Aerial Allstars Skydiving Team

Aerial Allstars Skydiving Team

by Dale Gumm

Publication Date: March 1998

The Aerial Allstars Skydiving Team has been performing together for eight years. Team leaders Dale Gumm and Jim Bedway have been jumping together for 25 years and have a combined total of more than 7,000 parachute jumps. The team roster includes male and female performers. The Allstars typically use three performers but have used as many as 24 jumpers for large demonstrations.

The Aerial Allstars have opened the Kentucky Derby Festival's "Thunder Over Louisville" airshow and fireworks's extravaganza nine years in a row. The team has performed at numerous airshows, balloon events, and community festivals throughout the United States. The team has performed at the 25th anniversary of the International Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, New Mexico; 25th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta; 50th anniversary of the U. S. Air Force in conjunction with Thunder Over Louisville; Cleveland Grand Prix; International Science & Engineering Fair at Churchill Downs sponsored by the Intel Corporation; and the 10th anniversary of the Coca-Cola Airshow of the Ozarks, to name a few. The Aerial Allstars performed 17 shows in nine states in 1997.

The team has been featured in a television commercial and recognized in national airshow and parachuting magazines. Peter Richardson wrote in the Journal of the Balloon Federation of America, "By far the hit of the night was the Aerial Allstars." Their Supernova Night Show was "magnificent and the crowd responded with roars of approval." Roy Harris reported in World Airshow News, "The Allstars American flag jump was spectacular, beautiful, and patriotic." The United States Parachute Association displays an Aerial Allstar team member on the front cover of its latest promotional brochure.

The Aerial Allstars perform several thrilling aerial maneuvers in freefall and under canopy. The Kentucky-based group utilizes flags, sponsor banners, canopy stacking, freefall formations, and many other unique acts. The Aerial Allstars proudly fly one of the largest American flags aloft under parachute. This gigantic flag is escorted by two jumpers trailing red and blue pyrotechnic smoke that changes color during flight.

The team's Supernova Night Show has quickly gained national recognition as one of the premiere night acts in the country. The performers fire more than 120 shots of special effects' pyro that send blazing comets, shooting stars and bombs bursting in air across the twilight sky. The jumpers are equipped with special lights that make them visible all the way to touchdown on target. The team also has special lighting for the target area. The entire performance is accompanied by a fantastic soundtrack that builds excitement as the jump plane first appears in the twilight sky.

The jumpers have leaped from hot air balloons, C-130's, bi-planes, DC-3's, helicopters, and a number of smaller aircraft. The performers have jumped from as high as 23,000 feet and as low as 876 feet from the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. The team sports matching jumpsuits and multi-colored canopies. Landing zones have included small islands, barges on the river, stadiums, and the top of a five story building. The Allstars use ground to air communication and the team leader can actually talk to the spectators while flying around under canopy.

The team loves to work with the media and interact with the spectators. The Aerial Allstars love to sign autographs and pose for pictures with the spectators. The performers enjoy giving "Allstar Kid" stickers and balloons, with the team logo on them, to the children at events.

The Aerial Allstars Skydiving Team is a member of the International Council of Air Shows and the Professional Airshow Performers and Producers Association. All performers are members of the United States Parachute Association and hold the professional exhibition rating.