Here at the Mesquite airport, 90 miles North of Las Vegas, more than forty skydivers climb into three sizeable aircraft, headed for a jump altitude of 12,500 feet and an attempt to set a state record.And there they go!
12,500 feet above where I'm watching, three aircraft disgorge more their cargo of more than forty skydivers as quickly as they can all leap out of the aircraft.
A mass of skydivers fills the sky, and we have to wonder how they manage to avoid each other!
In the middle of all the skydiving, a pair of World War II carrier-based bombers land, refuel and take off for another event at Nellis Air Force Base. What a thrill to see them!
The skydiving resumes. Planeload after planeload of divers take off, most jumping solo but a number jumping tandem with students and their instructors.With so many jumps, the opportunity to take shots of individual skydivers are plentiful.
The experienced skydivers show their skills, displaying exquisite control while skimming in for graceful landings like a Corps de Ballet.
Here is how they look as an entire planeload approaches their landing!