All in from the get go. Something undefinable was telling her it was time for a change, and it was just a "random tandem" that shot her off in on a new trajectory that would change everything. Booking her second jump just after landing from her first, Jocelyn Villavicencio knew right then and there that skydiving was her future. Jumping became her singular focus and goal, and it's been her drive and determination, her experience and the ratings she's earned that have taken her exactly where she'...
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 206
In truly rare air above the famed Namche Bazar, we sit down and get the inside scoop on exactly what it takes to run the highest drop zone on planet earth. From logistics to landings, find out what it's like to operate at a drop zone where a hop-n-pop is at 22,000 feet! This remote broadcast is about as remote as they get, and exactly what the Lunatic Fringe lifestyle is all about.
Dec 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 209
In one of the more offensive episodes of lunatic fringe, back in the can for episode 200 is a true brother not only to myself, but the entire sport of skydiving. A lifelong ambassador for skydiving as a proud tandem instructor, Derick Massey through years of experience, and incredible injuries and recoveries has maintained his passion for his well earned slot deep within the lunatic fringe.
Nov 28, 2022•59 min•Ep. 202
With her drive and passion for ballet slowly fading, Tijana Milacic found herself living in Serbia and wondering what comes next. For a time it was a successful career in the hospitality industry in the bustling city of Dubai, but as can happen, even this was not meeting her expectations, and she was all but ready to move on, until... It was a coworkers suggestion to make a "safe" and easy AFF skydive over the desert sands that truly lit a new fire for her. Now more than a thousand jumps in and ...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 205
Let's just call this one what it is. We all sat down in a very small room with some microphones, got intentionally as drunk as we possibly could and tried to talk about skydiving. Chances are you've probably done some version of it yourself, but If you haven't done it, we highly recommend you try it sometime, but until then please enjoy this little Lunatic Fringe bunch of idiots having a wonderful time…
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 201
Sometimes it's not always about the long game... Like many of us working skydivers, Ben Milham-Marks dove head first into the wonderful world of skydiving, and worked his way from the bottom up. From professional packer even before he was a licensed jumper, to an AFF instructor with only 400 or so jumps, then on to tandems and the traveling road show that can be a professional jumpers life, Ben pretty much covered it all; but as has been said and proven many times before, passion and work don't ...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 199
Back in the can for a great one on one episode with the one and only Mr. Pablo Hernandez, it's a more personal chat about his beginnings in the sport (which happen to be one of the most interesting origin stories I have yet to hear), what it's like to take on so many different roles in skydiving, and what it's like being considered an OG jumper when the beginning seemed like it wasn't that long ago… Lunatic Fringe tempered with a little seasoning and a pinch of wise for good measure.
Oct 31, 2022•59 min•Ep. 200
In our second of two episodes, we pass on a little more knowledge, passion and joy from the one and only Mr. Tom Noonan. "It's never goodbye, its only see you next time" - T.N It's the return of Mr. Tom Noonan to talk a whole lot about safety! At a time when more skydivers are less current than they've ever been, Tom has great information, tips and advice on everything from canopy choices and getting back into the nylon groove, to AAD's and his personal take on Covid. Join us for a super informa...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 204
In memory of one of skydivings most generous and the anniversary of his passing. He was one of the sports most avid cheerleaders, motivators, teachers and first and foremost, passionate jumpers. Please, take a step back in time to relive with us here at Lunatic Fringe a little of the positivity and joy for our sport brought to us each and every day by Mr. Tom Noonan. "It's never goodbye. It's only until next time." -T.N The desire to skydive seems to grab each of us in a different way it seems, ...
Oct 17, 2022•2 hr 5 min•Ep. 203
It honestly could have gone either way. A gift of a tandem skydive when he was only 14 years old, the experience proved to be overloading to say the least and Max Manow found himself torn between absolutely loving the experience and wanting to throw up. Luckily, skydiving and eventually many aspects of the airports world became his driving passion. Through part luck and part personal drive, Max worked his way from the bottom up, going from packing parachutes to video, to instruction, and then on...
