DAY 0: TEAM USA (GK-8) DEPLOYS TO RUSSIA

TEAM USA, consisting of the Golden Knights own 8-Way Formation Sky Diving Team, left today to represent the United States at the World Parachuting Championships in Menzenlink, Russia.  It started with an early show for a 0630 departure on the Golden Knights Team bus from our Headquarters on Fort Bragg for the long drive up to Dulles International Airport.  Traffic cooperated and we made it with plenty of time to spare and were greeted by a good Friend of the Team and honorary Golden Knight, Jamie Lindsey – who ensured we had a proper final send off.

Jamie introduced us to Captain Walt Clark and his wife.  Walt is the Chief Pilot for United’s Northeast Region and he told us about how their daughter had just enlisted in the Army and would soon be on her way to Fort Jackson, SC.  He explained how much he wanted to fly us to Moscow himself, but would be busy farewelling his daughter as she was leaving tomorrow.

9 hours and 18 minutes after take off, we landed in Moscow International Airport.  Happy all bags arrived without incident, this was a short stop before we jumped on a S7 bird from Moscow to Kazan, then a 4 hour ride to Menzelinsk.

Racing down the bumpy Russian roads in a van packed with all of us and our gear was the riskiest part of the trip.  Our driver had a close encounter with the local police and was pulled over for talking on his cell phone while driving.  After a 20 minute conversation and 1,500 rubles, we were on our way again.  Dinner was a quick stop at a Russian McDonalds and I regret we didn’t get a picture out front – the place was packed.

We checked into our hotel and unpacked for tomorrow, where we’ll head to the drop zone to sign in, pay our entry competition fees, familiarize with obstacles and facilities on the drop zone AND most importantly, familiarize and start making practice jumps out of a different aircraft – the L-410 – in lieu of our Golden Knight Twin Otter the GK-8 has used for all of it’s Training.