United States Coast Guard Auxiliary 7th District Breeze - USCGAUX ...

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U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary District 7 Breeze
Air Staon Miami Makes History
Transporng the U.S. Army Special ‘Ops’ Parachute
Demonstraon Team
Arcle and photos by Diane Riggan, Assistant District Staff Officer–Public Affairs-East D7
STUART, Fla.—On a windy November day in 2011, straps, got into position, and opened ed the cargo ramp.
it took just 19 seconds for the HC-144A Ocean
Sentry to get airborne. LTJG Dan Feirman and LTJG
The Ocean Sentry circled the airport and surrounding
Hans de Groot from Coast Guard Air Station Miami
area to gain altitude while the jump team evaluated the
guided the medium range aircraft into the partly
winds. The airfield reported winds at 12 knots, gusting
cloudy sky and headed for an altitude of 10,000 feet.
to 16; the limit for a safe jump was not more than 17 knots.
That day the cargo
SGT Kelly Becker prepared to jump first. SGT First Class
was light. Onboard
Gordy
Horvath,
was the Coast
SSG
Travis
Guard crew, and,
Weathers,
and
for the first time as
SSG Jeffrey Inman
a commercial venue,
would
follow
a special operations
her. Three large
parachute team
rolls of streamers
from the U.S. Army.
were tossed out
The performance
at 2,000 feet to
by the Black
check the winds.
Daggers Parachute
The team member
Demonstration Team
maneuvered
a few days later
around on the
would be historic
edge of the open
– not for them, but
cargo ramp to
for the Coast Guard.
get the best view
Today was practice.
for
watching
the
wind’s
AMT 3rd Class
effects on the
Stephen Basset and AMT 3rd Class Kareem el
colorful
l
streamers.
Cherbini, United States Coast Guard, talked about
how significant this day was. It was the first time the
SGT Becker rechecked her gear and began to make her
Ocean Sentry would serve as a platform for a jump
move out to the edge. Becker made history by being the
team for an air show. They were excited about the
first female chaplain’s assistant to become a member
opportunity to be part of it. Also on board were Diane
of the Black Dagger’s team. She knelt down, looking
Riggan and her husband, Wilson Riggan, Chief of
intently focused, and, in a blink of an eye, stood up and
Aviation, both members of Flotilla 59 in Stuart. They
stepped off the ramp, just as though she were stepping
assisted the Coast Guard with the arrangements for
off a curb to cross the street. The brilliant red smoke
this particular community event and were thrilled to
trailing from her boots may have been visible for miles.
learn that they would be going along for the practice
run. Bassett gave them the safety briefing before
boarding while waiting for the parachute team.
Soon the flight deck checklist was complete, the jump
team was onboard, and the cameras were ready to
photograph the demonstration team. There would
be just one chance to capture this event. Feirman
and DeGroot received their clearance to taxi from
the tower, brought the power up and rolled into
take off position. After the initial climb out, AMT el
Cherbini stretched a safety line mid-fuselage, from
side to side, separating the area for the jump team
from the rest of the cabin. He then attached his safety
The team’s jumpmaster focused on communicating
with the cockpit crew, however time was getting close
for the others to depart the airplane. They rechecked
each other’s safety gear as the plane approached 10,000
feet. SSG Inman gave “thumbs up” to the unofficial
photography team, and the three made their way onto
the edge of the ramp. In less than 20 seconds, Horvath
stepped off backwards into thin air, followed by
Inman and Weathers, and they all spread their arms
to fly. Each jumper pulled on a thin cord that stretched
from their wrist to the canisters on their heels. As they
did so, red smoke streamed out and blazed across
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