On Saturday, June 27, eight members of David and Marie Johnston’s family enjoyed a skydiving adventure together at Skydive Perris, located at the Perris Valley Airport, 2091 Goetz Rd. in Perris.
An important part of their experience was jumping from the Skyvan airplane. David says, “The Skyvan is very close to my heart as it is the first aircraft that I had a major part in the structural design. I designed the forward fuselage structure, the rear loading door and helped with the engine installation.”
David says he particularly requested the Skyvan for their jump, and the skydiving staff went out of their way to ensure the Johnstons got their wish. The Skyvan climbs for about 25 minutes to an altitude of 14,000 ft. before participants jump from the plane one at a time – usually in tandem with an experienced skydiver.
Skydivers free fall at about 120 miles per hour for about one minute, descending to 4,000 ft. above the ground before deploying the parachute. The float to the ground takes about five minutes before approaching the landing area. Parachutes are very maneuverable and can land literally on a dime.
David says he was the last from the group to jump out of the plane. His tandem partner was an ex U.S. Navy Seals instructor who kept good control. “The exit (from the plane) was a bit of a surprise,” says David. “First a back flip, followed by a free fall that was exhilarating, noisy and quick.”
After the jump, the family members each got a T-shirt and video of their jump, then headed to BJ’s for lunch. It was David and Marie’s 56th wedding anniversary and the 20th anniversary of David’s retirement from Northrup.
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