They call Air Force cadets zoomies.
Whether how one chooses to define the term, one thing is for sure Air Force jet pilots zoom in the air. F-16 jets can breathtakingly travel faster than the speed of sound.
We all know cadets train in the air, including parachuting, but for sport?
During the National Collegiate Parachuting Championships at Skydive Arizona in Eloy from Dec. 28, to Jan, 2, the U.S. Air Force Academy teams won two gold medals and set a national time record.
College teams from across the country competed, totaling almost 100 competitors. Competition is sanctioned under the U.S. Parachute Association.
Dolores native and Air Force Academy junior Brett Brunner helped his 6-way and 4-way teams to gold medals. The 20-year-old has skydived more than 300 times, so it was just another day at the office.
We were able to win. That was pretty exciting, Brunner said.
The Air Force 6-way (six skydivers) team, Air Force Be With You, won a gold medal and set the national 6-way skydiving record for fastest single-round score by completing their formation in 9.62 seconds.
It was exciting to set a new record for 6-way and win, Brunner said.
The advanced 4-way (four skydivers) team, Air Force Legacy, also took gold. The 4-way formation is Brunners favorite.
The success was winning in 4-way, he said. Its just a much tougher sport. We were more excited about winning 4-way.
There are four different types of skydiving. They include, formation, vertical, and sport and classic accuracy.
The cadets participate in formation skydiving. The teams jump out of an airplane two miles above ground and race against a time clock, while forming geometric shapes in the air before releasing their parachutes.
Skydiving all started for Brunner between his freshman and sophomore year at the Academy. The former Dolores High School athletic standout took a 2-week summer class for a chance to later tryout for the team. Like at DHS, Brunner had the skills.
I was fortunate enough to get picked up by the team, Brunner said.
Brunners sophomore year was mostly training in the 4-way formation, mainly to become instructors in the 2-week introductory class. After all, books come first at the Academy.
The main focus of our squadron, is to teach all the students that come through the 490 (introductory) course, Brunner said. But, we get to compete on the side.
Brunner, a civil engineering major, and his fellow cadets will compete at the 2012 USPA National Championships in October at the same location in Eloy, Ariz. Nationals will be more challenging.
The dive pool is much larger, so theres a lot tougher formations that you have to build, Brunner said. There will be a lot more teams and the teams there, will be much higher quality. Thats our focus now.
Until then, Brunners total of 300 skydives will only increase, because the skys unlimited for the cadets.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at [email protected].
