GK Pilots Jump Too? No Way!!

The tables were turned today at the Team’s training drop zone in Laurinburg, NC as one of the Team’s pilots went from the driver’s seat to the hot seat! Golden Knights’ Aviation detachment commander Major Craig Blackwood handed the controls over to his fellow pilots and, for the first time in his life, landed without the aircraft.

Under the expert tutelage of Black Team assistant team leader SSG Brandon Valle and Gold Team assistant team leader SSG Aaron Figel, MAJ Blackwood completed his first freefall jumps out of the DeHavilland Twin Otter. There were several periods of instruction leading up to the big day…a packing class in the Black Team room, emergency procedures flashcards, complete equipment orientation, and body position rehearsals. Black Team members SSG Trevor Oppenborn, SSG Howie Sanborn, and SGT Brandie Phillips taught the pre-jump classes at GK Headquarters.

Both jumps went very well, and MAJ Blackwood is now ready to move on to the next phase of his Accelerated Freefall (the method of instruction for all new skydivers) progression. As long as the weather cooperates, MAJ Blackwood will complete up to four more jumps tomorrow.