Skydiving has taken off in a big way at Durham Tees Valley Airport with both experienced enthusiasts and newcomers enjoying the chance to of a unique experience with Skydive St George which will now be operating throughout the summer.
Despite some gloomy weather around 30 parachutists took the opportunity to jump from Skydive St George’s specially equipped aircraft on the first weekend of operation, including a number of tandem students making their first jumps for charity.
Says Skydive St George’s Chief Instructor George McGuiness “It’s great to see the enthusiasm from both qualified skydivers who are delighted at having such an accessible drop zone in the area…and from novices experiencing the huge thrill of their first jump.
“What we’re now looking forward to is plenty of blue skies in the coming months and seeing lots more people having the same thrill.”
The highly-experienced Skydive St George team—some tandem instructors have undertaken in excess of 7,000 jumps—take skydivers up to 10,000 feet and provide the hugely exhilarating experience of 30 to 40 seconds in freefall, touching speeds of 120miles an hour, and taking in fantastic views of up to 70 miles on a clear day.
Says Airport Commercial Director Andy Foulds “It’s great to see Skydive St George get off to a great start. The operations are, of course, subject to full air traffic control and operated at times carefully planned around other airport activities’.
“The landing zone on the south side of the airport is well away from other activities and has approval from the British Parachute Association.”
Further information is available on the Skydive St George website www.SkydiveStGeorge.co.uk or by telephoning 01253 592002.
By Durham Tees Valley Airport
18th April 2014