{"id":16334,"date":"2016-08-08T13:08:12","date_gmt":"2016-08-08T13:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/?p=16334"},"modified":"2023-10-28T12:31:29","modified_gmt":"2023-10-28T19:31:29","slug":"people-of-perris-matt-blank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/blog\/people-of-perris-matt-blank\/","title":{"rendered":"People of Perris: Matt Blank"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris.jpg\" alt=\"Matt Blank\" class=\"wp-image-16337\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris.jpg 900w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-800x267.jpg 800w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-640x213.jpg 640w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-480x160.jpg 480w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-320x107.jpg 320w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-160x53.jpg 160w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-80x27.jpg 80w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-720x240.jpg 720w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-240x80.jpg 240w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-300x100.jpg 300w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/matt-blank-people-of-perris-768x256.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>When, where, why and how did you make your first skydive and first BASE jump?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I made my first skydive in 2005 at Skydive Perris as an AFF student with Karen Lewis Dalton. I made my first BASE jump in 2007 at the Perrine Bridge in Idaho as a static line jump with Jimmy and Marta from Apex<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Matt Blank Base Jumping in 2015\" width=\"565\" height=\"318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5M5aXSYWluc?feature=oembed&#038;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>How many skydives do you have and how many BASE jumps?&nbsp;<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I have somewhere around 5,000 skydives and a little more than 1,000 BASE jumps<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><i><strong>You\u2019ve traveled the globe skydiving and BASE jumping, what jump(s) stand out as being most memorable?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-16339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-640x800.jpg 640w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-480x600.jpg 480w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-320x400.jpg 320w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-160x200.jpg 160w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-80x100.jpg 80w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-512x640.jpg 512w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-384x480.jpg 384w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-256x320.jpg 256w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-192x240.jpg 192w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-64x80.jpg 64w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base1-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">All but a few of my skydives have been in Southern California, but the BASE jumps that stand out to me have more to do with the people I was with than the location they were done. For this reason the list is long, but in the interest of answering this question, I\u2019ll say that every time I\u2019ve jumped Half-Dome in Yosemite has been memorable.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>What is <\/i><\/span><span class=\"s2\"><i>it <\/i><\/span><span class=\"s1\"><i>about BASE jumping that draws you to it?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">To be clear, the reasons that keep me BASE jumping are ever-changing and rapidly evolving, but what first drew me to BASE jump was the freedom and confidence I saw exhibited by those engaged in the sport.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Matt Blank flying for Coalition Duchenne\" width=\"565\" height=\"318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VDhTsSmcGSQ?feature=oembed&#038;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><i><strong>What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about BASE jumping for the first time?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">First I\u2019d give them the advice given to me by the first BASE jumper I\u2019d ever met, Matt Gerdes. He said, \u201cProtect yourself, because no one in the sport will\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Second I\u2019d tell them what my running partner Ian Flanders always reminded me.&nbsp; He said keep your motivations for BASE jumping clear and without compromise, because clean motivations will be the only consolation you will have if a jump doesn\u2019t go your way.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>Who are your skydiving and BASE jumping mentors?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Karen Lewis, Dan B.C., Jimmy and Marta, Marty Jones and the hard, unforgiving ground.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-16340\" data-lightbox><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"matt blank wingsuiting\" class=\"wp-image-16340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-640x480.jpg 640w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-80x60.jpg 80w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-853x640.jpg 853w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-427x320.jpg 427w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-107x80.jpg 107w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/wingsuit.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>We see you at Skydive Perris most often wearing a wing suit, what is it about wing suiting that you enjoy most?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I enjoy all the disciplines of skydiving, but what I enjoy most about wing suiting is the range it gives me to glide, dive, cover great distances or do aerobatic maneuvers that seemed impossible without a plane. The more options you have the more freedom you feel and nothing gives as many flight options as wing suiting. You just have to get over the feeling that you&#8217;re trapped within the suit.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>What canopies do you jump and why?