Oct 09, 2022•57 min•Ep. 198
Like so many before him, that first skydive was more on a whim than anything else. Ending up at an operation not too far from his grandparents home, Alberto Avalis may have seen parachutes in the sky before, but it wasn't until after that first jump that he knew. Working a construction job to pay for his new habit, it wasn't all that long before he knew that skydiving was the life for him. Now, after earning all the ratings and working as a professional skydiver and instructor for many years, he...
Oct 03, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 197
Guy Manos might not be a name a lot of newer jumpers are familiar with, but there is absolutely no doubt they are intimately familiar with his work. A University of Miami film-school graduate, a world skydiving champion, stuntman, screenwriter and director, Guy was one of the earliest pioneers of what the film industry now calls “pre-vis” --- the jumping off point, for all the CineLogic innovations, of which he is the technical mastermind. Having cut his teeth in the Hollywood world with such fi...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 196
Back in the can to bring us up to speed with life after Covid, Chris Stewart, test jumper and all-around bad ass for NZ Aerosports sits down once again to talk about getting back into the competition saddle, exciting times on the job and potentially exciting news coming out of the R&D department of NZ that may lead to some awesome new releases. You won't want to miss a moment of time with this Kiwi-convert member of the Lunatic Fringe.
Sep 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 195
Back in the can for another chat about all things, well not all things skydiving, but most things skydiving, Olga Naumova brings us up to speed on what it's like to be a competitive skydiver that can't compete, kicking people to vent frustration, glass doors, surf boards and too many hobbies, and how she puts the "L" in Lunatic Fringe every damn day.
Sep 12, 2022•56 min•Ep. 194
Back in the can to talk all about what has become nothing short of a global skydiving phenomenon, Zej M'ski sits down with Tracy Holman, Skydive Chicago's Events Manager and the powerhouse in charge of making your Summerfest dreams come true. With special drop in guests you won't want to miss, this is a great recap of one of skydiving most iconic events.
Sep 05, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 193
Back in command of the can, OG Ninja Ray Kubiak takes this face to face opportunity to sit down with Hall of Fame skydiver Amy Chmeleki. Kicking off her Skydiving at the ripe old age of 18, Amy made her first jump in 1995 and has never looked back. She is not only a long time member of the RedBull Air Force, but is now an organizer for Project 19, which highlights women's achievements and is a celebration of the 19th amendment. With countless national and world titles, Amy is 100% skydiver. As a...
Aug 28, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 192
Not even on the radar. Not a part of any plan, or for that matter even an idea. Yet again just a random tandem skydive to check it off the list and with it another almost instantaneous member of the Lunatic Fringe. Brad Dimmock may not have had a life plan in mind, but he most certainly knew what he didn't want… A one-way ticket to Australia as a newly licensed skydiver started him down a path that would lead to suffering in manifest, asbestos tents, camera flying, trailers, rigging tickets and ...
Aug 21, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 190
On another total Ninja episode, Mr. Ray Kubiak sits down with the legendary Mr. Martin Kristensen to talk all things Lunatic Fringe with everything from a modern day flying philosophy to starting a family and even a touch of Viking History on another entertaining episode with the Lunatic Fringe.
Aug 14, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 191
In a follow-up to his incredible team mate and partner in all things air sports, please sit back and enjoy this re-released Lunatic Fringe with the one and only Mr. Craig Girard. With more than thirty eight years and over thirty-thousand skydives under his belt, you'd be hard set to find anyone on earth with more overall experience than Mr. Craig Girard. Multiple World Title and World Record holder, Craig was a member of not only the United States Army's Golden Knights, but Arizona Airspeed, one...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 189
With a career as successful as hers and with so many titles and so many accomplishments, one would easily assume that she must have gone one hundred percent from day one, but that's not exactly how it happened... When skydiving first crossed Eliana Rodriguez's mind, it was a suggestion from her father, but sadly at an age too young to take advantage. Joining the military at the ripe old age of 17, the idea of jumping once again crept into her mind with vague assurances of skydiving from her recr...
