Oil and water, Red Bull and milk, brass grommets and rubber bands: all things that don’t mix together well.

A tandem student points out his altitude as he makes his first skydive with instructor Jeff Whitt at Skydive Spaceland–Houston in Rosharon, Texas.

Brought to you by three-time British Freefly Champion Joel Strickland. Strickland is a full-time freefly coach and tunnel-flying professional and a Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Artistic Events Judge. Jumpers can read more of his writing or contact him for tunnel camps in Europe at joelstrickland.net.

If you’re instructing AFF students, you are engaging in formation skydiving.

The summer season has faded away, and so have high temperatures, at least in the northern states. Fall is fading to winter, frost is appearing in the morning grass, and if you live north of the Mason-Dixon line, you have probably noticed it is getting colder in freefall.