Skydive Hibaldstow is a BPA affiliated parachuting centre and skydiving drop zone at Hibaldstow, in North Lincolnshire, England. of Target Skysports lifts skydivers to the jump altitude at Hibaldstow.
History
The airfield is the former RAF Hibaldstow, a former satellite fighter airfield for RAF Kirton in Lindsey and first opened in May 1941. 255 and 253 Squadrons were based there during the war and the airfield acted as a satellite of RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey. Later on it changed its role to fulfil a training role before eventually closing in May 1945. Skydive Hibaldstow has its origins from several early parachuting clubs dating back to the 1960s. These included Lincoln Pathfinders, Leeds Bradford Parachute club and Doncaster Parachute club. Doncaster Parachute Club started in the early 1980s. The operation then moved in 1992 to its present location due to the industrial development, with the runway being dug up and replaced with warehousing.
Events and training
Skydive Hibaldstow host the National Championships each year, and hold a range of events including:
An annual 28-way formation skydiving sequential competition. This event has now ended and was run from 2005 to 2015.
A dropzone formation skydiving bigway record attempt. In 2007 this was set at 50, and in 2009 the record was increased to a 60-way formation.
BPA Coaching roadshows for freefly, formation skydiving and speed skydiving.
British Collegiate Parachute Association nationals were held on both 2015 and 2016.
The annual Halloween 10-way Speed Frostbite Friendly competition.
Host of the UK Skydiving League competition which act as a regional grand-prix type event.
Safety and packing days.
Instructor courses.
In addition to events, Skydive Hibaldstow is a centre for team training, including back-to-back jumping where a skydiver or team can make numbers of jumps by using more than one set of equipment. After landing from the 1st jump, the equipment is handed to a qualified parachute packers and meet the same aircraft with a second set of equipment as it lands on the runway.
The National Championships were first held at Hibaldstow in 1996. Since then they have continued to host this prestigious competition ever year except one. The disciplines which are held include 4-way and 8-way formation skydiving, freefly, freestyle, speed skydiving and VFS. Two weekends are set aside every August, with the events being split equally between them. 2009 saw the 4-way, 8-way and VFS disciplines all completed in a single day totalling some 143 take-offs by the fleet of 3 aircraft. In 2014, a record 78 teams took part.
Courses and equipment
The centre offers RAPS, Accelerated Freefall and Tandem skydiving courses to the public all year long. As part of this, they own a selection of student equipment and parachutes for hire.
25 May 2019 - UK Headup Freefly Record - Over 2 days, first an 18-way formation was built, then on the second day, this was increased to a 21-way formation.
8 July 2018 - UK Skydivers Over Sixty record - A new 18-way formation was built over the dropzone in perfect conditions.
6 September 2015 - UK Headdown Freefly Record - Using 3 Dornier G92 aircraft, a formation of 37 freeflyers built over beautiful blue skies over Hibaldstow.
9 August 2015 - Two records were set for the largest UK Wingsuit Formation. A 13-way wingsuit record was first set and then a few hours later a larger 14-way.
6 September 2014 - The largest Formation Skydiving National Championships in 2014 took place at the dropzone with 78 teams taking part.
29 September 2013 - A group of 8 Headup Freefly jumpers created a formation. An unofficial 11-way record was also completed, but this did not hold for long enough to be counted as a record.
22 September 2013 - An attempt was made at the UK Freefly Headown record and after 8 attempts, they successfully built a formation of 30 jumpers together.
1 September 2012 - A record total of 76 teams registered for the National Championships in formation skydiving.
28 August 2011 – A group of 28 of the best UK freeflyers set a record for the largest freefly formation. This was organised by the British VFS team, the Bad Lieutenants and beat the previous record of a 22-man formation set in 2010 at the same dropzone.
13 August 2011 – The dropzone hosts the largest Open National Skydiving Championships in the world and some 55 4-way teams take part.
10 July 2011 – A UK record of 130 charity tandem skydivers jumped in a single day. They were raising money for Khalsa Aid. This surpasses a similar record set at the same dropzone in 2010.
22 May 2011 – The first ever UK women's headdown record was set at the dropzone consisting of eight jumpers flying in a headdown formation and was organised by Anna Howerski and Catriona Adam.