Jul 31, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 188
Like many, a life plan was mapped out at quite a tender age, and a then very young Benji Brusasco started down the road of a classically trained professional musician. Like his grandfather before him, the saxophone was something he would become incredibly talented with, but... Like so many plans it was close to the mark, but it seemed to him there must be something more. A first time tandem given as a gift gave him a glimpse of another path, but it wasn't until years later and another random opp...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 187
In this fantastic blast from the past, we sit down with three of the founding members of the almost infamous Monkey Claw Freely team, the self proclaimed best freefly team founded anywhere between Philadelphia and Atlantic City in the late 90's. Bert, Tim and Stuey laughingly take the opportunity to talk about the almost accidental forming of the team, its name, its roots which were deeply ingrained in the history of Skydive Cross Keys along with John Eddowes, and how they've managed to remain a...
Jul 17, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 186
This is what happens when a seemingly innocent tandem skydive turns into an unexpected lifelong career. With 5 National titles and 2 World Cup titles under his belt, professional camera flier Jake Jensen sits down on this edition as the two take a stroll down memory lane, and chat all about his continuing adventure with the Lunatic Fringe.
Jul 10, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 185
Sometimes life goes pretty much exactly as we planned. Off to university to study maths. Graduation and a job working in a field appropriate to a hard earned degree. Constantly in trouble for talking too much and letting loose with inappropriate jokes and/or sexual comments to unsuspecting co-workers. So yeah, not exactly to plan. Enter the new Laura Bamford. Professional skydiver and world traveler born not just of a love of skydiving that began at university, but of a desire to step outside th...
Jul 03, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 181
Over the next 3 weeks, Lunatic Fringe will be re-releasing 3 separate episodes featuring Mr. Matt Munting and Mr. Nicholas Scalabrino of The Matt and Nick Show. These two incredible skydivers, tunnel fliers and BASE professionals have, over the last few years shared some pretty funny, over the top and wonderful stories with us all through the podcast; having captured imaginations across the world via video and voice with their skill and daring. It is with profound sadness that with the re-releas...
Jun 26, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 184
Over the next 3 weeks, Lunatic Fringe will be re-releasing 3 separate episodes featuring Mr. Matt Munting and Mr. Nicholas Scalabrino of The Matt and Nick Show. These two incredible skydivers, tunnel fliers and BASE professionals have, over the last few years shared some pretty funny, over the top and wonderful stories with us all through the podcast; having captured imaginations across the world via video and voice with their skill and daring. It is with profound sadness that with the re-releas...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 183
Over the next 3 weeks, Lunatic Fringe will be re-releasing 3 separate episodes featuring Mr. Matt Munting and Mr. Nicholas Scalabrino of The Matt and Nick Show. These two incredible skydivers, tunnel fliers and BASE professionals have, over the last few years shared some pretty funny, over the top and wonderful stories with us all through the podcast; having captured imaginations across the world via video and voice with their skill and daring. It is with profound sadness that with the re-releas...
Jun 12, 2022•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 182
Certainly one of the more special episodes recorded for the Lunatic Fringe podcast, Bailey Ricci, a.k.a. The F**ckin' Daughter takes a seaside break between graduating law school and cramming for the bar exam to sit down and talk about what it was like growing up long distance from dad who spent all his work time jumping out of airplanes. From early memories of skydive Cross Keys as a seven-year-old, all the way to making a few jumps of her own with dad nervously flying along, it's an interestin...
Jun 06, 2022•36 min•Ep. 180
Taking over the hot seat once again, the one and only Ray Kubiak sits down to talk to lifelong friends and the creators of Windy Tube, James Gillissenn and Matt Freese to talk all about how they got there start in indoor skydiving, and the future of Windy Tube. James is a former SOG with the US Air Force and is working now as an instructor at iFLY Portland, and Matt, his partner in crime is a former tunnel instructor and light on his feet ballroom dancer, both loving their time in the air on the...
May 30, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 179
From packing weight to competitor to helping pioneer ideas behind sustainable skydiving operations, Mr. Pete Alllum's career has spanned his entire life. As the child of two active jumpers, the drop zone lifestyle wasn't something Pete adjusted to, it was his entire world; yet regardless of how many years he has been in sport, his desire and addiction for our activities and lifestyle remains just as strong now as it was when he first began at 15 years old. An instructor, competitor, coach, and h...
May 23, 2022•58 min•Ep. 178
