Leapfest International Parachute competition 2017

#4375922 - 08/22/17 06:29 PM Leapfest International Parachute competition 2017
Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 20,152 Top Gun Lifer
Top Gun Lifer Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 20,152 Roch-Vegas NH	So I went down to the University of Rhode island a few weeks back to photograph the Parachute competition they hold every year. little snip from my article Quote The purpose of Leapfest is for training an Army Aviation group to deliver a force on a tactical objective on time and ready for combat. It consists of teams from the US Army, US Navy, USMC and International teams. There were 38 teams from the US, 185 jumpers covering 14 States. For the International coverage, they had 32 teams breaking down to 158 jumpers covering 9 countries. Those countries include Botswana, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States. The competition consists of 5 jumpers, 4 of which jump and one alternate. The jumpers exit the CH-47 Chinook from 1500 ft (AGL) using a MC1-1C/D static line steerable parabolic parachute. This means the chute will open as soon as they leap off the deck of the CH-47 instead of free falling from a higher altitude and then deploying at 3000 ft. A jump master is in back of each Chinook and will tell the jumpers when to exit over the drop zone. First set of jumpers boarding a Chinook More jumpers moving down into the staging area Our media chariot awaits turning into the DZ coming in at 1500 ft AGL, Go, Go, Go Good chute means a good landing This was a friendship jump where jumpers from different countries jump together for the other countries wings. more photos and info here if you're interested? https://www.topgunphotography.net/basevisits/Leapfest%202017/ Attached Files Last edited by Top Gun; 08/22/17 06:33 PM. XboxLive Tag: DOBrienTG1969 Dave O'Brien, Top Gun Photography Nikon D500 & D7200 Nikkor 70-200VR AF-s F/2.8 Sigma 50-500 & 17-50 F2.8 Sigma 150-600

Originally Posted by Arthonon

Great shots, Dave! I love the air-to-air shots, and some on your site looking up at the jumpers, or with the helo in the background, like this one:

https://www.topgunphotography.net/photos/displayimage.php?pid=5606&fullsize=1

thank you Ken, I was really bummed the media flights were so messed up. First one with the combat photog lasted for 1.5 hours, then the first media flight went up for 1:15 mins... Each time in between the helo went back to refuel which took another 20 mins... We were the 3-4th people there but gave up the first flight to make sure we had better seats. Normally the media flights are 20 mins max. They do maybe 3-4 loops around the DZ and come back, these guys did 3-4 loops, but then went out over southern RI do fly up the beaches... Great view from up there, but totally ruined any chance to get any competition shots...

As mentioned on the report, these were just friendship jumps so I was trying to do something different than just shoot people falling. Appreciate you looking.