The group had previously used a Pilatus PC-6 fixed-wing aircraft, but the B3 allows for easier navigation in spite of a shorter service ceiling. For guests, the rotary-wing is better for its scenic capabilities, offering an intimate exposure to the mountains. At times, rock faces are a mere 100 feet away.
Then there’s the jump. Freefall lasts 40 seconds; descent slows at approximately 19,000 feet AMSL, once the parachute deploys overhead. The loud blast of air in freefall is exchanged for a serene canopy ride that lasts about five minutes before touchdown at the drop zone.
Some guests opt for a $3,000 addition that extends the trip to Everest Base Camp. The six-day walk finishes with views of the Khumbu Icefalls and the mountain’s South Col, followed by a 15-minute helicopter ride back to Lukla.
Not everyone is convinced. “Call me old fashioned, but these sorts of stunts are disingenuous to the spirit of the mountain,” says Arnette. “What makes this different than the low-cost mercenaries commercializing the mountain?”
To Noonan, the difference lies in the relationships he has cultivated with the people of the region. “The community tells us how thrilled they are to see parachutes over Namche Bazaar,” he says. “We go back year after year, not in celebration of ourselves and our own accomplishments, but in celebration of the mountain, the people, the culture, and ultimately, the friendships we have made.”
He is planning a 2020 project called Skydive Earth, which will include expeditions to the North and South poles, the pyramids at Giza, the Aran Islands, and the white sand beaches along the Great Barrier Reef.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.