BigGERWay Skills Camp 2023

• Mon 31 Jul - Fri 4 Aug 2022
• Skydive Pink, Klatovy, Czech Republic
• Five days of jumping. (Sun 30 is arrival and warm up day and is strongly recommended. Sat 5 Aug is boogie fun jump day).
• 24 jumps.
• Fun, smiles and socially distanced cheesy high fives.
• Please be ready for 8am Mon 31 July. 
• Release time (no later than) 4pm Fri 4 Aug (normally there are flights to the UK, or wherever, leaving Prague after 8pm)

• Skydivers who had a positive feedback from the Big Way Skills Camp 20ways
• Skydivers who want want to take the next step up in size to 40ways
• Skydivers that want to learn bigway in a low stress environment
• Skydivers who haven't done multi-plane before
• Skydivers that want to learn bigway properly
• Skydivers who want to have a fun trip. Obvs.
• Skydivers that have a recent reference for 40ways
• Skydivers that want a reference for other events

At the start of the event you must have:

1. JUMPS (200 & 40)
a) At least 200 jumps OR an excellent recent reference.
b) At least 40 jumps in 6 months preceding this event, ie between end Jan - end July

2. TUNNEL HOURS (3 & 1)
a) At least 3hrs tunnel total

b) At least 1hr in the 3 months preceding the camp, ie between end April - end July.

3. REFERENCE

A reference, dated after Jan 2022, recommending that you step up to 40ways. Do not make this up. Do not put down someone's name that you haven't asked.

Exceptions: The 200 jumps is mainly a requirement so that we can do O2 jumps as a group. If you have less than 200 jumps total AND you have excellent references you should definitely speak to us about applying. But easier if you have 200 jumps.
 

Minimum requirements are there to make sure you learn the most from this event (oh, and 'safety'). More is better.

Practice Jump requirements:

Please practice your tracking. Get used to tracking next to someone for a few seconds before fanning out and separating.

Suggest you try this on at least five jumps ahead of the camp.

Plan and jump a normal FS jump, 2 or 3 way. At 7k, turn and fly as a tracking team. Fan out at 5k, and deploy at 4. These altitudes are just a suggestion, feel free to modify them to make them more appropriate for your jump.

NOTE: C licence (200 jumps total) required to jump from high altitude with O2 and to jump the balloons. If you're close, make it happen.

There will be O2 jumps.

If you don't have a C licence, or a logbook showing 200 jumps, then you will leave the plane at normal altitude and we'll close the door after you. Sorry.

1) Read this website.

2) Pay the reg fee. Details in the reg form or available by email.

3) Fill in the reg form.

(scroll down this website to see the list of confirmed attendees - once registration is open, obviously)

You need to be aware that you will do some jumps in your most comfortable slot. And then you will be rotated into a slot that is slightly outside your comfort zone. But we won't be putting 50kg people in the base. We won't be putting 100kg people on the outside. That's what the BigWay Skills Camp is for. And at the BigGER way Skills Camp we want some completions. But don't worry, you won't get pigeon holed, you will try a variety of exit positions and be stretched outside your comfort zone. Expect it. Embrace it. Own it.

The plan is that everyone will come away more confident about performing under pressure in a traditional bigway environment AND you will learn smiling. Probably. You might be a right grump, I can't be responsible for that, sorry.

This is how you learn bigway properly.

Day 1 we'll plan to do some 20ways.

To get the best results we need to build a strong foundation. A few of you might think progress is too slow on day one but the benefits will show later in the camp. Perhaps one O2 jump.

Days 2-5. 40ways. Perhaps 2x O2 jumps from increased altitude later in the week.

Nominally 5 jumps per day but we'll flex if weather requires it. Option of a 'special' 6th jump on one evening. See below.

We plan for 5 jumps a day. You have 2-3 chances to get it right each day. If you have not performed sufficiently well that day, you will be asked to step down from jumps 4&5 to allow the team to make a completion. You will be invited back to join us for the first jump the next day. We hope that you would practice your skills, show your dedication and impress us by joining the Talent Pool 20way group.

