| Extreme Skydiving? | | | | range of things to try during the minute or so of freefall |
| For the uninitiated, it may seem that skydiving does not | | | | before the parachute is opened. Most of these go far |
| need an adjective such as "extreme." Many people | | | | beyond the relative calm of video. |
| would ask, "Isn't skydiving always extreme?" | | | | Team skydivers spend quite a bit of time designing |
| The answer from those experienced in parachuting, | | | | patterns and movements that they can try during the |
| skydiving and extreme skydiving would be, "No." There | | | | freefall. Couples have planned their wedding to take |
| is an important difference between skydiving and | | | | place during this exciting minute. Another man actually |
| extreme skydiving, (Some have suggested that in | | | | had someone tattoo him while he was in freefall. |
| extreme skydiving, the individual would not use a | | | | These are just a few of the activities that have |
| parachute. That would be extreme!) Rest assured, | | | | combined with skydiving to make the sport more |
| both continue to use parachutes. | | | | extreme. |
| What Is Extreme Then? | | | | Fleafall |
| To put it quite simply, "regular" skydiving involves | | | | In spite of the awful play on words, this activity has |
| leaving the airplane, pulling the cord and descending | | | | become quite popular with skydiving dog lovers. |
| slowly to earth. A short freefall may be involved in this | | | | According to the record books, a dachshund going by |
| version of the sport. The process of becoming an | | | | the name of Brutus holds the record for making the |
| extreme skydiver passes through the "regular" | | | | highest skydiving jump for a dog. He was securely |
| skydiving phase. Some experienced skydivers have | | | | strapped to his owner, who coined the term "fleafall." |
| found that, after dozens of jumps, the activity can | | | | According to his owner and other witnesses, Brutus |
| become a bit routine. While the general public might find | | | | shows no sign of anxiety during the session. The |
| it unusual that someone could jump from an airplane | | | | canine has more than 100 jumps to his credit. |
| several thousand feet in the air and call it routine, it | | | | While extreme skydiving is not on the Olympic card |
| does happen. | | | | yet (even as exhibition) it is popular worldwide. |
| For many skydivers, a next step might be to video the | | | | Apparently the powers that be have not seen enough |
| jumps, sometimes using two or more cameras to | | | | to convince them that extreme skydiving is a |
| create videos that will be exciting and entertaining. | | | | world-class sport. But perhaps the time is coming. |
| Experienced skydivers have come up with a whole | | | | |