The Official Navy SEAL and SWCC Podcast
The Official Navy SEAL and SWCC Podcast
Naval Special Warfare Podcast
27 Behind the Scenes with the Leap Frogs
18 minutes Posted Jul 15, 2019 at 9:36 am.
. If everything looks good, winds look good, weather looks good, then we’re going to take off at 12:50. Streamers, 12:55, 13:00 TOT, 4,500 feet for the three of us getting out for the practice jump into Sam Boyd today. After that, we’ll just get a good wrap up, debrief, make sure everything is prepped and ready for tomorrow and then go from there. Any questions, concerns?
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Show notes
Here's a sneak peek at how the Navy Leap Frogs parachute demonstration team prepare for and execute a jump into Sam Boyd stadium in Las Vegas prior to the Rugby Sevens game. Special audio from the Leap Frogs in flight! For more info check out www.sealswcc.com.
MUSIC INTRO
Leap Frog: (LF): ...ATC may hold us to the south and have us do a south to north…
DF: The jumpers are huddled up on the ground near a parked helicopter as they finalize gear inspections.
LF: Luke’s in, stay extended three seconds. Stay extended. So, hey, go heavy…ready for me to go down. Ready. Coming down.
DF: Here they simulate the plan for exit, canopy opening, and inflight maneuvers.
Mimicking their planned actions physically and verbally, counting and repositioning themselves to engrain and review the jump plan.
LF: Come in right, come in right, come in right. We’ll try to bang in a 180. If we can’t fit in a 180, no issues, we can both land either side…
RADIO: We have lift off.
MUSIC INTRO
DF: A fear of falling comes naturally to almost everyone. What does not, however, is confidence and composure when free falling through the sky, headed straight for the ground. This confidence is earned through rigorous training and education evolutions. I’m Daniel Fletcher, today we go on location with the U.S. Navy's elite parachute demonstration team, the Leap Frogs. We’ll meet up with former guest, Luke Vesci, and the rest of the Leap Frog as they prepare to jump into Sam Boyd Stadium for the USA Ruby Sevens Championship match in Las Vegas, Nevada.
DF: These are the guys I’m looking for. How’s it going? I don’t think I’ve met you.
DF: I meet the team in the hotel lobby before walking outside to discuss the day’s plan. All of them dressed to match in Leap Frog uniforms or custom navy blue and yellow jumpsuits, professional and focused.
LF: This is Sean, who’s going to be our DZSO, so he will be mic’d up on the ground.
DF: After introductions, we walk out to the parking structure and circle up to hear from the jump master. He gathers the team to confirm the day’s schedule and brief the group about any updates.
LF: General overview for the day today, we’re going to head over to Sam Boyd Stadium. We’re going to do our site survey. As soon as we get there, we’ll link up with the guys from US Rugby 7. The helicopter’s going to land at
DF: After the briefing, the team loads their gear into three vans, and we drive out of the hotel parking structure.
During the convoy to the stadium, the three vans move as one unit, unwilling to separate.
The ordinary act of following a friend to the game, becomes today’s first display of coordinated precision, movement and tactics.
DF: We arrive at the stadium and are ushered through parking security.
LF: just as a reminder, this grass is these guys’ livelihood, so don’t step on the lines, try to stay off of the edges and everything like that as we’re walking around.
DF: After a short walk, we arrive at the edge of the field. The grass an almost neon-green, abuzz with turf workers and freshly sprayed game-day paint.
LF: Ready to go?
LF: Yeah. I think so. Today’s looking good.
LF: Do you need anything from our side?
LF: You know, I think we’re good right now.
DF: The team is joined on the field by one of the event directors.
LF: ….Discuss any contingencies, do our brief and our dirt dive, and weather look(continued)