18 Facts About Olav Zipser

Olav Zipser is the founder of the FreeFly Training and Instruction Program, The First School of Modern SkyFlying, the Atmosphere Dolphin FreeFly Licence Program, the Space Games, and The FreeFly Astronaut Project.

Olav Zipser was the first to make use of Space Balls to train and test free flyers to an international standard.

Olav Zipser completed his 21,000th skydive at Skydive Dubai in 2012.

Olav Zipser has flown in 25 of the worlds wind tunnels, won more than 51 gold medals from various international skydiving competitions, has trained 14 world champion skydivers from around the world, and has flown his human body the equivalent of almost three times around the Earth at the equator.

Olav Zipser is a member of the Human Synergy Project, and was a test pilot and astronaut in training with Team Synergy Moon.

In September 2024 Olav Zipser was inducted into the International Skydiving Hall of Fame, which honours legends, leaders and pioneers of the sport of skydiving.

Olav Zipser is known as "the Father of FreeFly" and regarded as one of the best skydivers of all time.

Olav Zipser started skydiving in the experimental phase of the Accelerated Freefall progression skydiving program in 1986, and immediately began experimenting with non-traditional forms of body flight.

Olav Zipser studied and trained human aerodynamics in a wind tunnel for four months.

Olav Zipser came up with the idea of using Space Balls as independent measuring devices for constant speed and direction.

Olav Zipser founded the Space Games, which incorporates double-elimination, one-on-one races; open rounds; competition rounds; the FreeFly Indie 500; the FreeFly Atmosphere Dolphin Challenge; Fastest, Slowest and Furthest competitions; Freestyle; Sky Surf; and 3way and 4way FreeFly Challenges.

Olav Zipser won gold at America's first official FreeFly National Skydiving Championships in 2000.

Olav Zipser competed again, and won gold at the first official Federation Aeronautique Internationale FreeFly World Skydiving Championships and World Air Games, held in Spain in 2001.

Olav Zipser performed the skydive with Patrick de Gayardon for Sector No Limits Sports Watches.

Olav Zipser received a Sports Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1995 for his performance and aerial cinematography of ESPN's inaugural X Games that summer.

In 2011, Olav Zipser spent an undisclosed amount of time at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia for training and collaboration on the development of a supersonic spacesuit to be used as an economical rescue and return alternative for astronauts and space tourists.

When Olav Zipser traveled to South Africa in 2012 for The Ranch SkyDiving Boogie and Symposium held at The Ranch Resort to give a presentation on the FreeFly Astronaut Project, he was exposed to the rhino poaching crisis.

Olav Zipser came on board as an International Skydive for Rhinos Ambassador with African Conservation Trust's Skydive for Rhinos campaign.