Achieving Personal Goals with Project Management

HALO jumps have been possible since the 1950’s, but they’ve historically been conducted by the military. Some civilian higher-altitude jumps have been accomplished as ‘special projects,’ but these have generally involved resources not available to most of us. In recent years, greater civilian demand has resulted in more availability of jumping above 25,000’ where skydivers are equipped with an integrated ‘high altitude bailout system’ that supplies oxygen in freefall, and of course comes with greater risk: namely hypoxia, decompression sickness and hypothermia. It also comes with a huge feeling of adventure and accomplishment.

The very centre of the project was prioritizing the Quality (safety as well as the desired experience), Time and Cost constraints.

My initial research identified less than a handful of potential operators, all but one were in the United States. Most of them ended up being red herrings in one way or another, or simply didn’t add the extra ‘sensation’ factor.

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Being patient enabled me to get a higher jump than first envisioned in the safest way possible and in as timely a manner as possible. This meant Cost, while controlled, became the least constraining aspect. A few less expensive options to accomplish the same goal were available, but they would have impacted on the experience, time and quite possibly safety areas.

After a variety of communications I finalised the ‘initiation’ stage end-goal of a HALO jump in West Tennessee from 41,000’ scheduled for the 1st July, 2023. It’s formally a project and the importance of planning and preparation cannot be overly emphasised to reduce the likelihood, prevention of inferior performance or outcome. It included:

·???????? Recognizing the stakeholders involved, together with a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of those ‘players’ from pilot to aircraft engineer; FAI Judge to who removes the door prior to jumping; O2 (Oxygen) control during ascent to final briefing. There were three of us skydivers: myself, Jithin Vijayan, from India, and Aaron Smith, from Florida. We would be joined by Thomas (who was leading the training and monitoring the O2 equipment on the flight), Paul (also training, monitoring O2 and dispatching, but not jumping), Tyler (who would remove and stow the door), Alex (also training and doing checks) and Mike (the Drop Zone Owner of West Tennessee, who would fly the plane himself).

·???????? Organizing and structuring the work into the following manageable pieces:

1.?????? Equipment (reserve packing, automatic opening activation device software update, altimeters, ear protection).

2.?????? Travel logistics (car, flights, hotels).

3.?????? Clothing.

4.?????? Certification to make the jump.

5.?????? Travel documentation (Global Entry, ESTA, Covid).

6.?????? Breaking the Record (pre notification, measuring devices, deadlines, process).

7.?????? Insurances.

8.?????? Miscellaneous

At the very least this could be managed as a comprehensive check list.

·???????? Having a clear schedule to prioritize the work that allowed the impact of issues, changes, and risks to be clearly identified and managed accordingly. This allows for a time-based understanding of resources required and the ability to effectively monitor and control them. A simple whiteboard drawn schedule was enough, you don’t always need sophisticated tools.

·???????? Risk and Opportunity management was of huge importance to this project.

1.?????? Primarily, aside from normal skydiving, the safety aspect involving the high-altitude environment required the use of O2 equipment and the prevention of decompression sickness. These risks were mitigated through detailed knowledge prior to the jump; training and familiarization of the equipment at ground level, and the use of equipment during a practice jump at a lower altitude. The altitude we would leave the friendly environment of the aircraft at typically experiences temperatures of -50 to -75 degrees and was mitigated using heated vests, socks, and gloves. Contingency procedures were discussed amongst the team for medical situations during ascent, main and reserve canopy openings on exit, and the potential for off drop-zone landings. This last risk was a new one for me, I was informed “don’t land in the corn field,” not because the local farmer will be angry, but because of a phenomenon called ‘corn sweat.’ Just like us corn plants sweat to cool themselves down by releasing excess moisture through a process called evapotranspiration. In the middle of summer this can create amazing levels of humidity, one acre of corn can release 4,000 gallons of water per day. The combination of the temperature and humidity on a 100F (38C) day can increase humidity by up to 40%, meaning heatstroke is a highly likely outcome to a jumper landing in the middle of a field of corn. Two jumpers, looking for a cutaway canopy, very nearly died in this scenario.

