The International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame is proud to honor the World Team 2006 - 400-Way Largest Formation World Record with the museum’s Path of Excellence Award. The presentation will be made at the museum’s International Skydiving Hall of Fame Celebration, October 8 – 10, 2020, at Skydive DeLand, DeLand, Florida. The Path of Excellence Award is the Museum & Hall of Fame’s most prestigious award for groups, companies, organizations or teams recognizing significant contributions of enduring value to the world of skydiving.
“World Team 2006” World Record 400-Way – Largest Freefall Formation - February 8, 2006 over Udon Thani, Thailand was the largest multi-national sports team ever assembled to pursue a common goal. The 400-Way was the high point of the Royal Sky Celebration honoring the 60th anniversary of the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. This spectacular event was organized by bj and Bobbie Worth.
The first World Team event was in Slovakia in 1994. The journey continued with an event in Russia then two in Thailand. In 2006, World Team gathered in Udon Thani, Thailand. On the third skydive of that unbelievable February day, World Team 2006 set a new world record when it built a beautiful 400-Way formation. This amazing accomplishment broke the prior record of 357 which was set by World Team 2004. The record setting 400 skydivers exited from 26,500 feet AGL, built smoothly and methodically, held the completed formation for 4.25 seconds then began a staged breakoff from just under 7,000 feet.
World Team 2006 consisted of over 500 World Team Members from 30 nations including the formation skydivers, alpha team, videographers, documentation team members, ground staff, support team plus over 100 Royal Thai Air Force Flight and ground crew members. For the event, the flight line consisted of five C-130 Hercules aircraft, plus a sixth in reserve.
As a bonus, a few days later following the 400-Way, the team re-assembled with an additional 600 skydivers. Together, they executed a mass jump over the new international airport in Bangkok as part of the opening ceremonies for the massive new facility. During the jump, there were over 1,000 skydivers in the air at the same time.
More than 400 skydiving enthusiasts from around the world will be in attendance at the fundraiser which is expected to raise more than $100,000 for the museum. Registration information and a full schedule of events will be available in the museum’s Spring/Summer newsletter and online beginning in June. or nkemble@skydivingmuseum.org.
Photo by Willy Boeykens