Kevin Walker Skydives

Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you like living on the edge of life? Or do you just want to try something extreme? Do I have a solution for you. Skydiving!

On Sunday (May 25), a friend of mine, Enrique Pardo and I headed to Waldron, Mo. to the Noah's Ark Airport. We were both going to do our very first jump. The way this jump ever came in to play, was on Flaming Friday's with Kevin on The Kaleb Filis Show on 92.3 BobFM. We were talking about Kaleb's deployment, and I said I would go skydiving in his honor while he is over in Afghanistan. Kaleb talked about how he is scared of heights. I too am scared of heights, but sometimes you have to push your fears. So Sunday, I kept my word to my friend Kaleb, and went skydiving.

I did a little investigating on where to skydive and chose Noah's Ark Airport in Waldron, Missouri, for a couple of reasons. One reason was that they support the Wounded Warrior Project and give jumps to wounded veterans. Plus, the Falcon Skydiving Team is based here. The Falcons are who we jumped with. The Falcons have been involved in opening ceremonies at Kansas Speedway, Lakeside Speedway and I-70 Speedway. Then I saw commercials about skydiving. So I then knew, I had the right place.

They are this really quaint airport along side some small wooded hills. Then you come to this big open field of the airport. We were seeing people coming down from the sky attached to canopy's as we were approaching the airport. The airport is owned by Ron Sharp and he was my instructor for my adventure. Now they say Ron may own the airport, but it is his wife Charlotte who runs it. What a great group of people that run this. They were very helpful and friendly and they made sure you had a good time.

I really surprised myself by skydiving. I mean think about it, I jumped out of a perfectly good plane. Days prior to this my mind would play the scenario's out in my head many different ways. None of them were even close to the amazing freedom that came over me.

While waiting, I was pacing back and forth. Taking pictures. Watching the guys fold and load the chutes. Very fascinating to watch. There really is an art to it. Amazing on how quick these guys could put the chutes back into the bags and ready for a jump in about 15 minutes, from the straightening of the ropes of the chutes and the folds of the chute itself, squeezing the air out of the chute and then stuffing it into the bag.

I'm walking around the Falcon Skydiving Teams Hangar trying to calm my nerves. Then I noticed that they had shut the engine of the plane off. Some clouds started moving in. You are not allowed to skydive through the clouds. Then a storm cloud moved in with lightning and thunder and then rain. I thought at first our day was done.

The flights resumed and the nerves were back on alert. They called my name and it's ready to get me into my harness. What have I done. I'm smiling hamming for some pictures but on the inside I am freaking out! There were two flights ahead of us. I'm thinking please God, let's get this jump done. I had talked myself into this jump for this day and it was going to happen. Next flight is up. We watch them take off and disappear into the sky. Then we heard over the radio that they are jumping. If you could find the plane you could see the jumpers. They were tiny little dots until their chutes would open. Again I am thinking, "What were you thinking?" I see older people making the jump along with the 20 somethings. I can do this, kept playing in my mind.

Our group is finally called, to head to the staging area. Now I was told to remind my instructor to tighten my belts. I'm thinking don't you worry. So my instructor, Ron comes up and we start tightening everything, well he starts tightening everything. I just stood there like a rag doll. The boys were in place too. If you are a man, you want to make sure you do this or at a 120-130 mph when that chute opens could change your world. No it did not happen to me. So everyone in our group has loaded onto the plane and I am the last to load. All of a sudden a light bulb came on. I'm last on and that now means I am first off. Oh my God, what have I really done to myself.

We get in and close the clear door that I am sitting next to on the floor of the plane. As I'm looking out the clear door during take off and the climb. I thinking you are going to be fine. I'm sitting there breathing looking out. They have done thousands of jumps, but this was my first. The ground gets smaller and smaller and now we are near the clouds. Truly one advantage of going first, is that you don't just watch someone jump from a plane before you.

My instructor, Ron tells me to swing my legs out and under the plane. I do that and he scoots around me. I have my arms crossed over my chest. I'm leaning my head back on him. Then he leans forward and we are gone! Falling to the Earth from 13,000 feet which is about 2.5 miles above the Earth. The young kid that was sitting next to me on the plane, when we landed, said I looked over at you and then my girlfriend and back to you and then you were gone. Just like that! So I am now looking face down at planet Earth. I'm traveling at speeds of 120-130 mph in the mile that we have just done in 30 seconds. A mile in 30 seconds. My fear of the jump has just been left in the plane. Now I'm enjoying the freefall, relaxing and sending out a few Wooooooooo Doggies into the air.

The Chute opens, the boys were just fine and the instructor then says, "Welcome to my office." Man what a view that I was seeing. The Missouri River was to the South of us and Downtown KC I could see off to the West of us. This was one time I wish I did have my camera but during that free fall I would hate to see what would happen with the camera. Then the Ron asked me if I would like to do a spiral. He really had the canopy spinning like crazy. It was fascinating on how well he controlled the canopy. He drove us and yes I used the word drove, all around the sky. We might have been first out of the plane but we were not the first down. I really enjoyed this view and didn't want it to end. But from the exit of the plane to landing on the ground took about 5-7 minutes from 13,000ft. As Ron turned our patriotic canopy in for the landing. He shouts, "Legs Up". I was kind of able to get my legs up as we came to a gentle slide on my hind end. We have landed back on Earth. But I was ready to go again.

Coming up in a few weeks for Father's Day they will be doing a Pajamarama where you get to skydive in your pajamas. I wonder what they would do if you don't wear pajamas??? Plus they are bringing in this plane called the Otter. It will hold about 20 friends for a jump. Are any of you willing to go? Contact the Falcon Skydiving Team and book your jump. Tell them the Radio Guy from Sedalia sent you! That is how the referred to me that day was the Radio Guy. I'll take that. I just want you to know out of the 2100+ friends I have on facebook only 1 was brave enough for the challenge. Really?!?!?

Now there is a video but I won't have it for about 7-10days. When that arrives we will post it here and share the adventure with you.

Kaleb Filis, all I have to say to you is thank you for keeping me to my word. This is a very small gesture for you on serving our Country. I also had your service coin on this jump. Thank You my Friend!

Happy Memorial Day to all of you. Thank You to all Veterans who have served and some who gave the ultimate sacrifice and to all are serving now.