Catching Up With Erendira Sanchez Gonzalez

With over 17,000 jumps to her name, Erendira is a force in the skydiving world. Raised in the sport, she’s shaped her life around it. From flying the plane to flying camera, teaching students in AFF and tandem, and designing her own jumpsuits and apparel, Erendira brings creativity, knowledge, and deep-rooted experience to every corner of the dropzone.

Where are you from, how many jumps do you have and what are your ratings? 

I’m from Mexico and have completed 17,473 jumps. In the sport, I am a coach, AFF Instructor, STP Instructor, Tandem Examiner, and the lead videographer at Skydive Spaceland Houston. I’m also a fashion designer and a private pilot.

When did you make your first jump and what was the process like starting to jump at that age?

My first jump was on June 3, 1994 which is my birthday. It was a gift from my dad, as I had wanted to jump for a long time. I did several tandem jumps before I felt ready to go solo. At 16, I started my skydiving course, which took me two years to complete. Since then, I haven’t stopped jumping. This has been my only real job.

Your father is also a skydiver. How long has skydiving been in your family and what was it like growing up in the community?

He started skydiving on July 9, 1989, at the age of 35, so this year marks his 36th anniversary in the sport. He has completed 24,782 skydives.

Growing up in skydiving wasn’t easy. I was always the one pushing to learn. My father didn’t want me to become a skydiver, but he still supported me. His first requirement before teaching me to jump was that I learn how to pack a parachute. So, I worked as a packer for eight years, using that income to pay for my jumps.

What is Itandehui Sky Flower and how did that come to be?

Itandehui is my brand of skydiving suits and clothing. I’ve always loved making clothes and learned to use a sewing machine when I was eight. My job as an instructor helped me pay for my fashion design degree. I specialized in skydiving suits, RW suits, camera jackets, summer jackets, freefly suits, jerseys, tunnel suits, pants, swoop shorts and parachute recycled jackets, All are custom sizes, but I started out by repairing them.

How would you describe your coaching style? What parts of coaching do you find the most pleasure in and why?

My coaching style is tailored to each student’s needs: personalized, relaxed, and disciplined when necessary. I cherish the moment they join me for tandem jumps, guiding them through the process until they’re ready to fly solo. It’s a uniquely rewarding experience.

How do you continue to find meaning and joy in skydiving and coaching after so many skydives? What are you working on in your own flying?

I’m training head-down, something I had put aside in the past. Now, step by step, I’m progressing in the tunnel and in the sky. It’s difficult, but I love challenges, and this is my skydiving goal. I always recommend exploring different disciplines and continuing to learn. Sticking to just one can become tiresome and take away the enjoyment. There’s always something new to discover, as the sport is constantly evolving.

Tell us about your love of aviation. When did you start flying and what drew you to flying airplanes?

It’s a lifelong passion.  It’s always been there. The first time I got on a plane, I was 7 or 8 years old. My father was a skydiving pilot for several years when I was a child and teenager. I wanted to study aviation in Mexico as a teenager, but I didn’t have the money to pursue it. Now, flying is my priority.

I started flying airplanes on June 2, 2020, to celebrate my birthday. I would love to fly professionally, and I’m continuing my training and building flight hours.

What are your future goals in the sport? 

I’d like to participate in bigway head down formations, learn freestyle, and improve my angle flying.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in the sport, and what kind of growth came from it?

One of my biggest challenges has been overcoming judgment based on my appearance and being a woman in the sport. When I first started pursuing tandems, someone told me I would never become a Tandem Instructor because of my size and lack of strength. For a while, I believed them until my dad challenged me, asking how I would know I couldn’t do it if I didn’t try.

So, we did a tandem jump together, and I loved it. I pushed forward and became the first and only female Tandem Instructor in Mexico for 14 years. Now, with over 10,000 tandem jumps, I’ve also become the first female Tandem Examiner in Mexico. This journey taught me that limitations are often just perceptions and that persistence and passion can break barriers.

What is one piece of safety advice you want people to really understand?

Proper equipment maintenance and thorough gear checks can prevent many malfunctions.

Any final words for our readers?

Learning to jump takes time, and everyone progresses at their own pace. Some learn faster than others, but the key is to practice consistently. Focus on what challenges you, repeat it often, and most importantly, enjoy the process.

Follow Erendira on Instagram, Facebook or say hello in person at Skydive Spaceland Houston.
Erendira’s sponsors include Cookie & LB.