Skydiving instructor Tom Pecharich(right) giving his jumper, Paula Bran(left), the rundown on what she is going to do when they jump out of the plane on Dec. 5 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. “Okay what you’re going to do when we jump is, feet out and under the plane, head back to my right shoulder and hips forward,” he said. (Jenna McMahon)
Skydiving instructor Tom Pecharich(right) giving his jumper, Paula Bran(left), the rundown on what she is going to do when they jump out of the plane on Dec. 5 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. “Okay what you’re going to do when we jump is, feet out and under the plane, head back to my right shoulder and hips forward,” he said.
Over a million people a year check skydiving off their bucket lists, only doing it once, maybe twice, then never again. However, there are those that make the choice to jump out of a plane over and over again. Tom Pecharich is one of those innate people who has a love for this extreme sport and spends his weekends as a tandem skydive instructor at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Pecharich has now been skydiving for 22 years and has over 7,100 jumps, yet he still can’t put it into words how it makes him feel. He loves being able to take people and share the experience with them whether it’s their first or their fifth time.
This story follows Pecharich and some of the people he took skydiving. One of the basic fundamentals in skydiving is being able to trust the instructor because one is putting their life in the hands of a stranger. These photos showcase the trust that builds up in a short amount of time between the skydiver and their instructor.
From left, Paula Bran and instructor Tom Pecharich, have just completed Bran’s first skydive on Dec. 5 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Bran came with two of her friends who also jumped. (Jenna McMahon)Vanessa Mora(left) completes her first skydive with instructor Tom Pecharich(right) on Dec. 5 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Mora and her friends are visiting the U.S. from Columbia. (Jenna McMahon)Tandem skydiving instructor Tom Pecharich grabs his helmet in preparation for the next jump on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Pecharich takes jumpers at 13,000 feet or 18,000 feet. (Jenna McMahon)Tandem skydiving instructor Tom Pecharich and his jumper floating down towards the dropzone on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. If one is lucky their instructor may let them pilot the parachute during their descent. (Jenna McMahon)Tom Pecharich unlatches his jumpers harness from his right as they touch the ground on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Jumpers land in a seated position while their instructors land standing up in order to make sure the parachute does not continue to get pulled if there is wind. (Jenna McMahon)A skydiver hugs his instructor, Tom Pecharich (right), after landing safely at the dropzone on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Skydivers are only in the air for five minutes from when they leave the plane to when they touch the ground. (Jenna McMahon)Skydiving instructor Tom Pecharich after his sixth or seventh jump of the day on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Pecharich has been skydiving for 22 years and “still can’t put it into words how it makes you feel,” he said. (Jenna McMahon)Instructor Tom Pecharich drops off his parachute pack, so the packers can repack the chute on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. Out of the 22 years Pecharich has been skydiving he has only had to pull his reserve chute three times. (Jenna McMahon)The pilots navigate the plane while the jumpers exit on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. They have to fill the plane with gas about every 4-6 loads. (Jenna McMahon)The view from the plane on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. The plane ride takes about 10 minutes to reach 13,000 feet. (Jenna McMahon)All the skydivers getting ready to jump off the plane on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. In free fall instructors and their jumpers are falling at a rate of about 120 mph. (Jenna McMahon)I was pumping myself up for my first skydive with instructor Tom Pecharich on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. I have always wanted to skydive and finally getting to do it was a surreal experience.Tom Pecharich took me for my first skydive on Nov. 20 at Skydive Santa Barbara in Lompoc, Calif. I was terrified, yet exhilarated at the same time. I highly recommend everyone skydive at least once in their life.
