Everest Skydive 2015 – exclusive interview with the crew members who have been a part of it since 2008
Coming to Nepal is itself a life changing experience for most of the western travelers and being here for the elite adventure on the top of the world, Everest Skydive is for sure the biggest holiday anyone could imagine. The biggest and the most thrilling sky adventure of autumn in the shadows of world’s highest peak, Everest Skydive 2015 has been a successful event yet again. After the Everest Skydive, relatively easier Pokhara Skydive was also accomplished by the same crew. After both Skydiving Expeditions, we had a brief interview with three crewmembers who have been the member of this adventurous aerial escapade since the inception of Everest Skydive in 2008.
The team of Everest Skydive 2015
Tom Noonan, Dr. Ryan Jackson and Derek Thomas, without whom the Everest Skydiving would have just an experiment long time ago, hear them.
EH: Overall Experience of ESD and PSD
Tom: Every year we come to Nepal to conduct Everest Skydive Expedition & Pokhara Skydive Expedition we face new challenges; Operational challenges, personal challenges, weather, aircraft and so on. However, we know no matter what the challenges are we have to overcome and the resources provided by Explore Himalaya and Fishtail Helicopters provide us the confidence to conduct the expedition overcoming all these challenges.
Derek: We have been coming here since 2008; we are three of the four who have been learning here form the first day. For me being an equipment guy, it is very interesting to see how the equipment is able to survive and work in extreme environment for high altitude and I am happy that everything worked well for all these years.
The key person of Everest Skydive 2015 – Tom Noonan
EH: Differences between previous years Skydives and 2015 Skydive
Tom: This year was unique as we arrived after the earthquake. It was difficult to see some of the places that we have known over the years having come down to the earthquake. Hearing about the fatalities associated with it, it was difficult for us to come in and conduct a sports celebration knowing that there was such damage. Moreover, there was a fuel crisis as well and managing to that crisis changed the dynamic of how we operate it. But in the end we decided that the best thing we could do is to promote Nepal and tourism industry of Nepal conveying the message globally “Nepal is back on top of the world” through Everest Skydive and Pokhara Skydive.
Derek: Nothing to do environmentally or equipment wise but personality wise we had few new group members and I am hoping to work more with them as they are very good as friends and have brought very good attitude and work ethic for the adventure like this.
Technical person of Everest Skydive Derek Thomas
EH :Having 80% of solo skydivers this year does it refer professional skydivers are more into ESD
Tom: I think that the interest between professional skydivers versus tandem skydivers’ rises and falls based on support tourism industry can do. Some years it’s financially viable for professional solo divers other years through global economic changes more tandem divers might be interested on the event.
EH: Difference between Everest Skydive and Pokhara Skydive
Ryan: Two extremes of skydiving for us, Everest Skydiving is enormously and technically difficult and challenging whereas, Pokhara Skydive is within what we normally consider what skydiving is. It is easy and fun with warm and stable weather. Everest Skydive and Pokhara Skydive are totally contrasting expeditions.
Doctor and professional skydiver Ryan Jackson
EH: Ideal participants for Everest and Pokhara Skydives
Ryan: Everest Skydiving participants are professional skydivers seeking to extraordinary skydiving adventure or they are high networth tourists doing something that can’t be done anywhere else in the world like going to the very peak. Pokhara Skydive is attractive to anyone who would come to Nepal for doing any other adventure tourism who would pay to go paragliding or bungee jumping.
Tom: Whether it is solo or tandem skydiver, Everest Skydive targets wealthy professional individuals. ESD is for Professional and successful individuals highly driven for the adventure. For the ESD we tend to see self made wealthy professional because it in lines with their personalities. PSD is more of a stable and traditional skydiving operation which can target individuals with reasonable income.
A tandem dive during Everest Skydive 2015
EH: Support of Explore Himalaya
Derek: That’s only that has not changed. Everywhere we go we get great support and everyone in Namche now have begun to recognize us and everyone here in Nepal and Explore Himalaya had been great with us and we have no bad experience at all.
Tom: In the beginning one of our first persons to contact was Pushpa, she was amazing. Then came Menuka, she was amazing as well as very easy to communicate. Now we have Monika, she is equally amazing. Every person we have communicated has done their job so well we could totally rely on. For the first few years we had Krishna to support our crew during the Expeditions and now we have Bharat to do that role. To be honest, without Bharat ESD & PSD 2015 would not have been this great. Whenever we had small hiccups during these expeditions we would just call Bharat and without any sort of hesitation the problem was solved. Without Explore Himalaya Everest Skydiving would have ended six years ago and every year we are privileged to come to Nepal to work with you guys. Thanks.
