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The Times Advocate, 2005-11-30, Page 14Crossroads 14 Wednesday, November 30, 2005 Exeter Times Advocate Exeter officer attempting skydiving record By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — In just a couple of months, Exeter's Liam Brennan will find himself jumping out of an airplane over Thailand at 25,000 feet. The 18 -year Exeter OPP veteran recently found out he has been chosen as one of only seven Canadians to take part in a world -breaking 400 - person skydive over Udon Thani, Thailand, with the 2006 World Team. Brennan, who has been skydiving since 1986, will leave for Thailand Jan. 24, where he and his teammates, representing over 40 countries, will prepare for the world record with strategy meetings, smaller jumps and a walk through on the ground. The previous skydiving record, set by the World Team in 2004, is 357 divers. "We want to shatter it," Brennan says. Brennan first jumped in 1986 at the Grand Bend Sport Parachuting Centre, where he still jumps with mentor and owner Bob Wright (also a member of the 2006 World Team). Brennan first jumped because a bunch of his friends wanted to try it. While "they all chickened out," according to Brennan, he went ahead with the jump and 19 years later has logged 5,026 skydives. Brennan says his inclu- sion on this year's World Team is the opportunity of a lifetime and the cul - Exeter OPP officer Liam Brennan, pictured with his skydiving equipment, is getting ready to head over to Thailand at the end of January to participate in a world -record 400 -person skydive. He was named to the 2006 World Team in early November. Brennan has been skydiving since 1986. (photo/Scott Nixon) mination of 19 years of skydiving. He started the process of trying to make the World Team over two years ago and has been doing large sky dives in California to be evaluated. The first attempt at the 400 -person skydive will take place Feb. 2 and continue until Feb. 9 if necessary. For the jump to be suc- cessful, "everything has to be slot perfect," Brennan says. Each jumper is assigned his or her own slot in the circular forma- tion consisting of 10 pie - shaped wedges (called weed whackers because Above, Brennan participates in the largest hybrid skydive (over 100 skydivers) over Paris, California.The Exeter police officer has logged over 5,000 skydives. (photo/submitted) of their appearance) and a middle section. Brennan's position is in the second row from the outside. Jumpers will dive out of five military Hercules air- planes, starting with an eight to 10 person group, then building on it. Because of the altitude of 25,000 feet, skydivers will be fed oxygen through tubes. One of the reasons the dive will take place in Thailand is because Thailand is one of the few countries that allows civil- ians to jump out of mili- tary aircraft, a practice Brennan says isn't allowed in Canada and the U.S. Skydivers will wear colours that will represent the Thai flag. Brennan describes the feeling of skydiving as being "totally free." There's no feeling of falling, he says, adding that skydivers slowly build up speed until they reach terminal velocity and fall at 120 mph or 174 feet per second. Skydiving is physically and mentally demanding and divers use their body, arms and legs to deflect the air to determine their position. Brennan doesn't experience any nerves before a jump, but says skydivers have to concen- trate on the upcoming dive and be mentally pre- pared. Special dives Brennan looks back on are his 5,000th in California and his 3,000th into Lake Huron, which he complet- ed with Wright's wife Mary, also a skydiver and a licensed rigger, who packs the lines and reserve chutes for divers. In addition to travelling to California a couple of times a year to skydive, Brennan has made dives in Florida, Washington, Michigan and Illinois. Skydiving is an expensive hobby, with the upcoming trip to Thailand all on Brennan's own dime. Equipment costs about $6,000, and in addition to that, Brennan is a skydiv- ing videographer, result- ing in further equipment expenses. First -timers will pay about $350-$400 for their dive. Brennan, who has had only two parachute mal- functions in over 5,000 jumps, calls skydiving "very safe. It's safer than driving down the road," he says, adding he's never been injured during a skydive. In both malfunction instances, Brennan's main parachute became tangled and he had to use the reserve. In those moments, Brennan says a skydiver's training and ability to react and antici- pate come into play. He says he was never scared, but once it's over, you reflect on what just hap- pened. Brennan says he enjoys the challenge of skydiving and the precise flying skills necessary in his upcoming world record jump. Local students are already aware of Brennan's skydiving accomplishments. As a Community Oriented Police officer, Brennan visits the schools and shows students his vari- ous pieces of skydiving equipment and videos. He says such visits put police officers in a differ- ent light for the students and he speaks to them about making correct choices in life. The 400 -person dive won't be the only world record Brennan will par- ticipate in this February. On Feb. 11, over 900 skydivers will take part in a mass jump into the new Bangkok International Airport to help commem- orate the 60th anniver- sary of Thai King Bhumibol, the world's longest -reigning monarch.