Mark Schlatter flies a huge American flag into the celebration.

There is a new entry among the greatest skydiving demonstrations—a 100-skydiver salute at the First Flight Centennial celebration in early December at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Jay Howard Enterprises in Concord, North Carolina, organized the six-day gala leading up to the attempted reenactment of the Wright brothers' first flight. After a conference call with aircraft owner Paul Fayard and demo veterans Al Saylor, Don Carrington, Mark Schlatter and Paul McCowan, Howard and the jumpers decided to put 100 canopies in the air all at once and to keep canopies in the air for ten minutes—not as easy as it sounds.

Fayard supplied three CASA 212s and one Twin Otter to fly in formation at 13,000 feet, releasing skydivers in various-sized groups at carefully calculated intervals with assigned opening altitudes from 2,500 to 12,000 feet. This concept became known as the "stairway to heaven."

A 16-way exits the CASA to build the letters "USA" over the First Flight Memorial.

Carrington captained the first group of 15 skydivers in the lead plane, all assigned opening altitudes between 2,000 and 3,500 feet. On the way down in freefall, they formed the letters "USA." Following Carrington's group came Schlatter and his group, opening at 3,500 to 4,500 feet.

The second CASA included Roger Ponce de Leon plus 19 mostly Texans, who were assigned opening altitudes of 4,500 to 6,000 feet. Following them came B.J. Worth and his group of 11 more, who put together a newly named formation, the "Wright Flyer." Also on board were veteran style and accuracy jumper John Wolfe, Bill Booth in tandem with daughter Katie and Fayard with tandem passenger Jackie Kemp.

CASA three held another group of 20 with staged assigned openings. The lone Otter with Jackson Hoffman and his canopy formation team brought up the rear with the goal of putting together an 11-way canopy diamond with a tail.

Clearly, the estimated 35,000 spectators were moved by this cornucopia of canopies, as Lee Greenwood, best known for "Proud to be an American," added to the emotion as he sang "God Bless the U.S.A." It was truly a great day for skydiving, aviation and the country.

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