On this, his first time in the host seat, the familiar Mr. David Junior Ludvik takes the time to sit down with fellow skydiving instructor Kareem Madoor. Working as a management consultant, Kareem started to wonder if there weren't a little more to life than office walls and deadlines. With his first foray toward the Lunatic lifestyle, he found an affinity for scuba, then moved on to kite surfing, first as a student and then eventually as an instructor. By the time the idea of skydiving hit his ...
Mar 29, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 118
As a young Kiwi, starting out with sport was a pretty natural thing, and Jeff Weatherall excelled. Surfing seemed to be a natural fit for him, and competition became the standard at a young age; but as is known to happen when you push for the top, Jeff found himself burned out on the waves, and instead put all of his focus into a sport he'd never considered before, wakeboarding. On his way to becoming an international champion behind a boat, he happened to catch a bit of footage of a guy named F...
Mar 22, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 117
From a young age he was drawn to air sports, and skydiving in particular, but having an uncle who'd broken his back landing a round years before, it would have been easy for Jarno Cordia to watch his dreams of flying stay nothing more than childhood fantasy; but his desire to get in the air was much stronger than any fears he or his family may have had. After finishing school at 17 and a top notch career for the taking, he was able to use his early start in the professional world to put aside ti...
Mar 15, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 116
Kim Worthington. Now known as Kim Turnbull. Wife. Mom. Upstanding citizen and all around normal person. But back then, well... Kim got her start skydiving like a lot of us did, with a tandem and an instant love for the sport. With one trip to Spain it was game on for her, and straight into a career as an AFF instructor (Via manifest) coach and a run all around the US that culminated in one hell of a stint at the then infamous Skydive CrossKeys, the craziest DZ in the world (at the time). On this...
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 115
On this edition of Lunatic Fringe, Omar Alhegelan, Junior Ludvic and I tackle the difficult subject of death, and how we as skydivers deal (or don't deal) with the end. From denial to humor, we speak about how we and those around us cope with it, and try and speak openly about a subject that most skydivers work really hard to avoid; when we at last shuffle off this mortal coil.
Mar 01, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 114
Just another last minute plan is how it started for Flavio Almeida. At the ripe old age of 16 years, he found himself doing not just his first, but second static line jump on his first ever trip to a small Brazilian dropzone near the rainforest, and never imagined then the path he'd just started himself down. From jumping in his home country, to studying, jumping and working in Canada (which ended in rather spectacular fashion) and then the states and eventually around the world, Flavio found th...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 113
A Vegas OG, Brian Moler, and in fact pretty much the entire Moler family have either been a part of, or heard every story there is to tell about skydiving in Las Vegas, Nevada. For a city not at all known for skydiving, you'd might just be amazed at just how much has gone down in Sin City, and he is most certainly the man to talk to. From failed contracts put out on a DZO's life (kind of), to warring tribes of Elvi, man eating dust devils and a huge Outlaw failure with the FAA, Brian Moler has m...
Feb 15, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 112
For Tim Jones, the decision to become a skydiver wasn't a difficult one. A half planned road trip from the UK into France and a tandem skydive was about all it took. As sometimes seems to be the case, skydiving and Tim fit together pretty easily, and through a fortuitous friendship formed with Andrew Ford, who he would later find out was "somebody" in skydiving, he found himself working ground control at a very busy multi-aircraft turbine dropzone. With quite a few challenges, but also a number ...
Feb 08, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 111
Back in the can to talk over old times and new, Andrew "Fordy" Ford brings 35 years of airsports experience int to talk about not just the "good Ol' days" of yesteryear, but to talk about the advances of today, and what might be around the corner. Paying homage to some of the greats from back in the day and some the incredible talent of now, Fordy takes some time to chat about his life with the Lunatic Fringe.
Jan 31, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 110
Raised with a competitive spirit, but finding herself in constant competition with older BMX riding brothers, Amber Forte knew from a pretty young age not only that she wanted to find her own path, but more importantly that she wanted a life less ordinary. Having made her first skydive on her own at 18 and being just as impressed with the mentality of the jumpers as she was with their profession, it was only natural that more was to come. Finding herself living in the land of the long white clou...
