For more than 20 years, the city of Quincy, Illinois, has been gathering thousands of bird-eye jumping enthusiasts every summer. At this time, the World Free Fall Festival is held there, which was invented and organized by the same fan of extreme sports.
The Free Fall Festival emerged and became famous in many countries thanks to the American aviation veteran Don Kirlin. Accustomed to the cockpit since childhood, when he was still sitting on his father's lap while driving the Ercoupe in 1946, he could not imagine his life without air transport. And his most favorite pastime, which he carried through all his life, was exciting parachute jumping.
Knowing that thousands of people around the world share his passion, he decided to organize a Free Fall Convention that could unite all fans of extreme jumping from a height. And in 1990, he held the first free fall festival.
Thanks to the high professionalism and skill of the participants, the variety of air transport and the highest safety standards during parachute jumping, this festival almost immediately consolidated its status as a worldwide and became a landmark of America. Every year it gathers more and more free fall fans who want to take part in this exciting event.
At the World Free Fall Festival, about 5,800 skydivers jump from a height of 4 to 7 kilometers from a variety of air vehicles - from Boeings and rare sports planes to balloons. People from 60 countries take part in this 10-day marathon, making more than 50 thousand jumps from a bird's eye view. During the festival, there are also seminars and workshops on freestyle free fall, the selection of special equipment for skydivers and photography while jumping.
In addition to the organized festival, Don Kirlin is also known as a generous philanthropist. After each event, he sends over $ 100,000 to various charities.