2.?????? Lesser impact risks included delays in travel, were mitigated by adding additional time into the schedule; also, the consideration of checked-in baggage not arriving, mitigated by taking critical success’ items as ‘carry-on’ including the main parachute system. Ironically, I decided to check-in this item on the return journey only to have British Airways lose it at Heathrow! Weather delays were also a concern, so a contingency plan of a second day was made.

3.?????? My initial goal did not include setting any records with the jump. However, a little into the project this opportunity was identified and additional activity in terms of formal process, registration and additional equipment had to be catered for. The little increase in time and budget was contained within normal project tolerances, with the return of setting new (awaiting ratification at time of writing) UK & Continental European FAI records for ‘Exit Altitude (43264’) & ‘Distance Fallen without a Drogue’ (37765’) far outweighing any additional investment in time, effort and cost.

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·???????? Project Communications – when telling this project’s story consideration was given to the type of audience (friends, colleagues, family, profession), different platforms or mechanisms (WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn, one-drive, sporting magazine), and the message itself, adjusting it for those different variables. Regarding communication, thought also needed to be made for capturing pictorial content, what GoPro models would operate at 41000’, different angles, and who would be capturing imagery.

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·???????? Project Methods – while the project was managed using primarily a ‘waterfall’ approach, and such a project benefits from the clear, baselined process, some parts benefited from the adoption of agile techniques, no more so than the selection of clothing and how to exit the aircraft. It was good to have a variety of clothing options, and then through training, preparation and practice jump make a final selection that best suited the individual jumper.

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And into Execution:

My plan was to arrive a few days early, get familiar with the drop zone, receive the required formal training, conduct the practice jump on Friday 30th June and make the jump itself a little after dawn on Saturday 1st July. As I crossed the mid-summer Atlantic on the way to Tennessee, my window-gazing thoughts were riveted to the idea that our cruising height was below my soon-to-be exit altitude.

We drilled the procedures again, and again, and again the day before the jump itself. The act of the jump itself was orders of magnitude simpler than the gear required for us to get there. We had as much access to the plane as we wanted, to familiarise ourselves with the layout and how to exit.

A practice jump from 15000’ meant we could get very familiar with the equipment and put the training into practice. We taxied out of the hangar, straight onto the runway, and took off. We were at the desired altitude in under five minutes.

I ended up breathing my personal oxygen supply all the way down to the ground. (I really wanted to get used to the breathing.) We all landed, safely avoiding the cornfield, conducted a debrief of the jump and discussed potential emergencies (the worst being a reserve parachute deploying prematurely at 41,000’). Despite the comfort of the heat, I discovered on that jump that I didn’t get along with the cumbersome heated gloves. I found them mischievously ungainly. I opted for my trusty Sealskinz gloves instead.

Saturday 1st July arrives and the pre-dawn morning was still hot and stuffy—it was time for the main event itself.

What little sleep we were able to get was compounded by the need to be at the drop zone for 04:30 (which meant a 02:30 start for me). Luckily, jet lag was working in my favour.

There was a quiet, reserved mood as we slowly kitted up. An FAI judge attached our Flysights to our helmets. We did a final checklist run-through. We exchanged best wishes with loved ones.

Finally, we boarded the aircraft and connected to the aircraft oxygen supply. We were fitted with our bailout kits, as well as heart rate and motion sensors under our gloves. (The information was displayed on a screen above our heads so we could monitor our O2 saturation and pulse rate.) There, in the breeze of a portable air conditioner nozzle pushed into the plane, we sat silently through the sixty minutes of required O2 pre-breathing required to stave off decompression sickness. What am I doing?, I kept wondering. What am I doing?

