Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

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.

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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
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

About This Episode
Doug Barron returns to share the incredible story behind organizing the 2025 All American Big Way - a 250-way skydiving record attempt at Skydive Chicago that ran simultaneously with a 200-way vertical record. This is a masterclass in event logistics, leadership under pressure, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in skydiving.

Resources Mentioned

📺 250-way Documentary - 25-min film by Anthony Armandiraz
🎙️ Episode 19 - Doug's origin story (December 2023)
💻 SKYCRU - Event management platform
📅 Next Event: September 2028 at Skydive Chicago

What You'll Learn

✈️ How to coordinate 11 aircraft and 260+ jumpers across multiple days
💰 The real financial costs of running large-scale skydiving events
🛠️ Innovative solutions: mobile fuel stations, aircraft choreography, and SKYCRU platform
🧠 Leadership strategies for managing setbacks and keeping teams motivated
📅 What it takes to plan 5+ years ahead for a world-class event

Timestamps

[0:00] Welcome & episode context
[7:00] The 2017 vision that started it all
[14:00] Aircraft logistics & the "corn sharks"
[28:00] Financial realities DZOs face
[42:00] SKYCRU: solving the admin nightmare
[52:00] Leadership through adversity
[57:00] Emotional debrief & looking ahead

Quotable Moments
"If you were to tell a non-skydiver we're taking 100 people in 5 aircraft to 18,000 feet and building a formation in 60 seconds - they'd say it's impossible."

"It's not goal failed, it's goal prolonged. We're going to do it again."

"Safety is always my top priority. No record is worth someone getting hurt."

Connect With Doug Barron

[Instagram | Facebook]

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

📲 STAY CONNECTED
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

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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⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
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Helmut Cloth is a German engineer and entrepreneur whose groundbreaking contributions have forever changed skydiving safety. After taking up the sport in 1972, Helmut became an active participant in European relative work (RW) record attempts. But a tragic accident in 1986—when a close friend died without deploying either canopy—sparked a mission that would shape the future of parachuting.

Motivated to prevent similar losses, Helmut spent four and a half years researching and developing what would become the world’s most trusted Automatic Activation Device (AAD). After testing twelve prototypes, he introduced the first CYPRES (Cybernetic Parachute Release System) in 1991—a revolutionary tool that automatically deploys the reserve parachute under life-threatening conditions.

To bring this vision to life, Helmut founded Airtec GmbH & Co. KG Safety Systems in Bad Wünnenberg, Germany in 1990. His innovation set a new global standard in skydiving safety and has since been credited with saving thousands of lives. In recognition of his extraordinary impact, he was awarded the prestigious FAI Gold Medal in 1997.

Today, CYPRES remains a cornerstone of safety in the sport, and Helmut Cloth’s legacy continues to guide the evolution of parachuting equipment and protocols worldwide.

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

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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Alethia Austin is a skydiving coach whose influence reaches far beyond the dropzone. Known for her calm presence, thoughtful leadership, and global impact, Alethia is the founder of LSD—Level, Slot, Dock—a sold-out series of skill camps hosted around the world. Her approach to coaching blends technical precision with mindfulness, energy management, and personal growth.

Raised in a small town in southern Oregon, Alethia set out on her own at just 17, carving a life path that would span continents and careers—from the entertainment industry in Los Angeles to marketing roles across Europe. But skydiving was the throughline. After a tandem jump in 2002, she followed the pull of the sport, eventually shaping her professional journey around it.

A respected leader in angle flying and a Regional Captain for Project 19, Alethia is equally at home talking about safety procedures as she is about the deeper, emotional currents of the sport. Her travels—including a pivotal journey through India in 2020—have informed her philosophy, one that bridges movement in the air with inner awareness on the ground.

Plant-based for more than 20 years, a yoga teacher, and handpan musician, Alethia brings an intentionality to skydiving that has inspired countless students to not just fly better, but live more consciously.

This episode is a reflection of Alethia herself—honest, grounded, and quietly powerful.

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

📲 STAY CONNECTED
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

My guest today has truly lived a life that transcends even the wildest dreams of a successful career in skydiving. With over 500 BASE jumps and 17,000 skydives, Jon Devore is a highly respected camera flyer, BASE jumper, wingsuiter, world champion free flyer, and stunt performer. His work has been featured in major films such as 2015’s Point Break, Iron Man 3, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, and Ad Astra.

Jon also serves as the event coordinator for the world-renowned Red Bull Air Force, one of the most exciting and recognized demonstration teams globally. In 2023, he was inducted into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame.

Despite his incredible achievements, Jon remains as humble as he was when he first arrived at Skydive Arizona over 30 years ago, dreaming of completing 500 jumps to become a tandem instructor back in Alaska. Along the way, he encountered a few remarkable individuals who would forever change the course of his life.

MEDIA

• VIDEO: Jon on the Ellen Degeneres Show
• VIDEO: Jon landing in downtown Los Angeles
• VIDEO: Jon in the iconic wingsuit scene in Point Break
• VIDEO: Wingsuit Formation: Flying the Crack
• PODCAST: Red Bull Bulletin with Jon Devore

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

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

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
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⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
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🎧 NEVER MISS AN EPISODE
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