Jumpers

Skydiving instructor trains to look past fear

STORY BY STEFANIE DONAHUE
photo courtesy of Skydive Snohomish

One step leads to a plummet through the air — only the quick tug of a cord separates a slam from a gentle fall.

Thrill seekers of all ages looking for a dose of adrenaline flock to skydiving locations throughout the United States each year. But, for those instructing newbie skydivers five days a week, the view from above is a little different.

Jordan McElderry, director of student operations at Skydive Snohomish, Inc. has dived 5,392 times and took his first plunge in 2004.

At this point, “It’s really just kind of a drop in the bucket,” he says.

McElderry works five days a week and manages about 20 instructors. Previous to his management position, he worked as an instructor for six years.

While McElderry is used to taking the plunge, he says it is important for people to prepare and learn how to skydive incrementally.

“You have to break it down,” he says. “[It’s] easier to swallow.”

Those jumping for the first time learn about in-plane preparation, spotting expectations, specific skills during free fall and layout — piece-by-piece, he says.

For 23-year-old Blayde Lawson, skydiving is about the fun.

In a matter of months, Lawson has completed 28 jumps since he took his first jump last year at Skydive Snohomish.

Now, Lawson is training to get his license so he can jump on his own. The license is issued by the United States Parachute Association and allows him to jump from any drop zone in America, he says. He invested $2,500 in the class, and is studying at Skydive Snohomish. The class moves at his own pace, from two months to two years.

With each jump, Lawson says he avoids the fear and hesitation of hurling through the air by thinking logically. In the classes required to earn his license, participants learn numerous computations in order to safely land.

Out of an estimated 3.2 million jumps in 2013, there were a reported 24 fatalities in the United States — that is .0075 fatalities per 1,000 jumps, According to the United States Parachute Association.

While the training can take some time, he finds comfort in the statistics and safety measures he’s learned, he says.

McElderry helps students understand how to unlock their thought processes during these intense situations, he says.

For McElderry, “That’s the fun of being an instructor,” he says. “There are very few things that can feed you with that type of energy.”