Black and Gold Teams “Drop By” UC Irvine

The Golden Knights take a photo op with the Riverside Recruiters and the UC Irvine Cheerleaders after the jump (photo by SSG Joe Abeln)

Black and Gold Demonstration Teams have been working together the past week in California, performing together at the Miramar Air Show in San Diego this past weekend, then making their way up to Irvine, California this week to jump into some local schools before heading to Little Rock, Arkansas this coming weekend. Two members of the Tandem Team are also along on the trip, augmenting the demonstration teams and adding some variety to the show.

Yesterday’s jump into the UC Irvine campus came off without any hitches, despite less than favorable weather conditions. The Team awoke to patchy clouds and a light breeze, which became low clouds, drizzle, and gusty winds by lobby time. Once the team arrived at the aircraft at John Wayne Airport in Irvine, there were already reports from ground control (who were already at the drop site) that it had really started to rain at the campus. Luckily, the rain let up just in time and clouds held off just enough for the Team to fly over for a streamer drop and turn right around for a “hot target.”

The first four jumpers each landed on the target right in the middle of the lawn in the University common area, and the remaining four jumpers paired up and landed two separate canopy relative work two-stacks. The local Army recruiting company was there, and had great success interacting with the students. 1SG Dan Hendrix, the local recruiting company First Sergeant, is a former Golden Knight who spent two years on Gold Demonstration Team as the Team’s recruiter liaison.