Home
Everest Skydive has come a long way since the first test operation held in May 2008. The team’s enormous level of dedication and the people, who wanted to see this event continue and grow, made it such a huge success. The love and passion of everyone involved has made Everest Skydive one of the most amazing adventures in the Himalaya today. It gives extreme adventure buffs the opportunity to get their names into the international record books and make history by taking a leap with the Everest Skydive team.
Everest Skydive history in brief:
|
Everest Skydive History Updates |
||||
| Year | Members | Solo Jumps |
Tandem Jumps |
Total Jumps |
| 2008(DZ:Syangboche) | 41 | 50 | 19 | 69 |
| 2009(DZ:Syangboche) | 7 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| 2009(DZ:Kala Pathar) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Total in 2009 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 12 |
| 2010(Syangboche,May) | 10 | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 2010(Syangboche,Oct) | 12 | 15 | 7 | 22 |
| Total in 2010 | 22 | 24 | 12 | 36 |
| 2011(DZ:Syangboche) | 11 | 12 | 4 | 16 |
| 2012(DZ:Ama Dablam) | 11 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 2012(DZ:Syangboche) | 15 | 41 | 5 | 46 |
| Total in 2012 | 15 | 56 | 5 | 61 |
| Grand Total | 96 | 152 | 42 | 194 |
Everest Skydive 2010 –Autumn (October14 -19)Shyangboche Drop Zone
Names of Skydivers – Everest Skydive 2008
Highlights and International Records – Everest Skydive 2008
Everest Skydive 2008 Closing Ceremony- 14th October, 2008
Reconnaissance of the Drop Zone at Syangboche May, 2008
Everest Skydive 2012
Everest Skydive 2012 proved to be an enthralling spectacle for all adventure lovers home and abroad. This year added extra appeal to the event by introducing Amadablam Base Camp a new Drop Zone. The event started on October 31, 2012 with some test flights over Amadablam Base camp (15000ft) by four crew members of Everest Skydive Wendy Smith, Tom Noonan, Derek Thomas and Dr. Ryan Jackson.
The first day of the Everest Skydive 2012 started on November 1, 2012 with nine lifts of test jumps over Syangboche, 12,350ft. The next day November 2, 2012 was full with excitement and thrill with three lifts of final jumps over Ama Dablam Base camp and five over Syangboche. The final day of the Skydive November 3, 2012 had six lifts of final jumps over the Syangboche Airport.
As informed earlier the Everest Skydive 2012 was performed from AS 350 B3 helicopter, piloted by the Italian Veteran pilot Maurizio Follini who flew all the way to Nepal to take the piloting responsibilities for this Event. He was well supported by the experienced Fishtail Air Captain Aashish Sherchan.
Everest Skydive 2012 ended up making the history with 41 solos and 5 tandems over Syangboche and 15 solos over Ama Dablam Base camp. The Jump highlights are:
Day 1, October 31, 2012.
Wendy Smith, Ryan Jackson, Tom Noonan and Derek Thomas
Solo jumps over Amadablam Base Camp
Day 2, November 1, 2012.
First flight
Ryan Jackson and Miloslav Sulda
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Second Flight
Derek Thomas and Fred Seth Williams
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Third Flight
Wendy Smith and Robert Gabris
Solo jumps over Syangboche
Fourth Flight
Ryan Jackson and Travis Ross Wood
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Fifth Flight
Ryan Jackson and John Leblanc
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Sixth Flight
Wendy Smith and Pavel Novak
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Seventh Flight
Ryan Jackson and Robert Sachs
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Eighth Flight
Tom Noonan, Zoe Nadia Dryden and Wendy Smith
Tandem jump over Syangboche.
Ninth Flight
Ryan Jackson, Fred Seth Williams and Laura Coe
Tandem jump over Syangboche.
Day 3, November 2, 2012.
First Flight
Robert Gabris, Robert Sachs and Miloslav Sulda
Solo jumps over Amdablam Base Camp.