Apr 2023
I had an incredible experience trekking to Everest Base Camp with Explore Himalaya. Our guides were absolutely amazing. They provided us with exceptional support and guidance throughout the journey.
The porters deserve special recognition too for their hard work and dedication. The entire journey was filled with breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences. From the start until the conclusion , every moment was filled with awe and wonder.
I highly recommend Explore Himalaya for anyone seeking an unforgettable trekking experience in the Himalayas. Thank you to all the the staff, for making our journey truly exceptional!
Andrea C
13 Day Manaslu Circuit Trek
Nov 2018
We have just returned to Kathmandu after a wonderful trek around the Manaslu circuit, starting in Soti Khola and finishing in Jaget. The trek and transport out and back to Kathmandu were very well organized. Our guide, Bharet Rana was excellent, arranging our tea-house accomodation and meals each day, without hitch. He was always good humoured and provided an interesting commentary on sights along the way.
John Chew
Our Everest Base Camp trek was a wonderful and memorable one. Everything was very well organised. Thank you Explore Himalaya and the staffs for such an excellent service. We were taken care of from the moment we landed in Ktm till the day we left. The Guides and the Porters team of Explore Himalaya are very friendly and helpful. They took care of every little things during our trek. Some walked faster, some slowly and few could not but No one was left behind. They walk with your pace and motivates you until you get up.
Anuj Pandey, MD of Explore Himalaya was available 24 hours a day when anybody was in need, he even flew to Namche to check if everything was going well and if everybody was doing good.
The Guides Bibek Pandey, Bhuwan Tamang and Ram Rajbhandari along with their 5 Porters were the main pillars who made our mission accomplished.
I'd highly recommend anybody who wants to travel to Nepal to contact Explore Himalaya and get themselves spoilt and entertained with their excellent service.
Sujeeta Shahi
Helicopter flight to Everest basecamp
Mar 2023
Organized for us a life time experience by helicopter to the base camp. Very well organized and all what has been promised was delivered. Would highly recommend this service.
Stefan M
Recommended On
Testimonials
Apr 2023
I had an incredible experience trekking to Everest Base Camp with Explore Himalaya. Our guides were absolutely amazing. They provided us with exceptional support and guidance throughout the journey.
The porters deserve special recognition too for their hard work and dedication. The entire journey was filled with breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences. From the start until the conclusion , every moment was filled with awe and wonder.
I highly recommend Explore Himalaya for anyone seeking an unforgettable trekking experience in the Himalayas. Thank you to all the the staff, for making our journey truly exceptional!
Andrea C
13 Day Manaslu Circuit Trek
Nov 2018
We have just returned to Kathmandu after a wonderful trek around the Manaslu circuit, starting in Soti Khola and finishing in Jaget. The trek and transport out and back to Kathmandu were very well organized. Our guide, Bharet Rana was excellent, arranging our tea-house accomodation and meals each day, without hitch. He was always good humoured and provided an interesting commentary on sights along the way.
John Chew
Our Everest Base Camp trek was a wonderful and memorable one. Everything was very well organised. Thank you Explore Himalaya and the staffs for such an excellent service. We were taken care of from the moment we landed in Ktm till the day we left. The Guides and the Porters team of Explore Himalaya are very friendly and helpful. They took care of every little things during our trek. Some walked faster, some slowly and few could not but No one was left behind. They walk with your pace and motivates you until you get up.
Anuj Pandey, MD of Explore Himalaya was available 24 hours a day when anybody was in need, he even flew to Namche to check if everything was going well and if everybody was doing good.
The Guides Bibek Pandey, Bhuwan Tamang and Ram Rajbhandari along with their 5 Porters were the main pillars who made our mission accomplished.
I'd highly recommend anybody who wants to travel to Nepal to contact Explore Himalaya and get themselves spoilt and entertained with their excellent service.
Sujeeta Shahi
Helicopter flight to Everest basecamp
Mar 2023
Organized for us a life time experience by helicopter to the base camp. Very well organized and all what has been promised was delivered. Would highly recommend this service.