Skydivers Set World Record at LW Airport

December 1, 2003
News Chief - Florida

Skydivers Set World Record at LW Airport

LAKE WALES -- Lake Wales Municipal Airport received a particularly grueling
workout this past month, hosting two international skydiving events as well
as serving its regular private and corporate clientele.

Skydivers Saturday linked up for a world record 70-person formation on their
third attempt over Lakeland, breaking their own 64-person world record
certified twice Tuesday by an international panel of judges.

Luck held for the skydivers at their ninth annual jamboree, which broke
Sunday. No injuries were reported this year, said formation organizerChris
Gay of Atlanta. Two died in a practice accident this time last year. The FAA
found no issues with the skydive center.

The world record 70-way formation reached about 11:45 a.m. at an altitude of
4,700 feet is not only the largest official grouping of skydivers. The
diamond had nine-skydivers at its base, Gay said.

Perhaps even more important, the 70-way formation shattered old skydiving
doctrine that safely holding such a huge diamond was impossible. The link-up
was held at 4,700-feet, just below the 5,000-foot "hard-deck" originally set
for parachutists to break. Bending the safety margin was discussed and
approved ahead of time, he said.

Falling at 1,300 feet per minute, skydivers had 7 1/2 minutes to arrange
themselves according to international standards.

"The very bottom skydiver had a radio, and he was the one who called whether
we had the formation or not," Gay said.

A similar technique may be used when skydivers try for an enormous 81-way,
maybe next Thanksgiving, Gay said. Once that mark is met, the group could
attempt the Holy Grail of skydiving, the fabled 100-say 10-across formation,
he said.

Such a feat will require that lead skydivers forming the diamond's base to
jump with oxygen from 18,000 feet with remaining jumpers deploying at 15,000
feet, Gay said. At least four aircraft will be needed to carry all the
skydivers along with a film crew.

Betty Kabeller, Sky Dive Lake Wales owner, sees a direct link between the
popularity of the sport locally and growth of the two 4,000 square foot
runways. Skydivers themselves chartered three aircraft for the record
attempts over the 450-acre drop zone.

Kabeller also serves as the airport's fixed base operator, fueling and
repairing planes and managing Jump n' Jacks restaurant.

Kabeller received the East Polk Committee of 100's small business Gold Award
and is Lake Wales Chamber of Commerce president-elect. After similar
ventures in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Zephyrhills in Pasco County, Kabeller
plans to stay put.

"I'm very proud that we've been chosen in Lake Wales to be the drop zone for
these events," Kabeller said. "Each event that comes in, we fill the hotels,
and these are generally five to 10 days each."

The week-long attempt to break and re-shatter the formation skydiving record
brought about $250,000 to city businesses. The world skydiving championships
early last month brought in nearly $4 million.

Kabeller is interested in building a small campground to at least provide
her staff with campsite during skydiving events. Otherwise, there isn't much
more the place needs, she said.

"People like it the way it is - that rural country feel," she said. "We can
expand. We're always looking at the (airport) master plan. But we'll never
be as large as Lakeland with a (control) tower and all."


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