Everest Skydive - Team

The experience our international team of experts has gained since the 2008, 2009 and 2010 events, has put Everest Skydive on the top of list of companies offering extreme adventure. Our team includes expert skydivers and mountaineers - some of the best names in the business. Throughout your adventure, the best skydivers in the world, mountaineering specialists, medical doctors and highly skilled high-altitude mountain pilots will accompany you.

Suman Pandey - Team Leader

To operate a skydiving event in the extreme and difficult mountain environment of Nepal’s Everest Region has been no child’s play. From procuring special permits to arranging logistics and ensuring nothing untoward happens during the event, it needed (and still needs) a lot of hard work, determination, planning and a fair amount of bureaucratic clout to organize and hold an event of this caliber in the Himalaya.

At a time when most Nepalese hardly knew what skydiving was, Mr. Pandey went ahead and introduced this adventure in his mountainous country – a first in Nepal as well as in South Asia. It took a lot of convincing on Mr. Pandey’s part to persuade the Civil Aviation authorities, Ministry of Tourism and other bureaucrats to allow this adventure to take place in the Everest Region.

The event which was christened the World’s Highest Skydiving event, made history and set many records. Mr. Suman Pandey continues to be at the helm of affairs at Everest Skydive, charting out new plans and looking for ways to make the skydiving adventure in Nepal more challenging and exciting. Having been a part of path breaking adventures in the Himalaya like the GKN Mission Everest, Nepal Government’s Highest Cabinet meeting, and many more, Mr. Pandey was honored with the prestigious title of “Tourism Man of the Year 2010 -Nepal” by Gantabya Publications.

Wendy Smith -Chief Coordinator & Camera Flyer

Wendy Smith grew up in New Zealand and has a great passion for the mountains; she has been based in France for many years and is the Chief Coordinator for Everest Skydive. She is also the director of aerial cinematography and production for Everest Skydive. She holds her Chief Safety Officer certificate for parachuting operations, is an AFF Instructor as well as the Ambassador for the Global Angels Charity Organization. The 2011 event will be her fourth Everest Skydive Expedition.
World and Guinness record skydiver Wendy Smith made her first jump in New Zealand in 1985. Her resume to date is:

X 7 World Records
Emmy Award Winner
19,000 Skydives
Professional Camerawoman and Aerial Cinematographer for 22 years
Live Broadcast, Media, Air to Ground Cameraman
International Events and Sports Athlete Recruiter
International Skydiving Competitor since 1989
Model Stunt Skydiver
Accelerated Freefall Instructor
Freefly Kiwi School of Body Flight (founder and coach)
Chief Safety Officer NZPIA for parachuting operations
First Everest Skydiver 2008 (8,843m oxygen-assisted)
Women’s World Record, September 09, 181 way formation skydive
World’s Highest landing at Kalar Pattar – near Mount Everest at 17,192ft in October 09
Himalaya, Nepal NEW HALO record skydive from 30,000ft in October 2010

As the Chief Coordinator & Camera flyer for Everest Skydive, Wendy has taken some fantastic aerial footage during our events. Her technical abilities have allowed her to cover helmet cameras, exceptional reportages and international skydiving events. She has gained several medals in different disciplines, won Emmy Awards for best remote location camerawoman, and has gained a new women's world record gold medal in speed skydiving. She has also produced, filmed and participated in extreme skydiving movies at the cutting edge of sport skydiving and published a photographic book, 'Eyes in the Sky’, to compliment 15 years of sport skydiving. She has been very active in live broadcast air to ground media transmissions all over the world and has actively participated in charity events helping raise millions of dollars for exceptional causes. Wendy is one of the most experienced members of our Everest Skydive Crew.
[www.wendysmithaerial.com]

Tom Noonan - Chief Tandem Instructor

Tom Noonan is a professional skydiving instructor from the USA. He is also involved in both Civilian and Military Tandem Equipment design and test jumping. Tom has made 4,000 skydives and is a USPA Tandem Instructor-Examiner, USPA AFF Instructor, and USPA Instructor Examiner Rating Course (IERC) Director. He also holds a FAA Senior Rigger certification and is a USPA Safety & Training Advisor (S&TA). Tom holds the world record (along with Wendy Smith and Jai Kishan) for the highest parachute landing at 17,192ft. He has been with Everest Skydive since its launch in 2008 and is in charge of the tandem skydiving programme of Everest Skydive as well as the tandem equipment rigging and maintenance.

