Kick of a Lifetime - Skydiving in California City
By Pierre A. Kandorfer
California City. For about fifty years, skydiving is a “way of life” in California City. More than gliding or off-roading ever were. Van Pray, old-time California City resident, commercial pilot and business owner, still remembers the day when he for the first time flew skydivers over the skies of California City for the purpose of parachuting in 1965.
Today, he owns two airplanes, employs a dozen of people, and serves as one of the major skydiving operators in Southern California.
When President George Bush 41 turned eighty last year, he parachuted out of a plane for his birthday thrill. For the last time, he demonstrated to the world his affection for his favorite hobby – and he focused attention of millions of people to skydiving. An action sports discipline many people consider extremely dangerous, while parachuting aficionados get “the kick of their lifetime” out of it.
Liz Mack from West Hollywood emphasized after her first jump last weekend in California City:” It is so much fun! I want to do it again and again.” Liz celebrated her 30th birthday at the California City Drop Zone with her boyfriend who gave her a skydiving gift certificate. “At first, I was quite cautious”, she said, “but now I am in and I love it….”
Araz Megerdichian, a nursing student from Glendale College, intends to become a “serious skydiver.” She is taking lessons at Howard Smith who works as a full-time skydiving instructor for the Airforce during the week – and as a part-time instructor for Van Pray on weekends.
Van and his wife Roberta started their business in October 1975 when he was Cal City’s airport manager at the same time. His skydiving business was so successful that he gave up his airport manager job in 1976 and focused on his own company only.
Why California City? “It’s an ideal place”, he says. “It has a wide open space, a very favorable restricted airspace area by the Edwards AFB to the South – and over three hundred sunny days per year.”
The California City drop zone conducts about 25,000 jumps per year, about 1,500 first time jumpers. With about 25,000 square foot facility, swimming pool, and 120 acres of land, this is one of the largest skydiving operations in the state of California.
In addition to the regular skydiving business, Van conducts military testing and training, parachute testing for the aerospace industry, as well as aviation movie work. Several movie and commercial productions have been shot here.
In California City, there is a number of world-class skydiving experts. At the top, Judy Celaya, co-owner of California City Skydive and one of the leading international skydiving judges. She just returned from Thailand where she acted as one of the judges on the world largest formation free-fall record with no less than 400 skydivers at the same time.
Judy will be travelling to Japan, Germany, and Russia later this year for World Championship competitions. She already has been assigned also as the “Chief Judge” for the US National championship in Arizona this fall.
Her husband and co-owner of the business, Bob Celaya, is a leading instructor-examiner and training advisor for the United States Parachute Association (USPA).He also works as a FAA designated parachute rigger examiner certifying senior and master parachute riggers all over California. Bob: ”I am also certified to teach skydiving teachers.”
Bob and Judy offer three types of skydiving instructions. The beginner program, called “progressive course”, is the training to start with. Popular also is the “tandem” dive. In this type of training the student is “strapped” to the instructor which gives the beginner an additional feeling of safety. The ultimate kick for the most challenge-seeking clients is the actual “free-fall”.
Bob increasingly focuses on parachute rigging services for aerobatics glider and fighter jet pilots who are required to wear a parachute at all times.
Bob and Judy downsized their business last year to a part-time but still full-service operation. Unless by appointment, they are working mostly on weekends. How do they describe their role in the skydiving business? “The difference between large operators and us is like the difference between a Ford factory assembly line and a hands-on Rolls Royce factory”, Judy points out. Bob: “We focus on individuals and small groups at a very reasonable cost.”
The two skydiving operators in California City can be reached by phone. Van Pray’s Skydive California City at 1-888-373-4007, and Bob & Judy Celaya’s California City Skydive at 760-373-4826.