The 20 Minute Call - A Skydiving Podcast

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Born in Tempe, Arizona, Craig Girard made his first jump on March 14, 1981, at Sky Hi-Pioneer DZ, Phoenix, AZ, and has since accumulated over 32,000 jumps.  His illustrious career spans more than four decades, and he has won numerous awards and championships, including US National Champion 8-way for an impressive 18 times, and US National Champion 4-way six...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Matt Blank is a true adventurer who has packed a lifetime of extraordinary experiences into his years. A well-known figure in multiple adventure sports communities, Matt has traveled the globe, embracing the highs and lows that come with a life of pushing boundaries. From leaping off iconic objects like great sequoia trees to sliding down a greased ramp of...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Amy Chmelecki has spent nearly three decades pushing the boundaries of human flight, amassing over 20,000 skydives and 2,000 hours of wind tunnel time. A true trailblazer, Amy holds an astonishing 25 skydiving world records, 3 world titles, and 9 national titles across disciplines like freefly, freestyle, vertical formation skydiving, and dynamic 4-way. Amy...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode My guest today is one of the most recognized skydivers and BASE jumpers on planet earth. Say the word “JayMo” in any skydiving community and they know you’re referring to Jason Moledzki.  Since making his first static line jump from a Cessna 182 at Skydive Toronto in 1994, Jason has amassed an unparalleled resumé that includes seven world titles, eleven wor...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Don Kirlin is a visionary leader whose remarkable contributions have left a profound impact on both the aviation and skydiving worlds. As the founder of Air USA, Don provided tactical aircraft services to U.S. defense agencies and contractors earning recognition as the owner of one of the "world’s most advanced private air forces." An ATP-rated pi...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Bruce Travis, born and raised in Montana, has spent decades as an engineer and skydiver, achieving incredible milestones in each. A graduate of Montana State University with a degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering, Bruce served in the U.S. Air Force as a Combat Controller during the Vietnam War, providing close air support while assigned to the 82n...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Bruno Brokken, originally from Belgium, has dedicated more than four decades to the sport, amassing over 27,000 jumps and a reputation as one of the most skilled aerial photographers and videographers in the world. His work has captured the essence of skydiving, from world records to exotic boogies, and even high-profile commercial projects for brands like...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Olav Zipser, born in Simmern, Germany, began his skydiving career in 1986 and quickly revolutionized the sport by introducing non-traditional forms of body flight - in other words departing the known world of flying on your belly to flying on multiple axes, namely on your head. His innovative approach led to the development of FreeFly, a discipline that has...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode My guest today is one of the world’s most celebrated skydiving camera flyers, with a career that spans over 30 years and more than 28,000 jumps. Gustavo Cabana, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, turned a simple VHS camera and a passion for skydiving into a lifelong profession, capturing some of the most iconic moments in the sport’s history. Gustavo...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode In part two of this two-part episode with Norman Kent, we resume our conversation, speaking more about Norman's professional career.  If you've not yet listened to Part I, please listen to last week's episode first.  Norman Kent is considered by many to be one of the greatest skydiving aerial photographers and cinematographers in the history...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode My guest today is considered by many to be one of the greatest skydiving aerial photographers and cinematographers in the history of the sport. Norman Kent made his first jump at 19 years old. Now, at 68, he is still on the top of the mountain capturing the sport's most extraordinary images. At the time of this recording, the October 2024 cover of Para...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Jen Davidson, a distinguished former member of the elite U.S. Army Golden Knights, has showcased her skydiving expertise in some of the most high-profile jumps worldwide, including an awe-inspiring jump at the Statue of Liberty and multiple high-profile stadium jumps as part of the demonstration team. Throughout her remarkable career, Jen has claimed multip...