Andy Montriou –Tandem Master

Andy is a current skydiving world record holder, being part of the team that took the record to 357 skydivers, linked in freefall in February 2004 and then on to 400 in February 2006. He has made over 7,000 skydives and 500 BASE jumps. In 1996, he was amongst the first to skydive onto the North Pole and has also BASE-jumped the Angel Falls. Andy started his professional skydiving career after winning a gold medal at the British National Skydiving Championships in 1995. His first BASE jump followed shortly afterwards. Andy provides specialist training to individuals, organisations and BASE jumpers. He has been responsible for stunt coordination and safety during location filming for a variety of TV BASE jumping and skydiving programmes and films. Holding all of the British Parachute Association (BPA) instructional qualifications, including Instructor Examiner and Rigger, Andy is also a Safety and Training Advisor to the United States Parachute Association and holds their instructional ratings. Additionally a Display Team Leader, registered with the UK Civil Aviation Authority, enables him to organise and arrange parachute displays at public events and other places that are not the usual skydiving venues. With over 3,500 tandem jumps to his credit we are pleased to have Andy as part of the team.

Doctor Ryan Jackson- Tandem Master / Expedition Doctor

Dr. Ryan Jackson from England is a tandem master and our expedition doctor. Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge in mountain climbing, skydiving and medicine to our crew. He has travelled and jumped in many places around the world.

Antione Forestier - Director of Parachuting Operations

Antoine Forestier from France has worked as Technical Director at one of Europe's largest drop zones in Gap –Tallard in France for 13 years. He was the Flight Director during the Granada World Air Ranges – Spain and the World Cup in 2003. His experience of mountain traverse and sports places him again as Director of Parachuting operations for Everest Skydive for the third time.

Derek Thomas – Master Rigger/ Jump Master

Derek Thomas from USA / UK is a manufacturer and designer of leading skydiving equipment, Master Rigger, tandem master, AFF Instructor and International competitor in sport skydiving. Derek holds five world records for skydiving and has spent his life in the design and development of exceptional equipment for our sport. He joins our team as Master Rigger and Jump Master.

Dawie du Plessis - Tandem Master/ Camera flier

Dawie du Plessis from South Africa is a tandem skydiving instructor and freelance photographer. He started skydiving in Klerksdorp in 1995 and has made almost 5,000 jumps. He has done specialised stunts for films and commercials, such as tracker commercial, Virgin Mobile advertisement, Telkom broadband advertisement and lots of BASE-jumping stunts in Bollywood movies.

Heather Bisiker – Client Hostess and Equipment.

Heather Bisiker is an experienced skydiver, commercial pilot (multi engine fixed wing and fixed wing) and a member of Aspen Mountain Rescue in Aspen, Colorado, USA. She has to her credit 5000+ skydives and has competed at international skydiving competitions. She is an also aerial photographer. She is in charge of client relations on the mountain during the expedition and oversees the oxygen gear-up process for the team during the event.

Omar Alhegelan - Skydiver, Jumpmaster & Videographer

Omar helped pioneer what is now known as "free flying" and has received every single accolade related to Freestyle Skydiving. He was part of an international group of amateur and professional skydivers at the Everest Skydive 2008 programme. He's highly sought after to perform.

Mountain Crew, Nepal

Along with our skydiving experts, the Nepalese Mountain Crew supports the Everest Skydive event. The crew is made up of Everest Summitteers, experienced mountain & trekking guides and event facilitators. All of them have been to the Khumbu (Everest Region) several times and have a vast knowledge of the area.

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