Danny Fulgencio free-falling with Skydive Spaceland Dallas. (Photo by Thad Parker)
Most of us became journalists because we crave adventure and hate monotony — plus every so often you get paid to jump out of a plane. Our August cover package looks at neighborhood daredevils, those among us or are happiest with a life on the edge. That included Preston Hollow resident Jaime Barajas, who has been skydiving since 1993 with more than 2,300 jumps under his belt.
At first, our photo editor Danny Fulgencio (you may remember him from getting hit by a rock during a Donald Trump rally in June) thought he might be able to shoot Barajas while rocketing through the air at 120 mph. Turns out you need to have 200 jumps under your belt before they allow you to jump with camera equipment. Instead, skydiving photographer Justin Bender of Skydive Spaceland Dallas shoot the free-fall. But to truly experience the magic, we need to take the plunge ourselves.
If you’ve never been, it is not what you might expect. There is no inkling of falling, that stomach-dropping sensation you get on roller-coasters can’t be felt. Because you are at full speed when you jump, it feels like flying, as if the air currents are lifting you up. It truly is like nothing else out there. See for yourself in the video, shot by Thad Parker, another flying cameraman.