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Brian "BK" Krause is a legendary figure in the skydiving community, with an impressive career that spans both military and civilian achievements. With over 23,000 jumps to his name, BK is known for leading the resurgence of the U.S. Army's Golden Knights 8-Way formation skydiving team. Under his leadership as captain and player-coach, the Gol...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Jeana Billings has made an incredible impact on the skydiving world since her first jump in 2013. In just a few short years, she has become a dominant force in Formation Skydiving competitions. In 2018, Jeana and her team, Paraclete XP8, won the U.S. National Championships in the 8-Way event. By 2019, she added to her accomplishments by becoming the World I...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Kirk Verner is a true legend in skydiving, with a remarkable career spanning decades. As a founding member of Arizona Airspeed, Kirk has amassed an incredible 72 gold medals at world and national levels in both 4-Way and 8-Way formation skydiving. His achievements place him among the most successful competitors in the history of the sport. Kirk has also mad...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Zainab Alibhai has defied expectations and broken significant barriers, earning a place of recognition within the international skydiving community. Originally from Kenya, Zainab made her first skydive in 2014—a life-changing experience that set her on a remarkable path. From that moment, she embarked on an unconventional journey, traveling across the globe...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Sherry Butcher is a highly accomplished and influential figure in the skydiving community. She co-owns Aerohio Skydiving Center in Ashland, Ohio, and has been actively involved in the sport for over 30 years. Sherry made her first jump in May 1993 and has since made over 10,000 jumps. Her passion for skydiving led her to become a skilled instructor, eventua...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode In this episode, we dive into the world of Rook Nelson, a respected figure in the skydiving community and the owner of the legendary Skydive Chicago. With an astounding 26,000+ jumps to his name, Rook is a decorated competitor, boasting 13 World Championship Titles, 17 World Records, and 36 National Titles. His passion for skydiving transcends personal achi...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Join us for an exhilarating episode as the master storyteller, Rich Grimm, returns for a second time to recount his latest adventures in the Seychelles and South Africa boogies. Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions as Rich shares the thrilling highs and challenging lows of organizing skydiving events in some of the world's most remote and breathta...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Matt Fry is a well-respected free flyer with a curiosity for various disciplines that include artistic freefly, big way VFS and even Speed Skydiving! If you’re not familiar with Matt Fry, you’ve seen his work as he served as one of the organizers for this year’s Max Pyro jump which must be considered one of the most spectacular skydives ever made!  Matt is...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode The indomitable Cheryl Stearns returns to the 20-Minute Call for a second interview to delve deeper into her remarkable career. We explore her aviation journey with over 23,000 flight hours, her quest to break Colonel Joe Kittinger's high jump record with StratoQuest, and her resilience in overcoming loss. Cheryl reflects on the highs and lows of being...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Craig O'Brien has accomplished so much that often his title as a 5-time US National Champion and 3-time World Champion is overlooked! This oversight only happens because of the glowing items on his resumé which includes filming the epic skydiving scenes in Iron Man, Iron Man 3, Kingsman, Godzilla, Point Break, the Hangover III, The Bucket List, Charlie...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Doug Smith has been in the sport of skydiving for 30 years and is renowned for creating one of the world's most beautiful dropzones - Chicagoland Skydiving Center. In 2011, CSC transitioned from Hinckley, Illinois, to a state-of-the-art 20,000-square-foot facility in nearby Rochelle. This impressive center features a restaurant and bar, gear store, san...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode Sara Curtis is our guest today, and her resumé reads like a thrilling adventure novel. She’s a stuntwoman, business owner, politician, and world record skydiver. With three World Titles, 11 National Titles in Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS), 20 World Records, and over 17,000 skydives to her name, Sara Curtis is nothing short of phenomenal. Sara burst ont...

Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode My guest today has truly lived a life that transcends even the wildest dreams of a successful career in skydiving. With over 500 BASE jumps and 17,000 skydives, Jon Devore is a highly respected camera flyer, BASE jumper, wingsuiter, world champion free flyer, and stunt performer. His work has been featured in major films such as 2015’s Point Break , Iron Ma...