Tandem beginnings

By Emma Sun
THE ’80s marked the beginnings of tandem jumping and a major evolution in student training, as well as a string of competitions that were held in Pakenham.
‘Canopy relative work’ was something new and much of a big deal back then. Jumpers would ‘stack’ on one another, by grabbing onto each other’s chutes or lines.
“We did a lot back then,” Julie said.
“The freefall was the main part then we used to open and do that. Get the most out of our jump.”
It was in October of ’84 when Victoria’s first 10-stack was built.
On 16 April 1985, Greg Chambers and Dave Parsons, who had both done tandem ratings in America, did Australia’s first legal tandem jump at Pakenham from 6,000 feet. Early tandem students included television newsreader Jennifer Keyte.
“The ’70s marked the start of big progressions of the sport in terms of tandems, parachuting and accelerated freefall parachuting but it also meant the start of the decline of membership,” Julie said.
“Now that people can do a tandem, they can do it and go. Before, if you wanted to freefall you had to put in some time and because you became entrenched in it and kept jumping. It’s just so easy for people to come and go without staying.”