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 109
Born and raised in a part of Norway where sport wasn't just another choice, but a way of life, Espen Fadnes grew up roped up and climbing or skiing almost before he was walking. Being on the rock and in the mountains was beyond second nature, as were all the other terrestrial adventures Norway had to offer. Yet with Espen, from a young age, reaching the tops of the peaks he climbed and either hiking or skiing down soon didn't satisfy, and he found himself dreaming of flying where others walked. ...
Jan 17, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 108
Back in the can with the Fuckin' co-host Junior Ludvic, he's got some good tips and advice on taking care of your gear while it's down for the winter months, keeping or getting current, dealing with injuries and what the future holds, this time around on The Lunatic Fringe.
Jan 11, 2021•51 min•Ep. 107
A Southern California jumper from go, Nathan Smith didn't realize just how good he had it at the world famous (with skydivers that is) dropzone he "grew up" on. Perris valley was the beginning of a journey that has since led him to multiple world records and more than 20 countries around the globe, not just competing in, but teaching the sport he loves. Holding camps and organizing boogies year round, all while working a full-time job in the real world, Nathan isn't satisfied to leave well enoug...
Jan 04, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 105
Growing up seeing canopies in the air pretty much his entire life, the idea of going to make a skydive when he turned eighteen seemed like a pretty easy decision. Like more than a few jumpers, it didn't take very long until Timmi spotted the direction he wanted to take his journey in the sport. Seeing what at the time he thought was a fatality in action, but was in reality just another swoop did the trick. After a fortuitous job offer to go pack nylon in New Zealand, and a few mentors along the ...
Dec 28, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 106
From a very young age, extreme for Matt Jaskol was common place. Starting first on two wheels and then to four, racing simply became a way of life, and one that he chased with true passion. Yet just like life, racing and it's pitfalls left him looking for some type of escape and distraction from the negatives, and skydiving became his very unexpected release. From pushing the limits on a path aimed toward a seat on the pro racing circuit, to skydives around the world, and eventually to a soul se...
Dec 21, 2020•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 104
Fear. It's the one thing that the best in our sport have had to contend with, but for Luigi Cani it was almost too much. Having started his skydiving career with static line jumps that terrified him, he couldn't understand why something inside him kept pushing him back into the airplane, regretting it almost every time. Yet it was that same fear that taught him just how valuable and special the path he had found could be, and what has driven him through an amazing 25 years in our sport. Not sati...
Dec 14, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 103
Ryan Brownlow. Second generation skydiver with a passion for the sport instilled in him by a father that went big, he grew up packing parachutes and seeing firsthand his Dad's community of jumpers. As he came into his own in skydiving, he had the opportunity to surround himself with some of the best in the world in their disciplines, eventually leading him to his; canopy piloting. A member of the now 10 year strong team Alter Ego, he and his wife Jessie, a multiple world record holding badass he...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 101
An OG jumper that started his static line course in the early 90's, Mr. Paul Wetzel, aka "Weasle" would go from rocking out of college where he had substantially more motivation for beer and skydiving that his courses, to Army Ranger school where he'd earn his jump wings; From trailer life in Louisiana to tandems in Las Vegas, and from helicopter flight ops in Iraq and Afghanistan to a food truck in North Carolina. Along the way he's made a Japanese man vomit with his ass (And my assist), taken ...
Nov 30, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 99
USPA in the house! The Director of Competition and Records sits down to tell me all the in's and out's of life inside the belly of the beast! Adding to the burn is a litany of brutal hot sauces eaten between Steve Hubbard, Junior Ludvic and myself as we talk about everything from world records to the changing of the USPA guard with the addition of the one and only Albert Berchtold as the big boss. Join us on this informative and entertaining Lunatic Fringe!
Nov 23, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 98
He might not be the best known name in the sport, and you've not seen him standing atop a podium after a sick canopy competition, but he's been there none the less. Julien Peelman wasn't just creative in how he began his time in skydiving or even in how he got his gig with NZ Aerosports, but it's that exact creativity and training that has forever solidified his name and legacy in our sport. Designing wings that not only saves lives, but smash world records, he's put his skills to work on everyt...