Second Flight
Fred Seth Williams and John Leblanc
Solo jumps over Amdablam Base Camp.
Third Flight
Travis Ross Wood, Pavel Novak and John Leblanc
Solo jumps over Amdablam Base Camp.
Fourth Flight
Tom Noonan, Fred Seth Williams and Ryan Jackson
Solo Jumps over Amdablam Base Camp.
Fifth Flight
Derek Thomas, Travis Ross Wood and Pavel Novak
Tandem jumps over Syangboche.
Sixth Flight
Tom Noonan, Zoe Nadia Dryden and Wendy Smith
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Seventh Flight
Ryan Jackson, John Leblanc and Fred Seth Williams
Tandem jumps over Syangboche.
Eighth Jump
Tom Noonan, Laura Coe and Derek Thomas
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Ninth Jump
Robert Gabris, Robert Sachs and Miloslav Sulda
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Day 4, November 3, 2012.
First Flight
Ryan Jackson and Farhaj Sarwar
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Second Flight
Tom Noonan, Ian Edward Atkins and Derek Thomas
Tandem jump over Syangboche.
Third Flight
Farhaj Sarwar, Ryan Jackson and Wendy Smith
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Fourth Flight
Fred Seth Williams and Travis Ross Wood
Solo jump over Syangboche.
Fifth Flight
Farhaj Sarwar and John Leblanc
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Sixth Flight
Wendy Smith, Tom Noonan, Derek Thomas and Ryan Jcakson
Solo jumps over Syangboche.
Everest Skydive 2011
World’s most exhilarating adventure, Everest Skydive was held and concluded successfully in 2011 also. Jumps were held at Shyanboche drop zone on 22nd, 23rd and 25th October. The details of the jumps along with the respective jumpers are listed below:
Jump Day 1: 22nd October, 2011, around 9:10 AM (local time)
- Dawie Du Plessis (South Africa) – Solo Jump
- Derek Thomas (UK) – Solo Jump
- Mario Gervasi (France) – Solo Jump
Jump Day 2: 23rd October, 2011, around 10:50 (local time)
- Wendy Smith (New Zealand) – Solo Jump
- Dawie Du Plessis (South Africa) – Solo Jump
- Philip Smith (USA) – Solo Jump
- Derek Thomas (UK) – Solo Jump
- Priscilla Telmon (France) with tandem master Ryan Jackson (UK)
- Klaus L.M. Gachter (USA) with tandem master Ryan Jackson (UK)
- Jean Marc Nowak (France) with tandem master Mario Gervasi (France)
Jump Day 3: 25th October, 2011
- Ryan Jackson (UK) – Solo Jump
- Bill Booth (USA) – Solo Jump
- Dawie Du Plessis (South Africa) – Solo Jump
- Derek Thomas (UK) – Solo Jump
- Wendy Smith (New Zealand) – Solo Jump
- Jolie Lisa Ferrand (USA) with tandem master Ryan Jackson
Everest Skydive 2010 –Autumn (October14 -19) Shyangboche Drop Zone
Test jumps for the Autumn edition of Everest Skydive 2010 took place at Shyangboche (12,350 feet) drop zone on 13th October 2010. Derek Thomas (UK) jumped solo from 25,000 feet while tandem master Kevin Hardwick (UK) made a tandem jump with German camera flyer/ television producer Alex Behse from the same height. Both the jumps were made from Tara Air’s Pilatus porter aircraft at around 12 noon (local time).
October 14th 2010
British racing driver Nick Leventis made a tandem leap from 27,500 feet above Mount Everest at Shyangboche drop zone around 13:00 hrs (local time).Accompanying him was tandem master Kevin Hardwick (British).
A well known personality in the racing circuit, Leventis’ Strakka Racing Team won the LMP2 class this year at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race. He is the ambassador of Global Angels and the jump was made in support of Global Angels Foundation, an international charity supporting Asia’s most disadvantaged children. Solo jumps were made by Wendy Smith and Ryan Jackson from the same height.
