From De Cocksdorp, Netherlands
Jumps +15000
Loves – seeing people enjoy what they are doing, keeping people in this amazing sport by helping set achievable goals and planning training schedules to help them get there. If people need a change from one goal this sport offers new challenges as there are so many disciplines.
Herman begun jumping in 1977, during his time in the Dutch Special Forces, yes, he has been jumping longer than many of you who are reading this have been alive. After leaving the military he studied civil engineering.
Herman headed back to Suriname, South America, where he had spent some years during his teens to pursue the engineering however it was here where his skydiving journey really took off after doing a refresher course with 2 instructors from Paracentrum Texel, The Netherlands.
One year later he finished his studies and right after that he moved to the Texel to continue…skydiving that is not the engineering.
Over the next 25 years he worked at the Paracentrum Texel, first as an instructor and later to become the DZ manager. One of his main focuses was with the Mafia Brothers CRW team, which won bronze at two worlds meets and numerous Dutch national medals, he has one national FS 4-way title. He started instructing AFF in 1984 (only two years after the AFF method of teaching begun) & tandems in 1986. He also has been on the Dutch parachute association board of safety and training for over 15 years.
Herman’s orange jump suit, and Herman himself of course, has been a key figure in the growth of the European Big way scene and his involvement in it most certainly has not stopped.
In 1992 he began co-organising tropical boogie holidays, together with Alexis Perry under the name of Exotic Sky Adventures. This brought many skydivers to some of the most exotic locations around the world, jumping from incredible aircraft with incredible groups of people. These events set the standard for events globally over the 25 years they were running and continue to be and inspiration to aim for. In the year 2000 Alexis stepped down and Herman continued until present.
Herman’s focus, specific goals and setting a plan to reach them has seen him be on 6 FS large Formation worlds records, 2 unofficial world records and pretty much every European and world record going for Bigway FS.
Since 2007 Herman has been working very closely with https://www.flyaerodyne.com and if you can seem to find him at an event, for sure head to the Aerodyne tent. He is most likely either there or in the air.
We are super pleased that Herman is planning on being at HelFun21 and can’t wait for you to get to jump with him there and hopefully at future VISIONAIRi events.
‘Although there have been some incredible jumps and events over the years the two most special jumps have to be the tandems I did with my son and daughter, when they were under the age of 3… those two jumps will be pretty hard to beat’
‘We are so lucky to have the training tools we do now, the wind tunnel, the video feedback, even the AFF training to introduce people to skydiving is such a great way of enabling people to get into the sport and progress.’
‘imagine where we will be in another 40 years if people stay in the sport for 40 years with all these new training methods and tools. . . .it will be even better’.
Please get in touch with him directly at herman@flyaerodyne.com or give him a call (+31 6 38 11 39 53)
