritos. Bob is also a skydiver, making his first static line jump in 1975 and now has logged around 1200 skydives.
LADY JUMPERS UNITE		Skydive Temple is graced with an above average share of female skydivers. Many are part of USPA's Sisters in Skydiving program, (see below) encouraging other women in the sport Currently, they are planning a ladies-only "tutu jump" to celebrate Tori Martinez's 100th skydive sometime this spring. Contact Tori's "Big Sister" Mary Burkey for more information or if you would like to join in.
		DID YOU KNOW... The United States Parachute Association has a program to encourage more women to join and thrive in the sport? "Sisters in Skydiving" aims to partner new lady jumpers with more experienced "Big Sisters" to mentor and encourage them in what is a very male-dominated sport. If you are a female jumper and would like to learn more about Sisters in Skydiving, either as a newbie or as an experienced jumper, you can register on line at USPA's website
SAFETY TIP OF THE WEEK		Bryan Burke, the Safety and Training Advisor at Skydive Arizona writes on Skydivemag.com that when jumping in groups, parachutes should minimize turns. Spiral turns can be a lot of fun, but they speed you up and put you into your blind spot very quickly, a spot where another jumper could be unseen. Check out the brief article and think of ways you could keep yourself and your friends safer on the way down
Contact Skydive Temple at 254-947-3483 or email jump@skydivetemple.com