Europe’s Mission Impossible, fondly called ‘MI’, is a reoccurring and rapidly evolving European showpiece event which brings together an exceptional group of international skydivers and world renowned organizers. MI is an inspiration of the highly acclaimed US P3 Power Play, based out of Perris Valley Skydiving. Organized, designed and developed by French World Champion, Martial Ferré of Veloce, Episode 3 was the third MI mission of 2013, now running in its second season. Martial Ferré commented “MI events are totally inspired by Perris Power Play for sure. That’s our model and we would like to be considered as the European Power Play.”
The Agents
Its weather-dampened start on October 17 and finish on 20 October, did not lessen the enthusiasm of its participants. A total of 66 skydivers collected at Fallschirmsportzentrum Saar (home to Paratec and team Paratec-Saar) in Saarland, Germany for 4 days of skydiving making a total of 600 skydives. The near 4-country border drop zone (DZ) was a fitting place for skydivers to gather representing a dozen countries, including France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Estonia, Russia, Romania, US, UK and more. The talent pool produced some fantastic results, no injuries, no major funnels and lots of laughs and smiles.
The Plan
In order to efficiently execute MI’s technically challenges, the group split into four. These 12-18 member sub-teams maximized lift power (2 Caravans) and minimized weather restrictions. Due to the complexity of the dives, number of points was not the goal although there were some enthusiastic 5-point skydives. Had weather not prevailed, each day’s sunset loads would have combined teams into larger intricate formations.
Special Agents
The 4 teams could not have asked for more outstanding organizers than those of Martial Ferré (French), Lesley Gale (Scottish) and Doug Forth (Canadian), P3 team captains and world-class coaches. Martial is a multiple 4 and 8-way world champion and co-owner of Veloce; Lesley, is best known for her amazing accomplishments with the Brit Chicks and SkydiveMag and Doug is a multiple Canadian & US Champion and well-known Power Play organiser at PerrisValleySkydiving. ‘Spieli’ (German National Champion Thomas Spielvogel) provided additional expertise behind the scenes. Spieli was one of the original Special Agents who put the Missions together with Martial. Battle injuries kept him out of the firing line but he was still an officer in command. The combined world record missions of the four coaches are astonishing in number.
Making Impossible Reality
What makes an MI ‘Impossible’ is the complexity, with many outfacing positions, fragile or no-grip formations, followed by rotations, expansions, and twinkles like holograms. To expedite the first mission (point) quickly, and keep morale high, 2-plane formation loads were used. Video and photographic evidence were provided by local agents Traggi Jung and Eric Lorenz, with visiting Agent Alexandre Fajol.
Mission Control
FSZ Saar did a stellar job on making a home for the MI’s internationally eclectic team. With host Markus Bastuck (German National Champion) and his father Helmut Bastuck (Managing Director of the German Parachute Associations, DFV), the team could not have been in better hands. Kudos to the DZ’s ability to read the weather and provide fantastic staff, planes and pilots. To top off their superb hosting, they catered a tasty final dinner complete, of course, with a keg of free beer … kostenlos deutsch bier!
