Skydiving in Laos

Skydiving in Laos:

Making Friends and Making History!

Not surprisingly, a long history of not-so-benign French, American, Russian, and Vietnamese foreign influences has given the shy and charming Lao people plenty of reason to feel hesitant about outsiders with “shiny new ideas.” Imagine then the challenge Nick Ascot faced when he set out to promote modern sport skydiving from MI-17 helicopters he’d seen parked on the apron at Vientiane’s International Airport. Nick is Director of North by North-East Travel Services (Thailand & Laos) and a 25-year veteran of skydiving who has helped produce international skydiving events in neighboring Thailand. “I tried several times over the last four years to float the idea with the appropriate Lao officials. They didn’t even return my calls,” he said.

But new people, new attitudes, and new ideas are emerging in the small, landlocked country nestled among (anti-clockwise) China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar on the Indochina Peninsula. Its hapless position in the geographical center of the Second Indochina War, when superpowers fought for ideological control of Southeast Asia, nearly destroyed the country. In 1975, Laos instituted a new government and virtually closed its doors. After three decades ‘finding itself,’ Laos is now re-entering the global economic community in a controlled and dignified fashion. Relaxed visa and domestic travel policies make it easier for Westerners to visit, stimulating a service industry to support them.

But decades passed since any non-Lao jumper has descended under an open parachute canopy to land on Lao soil.

Finally, one day late in 2006, Nick got a call from Lao government Civil Aviation Administration officials asking whether he was ‘still interested in making International Skydiving in Laos over the Lao New Year celebrations in April 2007?” “At first I just about fell out of my chair, but once I conquered my surprise, I got excited at the idea!”

Very desirable aircraft in the eyes of international skydivers, the Lao Air Force flies six Russian Kazan MI-17s & MI-8 helicopters, three of which are operated by the military’s civilian company Lao Air. Both models can carry 30-plus jumpers to 4,000 meters in 15 minutes and—as an added bonus—pick them up and drop them back into high-exposure locations attractive to sponsors and others who can benefit from the spectacle.

Nick met with Lao aviation authorities several times in November and December to compare ideas, and they agreed to conduct a series of proof-of-concept test jumps at the Vientiane International Airport on January 6.

Embarking on a labour-of-love during the busiest moments of peak tourism season, Nick requested, and was fortunate to receive help from many like-minded skydiving friends and acquaintances: Darel Davenport (an American businessman working in Bangkok, and an expert skydiver) was instrumental in assembling an international group of skydivers to participate in the jumps alongside the 16-member Lao Military Parachuting Team — the only active parachutists in the country. Kevin Gibson handled all Media / Awareness and several logistical issues for the test jumps and for the coming main event, should the group get the necessary approvals (Skydiving specialist Kevin Gibson was also media director for World Team during Thailand’s 2006 world-record 400-person freefall formation). Danniel Lee came from Singapore to help in any way he could. Aziz Ahmed, the skydiving Safety & Training Advisor for Malaysia, was on hand helping out with half a dozen related issues, not the least of which included coordinating with expert MI-17 jump pilot Aivars Bebriss from Latvia, who availed himself to consult with the Lao pilots.

The Lao pilots have been transitioning from military work to more commercially oriented missions, and while they have much experience with the MI-17 & MI-8 model choppers, they had only flown the Lao parachute / skydiving team to the low altitude of 6000ft, or about half the altitude expected in the world of international skydiving. Aivars spent several days exchanging ideas and tips with the Lao pilots, with his presence over the test weekend being greatly appreciated by all.

But perhaps most popular among the Lao jumpers, pilots and organizers were the World Team skydivers from the Royal Thai Air Force: Commander Saisak; Squadron Leader Kosit; Flight Lieutenant Vinai; Wing Commander Kasem, who joined the group to exchange technical tips and ideas with the Lao team on issues such as packing.

The Thai World Team jumpers offered to join in their civilian capacity to initiate an exchange between the two neighbors, the first since they had fought on different sides of the last Indochina War. None of the Lao jumpers had before encountered skydivers outside their own unit, so everyone present appreciated this point.

On Friday, January 5, while the main body of international jumpers continued to arrive in Vientiane, organizers made final arrangements for Saturday’s jumps, including meetings with flight crew, local travel and tour consultants, and the Don Chan Palace Hotel (who bid to host the event should the group secure the permission with the proof-of-concept jumps), and North by North-East partners Phet & Khin (SK Travel Vientiane, who handled the group’s logistics for the weekend, including hotels, transportation, and other details).

Nothing could describe the atmosphere in the helicopter hangar at the first ice-breaking meeting of the Lao and Thai military jumpers. The two exchanged customary elaborate greetings mandatory throughout SE Asia, and then the Thais invited the Lao to inspect their equipment arrayed neatly by the charismatic and funny Commander Saisak who encouraged technical questions and discussed safety and functional developments in skydiving over the last two decades. He summarized with an overview of what the Lao jumpers could expect from the international group once they all boarded the MI-17 to jump together the following day. The Q & A became an informal seminar and for several hours the synergy fairly bubbled from the group. Saisak so engaged the group that Lao aviation officials, Air Force officers, the travel and tour specialists, the skydiving organizers, the MI-helicopter flight crew, and former Lao team members who had heard about the groundbreaking meeting, and a contingent of friends and well-wishers looked on, mesmerized by his points. By the end of the day, everyone talked excitedly about the prospect of the morning’s jumps, scheduled for first light.

At daybreak, the whole group of 30-plus assembled in front of the hangar for Aziz’s safety briefing before breaking to inspect and prepare the equipment. Three jumpers were to make their first jumps in tandem with expert tandem parachuting instructors.

After a few delays that allowed a large crowd to collect in the flight operations area to witness the first mass jump in Laos, the jumpers boarded the MI-17, posed for a few last-minute photos, and settled in as the flight crew fired-up the big turbine engines. They taxied to the center of the airport and lifted to 20 meters, where they hovered for a minute before continuing the ride to 4,000 meters. The first to leave the tailgate was a pair of the tandem jumpers who released into the void to see the sun rising over a layer of clouds in the east. An orange glow reflected on the smiling faces of all the jumpers who followed, each one happy to be part of first sport parachute jump over Laos since anyone can remember.

The group landed safely on the airport, packed their parachutes, and took off again for the second and last jump before the time window provided by Air Traffic Control expired. Their success and their smiles all showed on the faces of the officials below, who granted permission on the spot to proceed with the international event.

The 1st Mekong River Boogie!
Aviation officials and the skydiving organizers have planned the “Mekong River Boogie” for four days over the Lao / Thai Buddhist New Year, on April 13-17. All the boarding, jumping, and landings will take place at the Done Chan Palace Hotel, where the Mekong’s dry-season riverbed provides virtually unlimited clear, soft landing area. Excited skydivers, including a number of tandem instructors to take first-time jumpers, have already registered from as far away as North America. Everyone wants to join in Laos’ first skydiving adventure and to enjoy the graceful hospitality of Vientiane.

“Noting our Lao colleagues in this international environment bringing their own ideas to reality made our test jump weekend worthwhile in itself.” said Nick afterward. “Skydiving together creates a unique joy that can bridge the cultural divide unlike anything I have ever known. Perhaps it is just my own rationalization, but I figure our world needs every cultural bridge we can afford to build in this day and age.”