Kaz

Kaz Sheekey

Total Jumps: 11000
Nationality: Australia
Connect with Kaz at: kaz@flight-1.com

Languages

English

Credentials

Started Skydiving: 1993
Home DZ: Everywhere
Licenses/Ratings: PRO Exhibition Rating, Coach Rating, D-20558
Total Skydives: 10,000+
Freefly: 1,100
RW/FS: 700
Camera and CReW: 3,600
Hop and Pops: 4,300
Other: 300 (wingsuit, demos, CreW and sky surfing)
Base: 4
Cutaways: 10

HISTORY/TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Started jumping in 1993 in Sydney Australia, where the Aussie four-way team would come and say hello under a canopy. This is where I really started to enjoy flying with other parachutes. With only a little more than 500 jumps, I moved to the United States to skydive full-time at the Ranch in New York, home to the then famous annual pond swooping nationals. I was hooked!

Doing camera and a lot of CReW made me even more interested in canopy flight. I started dedicating a lot of fun jumps to hop and pops and entered many pro competitions at both the national and international level. We formed Team Slipstream (formerly Fastrax Swoop) and, in addition to training and competing, regularly coached other jumpers in both basic and advanced canopy flight. I really enjoy seeing people ‘get it’, learn and have fun flying their wings. I’ve now been coaching with Flight-1 for 10+ years.

As an experienced Canopy Coach now what piece of advice do you wish you were given as a new jumper trying to learn good canopy skills?

Learn to fly a good and predictable pattern with a pre-determined target for each landing. If you over or undershoot, take note and make corrections as needed on the next jump. Be aware of other canopies in the pattern and be willing to adjust accordingly - safety first. This will give you the confidence of knowing you can land wherever you need to, especially when landing off the drop zone or in a tight spot.  It also makes you predictable, keeping things safer for everyone. 

And always keep learning. The more you learn, the more comfortable you will be and the more fun it will be to fly your canopy.



Occupation

Occupation: Flight-1 Instructor & Photographer
Education: Business with Major in Accounting
Hobbies: Skydiving, hiking, skiing, yoga, biking, running, surfing, photography, traveling and hanging out with my kid.

Gear

Main Canopy: PD Valkyrie 67, 71
Container: UPT Micron
Reserve Canopy: PD Optimum 113
AAD: Cypres
Helmet: Cookie G3
Jumpsuit: Vertical Suits
Altimeter: Atlas Audible and Visual
Eyewear: Oakley Designs

CANOPY PROGRESSION
Excaliber 150
Icarus Beta 135
PD Stiletto 120
PD Stiletto 107
PD Velocity 79,
PD Velocity 75
PD Velocity 71
PD Velocity Comp 79, 71
PD Valkyrie 67, 71

Accomplishments

2019- Current - Highlight Pro Skydiving Team Member

2012 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Speed - 1st
2010 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Overall - 3rd
2010 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Accuracy - 1st
2010 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Distance - 2nd
2008 - Australian team member World Championships (CP)
2008 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Distance - 2nd
2008 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Overall - 2nd
2008 - US National Championships (CP) - Guest - 3rd
2008 - Ranch Pond Swooping Competion (CP) - Overall - 3rd
2007 - Australian team member World Cup (CP)
2007 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Speed - 1st
2007 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Distance - 1st
2006 - Australian team member World Championships (CP)
2006 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Distance - 1st
2006 - Australian National Championships (CP) - Overall - 3rd
2006 - PST Swoop Season (CP) - Overall - 2nd
2006 - Wildwood Swoop Competition (CP) - Overall - 3rd

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