HALO Skydive for Dreamflight

On the 3rd October, Graham Stone, James Shepard and Stephen Riley, all pilots with British Airways flying Boeing 777 aircraft, will jump from a perfectly serviceable aircraft from a height of 30,000 ft in support of Dreamflight... This immediately makes all three bad pilots by definition as they will no longer have the same number of takeoffs as landings!

Graham and James are both regular jumpers at Zephyrhills in Florida with almost 2000 jumps between them, but for Stephen Riley, a Director of British Airways, this will be his first ever skydive paired with a tandem instructor and cameraman.

Compared to a "normal" skydive from 13,500ft.  This undertaking has some fairly major differences. At 30,000 ft. the air temperature is -32C, and due to the thin air all three will be freefalling at speeds approaching 200mph to begin with compared to the usual speed of around 120mph. Due to the thin air, everybody involved will be wearing bailout portable oxygen bottles, oxygen masks, ballistic goggles and helmets to shield them from the extreme environment.  All this as well as head cameras, multiple altimeters, two parachutes and all the normal paraphernalia of skydiving.

All three have come into contact with Dreamflight at various points throughout their professional lives as pilots at British Airways, and are all delighted to have this opportunity to help such a worthwhile charity. 

If you would like to support them, please visit www.justgiving.com/haloskydive