posted May 22nd, 2011 - The NSL News has another update coming from the visit at Homestead where Skydive Miami was hosting the first "FSL Going South" summer meet. The scores of the two teams have been posted, and the NSL News had the opportunity to spend some time with the DZ management, Fred Whitsitt and Pam Manos.

Fred Whitsitt was a member of DeLand Equanimity, the South African national 4-way team, that won the bronze medals at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 1997 in Turkey. His team mates were Solly Williams, Gary Smith and Robbie Spencer.

Solly Williams and Gary Smith moved to DeLand later and then won 4-way gold medals for the USA in 2004 with DeLand Majik. Gary Smith went even further and won another gold medal two years later with DeLand Fire. Fred Whitsitt accepted the management position for Skydive Miami and has been in Homestead ever since.

Pam Manos is a passionate skydiver and 4-way competitor. She was also an actress in several skydiving movies. Her husband Guy Manos won a 4-way gold medal at the World Championship of Formation Skydiving 1985 in Yugoslavia with the DeLand Air Bears.

Fred Whitsitt and Pam Manos obviously share their strong passion for Formation Skydiving competition, which plays out to the advantage of young skydivers in Homestead. Skydive Miami runs a very professional and successful tandem operation with business pouring in from tourist trap Miami. However, they still keep a good balance between recreational skydiving and tandem business.

In fact, Pam Manos takes good care of the tandem passengers who turn first into AFF students and then into recreational local skydivers. General Manager Fred Whitsitt supports her efforts to keep the new skydivers in the sport and turn them eventually into 4-way fans. The NSL News was asking them about their motivation and goals.

Fred Whitsitt had another visitor this weekend in Homestead. John "Old Man" Browett is one of the oldest active skydivers in the world. He is from South Africa, as well, and has been in touch with Fred Whitsitt ever since he started skydiving in 1990. He was 65 years of age by then and has now a total of 860 jumps with the age of 85.

John "Old Man" Browett was one of the first AFF students in South Africa, and Fred Whitsitt took care of him when he was done with his student jumps. He is still grateful for this special treatment and keeps in touch with Skydive Miami's manager by visiting once a year in Homestead.

The 85-year old skydiver is not retiring yet. In fact, John Browett wants to be a part of the next record attempt of skydivers over 80. He was on the standing record, a 5-way formation. Pat Moorehead, who turns 80 this year, plans to go much larger with other skydivers who will qualify later this year. John "Old Man" Browett is ready to go bigger.

Fred Whitsitt also shares another competition experience with a visitor in Homestead this weekend. NSL News reporter Kurt Gaebel was a member of 4-way team DeLand VNE when Fred Whitsitt trained and competed with DeLand Equanimity. Both teams participated in the very first season of the Florida Skydiving League in the winter of 1996/1997, together with Sebastian XL and other local teams.

Equanimity and VNE both traveled to Belgium in 1996 and competed at the 4-way competition of the World Cup. Sebastian XL was at the same event, as well, and represented the United Kingdom, while Equanimity competed for South Africa and VNE for the USA.

Equanimity and VNE then joined forces and competed as a guest team in 8-way at the same event challenging the teams in medal positions. Fred Witsitt and Kurt Gaebel had a reunion when they filled Teiwaz South slots for a training jump on Sunday. The exit did not go too well, but the technical test of a forward rotation for Block 13 was acceptable. It was a fun weekend in Homestead...