October 15, 2010 – Shyangboche Drop Zone
First Lift (8:45 AM) – 21,000 feet
On the first lift, Derek Thomas (British), Roger Hoe (British) and Peter Rottele (German) made solo jumps from 21,000 feet while Klaus Leo Gachter (American) jumped tandem with tandem master Kevin Hardwick (British) from the same height.
Second Lift (9:10 AM) – 29,5000 feet
Second lift saw the skydivers leaping from 29,500 feet. Wendy Smith (Kiwi) made a solo dive while Joan Dru Nasher (American) dived tandem with tandem master Tom Noonan (American).
Third Lift (12:30 PM) – 27,000 feet
The third lift had Ryan Jackson (British) making a solo leap and Klaus Leo Gachter and Tom Noonan doing tandem from a height of 27,000 feet.
19th October, 2010
After three days of bad weather, the sky at Shyangboche finally cleared up. Since early morning there was hectic activity at the drop zone as ESD crew and group members prepared for the jumps. Between 8 to 9 AM (local time) the PC-6 aircraft took off.
The first lift had Christopher Rainier from Canada making a tandem jump with Tom Noonan, while Wendy Smith and Ryan Jackson jumped solo from a height of 29,500 feet.
The second lift saw British racing pro Nick Leventis making a record breaking tandem leap with tandem master Tom Noonan from a height of 30,000 feet: a new Everest Skydive & WORLD record. No skydiver had ever attempted a jump from this height at this altitude. Wendy (with her camera), jumped solo and captured Nick & Tom’s free fall.
20th October, 2010
Peter Rottele (Germany), Roger Hoe(UK), Ryan Jackson(UK) and Kevin Hardwick(UK) jumped solo from 28,000 feet. Roger, who is 65 years old, became the oldest skydiver to jump solo from this height.
| SN | Name | Country | Jump(Solo/Tandem) | Remarks |
| 1 | Roger Hoe | UK | Solo | |
| 2 | Peter Rotelle | Germany | Solo | |
| 3 | Nick Leventis | UK | Tandem | With Tandem masters Tom Noonan & Kevin Hardwick |
| 4 | Christopher Rainier | Canada | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 5 | Tom Noonan | USA | Tandem | Crew |
| 6 | Wendy Smith | New Zealand | Solo | Crew |
| 7 | Ryan Jackson | Britain | Tandem | Crew |
| 8 | Derek Thomas | Solo | Crew | |
| 9 | Kevin Hardwick | UK | Tandem | Crew |
| 10 | Joan Dru Nasher | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 11 | Klaus Leo Gachter | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 12 | Alex Behse | Germany | Tandem | Crew |
Everest Skydive 2010 – Spring (May 16-20),Shyangboche Drop Zone
Everest skydive was organized at Shyangboche drop zone from 16th to 20th May 2010. The event went as follows:
16th May, 2010 – 1 lift
Test jumps for Everest Skydive 2010 were performed at Shyangboche at 9:35 AM (local time). 1 solo and 2 tandem jumps were made from above 20,000 feet. Wendy Smith (New Zealand) jumped solo from 27,000 feet, while Bibek Pandey (Nepal) made a tandem jump with tandem master Tom Noonan (USA). Likewise Ful Man Tamang (Nepal) too jumped tandem with Dr.Ryan Jackson(UK).
17th May, 2010 – 2 lifts
The jumps were held at 8:15 AM (local time).
First Lift – James Robert & Ryan Jackson made test jumps from 18,000 feet. Nik Halik (Australia) made a tandem jump with tandem master Tom Noonan from 29,500 feet. Wendy Smith jumped solo as Camera Flyer from 29,500 feet.
Second Lift - Jean Claude Mario (France) did a test jump from 18000 feet and Tom Noonan jumped solo from 25,000ft. Dr. Ryan & Dik Bahadur Khirsina (Nepal) made a tandem jump from 25000ft.
