HALO Jump, aged 63!

Pancho Campo aims to become the first Spanish civilian over 60 years old to jump from 25,000 feet, on August 15. The businessman from Marbella wants  to raise awareness about bullying. On the eve of the attempt, Pancho took the time to talk to us about this special jump…

Pancho, how many jumps do you have and how long have you been skydiving? 

I have been skydiving for a little over 2 years now. I have completed 250 jumps and hold a C license from the USPA. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to skydive in various locations such as Seville, Bovec, Madrid, Castellon, Algarve, Barcelona, and in the US, including the Chicago Skydiving Center and CSC, Miami and Sebastian. Recently, I even experienced skydiving from a balloon, which was truly amazing.

I believe that a HALO jump is high up on the bucket list of any skydiver. Due to its reputation as a risky and dangerous jump, it aligns well with the daring spirit behind it. Given my propensity for backing up my words with actions, what better way to confront fear than by experiencing a HALO jump myself? As you will see in the following point, our aim is to inspire both the younger generations and individuals of my age by demonstrating that life can remain thrilling even after the age of 60. 

From a more personal and perhaps selfish perspective, discovering that I could potentially become the first civilian Spaniard above the age of 60 to make a jump from such a high altitude provided me with additional motivation.

Tandem skydiving is proving to be a very effective method of helping individuals cope with anxiety and fears. In France, for instance, war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are benefiting from skydiving therapy. It is crucial to raise awareness about the significance of educating the younger generation on confronting their fears, managing stress and anxiety, and combating bullying. This skydiving experience will form the centerpiece of a documentary focusing on overcoming fear, with all proceeds being donated to the Planet Future Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting children’s mental health.

I have always been an adventurer since retiring from professional tennis. I am a scuba diving instructor and a technical diver. I have undertaken immersions under the ice in Greenland, explored caves in Mexico, delved into wrecks in Florida, and even interacted with sharks in the Bahamas. Engaging in such diverse experiences has taught me that the path to personal growth and human evolution often lies outside our comfort zone.

The challenges that come to my mind are related to my age. While my physical fitness is one of my advantages, once you reach 60 years, the risk of getting injured increases, and recovering from an injury becomes more challenging. My main concern lies in reducing my speed during freefall to ensure a safe parachute opening. I have vivid memories of a very hard opening that led to a broken rib.

When my team and I were researching the type of event we should participate in to raise awareness about mental health in youth, I came across HALO 2. After speaking with Paul-Henry de Baère, it became evident to me that a HALO jump was the ideal choice, especially because it is the ideal adventure for our documentary. He informed me that they are hosting a HALO Boogie at Dropzone Denmark from the 14th to the 18th of August.

As you know, HALO stands for High Altitude Low Opening. We will jump from 25,000 feet, which is almost 8 kilometers, freefall for a bit more than two minutes, and I plan to open my parachute at around 4,500 feet. However, we will need to undergo a full day of training on August 14th, during which I am certain we will be given specific instructions regarding the parachute opening and other important aspects of the jump. Opening at high altitudes has numerous hazards due to the higher terminal velocities.

At Skydive Spain, which is my home dropzone, we have been jumping from 15,000 feet until recently. This is the highest altitude from which I have ever jumped.

For the past four weeks, my son, who is a personal trainer, has been assisting me in improving my endurance, flexibility, and mobility. Despite my regular training, we have elevated the intensity of my workouts. I strongly believe that the key to confronting fears and warding off anxiety lies in thorough physical, mental, and technical preparation. The intensified training regimen coupled with a consistently balanced diet that I have maintained throughout my life has resulted in some weight loss, which has been beneficial.

From this perspective, I have certain advantages. Having a background in medicine, I have some experience and knowledge in the symptoms of hypoxia and its potential consequences. Mild hypoxia symptoms encompass reduced concentration, diminished situational awareness, and other factors that can precipitate human error. Hypoxia may lead to impaired judgment, unconsciousness, and even fatality. The severity of symptoms worsens with increased altitude and prolonged exposure.

As a scuba diving instructor, particularly in technical diving, I am accustomed to handling tanks containing 100% oxygen and breathing from them. Pre-flight use of pure oxygen and during the jump aids in preventing the bends or decompression sickness, a familiar concern in scuba diving. At lower atmospheric pressures, any nitrogen in your blood can form bubbles, triggering symptoms.

