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Jackie Smith is one of the most decorated and pioneering figures in the history of competitive skydiving. She was the first woman to earn the Red Beret of the British Army's Red Devils parachute display team, the first female member of any full-time military parachute team in the world, joining the ranks in February 1972.

A multi-time British National Champion in both style and accuracy and 8-way formation skydiving, Jackie's defining competitive achievement came at the 1978 World Parachuting Championships in Yugoslavia, where she became the first competitor in history, male or female, to land 10 consecutive dead centers under competition conditions, claiming gold in the women's accuracy event while simultaneously outscoring every competitor in both the men's and women's divisions.

Other career highlights include a BASE jump from El Capitan in 1980, performing in the opening ceremony of the 1986 Commonwealth Games watched by 102 million people, and amassing nearly 6,000 jumps from 58 different aircraft types.

Her accolades include Honorary membership of the US Army Golden Knights, the Royal Aero Club Gold Medal, the Jim Crocker Trophy, and induction into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame in 2013.

MEDIA LINKS

• BBC Clip - Early Days on the Red Devils
• AirSports Interview with Regan Tetlow
• Purchase Jackie's Book - Marooned

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

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Guest: Joe Jennings

Joe Jennings is one of the most accomplished aerial cinematographers in the history of skydiving. Alongside sky surfer Rob Harris, Joe won gold at the 1995 Extreme Games and captured two World Championship titles in sky surfing. He later became a sought-after stunt coordinator and aerial DP, working on more than 40 television commercials — including Pepsi's famous Goose ad, the top-rated commercial of Super Bowl 1998 — and major motion pictures including Charlie's Angels, xXx, San Andreas, and the 2015 reboot of Point Break. His career accolades include four World Championships, two Emmy Awards, and the USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service.

Media

• Space Cowboy Movie Trailer

• Joe Jennings Media Reel

• Rob Harris Sky Surfing

• Super Bowl Commercial | Top Ad

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
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→ patreon.com/The20minutecallPodcast

⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

About This Episode

Kyle Salvato shares the remarkable journey from maritime engineer to co-owner of Skydive City in Zephyrhills, Florida. This episode explores what it takes to revitalize one of skydiving's most iconic drop zones while honoring its deep legacy connected to names like Jerry Bird. Kyle brings a unique perspective with over 9,000 jumps, A&P mechanic credentials, commercial pilot licenses with 4,000+ flight hours, and hands-on experience in every aspect of drop zone operations. This is a story about passion, persistence, and the unrelenting commitment required to run a year-round skydiving operation.

Quotable Moments

"One jump changed my entire trajectory on this planet, and that's the passion I bring to this industry now."

"The vibe [on a dropzone] is the most important thing because if you don't have that, anyone can skydive. But if you don't have comraderie, safety, good culture and people enjoying being around each other, it's not gonna work."

"I used to trade my life for money. After my daughter was born, I decided that was no longer worth it."

"This isn't our drop zone, this is just our turn, man. It's been skydiving at this airport since the sixties."

"If you can dream it, we can do it."

"There's two reasons airplanes crash in our industry: bad maintenance and poorly trained pilots."

"The journey getting to DZO is much more fun than the arrival point."

"How do you make a million bucks in aviation? Start with two."

Connect With Kyle Salvato

📍 Skydive City - Zephyrhills, Florida
🌐 [Instagram | Facebook]

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
→ patreon.com/The20minutecallPodcast

⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
Apple Podcasts: [direct-link]
Spotify: [direct-link]

🎧 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
Subscribe on your favorite platform:
Apple Podcasts | Spo...