18th & 19th May, 2010
Jumps cancelled due to bad weather.
20th May, 2010 – 1 lift
Jean Claude Mario (France) took Myriam Mura (France) on tandem jump, while James Robert (UK), Ryan Jackson (UK) and Wendy Smith (New Zealand) made solo jumps. The jumps were made from 29,500 ft. These were the last jumps and the event came to a close.
| SN | Name | Country | Jump(Solo/Tandem) | Remark |
| 1 | Wendy Smith | New Zealand | Solo | Crew |
| 2 | Bibek Pandey | Nepal | Tandem | With Tandem Master Tom Noonan |
| 3 | Tom Noonan | USA | Tandem | Crew |
| 4 | Ful Man Tamang | Nepal | Tandem | With Ryan Jackson |
| 5 | Ryan Jackson | UK | Tandem | Crew |
| 6 | James Robert | UK | Solo | |
| 7 | Nik Halik | Australia | Solo | |
| 8 | Jean Claude Mario | France | Solo | |
| 9 | Dik Bahadur Khirsina | Nepal | Tandem | With Ryan Jackson |
| 10 | Myriam Mura | France | Tandem | With Mario |
Everest Skydive 2009
Drop Zone – Shyangboche (12,350 ft / 3720m), October 16-17, 2009
On 16th and 17th October, 2009 seven skydivers from the Everest Skydive team performed solo and tandem jumps at Shyangboche (12,350 feet).
On 16th October, five members skydived from a height of 25,000 feet. Tom Noonan (USA), Ian Bishop (Australia) and Jai Kishan (India) made solo jumps. In the second group, Wendy Smith (New Zealand) jumped solo, while Ganesh Pandey (Nepal) made a tandem jump with tandem master Tom Noonan (USA).
On 17th October, Wendy Smith (New Zealand), Jai Kishan (India) and Mary Noonan (USA) made solo jumps from a height of 27,500ft. While Everest summiteer, Pujan Acharya (Nepal) made a tandem jump from a height of 29,300 feet, with tandem master Tom Noonan (USA).
The jumps over Shyangboche were made from Tara Air’s Pilatus Porter aircraft, flown by Capt Jack Sparrow (UK) and Praful Baidya (Nepal). Capt Jack Sparrow, an experienced pilot, has performed more than 4,000 lifts (flights for skydiving) in Europe and is preparing to launch a skydiving club in Thailand, which will be the first in Asia.
| SN | Name | Country | Jump(Solo/Tandem) | Remarks |
| 1 | Tom Noonan | USA | Tandem | Crew |
| 2 | Ian Bishop | Australia | Solo | |
| 3 | Jai Kishan | India | Solo | |
| 4 | Wendy Smith | New Zealand | Solo | Crew |
| 5 | Ganesh Pandey | Nepal | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 6 | Mary Noonan | USA | Solo | Crew |
| 7 | Pujan Acharya | Nepal | Tandem | With Tandem master Tom Noonan |
Drop Zone – Gorakh Shep, KalaPatthar Plateau (17,192 ft/5,242m), October 28th, 2009
On October 28, 2009 World skydiving champion Wendy Smith from New Zealand, Global Angels ambassador and tandem master Tom Noonan and Wing Commander Jai Kishan from the Indian Air Force, made a successful landing at the Gorak Shep, Kala Patthar plateau, lying at an altitude of 17,192 feet (5,242m), right beside Mt. Everest.
This is believed to be the highest skydiving stunt performed over highest drop zone in the world.
The operation was carried out from Fishtail Air’s AS 350 B3 helicopter flown by Capt. Sabin Basnet and Capt. Deepak Rana. The dives were performed in the morning of 28th October. The helicopter took off with the skydiving team from Shyangboche airport and flew to a height of 23,000 feet before dropping from 21,000 feet at right air layer.
| SN | Name | Country | Jump(Solo/Tandem) | Remarks |
| 1 | Tom Noonan | USA | Solo | World record |
| 2 | Jai Kishan | India | Solo | World record |
| 3 | Wendy Smith | New Zealand | Solo | World record |
Everest Skydive 2008 (4-11 October) – Shyangboche Dropzone (1,2350 ft)
First commercial operation in October 2008
High & Wild, UK and Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure Everest Skydive 2008 organised the first Everest Skydive at Syangboche (12,350ft) in Solokhumbu District. This unique event drew the attention of millions of people from around the world to the hilly Everest region of Nepal.
