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Alabama Skydiving is one of those drop zones “where everybody knows your name.” Located in Pell City, about an half-hour east of Birmingham, the drop zone is known for its southern hospitality, a core group of fun jumpers and a staff made up of people who love their jobs. Five months ago this weekend Cessna drop zone became affiliated with a full-time DZ just over the Alabama state line: Atlanta Skydiving Center. With this change in ownership came the benefit of larger, turbine aircraft (Caravan and Porter), a well-rounded staff and a much-needed update in gear. Chuting Star Rigging Loft helped transition the student gear from ripcord spring-loaded pilot chute rigs with F-111 main canopies and FXC’s to Cypres-equipped BOC gear with brand new ZP mains. Atlanta Skydiving Center also used its resources to update the older Strong tandems with new mains, factory updated containers and serviced Cypreses. The new staff and ownership, blessed with five years of a blemish-free, trusting relationship with skydivers and visitors at Atlanta Skydiving Center were rudely awakened to a new reality on Dec. 12. Six rigs stored at the drop zone for tandem jumping, student AFF jumping, new jumper rental and staff were stolen from the gear locker. Estimated losses topped $40,000. Business went on as usual last weekend thanks to ownership, staff members and fun jumpers providing gear to temporarily replace the stolen tandem, student and staff gear. But a new eye of suspicion is being cast toward anyone who doesn’t seem to fit into the group dynamics of this small drop zone. It is the end of the all-trusting atmosphere known at Alabama Skydiving as well as Atlanta Skydiving Center. Skydiving will continue to thrive at both facilities and we will recover from the losses, but it is a hard pill to swallow. Click on this link for a complete list of stolen items. Recovery information can be sent to Chuting Star Rigging Loft.

Frap hats aren’t quite as popular as they used to be in skydiving. With the advent of freeflying and its higher freefall speeds as well as the ever-more physical genre of competitive relative work skydiving with vertical transitions and flying knees, the frap hat offers little protection. Even a good number of Accelerated Freefall and Tandem Instructors are turning to hard helmets these days for better protection from an out of control student or a tandem riser slap. But the frap hat still provides a convenient place to store your audible altimeter, lends an extra layer of warmth in the winter and is comfortable. All of my tandem students, as well as myself, wear frap hats from freefall to landing. It is in no means a “crash” helmet but it does serve as a small buffer in the rare circumstance of bumping heads or a riser slap to the side of the head. I occasionally wear a frap hat for AFF jumps as well as freeflying jumps although I lean more toward a hard helmet in most cases. But for those of you in the market for a new frap hat, go no further than Charles Mack (a former supplier for Parachute Equipment Corp.) out of Palmdale, California. With new frap hats selling for $95 to $120, I have always bought my frap hats used, paying no more than $60. When my current frap hat began wearing out, giving me an excuse to find one that fit my head better, I started searching online again. I came across Charles selling new frap hats for $50 on the skydiving newsgroup rec.skydiving. I sent my check for $50 and received my new large all black frap hat in a week with an audible altimeter pocket. The hat is well made, looks good and is very comfortable. You can’t beat the price of these hats or the quick service Charles provides. Charles can be contacted at nitrochute@aol.com or 661-917-7071. Mail orders can be sent to: 38544 East 33rd Street, Palmdale, CA 93550. Custom colors and sizing available with a 2-week turnaround.