Eilif Ness didn’t make his first jump until 1965 at age 34. Though not a household name in the United States, his standing in the international skydiving community is unparalleled. In his native Norway and elsewhere abroad, Ness has contributed many years of valuable work to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), first as delegate and later as president of the International Parachuting Commission and finally, from 1994 – 2000, as president of the FAI. During his long tenure as FAI president, he revolutionized the way the organization conducted its business.