[TheNoonans]

Thank you Woodsy,

We exited a Pilatus Porter at 29,500ft MSL (-40 degrees Celcius, hence the thick jumpsuits). Mount Everest is 29,085ft MSL, so we wanted to make sure that we took our tandem students above the peak height. I will never forget the first jump that I made. I opened the door, turned out, and I just sat on the side of the plane for three minutes at 29,500ft MSL, just staring down the right wing, looking "down" onto the peak of Everest. (We got within a 1/2 mile of the peak before turning away for our jump run and exit.)

I had the opportunity to discuss the jumps with Colonel Joe Kittenger a few weeks later. He holds the record for the highest freefall at 103,000ft MSL. When I made my first skydive on June 12th, 1999, I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that some day I would be skydiving in the shadow of Mount Everest and then discussing those high altitude skydives with Colonel Kittenger, but there we were, talking about our experiences. Skydiving can produce some amazing experiences, all we have to do is give it the chance.

Blue skies to all and to all a good flight,

Tom

(Attached is a picture of Mary and I with Colonel Kittenger)