Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld

Dan Brodsky‑Chenfeld, known across the sport as “Dan BC,” is one of skydiving’s most influential figures. A world champion competitor, pioneering team founder, author, coach, and safety advocate, Dan’s life in skydiving spans more than four decades and more than 32,000 jumps.

His skydiving journey began in 1980 while studying at Ohio State University, exchanging labor for lift tickets by mowing grass, washing aircraft, and cleaning hangars just to get in the air. From the beginning, Dan’s love for the sport was matched by a fierce commitment to excellence. He quickly became a USPA Jumpmaster and Instructor, an FAA-rated single- and multi-engine pilot, and a licensed parachute rigger.

In 1992, tragedy struck. A plane crash claimed the lives of 16 people, including friends and teammates, leaving Dan critically injured, in a coma for six weeks with a broken neck, skull fractures, and internal trauma. His survival, recovery, and return to elite competition remain one of the most powerful stories in the history of skydiving. That journey would later become the subject of his acclaimed memoir Above All Else, which continues to inspire athletes and entrepreneurs around the world.

In December of 1993, Dan co-founded Arizona Airspeed, a team that reshaped the global landscape of competitive formation skydiving. Just one year later, Airspeed pulled off one of the sport’s most memorable upsets by defeating the fully sponsored French national team in 4-way formation skydiving at the 1995 World Championships in Gap, France, by a razor-thin margin of 207 to 205. That victory signaled a new era in which passion, teamwork, and precision could outmatch national programs with institutional support.

Airspeed, under Dan’s leadership and vision, would go on to become one of the most decorated formation skydiving teams in history, winning multiple world and national titles across both 4-way and 8-way disciplines.

But Dan’s impact reaches far beyond medals and trophies. As the long-time manager of Skydive Perris in California, he has mentored generations of skydivers, from first-time tandem students to elite competitors. He is a leading voice in skydiving safety and culture, routinely addressing the industry on topics of risk management, team dynamics, and mental performance. His written work and talks have helped shape a culture of professionalism within the sport.

In 2014, Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld was inducted into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes not only his competitive legacy, but the transformative influence he continues to have on the sport. His story remains one of courage, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of human potential.