If we make the completion, we will explore a sequential, or move slots for everyone for the remaining jumps. If we move slots for everyone, people who have been stood down may be allowed to join us at the LOs discretion. If we are exploring sequential options then we look forward to jumping with you in the morning.

It is not expected that the Talent Pool will step up to take a regular slot on the 40way group. But also it is not impossible.

Same as BigWay Skills Camp. Sliding Scale. The bigway FS scene is ageing. To encourage younger skydivers to join we're using a sliding scale.

• Registration fee = £195 (equivalent to £39 per day for LO and camera on five jumps - a massive bargain. Equivalent to less than 4 mins in the tunnel)
• Under 30? Discounted reg fee = £140
• In full time education? Discounted reg fee = £110 (equivalent to only £22 per day, or approx 2 mins in the tunnel)

Credit card options exist in the registration form. Bank transfer saves 1.4% card handling fee. Euro bank account details exist too.

The reg fee covers your LO and cameraflyer costs for 5 jumps per day for 4 days.

PS The sliding scale seems to work so happy to keep it for a fourth year. Would love to hear your feedback.

PPS The credit card company takes 20p and 1.4% from every card transaction. After feedback from participants on previous events, I have included a voluntary option to cover the 1.4%. This is totally optional and not expected at all.

PPPS if a simple thing like money is the only thing stopping you from registering... speak to me. We might be able to find a flexible solution. I just want people to jump.

We all want to come home in one piece...

• No turns greater than 90deg under 1500 feet. 
• There shouldn't really be any turns greater than 90deg over 1500 feet either.
• Land in the same direction, as indicated. OR land well away from everyone else. So far away we can't film you.
• If your downwind leg is on one side of the landing area, then you should NOT travel the whole width of the landing area on your cross wind leg as you'll be cutting everyone else up.
• If multi plane, suggest you carry a phone with you. I've landed off on more multi plane jumps than wingsuit jumps. No one wants it to happen. But...
• Make sure you have the number of the DZ stored in your phone.  

• Quadrants
• Radials
• Stadium Approach
• Red Zone
• Tracking teams

You should have some experience of doing these on 20ways and be ready to display these skills on 40ways.

The DZ have confirmed that there will be two skyvans on the DZ.

Jump tickets at Klatovy are EUR36 each. (price correct as of Nov 2020)

The planes are equipped with O2 and can go to FL20. Single plane 02 jumps are marginally more likely than multi-plane 02 jumps.

The costs are:

4200m / 13,800 ft AGL is EUR 39.50 (No O2 required)

4800m / 15,750 ft AGL is EUR 45
5200m / 17,100 ft AGL is EUR 56

6000m / FL20 / 19,700 ft AGL is EUR 64

Klatovy is about 1k ASL so we'd get 1k less than stated numbers. ie if we're going to do it, we're going all in. To the top. Well, at least once anyway.

The DZ owns two hot air balloons. Two! All jumpable. Approx EUR 106 per jump. They fly every morning and evening if the conditions allow. It's recommended and we'll flex where we can to allow you to jump these.

And no, I've never heard of a multi-balloon jump either.

C licence is required, or a logbook showing 200 jumps.

• Innhopps are AMAZING. 
• We'd jump one evening and land out. Somewhere. Somewhere scenic. Somewhere.
• Because you haven't seen the landing area, except in a rudimentary drawing, your senses are heightened making it an amazing experience. 
• Transport back to the DZ would be included. 2018 there was free beer on the landing area, fire dancers, a cowboy on his horse and a live band. I shit you not. 2019 we landed at a fucking castle and there was free beer on the landing area, dinner and tours of the castle. 2020... someone landed at the far end of the field, slung their canopy over their shoulder, climbed on the back of a local's motorbike and got a ride to where the beer was waiting.
• All the boring stuff is included like ground crew, transport for ground crew, smokes for landing direction, boat crew if near water, extra fuel for the plane, transport home for everyone etc etc, blah blah blah. 
• We've no idea on costs but last year, if I remember correctly, it was 1 jump ticket plus EUR30.
• Just bring money for extra beers and food.
• Optional. Also an option to ride the bus there to join us.
• No need to decide now. Decide at the event.
• This is not guaranteed to happen. However, we will endeavour to make this happen. It's the icing on the cake.  
  