After sixty minutes, Mike started the engines, taxied out of the hangar and did final checks on the runway. Just before wheels up, with a zing of alarm, I watched the screen as my O2 saturation plummeted to 88%, setting off an alarm. A frantic flurry of whiteboard notes between myself, Thomas and Paul solved it: I readjusted the sensor on my finger and waited sixty seconds until the number ticked back up to 98-99%.

With that sorted, we took off. We passed 32,000’ in just 15 minutes.

We had a zone 10 miles in diameter and two-hour window to complete the jump, during which regular airline traffic (much to their consternation and disbelief) had to be nudged out of the way by Memphis International Airport control. Ceding to a skydiving operation at 38,000’, as it turns out, is as unusual for them as it is for us to be there.

At 41,000’, it was time for the final run-in.

Paul gave us the three-minute warning to position our goggles and turn on cameras. Tyler opened and stowed the door. I moved to the exit. ?

My personal O2 bottles are turned on and I’m disconnected from the aircraft supply.

I get the ‘thumbs-up’ and exit and tumble a few times, during which time my brain registers that the air is too thin to do anything else. I notice the twin engine contrails streaking out behind the aircraft, and have the twinkle of a thought that I’ve never seen contrails behind an aircraft I’ve just departed.

At 39,000’, I’m stable.

My breathing is regular. I can just see out of the top of my frozen-over goggles. I do a 360 and enjoy the surreal ride, occasionally glancing down at my altimeter. After what feels like ages, I notice that I’m still at 36,000’, and the ground looks as far away as it did at the top. Some time passes, and I check the altitude again; I’m just passing through 30k. I check again at 25k, relaxing a little at the fact that any O2 issues will be less emergent now. By 15.5k—still, above a height I normally see—I feel like I’ve been falling forever. With 12k behind me, I’m suddenly wrapped in what feels like warmth—really, just the absence of the tomblike cold above it—and I stretch out for a little practice pull. At 5,500’, I deploy, do my canopy checks, remove the now-demisted goggles (and claustrophobic mask), turn off the personal O2 bottle and look for the airfield. It’s right beneath my feet. (Nice one, Mike, thanks.)

I finally, actually land.

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Project Closure:

I gather up my canopy and walk over to my colleagues (except for Aaron, who has landed his wingsuit in a backyard 15 miles away. It takes him two hours to make it back to the DZ).

It’s only 07:45 when we walk back into the air-conditioned packing hall. We offer ourselves to the crew to remove our dangling bailout kit. I get a little emotional as I text my wife, Jacqui, that it’s all done; that we’re back safely. The FAI Judge relieves us of our Flysights and disappears to download the data. He compares it to previous jump records and fires off emails to other judges to get independent verification of the data.

The result: we accomplished multiple State, Country, and Continental records: Exit Altitude; Distance Fallen Without a Drogue. My personal exit altitude was recorded at 43,264’ using GPS (41,000’ barometric) and Distance Fallen Without a Drogue at 37,765’. I was in freefall for 2.5 minutes and achieved speeds in excess of 200mph. Jithin accomplished an additional record for flying the Indian flag under canopy from a record-breaking height; Aaron, for Wingsuit Distance of Flight.

Post project communication consisted of formally submitting preliminary records within seven days; capture a Facebook post for friends and family; put together two video’s and write three separate articles for different publications and media.

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My heartfelt thanks go to Mike, Thomas, Paul, Alex, Tyler, Mike the Mechanic and all the others at West Tennessee who made us feel so welcome and supported. I also thank my fellow jumpers, Aaron and Jithin; FAI Judge and Observer Scott ; UK NAC member Craig; my home club, Skydive Buzz, for getting me back into the sport; my beloved wife, Jacqui, for bearing with me at a distance.

I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity and support to make this project a reality. In reflecting on the project, I could see an obvious application, if maybe more intuitively applied, and utilization of a lifetime’s professional experience.

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Video media is available of the event is available at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BY9cS0TBvg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN3jtvBR3Xo

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Thank you for reading.

Anthony Eve – D8392

PMP?, PfMP?, SMC?