Parachutes fill sky as Skydive Fest returns

Aug. 8—SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP — As the skydivers arrived nearly silent at the drop zone, some solo skydivers hit the ground running while tandem skydivers kicked their feet up and skidded to a stop.

However they landed, one thing all of the skydivers had in common: Wide smiles and excited cheers from friends and family watching nearby.

Cecil Smith, owner and drop zone operator of Skydive Pennsylvania in Springfield Township near the Grove City Airport, said the reactions Sunday afternoon were a common reaction from skydivers, regardless of how nervous they were for their first jumps.

"As soon as they leave the plane, they relax," Cecil said. "And when you're on the ground when it's all over, you've got so much adrenaline your hands are shaking."

Sunday marked the third and final day of Skydive Fest 2022, a weekend of festivities at Skydive Pennsylvania that included educational sessions, parachute-packing lessons and plenty of skydiving opportunities for experienced and first-time skydivers alike.

The average skydive only lasts about five to seven minutes, starting at 13,500 feet in the air heading toward the ground at about 130 miles per hour, followed by the parachute's deployment at about a mile in the air, Cecil said.

There were some clouds in the sky, but things were otherwise clear and sunny enough for the weekend's festivities, since Cecil said the organization doesn't hold skydives when there are high winds, rain, or enough clouds to prevent skydivers from seeing the ground.

"There were some times this weekend when the weather got iffy, but things worked out for us," Cecil said.

Among those at the event were Cecil's son Cory Smith, who helps his father manage the drop zone. Cory said he started skydiving about seven years ago, partially because of his father and partially because of friends who wanted to try skydiving.

Although those friends eventually lost interest, Cory said he remained enthused enough to eventually be licensed for solo skydives, a process that involves not just getting used to the procedure but learning different maneuvers to control one's descent.

"Eventually it gets to the point where, after you leave the plane, it's relaxing — it lets you get away from everything," Cory said.

Like his father, Cory said most people tend to be nervous on the flight up, then as they prepare to leave the plane, followed by the joy and excitement of the skydive itself.

"Within the first five seconds, all of that goes away, and there's no stomach drop like when you're on a roller coaster," Cory said.

Although previous Skydive Fests have been held at Skydive Pennsylvania, Cecil said there has been an increased interest in skydiving since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year had about 3,505 sky dives, and this year so far has had about 1,800 sky dives.

This year's event marked the first collaboration with the local tourism agency VisitMercerCountyPA.

President and CEO Peggy Mazyck said the agency helped promote the event and partnered with some other local businesses, including the use of Libations Winery's outdoor area for a skydive landing zone for their last evening jumps, along with bringing in helicopter rides and working with Grove City-area hotels.

However, there is also a historical connection to the parachute that Mazyck said was important for this year's event — local inventor Stefan Banic, who made an often unrecognized parachute prototype of his own.

According to historical information on display at Skydive Fest, Banic was born on Nov. 23, 1870, and was raised in then-Austria-Hungary. He later immigrated to the United States and worked as a coal miner in Greenville.

In 1912, Banic was inspired to develop his parachute prototype after witnessing a plane crash, and a final prototype was made in 1913.

Unlike typical parachutes that are worn in a backpack and deploy above the user, Banic's design was an umbrella-type shape that was attached to the body, more similar to modern wingsuits.

Stefan donated his patent to the Army in 1914, but there is no evidence his design was ever used. He later returned to Czechoslovakia and eventually died in his hometown on Jan. 2, 1941, at the age of 71, where the Slovak military installed a memorial plaque at Banic's birthplace in 2006, the information states.

"Having that local connection, we really wanted to emphasize that," Mazyck said.

Mazyck said the event had drawn an "excellent" amount of attendees, and VisitMercerCountyPA officials were already planning another event that could draw interest locally and from outside visitors — a Lake-To-Lake Paddle Challenge.

The event is planned for Aug. 27 and will stretch from Kidd's Mill Covered Bridge to NorthStar Marina in Clark. Some details are still being determined, but Mazyck said the event is being developed as a collaboration between the agency, local businesses, fire departments and the Shenango River Watchers.

Part of the event will include the "McConnell Firefighter Challenge," named for VisitMercerCountyPA board member Matt McConnell, which will be specifically for local fire departments. The first place fire department will receive $1,000, second place will receive $500, and $200 for third through fifth place, Mazyck said.

More information on the event can be found at laketolakepaddle.com.

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