All-Female Skydiving Teams Excel in Competition, Leadership

View Online All-Female Skydiving Teams Excel in Competition, Leadership Oct. 25, 2024 | By Randy Roughton, U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications From 11,000 feet, the two Wings of Blue all-female competitive skydiving teams enjoy a breathtaking view of the U.S. Air Force Academy below them. While three of the six team members are aspiring pilots, each parachuting cadet will be able to rely on the skills they have developed as skydivers in their future careers as officers. They know the importance of always preparing before any mission and planning as a team.  "We plan every part of the skydive first on the ground," said Cadet 1st Class Allison Henderson, a geospatial science major. She is a member of the four-way formation team named Air Force Halo alongside Cadets 1st Class Julia Ahrendt, Abby Halasi-Kun and Riley McGarry. "The more we plan our jumps on the ground, the more prepared we are in the sky."  For the first time, the Academy has two all-female skydiving teams in its highly successful competitive skydiving program. Cadets 1st Class Kate Cardinal and Katy Felix formed the two-way mixed formation team Air Force K2.  Continuing the Program's Winning Legacy  The Wings of Blue has a long history of success having competed in local, national and international competitions since 1962. Team members won 29 gold medals at the United States Parachute Association National Collegiate Skydiving Championships in 2023.  The Wings of Blue is the most victorious collegiate parachute team in history. Both Halo and K2 contributed to this legacy when they won bronze medals in their competitions at the USPA at Skydive Chicago in September andK2 also qualified in the speed competition for the world championships next summer.  Developing Essential Qualities for Future Officers  Parachuting team members develop confidence, leadership and mental toughness as they master skydiving. Cadets learn fundamental free fall skills during the Airmanship 490 basic parachuting course. They complete ground training, and five free fall jumps from UV-18B Twin Otter aircraft. Each August interested rising third-class cadets are invited to try out for Wings of Blue and complete their control free fall parachuting, formation flying and canopy control training. As members of Wings of Blue, they go on to complete hundreds of jumps a year. They later serve as AM-490 instructors and mentors for younger cadets who are learning to skydive.  The Establishment of the First All-Female Skydiving Teams  The 98th Flying Training Squadron did not deliberately set out to create the Academy's first all-female skydiving teams. Commander Lt. Col. Jonathan Vaage said both teams formed because of the team members' skillsets and interests in working together in the two- and four-person formations. In the summer of 2022, the two K2 team members expressed interest in competing in a mixed formation together. In November 2023, McGarry, a biology major, joined the already formed Air Force Halo team after the fourth member left the team.  "The importance of having all-female competitive skydiving teams at the Academy is a difficult thing to measure, but it shows that anything is possible in aviation," Vaage said. "If you pursue your goals and set your mind to them, nothing can hold you back. The wonderful thing about skydiving as a sport is there is no intrinsic advantage to being male or female."  An Opportunity to Develop and Hone Leadership Skills  Wings of Blue's primary mission is to operate Airmanship 490, the Academy's basic free fall parachuting course. Cadets who excel serve the program as jump masters and instructors, developing leaders of character through a unique training experience.  "I have learned and developed so much as a leader," said Halasi-Kun, a physics major. "We get cadets who are just like we were — very scared to make that first jump. I always tell them it's normal if they are afraid right now. I love getting to see them land after the first jump, watching them grow in their confidence and realizing they can do things when they're scared. Seeing the impact I can have in a leadership role and giving someone a once-in-a-lifetime experience is one of the coolest experiences I have had at the Academy."  Skydiving Ambassadors for the Next Generation  The team members also interact with prospective cadets and young girls during their appearances at competitions worldwide. During the national competition in Chicago, as the team walked into the arena with their parachutes, a father ran up to them with his young daughter. He told the team she wants to be a skydiver when she grows up and thanked them for, not only inspiring her but being positive role models.  "I think we forget sometimes what an amazing, rare opportunity we have," McGarry said. "There aren't a ton of women in skydiving. It is awesome to see women performing on a national level and to see all our hard work starting to pay off."  See more photos of the all-female skydiving teams here.

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