Ray Cottingham, D-1653, is a legend. During his 51 years in the sky, he’s filmed some of the most important aerial skydiving scenes in the history of the movies. Cottingham’s impressive résumé includes filming scenes for “Terminal Velocity,” “Operation Dumbo Drop” and “Honeymoon in Vegas,” and his work on “Point Break” inspired legions of jumpers to try the sport. In addition, Cottingham is responsible for numerous skydiving scenes on television programs in the 1970s and 1980s, and he’s shot aerial footage for hundreds of commercials. Even if you’re not a jumper, chances are you’ve seen his work. more »
Simon “Bones” Palacio, D-28573, is an accomplished freeflyer who participated in the 2009 108-way head-down world record. He organizes at events around the country and is a member of vertical formation skydiving team SDH Vertex, based at Skydive Houston in Eagle Lake, Texas. He’s also a USPA AFF and Tandem Instructor and an FAA Senior Rigger. Prior to becoming a skydiver, Palacio operated submarine nuclear reactors for the Navy. 
Taya Weiss, D-27874, is an accomplished wingsuit pilot who has an Ivy-League education and founded skydiving outreach organization Raise the Sky. She was instrumental in developing the first official judging system for wingsuit formations and was on the 68-way U.S. Wingsuit Formation Record in 2009. Recently, she and canopy pilot Jessica Edgeington became the first female pair to perform a canopy-wingsuit dock. 
Sandy Grillet, D-10938, is a legendary organizer and coach from the Midwest. Grillet expresses his love of the sport by organizing and mentoring jumpers—teaching freefall and canopy control skills—all free of charge. Organizing is such a part of his life he often dreams of skydives and will wake up in the middle of the night to make notes on new formations. Grillet also founded the Northern Plains Skydiving League (NPSL) and directed it for 10 years. 
Marcus Laser started jumping in 1991 as a paratrooper and made his first sport skydive, an AFF jump, in 1995. In 1999, he left his job as a hydraulic technician to become a full-time skydiving instructor. Ten years later, he founded the Instructors Academy, which offers training for skydivers and skydiving instructors throughout Europe. 
Curt Bartholomew is a relatively new jumper who became a force in canopy piloting both nationally and internationally in 2009, his first year of competing. Bartholomew took first overall in 2009’s Canopy Piloting Circuit™ Championships. He also placed sixth overall in the 2009 USPA National Skydiving Championships of Canopy Piloting, securing himself a spot on the 2010 U.S. Team for the World Canopy Piloting Parachuting Championships. His goal is to become a world champion canopy pilot, and based on his recent success, there’s a good chance he will. 
Brian Buckland once “cut away” by selling his house and walking away from a job with a six-figure salary in order to skydive and travel the world for two years. He’s a respected freeflyer who has photographed two world records for largest vertical formation (a 69-way in 2007 and the current 108-way record in 2009) and two Canadian, one Australian and countless state records. Additionally, while flying camera with his former team, Mandrin, Buckland won a USPA Nationals gold medal in vertical formation skydiving (VFS). 
Sally Hathaway, D-17133, has medaled in formation skydiving at a number of USPA Nationals and has achieved an impressive four women’s 4-way formation skydiving world championships. Hathaway jumps at Skydive City in Zephyrhills, Florida, and makes her living in the world of skydiving—she’s a USPA AFF Instructor and Coach Examiner; an FAA Master Rigger and owner of Paragone Rigging; and a wind tunnel coach at SkyVenture in Orlando, with more than 1,000 hours in the tunnel. 
Kamuran “Sonic” Bayrasli, D-21394, started skydiving in 1992 after watching ESPN coverage of the then-current world record 200-way formation. He is now a USPA AFF and Tandem Instructor, PRO-rating holder and Safety & Training Advisor. Bayrasli is also active in swoop competitions and aerial photography and videography. In addition, he’s an FAA Master Rigger who owns The Ranch PROShop, the gear store and rigging loft at Skydive The Ranch in Gardiner, New York; and Ulster County Containers & Canopies (UC3), a BASE-gear company that sells gear approved by the FAA for skydiving. 
Brianne Thompson is a professional skydiver, a member of 2010 U.S. Women’s 4-way Skydiving Team Spaceland Blue, co-founder of AXIS Flight School and a wind tunnel coach. Thompson has competed in formation skydiving at several world championships, earning bronze in Russia in 2010 and silver in France in 2008. She has also competed in seven USPA Nationals, adding more medals to her trophy case. Expect Thompson to be a force at future competitions.