Cliff Dobson

Clifford “Cliff” Dobson’s skydiving career spans more than five decades and over 9,900 jumps—a legacy defined by innovation, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the progression of the sport.

Cliff made his first jump on June 10, 1962, in Alliance, Nebraska, with his father, Park Dobson Jr., piloting the aircraft and Charles Jensen serving as his jumpmaster. Under the supervision of D-178 Clyde Peters, Cliff began a journey that would see him rise to become one of skydiving’s most respected figures.

While attending the University of Nebraska, Cliff trained and developed his skills at the Lincoln Sport Parachute Club, where he served as both president and vice president. From 1969 to 1975, he held the role of Area Safety Officer for Nebraska and Western Iowa and was awarded the Ken Sisler Memorial Award in 1969 for his contributions to safety and education.

From 1970 to 1971, Cliff competed at the U.S. Nationals as a member of the Wahoo 4-way Relative Work Team. The team was selected to be part of the Star Team—an elite group assembled to perform at Transpo ’72, the grand opening airshow for Dulles International Airport. The event brought national attention to the evolving discipline of formation skydiving.

In 1978, Cliff relocated to Florida, where he assumed responsibility for student training at Z-Hills and became the team captain of the “Z” ten-way speed team. That same year, he joined the Budweiser Skydiving Demonstration Team and eventually led both its demo and competition teams, playing a central role in their success at events across the country.

Cliff went on to represent the United States as a member of nine U.S. Parachute Teams, eight of which earned Overall Champion titles. He earned national and world medals in Canopy Relative Work (CRW), as well as podium finishes in 4-way relative work and accuracy landing at the U.S. Nationals.

As an instructor, Cliff helped shape the future of skydiving education. He earned instructional ratings from Static Line Jumpmaster to AFF Instructor/Examiner and Tandem Instructor/Examiner. He was a graduate of USPA’s first AFF Certification class in Deland and one of the first tandem instructors certified by Strong Enterprises. His dedication to student progression was further recognized when he was granted a special waiver by USPA to conduct harness-hold training—a rare privilege at the time.

Among his many notable experiences, Cliff conducted tandem and AFF jumps with Prince Abdullah of Jordan (now King Abdullah) over Amman—an event that remains one of the more memorable moments of his career.

In 1980, Cliff founded Skydive Tampa Bay and operated the dropzone for 35 years. During that time, he introduced more than 60,000 individuals to skydiving, many of whom went on to become licensed skydivers, competitors at the national level, and world record holders. In 1988, Cliff played a role in training three Scottish soldiers and five British soldiers in AFF, helping several qualify for elite military parachute teams.

Cliff also demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to skydiving infrastructure and training. Between 1988 and 1990, he operated AEROFLY—believed to be the first outdoor wind tunnel in the United States—setting the stage for a new era of skill development in the sport.

In 2007, he participated in the 100-way World Record Canopy Formation, a milestone that earned him the USPA’s Path of Excellence Award in 2019. His final public jump took place in December 2021 during a Budweiser Skydiving Team demonstration at the Outback Bowl Beach Party in Clearwater, Florida.

Through his leadership, mentorship, and contributions at every level of the sport, Cliff Dobson helped shape modern skydiving and inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps. His induction into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame in 2025 honors a life of service, excellence, and enduring impact on the skydiving community.