Syangboche, the highest drop zone in the world, lies 12 miles southwest of Everest Base Camp and 17.5 miles from its summit. The Everest Skydivers jumped from 29,500ft, which is higher than Everest, which makes the event the “Highest Skydive in the World”.
Flying from above the highest point on earth, amidst magnificent views of the Himalayan peaks, was probably the most thrilling and exciting experience of most of the skydivers’ lives. Following the success of Everest Skydive 2008, the event became a “dream” for many skydivers around the world and it could soon attract more people to Nepal than expeditions to Mount Everest.
The event was covered by more than 500 international as well as national media and media representatives at the drop zone included Kantipur, Avenues Television, Channel 5, UK, etc.
Highlights and International Records – Everest Skydive 2008
Everest Skydive 2008 made it into the record books. The event can be dubbed as the most exciting Himalayan adventure. The skydiving event held the world enthralled as divers hurtled from above the world’s highest peak, freefalling for a few minutes before opening their parachute and landing on the highest drop zone in the world, Syangboche.
The major highlights and list of the world records made during the event are as follows:
1. Skydiving event from the highest altitude ever – 29,500ft, above Everest
2. Highest drop zone in the world – 12,350ft, Syangboche
3. The first skydiving event held in the Himalaya
4. The first skydiving event with 41 skydivers doing 50 solos and 19 tandem jumps from a height of 29,500ft, 22,500ft, 22,000ft, 19,000ft, 18,500ft and 18,000ft
5. The only skydiver with the highest number of solo jumps made from above 22,000ft – Wendy Smith of New Zealand, with nine solo jumps (including eight jumps from 29,500ft and one from 22,000ft)
6. First person to summit Mt. Everest as well as skydive in front of Everest – Maya Gurung (Nepal)
7. First solo diver of the event – Wendy Smith (New Zealand)
8. First tandem jump – Lucie Fenton (UK) & Tom Noonan (USA)
9. First Iraqi to make a solo jump from 29,500ft – Fareed Lafta
10. First Swedish to make a solo jump from a height of 29,500f t- Herman S. Duscher
11. First Danish to make a tandem jump from 29,500ft – Per Wimmer
12. First South African to make a solo jump from 29,500ft – Adolphe Botha
13. First Belgian to make a solo jump from an altitude of 29,500ft – Christophe De Pauw
14. First Asian and Pakistani to make a tandem jump from a height of 29,500ft – Namira Salim
15. First Nepali to make a tandem jump from 22,000ft – Nima Tamang
16. First Nepali woman to make a tandem jump from 22,500ft – Maya Gurung
17. First Arab to make a solo jump from 29,500ft – Naseer Alneyadi
18. First Canadian to jump from a height of 29,500ft – Neil Jones
19. First father & son duo to make tandem jumps from a height of 29,500ft during the same event – Scott & Lou Diesel from the USA
20. First British woman skydiver to make a solo jump from a height of 29,500ft – Holly Budge
21. First American solo jumper of the event – Omar Alhegelan
22. First Australian to make the highest (29,500ft) tandem jump – Steve Hennessey
23. First person with gender reassignment (from male to female) to make the highest tandem jump (29,500ft) – Kate Craig-Wood (UK)
24. Two World Champions, Omar Alhegelan from the USA and Ms. Wendy Smith from New Zealand took part as members of the Crew team.
25. Jumps made between the heights of 18,000 to 29,500ft.
26. Ms. Holly Budge (UK), Neil Jones (UK) and Wendy Smith (New Zealand) were the first three solo jumpers to jump from the height of 29,500 ft.