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">For Skydiving I jump a Dacron lined PD Spectre 120 and an Epicene 130 by Squirrel. Both canopies provide consistent on heading openings, stable flight characteristics in varying conditions while still being fun to fly.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">For BASE jumping I jumped the majority of my career on a vented Apex Flik 254 Ultra Light which was the most innovative canopy of its era. It had solid on heading openings, great glide for a BASE canopy while maintaining performance in braked approaches or going backward, immediate response to control inputs and low pack volume.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-16341\" data-lightbox><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"matt blank skydiving with roller skates\" class=\"wp-image-16341\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-640x800.jpg 640w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-480x600.jpg 480w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-320x400.jpg 320w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-160x200.jpg 160w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-80x100.jpg 80w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-512x640.jpg 512w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-384x480.jpg 384w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-256x320.jpg 256w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-192x240.jpg 192w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit-64x80.jpg 64w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/skyvan-exit.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Recently I have switched over to the Outlaw from Squirrel, which was a difficult switch for me since it\u2019s quite different from the canopies I\u2019d flown my whole career. However, after learning the canopy I\u2019ve found it\u2019s deep brakes and near-stall performance is second to none. It\u2019s an incredibly safe canopy for flying into tight landing areas and across all disciplines of BASE jumping which is increasingly more important to me as I get older and wiser.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\"><i><strong>You\u2019re an extreme athlete in many different sports and have been involved in many unusual projects and stunts, tell us about some of your work!<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">One of my favorite multi-spot projects was to BASE jump a mountain bike off a Moab cliff and then land the bike under parachute. The stunt took expertise in technical bike riding, BASE jumping as well as rigging and was a great challenge.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rope Jump: The Next Generation\" width=\"565\" height=\"318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yu2yyGweNts?feature=oembed&#038;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>Is there a \u2018dream jump\u2019 you have yet to do?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">My heritage is Palestinian and last season I was fortunate enough to meet an Israeli wingsuiter while setting a World Record at Perris. My dream jump is for us to jump flying wing suits over the border of the Israeli\/Palestinian territory towing flags of our respective people. Borders are man made, we need to show them when we decide to simply accept that we\u2019re all the same.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>You are known for your big heart and have recently set up an organization called \u2018The Freefall Foundation\u2019 which aims to bring the dream of flight to those who can\u2019t afford it. Tell us how it works, and how can people get involved?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-16343\" data-lightbox><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"base6\" class=\"wp-image-16343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-320x320.jpg 320w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-960x960.jpg 960w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-800x800.jpg 800w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-640x640.jpg 640w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-480x480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-240x240.jpg 240w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-160x160.jpg 160w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-40x40.jpg 40w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6-66x66.jpg 66w, https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/base6.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">The foundation works through a nomination process where you can tell us of someone you think deserves to experience flight. We take those nominations and try to get as many as we can in the air. You can help by donating to our cause, nominating someone you know, or offering your services as an instructor on our website <span class=\"s3\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.freefallfoundation.com\/\">www.freefallfoundation.com<\/a>.<\/span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>Tell us something that is little known about yourself?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">I have webbed toes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>What\u2019s going on in Matt\u2019s world for the rest of 2016?<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Greece, Burning Man, Teaching people how to parachute, Kuala Lumpur, Thailand, rest for a day, love everyone around me all the time, lunch, Moab, Utah, Yosemite for some climbing and hopefully make it to 30 years old (my lifetime goal).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><span class=\"s1\"><i>Sum up Matt Blank in 5 words or less.<\/i><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"s1\">Take my hand, we\u2019re summiting.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When, where, why and how did you make your first skydive and first BASE jump? I made my first skydive in 2005 at Skydive Perris as an AFF student with [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":26227,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-of-perris"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16334"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16334\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26232,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16334\/revisions\/26232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skydiveperris.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}