Father & Son first skydive

What started out as a father's day wish was finally accomplished today. Less than two weeks after we both decided to skydive, we finally got to skydive together at Skydive Deland in Florida.

It was a great day because it was the culmination of what they told us could not be done. You may remember that I was refused Advanced Free Fall (AFF) training because of my age. So, I had to find a drop zone that would train me and then come back and skydive with Sandy Jr.

The other skydiver in this picture is Bob Crossman, the chief instructor at Skydive Deland. He was my first tandem instructor and an avid Red Sox fan. He was absolutely thrilled to assist us on our first father and son skydive and we will continue with him to earn our "A" license.

Sandy Jr is attending Embry-Riddle University and should earn his private pilot certificate this summer. Embry-Riddle has a skydiving club and has an agreement to train skydivers at Skydive Deland. Its actually part of their curriculum and he can earn college credits for earning his AFF. So, after earning my AFF at Skydive Tampa Bay I returned to Deland and was on Sandy Jr's AFF certification dive. After earning his AFF, we decided to go once more as solo skydivers and chased each other back down to the earth.

My son and I have shared many adventures. We fly planes, ride road bikes, Harleys and scuba dive. Words alone cannot express my pride and exhilaration of being able to share so much with him. He has a great future as a pilot and I can only hope that this is just one of many more adventures.

Skydiving at 60

What do you do when you are reaching the pinnacle of your career and and the peak of your physical fitness? Well, you go skydiving of course!

Last year our entire family went on a skydiving adventure for mother's day. We all took tandem jumps at Skydive Deland. This year, my son (Sandy Jr) suggested we do a father and son skydiving event for father's day. I agreed and on June 19th we met a Skydive Deland to sign up or the Advanced Free Fall Course (AFF). Much to my surprise, they informed that they would not train me due to my age (60). Well, you can imagine our disappointment and a bit of frustration that even though there is no age limit regulation Skydive Deland's policy is to not accept anyone over 60.

I was able to research previous accident statistics (www.Dropzone.com) to determine that age was not a significant factor in skydiving accidents. A review revealed that most accidents were a result of aggressive maneuvers close to ground or equipment malfunctions.

To shorten the story, I was able to find a drop zone at Skydive Tampa Bay where they evaluated me for physical fitness and mental awareness. After a tandem (evaluation) jump I was accepted for AFF training and was able to earn my skydiving certificate in two days and seven jumps.

Since I am new to the sport I am certainly not an expert by any means. But, in my short exposure I found it interesting that the only incidents during my training happened to my jump instructor, who dislocated his shoulder while docking with me and to my 25 year old son who turned his ankle on landing. However, the OLD MAN is still in one piece and got his skydiving certificate in two days. My son is still working on AFF 5.

I must admit that skydiving is an unusual sport that demands both physical fitness and mental awareness. It is definitely a rush and not recommended as a 'relaxing' type sport. This definitely is a sport for action junkies who are able to throw caution into the wind. After an extensive career in aviation to include fighter jets, carrier operations, helicopters and eleven years in the airshow business working close to the ground I can say that nothing that I have ever done can compare to the experience of skydiving.

It is my intent to continue with skydiving and will continue to blog the experience....

Paris in March

Last week, I had the pleasure of flying our company Falcon Jet to Paris. My employer is considering spending the summer in France and they flew over to preview some apartments. It was fortunate that it coincided with my fourth anniversary and Linda was able to join me.

The flight over the North Atlantic was uneventful. Cool temperatures, good tailwinds and little solar activity allowed for good HF communications, which made the crossing relatively routine. Our arrival and approach into Le Bourget was as planned and we landed in Paris right on time.

Paris in March is absolutely beautiful! March is referred to as one of the shoulder months, no longer winter but with temperatures in the high 60's and clear blue skies. Having previously traveled to Paris, Linda and I set about to enjoy the ambiance of Paris.

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel Trocadero, which is a converted Marriott property, but very much a French style hotel. Relatively small rooms, but well appointed with a restaurant and bar. The hotel is well situated within walking distance to the Eiffel Tower and many local restaurants.

Even though we are no longer first time tourists, we could not help but enjoy the usual sights around the Eiffel Tower. We took a scenic boat tour on the River Seine and enjoyed the sights of the Latin Quarter, the Champs Elysees and the Arc De Triumphe. During our stay, we also had the opportunity to to visit Printemps (shopping district) and to sample French cuisine at several Paris restaurants.