27. Per Thanning Wimmer from Denmark (millionaire) was the first to make a tandem jump as passenger from the height of 29,500ft along with Ralph Mitchell, a British Tandem Master.
28. Molly Anne Bedingfield, founder of the charity mission “Global Angeles”, and mother of famous pop singers Natasha and Daniel Bedingfield, made a tandem jump from 29,500ft to raise US $ 1 million for the charity that helps orphanages and street children from all over the world, including Nepal. She had already raised US $ 300,000 till date.
29. The Pilatus Porter Aircraft of Swissboogie operated 22 flights in total. The aircraft was specially flown in from Switzerland.
30. Twenty-two trekking members joined the trip as observers.
31. All the jumps were planned and regulated by the team of Dave Wood from the UK.
32. The famous British aeronautical scientist, Andy Elson developed a special oxygen system for this event. Elson is also well known for flying over Everest in a hot air balloon in 1990.
33. All clothes, including the jump suits, were made in Nepal. Rajen Dulal is a young entrepreneur, who has workshop in Thamel.
34. The British television company, “Channel 5” made a film about the event and had a daily live-link. The BBC, TV3 New Zealand, Australian Television, Al Jazeera, CNN and other TV stations also covered the event.
35. Everest Sky Dive 2008 has become the most widely covered and publicized tourism event by international media, after the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the First Ascent of Mt. Everest in 2003.
36. Everest Skydive hit the international tourism market as a brand-new and most remarkable product from the Nepalese Tourism Industry.
37. International tourism experts believe that Everest Skydive will bring more people to Nepal in future than expeditions to Everest.
38. Everest Skydive 2008 is a milestone in the history of Everest – after its first ascent by Tenzing and Hillary in 1953.
39. More than 100 Nepalese were involved in making this event happen. Fishtail Air helicopters were on standby for rescue operations during the event.
Names of Skydivers – Everest Skydive 2008
| SN | Name | Country | Jump(Solo/Tandem) | Remarks |
| 1 | Wendy Smith | New Zealand | Solo | Crew |
| 2 | Lucie Fenton | UK | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 3 | Tom Noonan | (USA) | Tandem | Crew |
| 4 | Omar Alhegelan | USA | Solo | Crew |
| 5 | Steve Hennessey | Australia | Tandem | Crew |
| 6 | Nima Tamang | Nepal | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 7 | Cheri Alhegelan | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Ralph Mitchell |
| 8 | Ralph Mitchell | UK | Tandem | Crew |
| 9 | Neil Jones | Canada | Solo | |
| 10 | Chris Parsons | UK | Solo | |
| 11 | Derek Thomas | USA | Solo | Crew |
| 12 | Holly Budge | UK | Solo | |
| 13 | Ryan Jackson | UK | Solo | Crew |
| 14 | Adolphe Botha | South Africa | Solo | |
| 15 | Thomas Laurie Hinds | UK | Solo | |
| 16 | Carrie Holmes | USA | Solo | |
| 17 | Maya Gurung | Nepal | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 18 | Fareed Lafta | Iraq | solo | |
| 19 | Christophe de Pauw | Belgium | Solo | |
| 20 | Peter Baker | UK | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 21 | Martin Preston | UK | Solo | |
| 22 | Molly Beddingfield | UK | Tandem | With tandem master Ralph Mitchell |
| 23 | Namira Salim | Pakistan | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 24 | Dean Edwards | UK | Solo | |
| 25 | William Thomason | New Zealand | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 26 | Derek Cornelius | UK | Tandem | With tandem master Ralph Mitchell |
| 27 | Ron Hudson | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 28 | Howard Shao | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Ralph Mitchell |
| 29 | Herman S.Duscher | Sweden | Solo | Solo |
| 30 | Djuan Rivers | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 31 | Kate Craigwood | Uk | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 32 | Jane Dougall | Uk | Tandem | With tandem master Ralph Mitchell |
