Captains Call December 2018

Hello fellow Bigway Skydivers !

Just wanted to close out the year with a few further pieces of information and to answer a couple of questions that come up during our AWESOME Big Way Camp with Dan BC at Moruya last week.

• Firstly we ALL need to bring a weight belt as part of our bigway tool kit with us to Perris for next years event, BUT no need to bring any weight, this from Jen Domenico ………………………………………

Hi Greg!

Yes, Square One will be sure to have plenty of lead in stock (the weights are actually manufactured about 20 minutes from the DZ).  We have 1lb and 2.75lb units. There is a minimal rental fee, no reservations required, and participants can keep the lead for the duration of the event.

 Jen

• Next from Marcus Bourget who is managing the IHOP [International House of Parachutists] located on the Drop Zone at Perris which has a maximum of 24 beds and is reserved exclusively for our Event from 22nd May to the morning 04th June 2019. This from Marcus ……………………………………….

Hello mate,

Thanks for an amazing weekend.  Really enjoyed diving with yourself and the rest of the coaches and learned heaps… Can’t wait for Perris next year!

A couple of people asked about the IHOP as potential accommodation and I was wondering if you could put something in the next Bigway Letter you send out – if we fill up all the beds it works out about USD20ish  a night which is pretty economical.

I know some ‘Friends of Aussies’ have asked about the IHOP but I told Brenda to keep it reserved for the Aussies for the time being.

 Catch you next time!

Marcus

You still need to FIRST book a bed at the IHOP through Brenda at Manifest Perris – brenda@p3skydiving.com but then she will pass you onto Marcus who will manage all of the Aussie bookings.

• Next some great news from Kelly Brennan on our Level 3 Funding Application to the APF Office which comes in the form of two announcements………………………………………………..

Greg,

 I have two things for you to announce!

 Team funding from APF…

 We have successfully secured APF funding for the Aussie Bigways team in Perris Valley. This funding won’t be returned to individuals this time around, but will be used to support our media, judging and team-management support expenses. These items will indirectly help the team, while most of you will still be getting some individual rebates from your state councils. Please help us with the media request below to help promote the APF.

 Another benefit from APF…

 We have also secured another great sign of recognition from the APF for those of you who are instructors, or who plan to become instructors when you return from the event. a)One year extension of existing Instructor ratings for Aussie Bigway participants in Perris. (Normal conditions apply ie can’t be used with other extensions) b) Waiver of application fee for Aussie Bigway participants who apply for a new Instructor rating by end December 2019.

KGB

Now Kelly requires all of our help to help satisfy the APF Board approved Media funding:

Media – your help required…

 Jan/Feb is usually a quiet time of year for local media and it’s a great time for us to steal some headlines for Aussie Bigways.

Find out your local newspaper’s email or give them a phone call. Here is how to put a ‘pitch’ to your local paper. 

Your help on this will support our team, our sport and the APF! Be a superstar!!!!

When you get your coverage in the local paper, send me a scan of the story. I’ll shout a beer for the best ones.

 DO NOT INCLUDE THIS PAGE OF INSTRUCTIONS!!! YOU’LL MAKE US ALL LOOK LIKE MORONS.

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Subject line – Local Skydiver in massive record attempt this year

Attachments:

• 2015 record photo, at least 1-2MB in size.
• Pic of yourself, preferably in your skydiving gear, MUST show your face.

Hi, I’m a local skydiver, preparing for a big record-breaking trip to the United States this year. Can I interest you in a story? 

Here are the details…

• My name:
• Age:
• Profession:
• Suburb:
• Phone: (NFP)

I’m one of 150 or so Aussie Skydivers heading to California in May to break our Australian national record for the largest freefall formation.

The current Australian record is 119 (set in California in 2015) and we’re hoping to achieve more than 125. Maybe even as many as 150!

The jump will be from about 7 planes, specially fitted with oxygen and flying in tight formation. We’ll all exit the planes at about 21,000 feet (7 kilometres) to link up in a specially designed formation. Every arm and leg grip is crucial to the success. We have to hold the formation long enough for the freefall camera flyers to secure a clear photograph, which will be judged by a qualified team of Australian and internationally qualified judges.

We’re going to the USA to do it because they have enough planes, oxygen equipment and experienced pilots to get us up there. Then it’s all up to us on the way down.

We’ve spent three years training in Australia for this and there’ll be an intensive training and tryout camp in Perris Valley, California, at the end of May.

It’s a big deal for Australian skydiving and a big dream for me. I began skydiving XX years ago and …..(1-2 lines about you) .

Let me know if you’d like to cover this story.

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Keep your email or phone pitch short and sweet. Use simple language. And make sure you supply the photo’s they’ll need. Thanks for all your help!

REPEAT – DO NOT SHOW THEM THIS PAGE OF INSTRUCTIONS. SOMEBODY FORWARDED THIS WHOLE EMAIL TO THE LOCAL PAPER LAST TIME. WE WANT TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC AND HELPFUL, NOT DESPERATE AND ILLITERATE!

OK Gang to can you please help Miss Kelly out and make her job easier to justify the awesome AFP support.  Don’t forget to let Kelly know how you went and I am sure if you need help / advice she could assist:  kerplunk1967@hotmail.com

 

• Lastly right now we have well over 80 Aussies or Permanent Australian Residents registered for our Event in May next year + at least 30 “Friends of Aussies” vying for however many other positions the P3 Team may need to fill.

Looking at the list of registered Aussies Tracey and I can immediately name another 20 to 25 without even trying !!

WE NEED YOU GUYS TO REGISTER NOW PLEASE !

There are others who are “fence sitting” just waiting for the “numbers to be high enough before they commit ………………………..

PLEASE DON’T BE A FENCE SITTER!

REGISTER NOW AND COMMIT TO 2019

Answers to any questions you may have about Perris in terms of travel arrangements, accommodation, dates, the DZ, the event planned and what to expect, visit our PERRIS 2019 page on our website: www.aussiebigways.com/perris-2019/

Let’s make this just the most awesome event ever !!

Wishing everyone a great and very safe Christmas and New Year, look at our Aussie Big Ways Calendar for what’s on early next year and see you all again in the sky somewhere in 2019

Blue Ones,

Greg