I would have to say that our most memorable event was dinner at the Latin Quarter. As you can see in the adjoining picture, the flight crew was feeling quite lively under the direction of Kelley, our flight attendant. A fun filled evening despite the girls breaking some hearts with the locals. And finally topped off with some of the best Gelato since our honeymoon in Italy.

This post would not be complete if I did not give credit to my beautiful wife, who braved the commercial airlines to be with me and celebrate our four year anniversary. Despite the longest return flight in history via Paris, Pittsbugh, Tampa and a road trip back home, she was still in good spirits. Like I said the day she flew off my Harley and did not complain, "She's a keeper"! ' Oh, and let's not forget my employer who allowed me to fly his corporate jet to Paris to celebrate my fourth anniversary....

Pueto Vallarta

On March 18th I flew a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was a smooth flight with really great passengers. Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful resort that offers 5 star hotels, excellent food, service and a great value for your dollar. The weather was much like San Diego. Not a cloud in the sky with highs in the 70s and lows in the high 50s.

Beside the pleasure of flying a Falcon 900, I also had the opportunity to experience a Canopy Tour of the Sierra Madres Mountains. You ride ATVs through the jungles of Mexico to a base camp in the mountains. There you are fitted and instructed on how to "fly" a zip line (thick cable) 1000ft across mountain peaks while looking down 600 ft. What a RUSH! If you ever have the chance to experience a Canopy Tour, don't pass it up. We ended up doing two practice runs and 12 actual "ZIP" lines. Some of the lines took you high above the terrain while others went right through the dense jungle canopy. I even brought home some battle scars as I failed to stop prior to reaching the end and my legs made contact with the cable. Well worth the experience.

For those looking for a great vacation spot your U.S. dollars will get you far in Mexico. Lots to see and do. Next time I will try the scuba diving.

Ciao

Even though most of you know me as SANDY, my real name is SANTIAGO ROSELL. I am married to Linda Ivey and I have two sons Sandy Jr (22) and Kenneth (14). We presently reside in Orlando, Florida and I am employed by A-OK Jets, Inc. as the chief pilot for John W. Henry & Company and the Boston Red Sox baseball team.

BIOGRAPHY

SANTIAGO PEDRO ROSELL was born on September 11, 1950 in Havana, Cuba. He was raised in Miami, Florida and attended Christopher Columbus high school. He conducted his undergraduate studies at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He also completed his postgraduate education at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida where he earned a Master of Arts degree in Communication.

After earning his college degree Mr. Rosell applied for and was selected to attend Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida. From Pensacola he attended flight school and qualified in several jet aircraft to include the McDonnell Douglas A-4J Skyhawk and carrier qualified aboard the USS Lexington.

Mr. Rosell resigned his commission in 1979 and received an Honorable Discharge in order to pursue his interest in commercial aviation. After returning to Miami, he promptly earned his flight instructor ratings and performed a variety of pilot services, which included primary flight instruction, charter pilot and international cargo operations. His aeronautical experience includes military training, Airline Transport Pilot ratings in both fixed wing and rotorcraft plus extensive experience in dealing with the Federal Aviation Administration as the Director of Flight Operations for a Part 135 Air Carrier.

In 1981, while employed by International Flyers, Inc., he was recruited by Mitsubishi Aircraft International to serve as Chief Pilot for United Medical Corporation in Orlando, Florida. While with this company Mr. Rosell established a charter company named Venture Airways, which provided executive charter services, priority cargo, aerial photography, aircraft management and air ambulance services. During his tenure he was promoted to Vice President and Director of Flight Operations plus he is credited for transitioning the company from a one-airplane operation to a multi aircraft company with jet and helicopter services.

His management experience includes the administration of most every aspect of corporate aviation. His duties included aircraft acquisition, financing, personnel, budget projections, cost management, marketing and supervision of aircraft maintenance. In addition, Mr. Rosell’s international experience includes flight operations in Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Mr. Rosell is presently employed by A-OK Jets, Inc. as the Chief Pilot for John W. Henry & Company and the Boston Red Sox baseball team. His is responsible for the operation of a Falcon 900 and a Bell 430 helicopter. Flight operations include domestic and international destinations. His responsibilities include the management of company aircraft, personnel, standardization of the flight crews, supervising maintenance and flying the company’s aircraft.