| 33 | Harold Watkins | Uk | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 34 | Darren Thatcher | Uk | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 35 | Naseer Alneyadi | UAE | Solo | Solo |
| 36 | Per Wimmer | Denmark | Tandem | With tandem master Ralph Mitchell |
| 37 | Lou Diesel | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Steve Hennessey |
| 38 | Scott Diesel | USA | Tandem | With tandem master Tom Noonan |
| 39 | Simon Repton | UK | Solo | |
| 40 | Mark Finch | UK | Solo | Crew |
| 41 | Leigh Pretty | UK | Solo | |
Everest Skydive 2008 Closing Ceremony- 14th October, 2008
The closing ceremony for Everest Skydive 2008 took place at the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on 14 October 2008. NTB hosted the function and saw the attendance of the crew and members of Everest Skydive, dignitaries and officials from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, tourism entrepreneurs, media persons and the staff of Explore Himalaya and Fishtail Air. The chief guest was Mr.Prachanda Man Shrestha, CEO, Nepal Tourism Board. Mr. Suman Pandey, President of Explore Himalaya, delivered the welcome speech. In his welcome address, he mentioned the major highlights of Everest Sky Dive 2008. Nigel Gifford, Managing Director of High & Wild UK and founder of Everest Sky Dive also spoke on the occasion. He expressed his gratitude to the Government of Nepal and all concerned for making the event happen.
An incredible aerial video footage taken by Wendy Smith, Director of Aerial photography, of the Everest Skydive, was shown at the end of the program.
The closing ceremony also had Molly Bedingfield, founder of the international charity, “Global Angles,” and a tandem jumper during the event, announcing a donation of US $ 2,00,000/- to ‘The Childrens’ Home Orphanage’ located in Khokana, Lalitpur.
Reconnaissance of the Drop Zone at Syangboche by the High & Wild Skydiving Managing Team
The first ever skydiving programme in the Everest Himalaya took place in mid-May of 2008. Four skydivers, namely Ben Ian Wood, Andy Montriou, Nigel Gifford and David Ian Wood successfully jumped from a height of 16,000ft at Syangboche, near the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar. All four divers belonged to the management team of High & Wild, which is a UK-based adventure company. This test jump became the first ever skydiving event in the Everest region. Explore Himalaya, the local partner of High & Wild, received the permit to hold the Skydiving event in front of Mt Everest (29,035ft.) in the autumn of the same year.
6 May 2008 -Everest Skydive Management Team Arrives in Kathmandu
On 6 May, the management team of High & Wild Everest Skydive arrived in Kathmandu, with High & Wild’s Managing Director, Nigel Gifford, leading the team. After having spent a day in Kathmandu, the team flew to Lukla, the entrance to the Everest Region. They trekked a couple of days to Namche Bazaar, from where they walked up the hill to Syangboche to inspect the landing area. On 13 May, the team did a thorough aerial survey by Fishtail Air helicopter.
14 – 15 May – First Ever Skydive Over Everest
On 14 May, Ben Ian Wood and Andy Montriou were geared up for the test dive. Their first two attempts at 6.30am and 8am failed due to the weather – first it was too cloudy and then too windy. However, the weather finally cleared at 9:15 am, and Ben and Andy jumped from the dizzying heights of 16,000ft and landed safely at Syangboche airstrip.
The following day, Nigel Gifford and David Ian Wood repeated this feat by skydiving from a helicopter belonging to Fishtail Air. Sixty-two-year old Nigel Gifford was delighted with the jump, which lasted about 10 seconds in freefall. Unfortunately, the team’s plan to do a tandem jump did not work out due to the weather and they returned to the UK on 16 May. After the successful Drop Zone test, the upcoming Everest Skydive mission for autumn 2008 looked very promising and Nigel was confident about running this operation as a commercial activity.
Explore Himalaya was proud to be associated as a local partner of High & Wild in introducing Everest Skydive as a new product.
