Dubai Winter Festival
The Dubai Winter Festival was just brilliant with an organization and a daily program that I had never seen anywhere else. Many Load Organizers, lots of participants from around the world, daily video editing, many historical figures of international skydiving, every day big party, games and competitions with great prizes … and the last day of the boogie jumps were free for everyone! Everything was perfectly managed by a great organization that makes Skydive Dubai currently the best skydiving center in the world.
Atmonauti World Record
We are fully satisfied and proud of the creation of an Atmonauti World Record – unofficial as Atmonauti is not yet an FAI discipline – of 19 elements (persons) in no-contact formation (pictured, far right). We also made two 11-way linked formations but these did not beat the current record of 13 made in 2008. It must be said, however, that most of the energy was dedicated to the creation of the no-contact record, due to the great fun and the fantastic view of the formation of an X, and considering that the linked formation record would have required a greater number of jumps.
Skydive Dubai – The Palm and the Desert
30 international flyers with different levels of experience, began by making 15 jumps from 13,000 ft over the Palm. These first three days (29,30 and 31 December) were dedicated to the training and selection of the flyers in better shape. Then two full days (2 and 3 January 2013) were spent jumping at Skydive Dubai Desert Campus from two Twin Otters in formation at 19,000 ft (with oxygen).
No Contact 24-ways
In addition to the record no-contact X formation with 19 persons, we made numerous other X formations up to 24 elements but with some imperfections on the position or in the distance between the flyers, so we decided to not consider them records . One of the major difficulties in flying the formation no-contact, was the precise, symmetric positioning in the slots. Overall everyone made very good performances and the record, even if only 19 elements, is a result of the entire team that worked in harmony, with great fun and without any psychological pressure due to the big formations and the importance of the target.
Linked 11-ways
After several attempts to increase the no-contact record, we spent some flights dedicated to the creation of a linked record. Two times we made a very good formation at 11 elements but not enough to beat the current record of 13. Then, realizing that the record would have needed more training jumps, we decided to make flights for fun and beauty with different angles and speeds, changes of direction, two parallel X formations, two crossing lines and a sequential no-contact, making three different points with 18 persons.
Magnificent Cameraflying
All flights were filmed and photographed by two great cameraflyers; Noah Bahnson of Skydive Dubai and Luciano Bacqué from Argentina. They made this experience unforgettable, and to them go a big thanks! I want to underline the performance of Noah Bahnson who flew around the formations creating fantastic images and viewing angles that have never been seen before. Luciano Bacqué has created beautiful images with the formations in the center of the Palm.
Perfect Organization
Soon the edited video will be available, containing the most amazing flights and the most significant moments. Thanks to Mike Swanson and Pablo Hernandez from the Skydive Dubai staff, flying in the record jumps. Thanks also to Olav Zipser, Mike Wittenburg, Greg Shelton and Filippo Fabbi who took part in some flights making high quality outside videos and pictures. To emphasise the perfect organization of Skydive Dubai The Palm, Skydive Dubai Desert Campus and all their staff, here is a big thanks from all the AWR crew.
Respect
In conclusion, a proper, immense and respectful thank you to the Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and Al Nasser Neyadi who made all this possible, with the hope to repeat this magnificent experience.
Epilogue – 2014 Winter Festival
Since writing this article, a new Winter Festival is confirmed in Dubai, from 27 December 2013 – 4 January 2014, and the aim of creating a new Atmonauti World Record.
