Perris Valley Skydiving via You Tube.
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| The late Patrick McGowan (Photo from Skydive University Website) |
www.Economy4ABC.Blogspot.com
March 31, 2011
11:17 p.m.
Perris, CA
The perfect crystal clear blue sky above the Inland Empire turned into a nightmare on Thursday.
Two well respected and well loved men died after colliding midair in during a routine skydiving accident at the Perris Valley Airport late Thursday afternoon.
Patrick McGowan and Chris Stasky have been identified by coroner officials as being killed on the scene of the famed training airfield after they were completing a so called "military training exercise" called "flying the canopy."
The sky-divers free-fell approximately 200 to 300 feet before hitting the ground, according to Riverside County firefighters who responded to the scene.
Tonight friends and family are mourning their loss. Stasky and McGowan were both professional sky diving instructors with tens of thousands of hours in the sky. "Flying the canopy" is a routine (correct me if I am wrong, please in my comment section) when skydivers ride on top of or near each others "canopy's.") I found this clip of You Tube that shows that exercise.
I tried skydiving one time in Las Vegas. I never got out of the air tunnel simulator because I broke my ankle before I ever got out of the classroom. Skydivers are a "special type" of person. They are full of passion. and they love their sport.
My heart goes out to everyone in this tight-knit community who has lost two incredible friends. Please, share your thoughts below this post. Do you have a special memory of Patrick or Chris? Have you ever skydived? Have you ever been in a near accident while skydiving?
Both were 42 years old. Incredible loss.