Nov 16, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 102
Back for a little more abuse, Olga Namova, professional skydiver, canopy pilot competitor and NZ Aerosports athlete sits down to have an entertaining, yet serious and sobering conversation about injuries in our sport, her rush in days past to get back into the air regardless of the consequences, and the lessons she's learned on staying safer, taking better care, and recognizing the dangers of pushing too hard too quick. Listen in for a little great advice about how to either avoid, or if not, ho...
Nov 09, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 100
You don't know them. You've never heard of them. You'll probably never meet them, and almost certainly never jump with them, but I promise you this is a chat you'll love listening to. Having just done their first tandem skydives the day we recorded, they will take you straight back to the excitement, the fear, the wonder and the sense of accomplishment each of us had after that first experience with rare air, and remind you even if just a little how truly lucky we all are to have this sport and ...
Nov 02, 2020•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 96
A climber since he was very young, Ivo Ninov had to learn to overcome his fear of heights in order to follow his passion, and overcome he did. Without any real pretense or ego Ivo will tell you about his countless climbs in Yosemite, setting record after record up some of the most formidable rock on the planet. As member of "The Stone Monkey's", He, Ammon McNeeley, Nicola Martinez and two other world class climbers set their sites on BASE as a means of "transportation" back down the mountain whe...
Oct 26, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 95
Don't let the package fool you. Michael Washburn, or should I say, Officer Washburn, Retired US Army Ranger may not be large and imposing, but this guy has been there and done that! Coming to civilian skydiving later in life after a military freefall career that left him less than thrilled with the sport, it was a chance meeting with a guy named "Noah" who flew "wing suits" that drove him to chase a new dream. Years later, as the team captain of "Sky Trash" wing suit team, he's got a humble outl...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 94
He'd let his student down in a major way. Quite literally the last thing she wanted to hear when asking her attractive, worldly instructor what had driven him to become a skydiver was "Google". From a skydiving school with a "work placement" program, you wouldn't necessarily think big things were on the horizon, but Chris Stewart is flying proof that once that passion takes hold... Champion competitive canopy pilot, instructor, world traveler and dare I say, cutting edge test pilot for New Zeala...
Oct 12, 2020•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 93
in 1976, Tony Uragallo started up Tony Suits after more "never again's" than he ever would have imagined. As a young man working as a brick layer in England, the idea that 50 years later his name would be synonymous with two of the most extreme sports the world has ever seen wasn't even imagined, but after breaking needle after needle building his first suits and heading off to Florida for the love of skydiving, Tony Suits was inevitable. From jumpsuits for every discipline and canopies named af...
Oct 05, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 92
Multiple lives all rolling after and on top of the other. Mitch Steere, software engineer, father of 2 teenage daughters. Mitch Steere, sliding off a motorcycle at triple digits, dirty downwind on his first jump, downsize demon. Mitch Steere, building a full database on how to perform beautiful flock dives with as much safety and precision as possible. Having come through his truly "sketch" times with the help of a great mentor, Mitch and his crew are looking toward the future of XRW and canopy ...
Sep 28, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 89
From Nervous beginnings in communist Hungary on military rounds with a reserve he had to pack himself, to Four-Way world meets to a stint packing for the Golden Knights and test jumps on Icarus canopies that would be enough to make anyone lay the nylon down and walk away, Attila Cszmadia has come a very long way in his time in the sport; and as the long time GM of NZ Aero it's safe to say there's a whole lot more to come. Join us as we talk about slow starts, fast canopies and growing up with th...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 90
At first glance you might not see a whole lot in common between Brazilian Jujitsu and skydiving, but if you look twice you just might be amazed. Ricky Rout, a black belt and passionate coach in Brazilian Jujitsu spotted the similarities between the two immediately, and put to work the mental toughness he'd earned through years on the mat to work for him in the air. Born in India and raised on the island of Guam where wrestling became a passion, Jujitsu seemed like a great fit as a "pastime" on h...
Sep 14, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 91
Florida kid born and raised, William Lux always had a slightly different idea of fun. Tearing away from the police on the back of a motorcycle as way to get a little rush may have been fun, but skydiving turned out to be a much safer way to get his fix, and William took to it almost right away; although it wasn't exactly love at first jump... Join us on this edition of Lunatic Fringe to find out about bouncing around the country, swooping the Amish, and exactly what William means when he says fo...
Sep 07, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 88
