Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Mark "Trunk" Kirschenbaum is a skydiving photographer, electrical engineer, and founder of Hypoxic — the go-to source for camera equipment in human flight. After designing the Hypeye D Pro, a video controller and indication system that sold over 13,000 units, Trunk left his corporate engineering career behind to pursue Hypoxic full-time. Today, his products are used by professionals worldwide.

In this can't-miss episode, Trunk shares the origin of his nickname, his work as a camera coordinator alongside Joe Jennings on commercial shoots and the film Space Cowboys, the thrill of world-record big-way skydives, and hard-earned lessons about camera safety. He also opens up about managing anxiety, his decision to stop drinking, and the joy of life with his wife Julie — a fellow skydiver he met at Couch Freaks.

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Jens Gronemeyer is the President & CEO of Alti-2 Technologies. A computer engineer, entrepreneur, active skydiver, experienced jump pilot, and former drop zone operator, Jens made his first skydive in Höxter, Germany in 1997 and has since logged more than 8,900 jumps. Before acquiring Alti Two in 2021, he built and sold successful technology companies in Europe. He competes in 4-way, 8-way, and 16-way formation skydiving and brings a rare perspective shaped by both deep technical expertise and real-world experience in the air.

Topics Covered

• Founding a computer company in high school — now in its 40th year
• Serving in the German Air Force at a NATO radar station on the Iron Curtain
• Building and selling a time & attendance software company
• Operating two drop zones in Germany, including purchasing a struggling municipal airport
• Co-founding a compostable plastics company now generating ~€35M in revenue
• Acquiring Alti Two in 2021: streamlining repairs, achieving ISO 9001 certification, and tripling the R&D budget
• Philosophy on debt-free living, calculated risk, and leading by example

Key Quotes

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Wendy Kiwi Smith is one of skydiving's most decorated figures - an aerial cinematographer, athlete, coach, and safety leader with over 23,000 jumps, 10 world records, three Guinness World Records, and an Emmy Award. In 2025, she was inducted into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame.

Topics covered:

• Growing up on a farm in rural New Zealand and what shaped her fearlessness
• How she stumbled into skydiving and never looked back
• Building a career as an aerial cinematographer across Europe
• The Everest Skydive and jumping at altitude
• Big way world records, from 150-way to 400-way
• Thoughts on safety, gear, and longevity in the sport
• Her Hall of Fame induction and what it meant to her

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
→ patreon.com/The20minutecallPodcast

⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

This is a must-listen episode. Jim Cowan's passion for skydiving is infectious, and his storytelling will have you hanging on every word. A second-generation skydiver from St. Louis who started packing parachutes at age 10, Jim recounts jumping into a Cardinals game at 18 and being interviewed by Jack Buck - then taking Jack on a tandem jump 20 years later. He also talks about forming Quantum Leap with his brother and best friend, winning the World Championships just nine months later, and the incredible coordination behind last year's 104-way canopy formation world record.

Jim dives into his award-winning presentation on unusual canopy emergencies - dual deployments, down planes, and entanglements - and the harrowing personal experience that inspired him to start teaching it.

He reflects on celebrity encounters from delivering a flag for President Trump to jumping into Snoop Dogg's Gin & Juice Bowl, his equipment pet peeves, and the pivotal decision to sell Quantum Leap and move to San Diego to work with the military.

Throughout it all, what shines through most is Jim's deep love for the sport and the people in it. His faith, humility, and simple personal creed - be good to yourself, others, animals, and the earth - make this one of the most inspiring conversations we've had.

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
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⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Pete Allum (36,000+ jumps, 19+ British national titles, four Italian national championships, 2022 Hall of Fame inductee) sits down for a candid look at four decades in skydiving.

He reflects on finding his identity on the drop zone as a teenager, how he transformed crippling competition anxiety into a refined mental performance system, and his ongoing work continuing Vince Reffet's UPT Mutant legacy.