We will conduct live streaming on Instagram through my account (@panchocamposmile) in the days leading up to the jump to showcase the audience the preparation and training. On the day of the jump, we will go live as I suit up and get equipped with the necessary oxygen gear before boarding the plane. Regrettably, due to technological limitations, we won’t be able to broadcast from inside the plane or during the freefall. However, for documentary purposes, we will use four to five Go Pros to record the entire process. Once I deploy my parachute, we will reconnect on Instagram to live broadcast the landing and to capture my post-jump comments and opinions.

During the preparation phases, I have received support from my team, our PR agency, which is actively working to promote the jump, and obtain maximum media exposure, as well as the staff at The American College in Spain. I will be traveling to Denmark with a small camera crew, and throughout this journey, my son Christian will accompany me. He will assist me with my physical preparation, particularly focusing on stretching routines to prevent any injuries. Above all, his presence will be crucial in offering the emotional support necessary during challenging moments.

All skydivers planning to jump from altitudes exceeding 25,000 feet MSL should undergo a 30-minute pre-breathe session of 100% oxygen, monitored by a HALO Operator. This precaution is essential before take-off. Two minutes from the exit, the spotter signals and gives the command to activate the bailout bottles. He then proceeds to activate his own bottle and, upon feeling its pressure, disconnects from the aircraft oxygen system. 

After handing off the bailout bottle, the spotter resumes his role in assisting the jump. The HALO Operator signals with a “thumbs-up” once all other jumpers have operational bailout bottles and have disconnected from the aircraft’s oxygen system. The spotter then signals or leads the exit. 

I lack first-hand experience in this type of jumps; hence, I am unable to provide insights based on personal knowledge. However, referencing the USPA SIM and discussions with individuals who have done HALO jumps, it appears that there will be certain restrictions on communication, diminished visibility due to ski goggles and an oxygen mask, and limited mobility due to the protective gear necessary to prevent hypothermia, including carrying a bailout oxygen tank. I envision this experience to be as demanding as engaging in ice diving with a dry suit, multiple layers underneath, dual tanks on either side, along with a decompression tank, and additional equipment.

If the skydiver’s primary bailout bottle malfunctions, there is a two-minute window to switch to the backup bottle. If there is no backup bottle available, the skydiver will need to stay connected to the aircraft’s oxygen system. Once all other jumpers have exited, the skydiver should descend to 20,000 feet MSL or below before making a jump or landing back with the aircraft.

The same protocol applies to all passengers on the plane. The only difference is that the pilot and whoever will stay on board do not need to disconnect from the main oxygen system. Only those who will jump will move from the aircraft’s oxygen system to the skydivers’ primary bailout bottle.

Temperatures at that altitude can range between -30 to -40 degrees Celsius. In such conditions, it is essential to wear two layers beneath a skydiving suit that provides adequate insulation against the wind. Moreover, it is crucial to ensure that no skin is left exposed, as there is a significant risk of severe frostbite. It is highly advisable to wear appropriate gloves to protect the fingers from extreme cold.

According to a recent study from the World Health Organization, 35% of employees claim to suffer from severe stress. This has tremendous consequences not only on the quality of life of these individuals but also results in reduced performance, labor absenteeism, reduced profitability for companies, and especially for self-employed workers.

Fortunately, we have learned to apply strategies and techniques to ourselves and our colleagues through the SMILE Training Program (S: Stress; M: Motivation; I: Inspiration; L: Leadership; E: Energy). Essentially, when managing our world-class events, it is essential to have fun and enjoy ourselves as event management is considered the fifth most stressful profession in the world.

The SMILE System is based on three pillars: my personal experience as a professional tennis coach and adventurer; a life enriched with numerous traumatic experiences; and my work with various celebrities. Over the last 30 years, my company has been involved in event management, allowing me to engage in conversations with multiple celebrities and world leaders. I have been fortunate enough to have detailed discussions with individuals such as Sting, Andre Agassi, Stefan Edberg, Enrique Iglesias, Vice President Al Gore, Secretary General Kofi Annan, and President Obama, among many others. During these conversations, I inquired about how they managed their nerves, anxiety, and faced their fears.

There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, my wife is the founder of The American College in Spain, where we observe that many young high school and college students struggle with confronting their fears, managing their nerves, and some have experienced bullying in their previous schools. Secondly, bullying is a challenge that we have encountered not only in educational settings but also much closer to home. 

Your readers can tune into our live broadcasts, via my Instagram. We will be live from Dropzone Denmark on August 14th and 15th. In case weather conditions prevent jumps on the 15th, we will attempt on the subsequent days. We will also announce the release of our documentary and will be accepting donations and selling merchandise to aid in fundraising efforts.

Follow Pancho on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panchocamposmile/