Martin Williams

August 2002

Why did you start teaching AFF?
Throughout my 22 years in the military I was always instructing or teaching as this was a natural skill for me. Then in 1998 while I was assisting with some military AFF courses a couple of people suggested that I should start an AFF school. The following year I started PhD Skydiving with my wife, Jan.

Given the chance, what would you change in the sport?
I would like to see an end to the use of round parachutes for training and more emphasis being placed on the retention of students after their initial training.

What's your most memorable jump?
There are two that stand out, the first is a night HALO jump with a bright yellow moon and a shimmering cloud formation and the second is jumping over the coast of Kenya - amazing visuals.

What makes a good instructor?
Having commitment to the student and being prepared to give them your time.

What has changed since you started instructing?
AFF has become the main training method for skydiving. I think training has become more professional and the sport has better coaching and better instructors.

How would you like to improve the training?
The use of a wind tunnel is a great way for students to learn the basics. I would also like to see more coaching roadshows in all of the skydiving disciplines.

Why did you start Team Pumpkin?
I felt there needed to be a way of looking after students after AFF and Cat 8, something to keep them in the sport and help them develop.

How has it worked out?
Very well. Jan and I are very proud of the club and the people in it. There are now around 80 members of which 30 to 40 are active jumpers.

What was your most interesting student moment?
Whilst training a level 2 student in America, we lost the secondary instructor on exit. I was left fighting with the student all the way to 7,000ft where I dumped him out while he was still spinning on his back. He landed okay and during the debrief he said that he enjoyed the skydive and he thought he was stable! He did more jumps but didn't finish the course.

You earn a living from PhD but is that why you do it?
Initially I had no intention of earning money from AFF. The reward for me is seeing somebody like Del Lloyd become a skydiver. She had a spinning problem during AFF which she sorted out. When I jumped with her on my checkout skydive at the end of the consolidation jumps, she was a very relaxed, confident skydiver - that's the real reward for me.

What advice would you give to somebody starting in the sport?
Persevere if the desire is there and you really want to do it, but always do it for the right reasons.

You do a lot of training in America. How do you prepare students for jumping in the UK?
All of the training is conducted to BPA standards and using BPA guidelines and procedures. When they return to the UK, Team Pumpkin is there to get them onto a DZ and jumping in the system with the minimum of hassle.

What do you do when you're not skydiving?
I catch up on the office work, I enjoy walking in the country and like to keep fit although I don't do as much as I would like.

What don't you like in the sport?
People who are unsafe because of foolishness and people with a skygod-like attitude. I am pleased to say this is a very small number.

Who do you look up to?
Anybody that excels at what they do, people like Jack Jefferies and Pete Allum.

How do we stop the trend of serious injuries and fatalities that are occurring under canopy?
The CCIs are responsible for the DZ and its safety and they need to stop people who are jumping equipment that is unsuitable for their level of experience. Jumpers need to respect the CCI for doing this as it's them it protects.

Should the BPA introduce some kind of canopy skills training?
YES!

Have you ever wanted to compete?
I would love to but I don't have the technical skill for 4-way. By that, I mean that competitive 4-way is a very technical discipline and you need to be very current at it in order to be any good. Maybe 8-way - I have just competed an 8-way training camp at Elsinore with NRA (Non-Resident Aliens!).

What do you think to the new disciplines that have developed?
I am disappointed by the attitude of some UK jumpers within the new age disciplines which you do not see in the States, but I admire those that do it well. Personally the only new discipline I would like to try is wingsuit jumping.

What's next?
I am going to be the Chief Instructor for Britain's first vertical wind tunnel, SkyVenture UK, which will open in Milton Keynes in early 2003.

Does this mean you'll be spending more time on the ground?
Yes, but I am looking forward to the challenge and I will continue to manage PhD Skydiving as well as keeping Team Pumpkin going.

Andrew Stewart, TP Student of the Year 2001