Batavian Bill Zipfel, left, retired Genesee County Jail superintendent, and Tim Allen, owner of Pine Hill Airport and WNYSkydiving in Albion in front of one of the transport planes during Friday’s “Skyfall Boogie 2025.” Zipfel received a skydiving certificate as a present for his 55th birthday and since then has made 730 jumps. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. Zipfel, 73, said he’s the oldest jumper “in the dropzone.” Photos and video by Mike Pettinella/For Video News Service.
BY MIKE PETTINELLA
For Video News Service
To “air” is human.
While talking to several skillful skydivers on Friday afternoon at the Pine Hill Airport in Albion, it was clear they firmly believe that jumping out of airplanes is a thrill that everyone needs to experience.
The occasion was the second day of the WNYSkydiving “Skyfall Boogie 2025” – an event that brings together dozens of skydivers – mostly solo but some tandems, too — to the organization’s headquarters at Pine Hill Road.
The business (and the airport) is owned and operated by Tim Allen of Alden, a 25-year skydiving veteran
He recalled the first time he summoned the nerve to take the plunge.
Video clip from a Friday afternoon jump
“I didn’t realize that spring break was the most important thing I did in college,” he said, adding that his first jump came on spring break in Cancun.
Allen rattled off the date – March 7, 2001 – noting that that the jump enabled him to check skydiving off the list.
“There were seven or eight of us down there and all of us said we were going to go,” he said. “As I found out when eight people say they’re going to go only one actually shows up. I was the one.”
He said he rented a Volkswagen Golf from the hotel and drove down the Mexican highway – “when you drive down the Mexican highway, you have to go really fast or you get run over,” he quipped. “So, I’m already nervous as could be. And there I am. I got to the place. I was still ridiculously nervous. And I remember doing all the training and that kind of stuff.
“We (others who had registered) had to walk to the airplane when we got there. I remember being in the airplane. I remember getting ready to jump out of the airplane. But I don’t remember jumping out of it. Because it was that my head just went away. And it’s pretty normal.”
That was the first of what has increased to 11,000 jumps for Allen, who said he was looking forward to taking to the bright blue skies dotted with pillowy clouds on a picture perfect 80-degree day.
Beyond that, Allen is one of 130 “tandem examiners” in the world and holds numerous coaching and instructional certifications as well as being a certified commercial pilot.
Mike Maley Jr., left, a Buffalo fire captain, assists Chris Torgalski of West Seneca with his gear before the latter takes to the skies
Allen started WNYSkydiving in 2009, first in Akron and then at Pine Hill after purchasing the airport from Gene Haines.
“Gene was a wonderful, wonderful man. He was 86 when he died in 2017. His family bought the property in 1825 through the Holland Land Purchase. So technically, I am the second owner of this property (in 200 years),” he said.
The airport is on about 100 acres and has one runway. Allen owns four planes, providing plenty of space for the groups of 12 or 18 that go up at a time.
He said his business offers two major types of jumping – tandem and experienced.
“The tandem skydives are for the public that wants to come out and maybe make one jump,” he said. “And even if they want to make more than one jump, they can keep doing that. The tandem skydives are where they’re attached to another person.
Business Manager Brandi Danielewicz of Sanborn and instructor Robert McEvoy of Nunda. McEvoy has been skydiving for 47 years, compiling more than 20,000 jumps, including at the Kentucky Derby and onto the infield of Yankee Stadium.
“The experienced jumpers that we have, they have to get a license. You need at least 25 jumps through our licensing program. Once you become licensed, you can go and do all the different things.”
Allen said this weekend’s “boogie” primarily caters to the experienced jumpers.
“Today, we’ve intentionally made it pretty light with the tandem. So, the experienced jumpers can have more capacity to be able to just go and play,” he said.
Skydivers getting ready to board in their wingsuits — webbing-sleeved jumpsuits that add a webbed area to the diver’s body to generate increased lift, which allows extended airtime by gliding flight rather than just free falling.
Jumping will continue on Saturday and Sunday, with about 30 people signed up on each day.
Friday’s night’s theme was a James Bond costume party – “people will be dressing up in tuxedos and taking part in a casino night,” Allen said – in the huge hangar on the property. Pine Hill Airport also has a smaller hanger along with office and storage space.
Desiree Cochran, left, an ICU nurse from Trumansburg, coordinates the event’s film festival, which is set for Saturday night. At right is Kaitie Yague-Spaude, a Wisconsin native and RIT graduate, who serves as the facility’s parachute packer & rigger, a key position that also includes teaching new skydivers how to pack their own parachutes and safely maintain their personal gear.
Saturday night is film festival night, coordinated by Desiree Cochran of Trumansburg, where participants will submit their best short skydiving films and compete for prizes in different categories.
About 100 experienced jumpers are participating in the event, primarily from WNY but some from New Hampshire, Florida, Maine and Pennsylvania.
Pine Hill Airport’s 140- by 85-foot main hangar that will serve as the “party area” for this weekend’s Skyfall Boogie.
For more information about WNYSkydiving and Pine Hill Airport, go to wnyskydiving.com.