Pete also speaks with rare honesty about processing grief and loss in the sport, and credits the people closest to him as the foundation behind everything he has achieved.

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
→ patreon.com/The20minutecallPodcast

⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
Apple Podcasts: [direct-link]
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Jackie Smith is one of the most decorated and pioneering figures in the history of competitive skydiving. She was the first woman to earn the Red Beret of the British Army's Red Devils parachute display team, the first female member of any full-time military parachute team in the world, joining the ranks in February 1972.

A multi-time British National Champion in both style and accuracy and 8-way formation skydiving, Jackie's defining competitive achievement came at the 1978 World Parachuting Championships in Yugoslavia, where she became the first competitor in history, male or female, to land 10 consecutive dead centers under competition conditions, claiming gold in the women's accuracy event while simultaneously outscoring every competitor in both the men's and women's divisions.

Other career highlights include a BASE jump from El Capitan in 1980, performing in the opening ceremony of the 1986 Commonwealth Games watched by 102 million people, and amassing nearly 6,000 jumps from 58 different aircraft types.

Her accolades include Honorary membership of the US Army Golden Knights, the Royal Aero Club Gold Medal, the Jim Crocker Trophy, and induction into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame in 2013.

MEDIA LINKS

• BBC Clip - Early Days on the Red Devils
• AirSports Interview with Regan Tetlow
• Purchase Jackie's Book - Marooned

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
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⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

Guest: Joe Jennings

Joe Jennings is one of the most accomplished aerial cinematographers in the history of skydiving. Alongside sky surfer Rob Harris, Joe won gold at the 1995 Extreme Games and captured two World Championship titles in sky surfing. He later became a sought-after stunt coordinator and aerial DP, working on more than 40 television commercials — including Pepsi's famous Goose ad, the top-rated commercial of Super Bowl 1998 — and major motion pictures including Charlie's Angels, xXx, San Andreas, and the 2015 reboot of Point Break. His career accolades include four World Championships, two Emmy Awards, and the USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service.

Media

• Space Cowboy Movie Trailer

• Joe Jennings Media Reel

• Rob Harris Sky Surfing

• Super Bowl Commercial | Top Ad

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
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⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
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Tell Us What You Thought Of This Episode

About This Episode

Kyle Salvato shares the remarkable journey from maritime engineer to co-owner of Skydive City in Zephyrhills, Florida. This episode explores what it takes to revitalize one of skydiving's most iconic drop zones while honoring its deep legacy connected to names like Jerry Bird. Kyle brings a unique perspective with over 9,000 jumps, A&P mechanic credentials, commercial pilot licenses with 4,000+ flight hours, and hands-on experience in every aspect of drop zone operations. This is a story about passion, persistence, and the unrelenting commitment required to run a year-round skydiving operation.

Quotable Moments

"One jump changed my entire trajectory on this planet, and that's the passion I bring to this industry now."

"The vibe [on a dropzone] is the most important thing because if you don't have that, anyone can skydive. But if you don't have comraderie, safety, good culture and people enjoying being around each other, it's not gonna work."

"I used to trade my life for money. After my daughter was born, I decided that was no longer worth it."

"This isn't our drop zone, this is just our turn, man. It's been skydiving at this airport since the sixties."

"If you can dream it, we can do it."

"There's two reasons airplanes crash in our industry: bad maintenance and poorly trained pilots."

"The journey getting to DZO is much more fun than the arrival point."

"How do you make a million bucks in aviation? Start with two."

Connect With Kyle Salvato

📍 Skydive City - Zephyrhills, Florida
🌐 [Instagram | Facebook]

Presented by SSK Industries, CYPRES, Free Fall Films, SKYCRU and Burble.

📲 STAY CONNECTED
Website: The 20 Minute Call
Instagram: @20MinuteCall
Facebook: /20MinuteCall

💙 SUPPORT THE SHOW
Love the podcast? Join our Patreon community for early access, bonus content, and exclusive perks.
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⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW
Your 5-star review helps us reach more skydivers like you.
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