NZONE will launch ‘XLR8’, an advanced introductory skydiving programme which can be completed in as little as three…
NZONE will launch ‘XLR8’, an advanced introductory skydiving programme which can be completed in as little as three weeks. The XLR8 programme gives participants the qualification and experience needed to sports skydive solo at drop zones around the world.
No prior experience is necessary to embark on the XLR8 course and a personal jump master works at the student’s pace through the 8-zone programme.
XLR8 is aimed at those adrenalin enthusiasts who want to be able to jump solo. For anyone considering a career in the skydiving industry XLR8 is also a good introduction and, with additional training, participants can go on to become tandem masters, aerial photographers or sports skydivers.
This week NZONE also celebrate their 15th Birthday, so it was an ideal time to offer the XLR8 course to people who share the team’s passion for skydiving, says NZONE General Manager Robynne Williams.
“Our dedicated team, led by the Chief Safety Officer, has developed XLR8 with the longer term traveler and New Zealand based adventure sports enthusiast in mind.
“We’re also keen to continue supporting the skydive industry by offering a course which will form the cornerstone for further training for a career in the field. It’s an industry wide issue that there are fewer qualified and experienced skydive professionals around so we have all had to recruit from overseas, when, in fact we’d also like to ‘grow’ more of our own talent here in New Zealand,” Robynne says.
The XLR8 programme is unlike any other currently available in New Zealand. Students not only jump sooner, but they will gain experience and knowledge of all the popular elements of skydiving today including canopy flying, relative work (formations) and free flying skills, going beyond existing standard learn to skydive courses.
Even on the first jump, with a little practice and under the close supervision of two instructors, the student pulls their own ripcord. Each jump is filmed and confidence builds through pre and post jump analysis.
XLR8 offers a good balance of getting in amongst the action, coupled with the utmost focus on safety. Ongoing, extensive ground training is given and instructors give individual attention to each student’s performance.
Comprising 15 one-on-one instructional skydives, the XLR8 freefall training programme can be split between Rotorua and Queenstown drop zones, offering experience in different airspaces and allowing travel around the country.
Starting out as a complete freefall novice, Brit Hannah Uglow is now an ‘A’ certificate skydiver after completing the new ‘XLR8’ skydive training with NZONE in Queenstown.
“I am a skydiver! Well, if someone had told me three months ago I’d be able to say that, I’d have fallen off my chair laughing, but as soon as I rolled out of the plane and fell flat above the earth I was hooked,” says Hannah.
The sport of skydiving continues to grow in popularity according to recent statistics from the New Zealand Parachute Industry Association which reveal that tandem skydiving is rated amongst the top three adventure activities undertaken by international visitors to New Zealand.
In 15 years of operation NZONE has taken to the skies with over 90,000 tandem passengers which equates to 96,200 hours in freefall and covers a distance equivalent to journeying to the moon and back twice. NZONE was recently named a nominee in the New Zealand Tourism Awards 2005 and was a Tourism Award winner in 2002.