  TBC

• Please be on the DZ for 8am on Day1. DZ registration can be a little slow. We'd like to be on a call for 9am. 
• You'll be released no later than 1600 on Day5 in order to make the late flights home to the UK, or wherever.
• Camping is free
• DZ Bunkhouse is cheap and clean and very close. 
• I'm working on a hotel package. Don't feel you have to if you've got a bigger budget. Costs are pretty reasonable. Standard hotel price is about 28 euro per night inc breakfast. Expect breakfast to be typically Czech. Expect twin beds to be separate mattresses but one double bed frame. I don't know why, it's just what they do there. 
• It is likely accommodation will be tricky and single rooms at a premium. :-(
• If you know you want a single room you will probably have to sort your own accommodation.
• Nearest airports are Prague and the ones in southern Germany. Assume Prague will be most popular but suggest you do your own checks. 

I'll be LO for some chilled warm up jumps the day before. My current plan is to fly out on 22nd ahead of the BigWay Skills Camp that is now running directly before this BigGER Way Skills camp.

After the event I'll be unwinding with some fun boogie jumps on the Monday. Wingsuit rodeos, freefly, big big star formations, 9way tubes. Anything goes. Join me?

Event tshirts are notoriously hard to get right. I don't do them. I am happy to assist and guide someone else sorting them though.

2018 - event tshirts for the BigWay Skills Camp were crowd sourced. John Horne was 'the man'. He designed them and found a manufacturer.

2019 - The legends of Sun Path Products subsidised the event tshirts - it was a one off. Shirts supplied by Manufactory. Approx USD 70 per shirt. Wow. Amazing. Jemma Westing was the designer to rule all designers.

2020 - hahahaha.

2022 - ugh, I was persuaded to do tshirts for my big 3 events of the year. I am still having issues with them. Something (everything?) always goes wrong.

2023 - If you want to make it happen, please be my guest. I'm happy to help. Thank you.

E&OE. Registration fee is your deposit and secures your place. Non-refundable but can be swapped if you find someone to take your place - I will help as best I can. By coming on this trip you are confirming that with appropriate training and encouragement you will be able to safely fly 40ways. We will do our very best to help you. However, if you're unable to fly in 40ways safely; your approach is uncontrolled, your tracking is inefficient or your canopy control is reckless, or maybe you're just having a bad day, at some point you will be asked to stand down from the group.

- Places are limited. We need at least 40 to go ahead.

- If your Govt, or the Czech Govt forbids you from travelling there would be a 100% refund.

- If the Czech Govt requires a period of quarantine on entry, then there would be a 100% refund.

- If your Govt allows you to travel but recommends against it for all but 'essential reasons' there would be a 100% refund.

- If your Govt allows you to travel without an essential reason (eg holidays) but imposes restrictions, eg a period of quarantine, then this would be your responsibility.

- Deposits are non-refundable (with the above exceptions) but is transferable. I'd do everything I can to help you find a replacement.

- If the May event is cancelled this event will become a 20way event instead.

In 2020, some Czech events weren't able to be held but the planes were able to fly to Cottbus in Southern Germany. I'm told their landing area is even larger. I hope we don't have to consider this but we might have to. It's not that far of a drive from Klatovy, a couple of hours so flights wouldn't need changing.

Everything here is reported as I've been told. Be aware though that planes can break. Fuel prices can go up. Weather can be shite. Balloons can be taken out by a bird with a sharp beak. DZOs can offer to pay for a 3rd plane to carry one skydiver to altitude solely to get outside video or they can change their minds. Volcanoes, earthquakes, locust swarms, meteor strikes, black holes, zombie hordes and virus pandemics all happen. Brian is not responsible. Blah blah blah. :-)

LO1) Brian Cumming

LO2) Rob Kendall

LO3) Fleur Jones

Vid1) Paul Rimmington, previosly attended as cameraflyer in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022.

Vid2) tbc

If we push the plane capacity, we could squeeze 48ppl total onto this camp.