Everest Skydive 2009

Drop Zone – Syangboche (12,350 ft / 3720m), October 16-17, 2009
On 16th and 17th October, 2009 seven skydivers from the Everest Skydive team performed solo and tandem jumps at Syangboche (12,350 feet).

On 16th October, five members skydived from a height of 25,000 feet. Tom Noonan (USA), Ian Bishop (Australia) and Jai Kishan (India) made solo jumps. In the second group, Wendy Smith (New Zealand) jumped solo, while Ganesh Pandey (Nepal) made a tandem jump with tandem master Tom Noonan (USA).

On 17th October, Wendy Smith (New Zealand), Jai Kishan (India) and Mary Noonan (USA) made solo jumps from a height of 27,500ft. While Everest summiteer, Pujan Acharya (Nepal) made a tandem jump from a height of 29,300 feet, with tandem master Tom Noonan (USA).

The jumps over Shyangboche were made from Tara Air’s Pilatus Porter aircraft, flown by Capt Jack Sparrow (UK) and Praful Baidya (Nepal). Capt Jack Sparrow, an experienced pilot, has performed more than 4,000 lifts (flights for skydiving) in Europe and is preparing to launch a skydiving club in Thailand, which will be the first in Asia.

SN	Name	Country	Jump (Solo/Tandem)	Remarks
1	Tom Noonan	USA	Tandem	Crew
2	Ian Bishop	Australia	Solo
3	Jai Kishan	India	Solo
4	Wendy Smith	New Zealand	Solo	Crew
5	Ganesh Pandey	Nepal	Tandem	With tandem master Tom Noonan
6	Mary Noonan	USA	Solo	Crew
7	Pujan Acharya	Nepal	Tandem	With Tandem master Tom Noonan

Drop Zone – Gorakh Shep, KalaPatthar Plateau (17,192 ft/5,242m), October 28th, 2009
On October 28, 2009 World skydiving champion Wendy Smith from New Zealand, Global Angels ambassador and tandem master Tom Noonan and Wing Commander Jai Kishan from the Indian Air Force, made a successful landing at the Gorak Shep, Kala Patthar plateau, lying at an altitude of 17,192 feet (5,242m), right beside Mt. Everest.

This is believed to be the highest skydiving stunt performed over highest drop zone in the world. The operation was carried out from Fishtail Air’s AS 350 B3 helicopter flown by Capt. Sabin Basnet and Capt. Deepak Rana. The dives were performed in the morning of 28th October. The helicopter took off with the skydiving team from Shyangboche airport and flew to a height of 23,000 feet before dropping from 21,000 feet at right air layer.

SN	Name	Country	Jump(Solo/Tandem)	Remarks
1	Tom Noonan	USA	Solo	World record
2	Jai Kishan	India	Solo	World record
3	Wendy Smith	New Zealand	Solo	World record