On a bright and sunny Saturday morning members of Skydive South Sask gathered in their hangar at the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport.

Some busied themselves checking their gear, while others chatted and got ready to board the Cesna 182 that would take them, four at a time, to between 3,500 and 10,500 feet in the air. 

“We are out here every single weekend training new people to skydive,” said Chief Instructor, Sheldon Driedger.  

“We take new students right from jump number one, from 3,500 feet (about 1.07 km) or we even do tandem skydiving from 10,000 feet to give the thrill and excitement of flying through the air and feeling like a bird.” 

Driedger, a 27-year veteran of the sport, spoke about how he got started as a skydiver. 

“It goes back to when I was a child watching the MacGyver television show. I saw him in one of the episodes jumping out of an airplane and ever since then, I said ‘I want to do that’,” Driedger explained.  

“Then when I was 18, I signed up and have been jumping ever since.” 

Since then, Driedger has racked up over 2500 jumps and taken on the role of Chief Instructor with the organization. 

Throughout the day the team will make nearly 30 flights allowing members to jump in a range of heights and styles.  

The jumps range from practicing their accuracy, landing on a target from 4,500 feet up, jumping from 8,500 feet in their Style Series in which they demonstrate their freefall control and acrobatics and diving in formation from the dizzying height of 10,500 feet (about 3.2 km). 

Driedger has this to say to those who are considering trying their hand at skydiving. 

“Don’t think about it, just come out and do it. It’s going to be the best decision of your life,” said Driedger.  

“We are a very tight knit community, we have members from all over, all different walks of life, different professions, and we all just click and we’re like the best of friends.” 

If you are interested in trying out skydiving, joining the Skydive South Sask team or learning more about the program, you can do so on their website.