AXIS Coach™
Brianne Thompson

Photo by Niklas Daniel
Photo by Samantha Schwann.

I believe, that students learn best in an environment where they are relaxed. So my philosophy and approach is to make the learning process as fun as I can make it. I coach all types of students, in the tunnel and in the air, and I bring my passion and enthusiasm for my sport into my teachings.

My approach to teaching complex and advanced skills is to break them down into a series of simple, manageable, and achievable skills.

Because my passion for coaching also extends to the competition side, I still continue to do player-coach teams across multiple disciplines, and I continue to challenge myself at the World Level in Speed Skydiving.

Skydiving Stats

Nationality:

USA

Languages:

English

Occupation:

Skydiver (Co-Founder / Owner of AXIS Flight School)

Appointments:

USPA S&TA (Mountain Region).

Licenses / Ratings:

USPA D License; USIS Founding Member;
Coach; AFF-I; IAD;
HAPS Certified;
IBA Tunnel Instructor LVL 3, IBA Coach Rating for FS, Static, Dynamic;
Pro rated for 75 sqft;
Private Pilot (ASEL);
USHPA P2 rated.

Number of Jumps:

14,000+

Tunnel Time:

Thousands of hours since 2003

Emergency Cutaway:

Sport: 12.

Intentional Cutaway:

5.

Competition History

Peak Competition Performances

Formation Skydiving

  • FS 4-Way Open (Women) — Highest average: 19.8 points
    (FAI World Skydiving Championships 2008).
  • FS 4-Way Open — Competition record, female 4-way formation skydiving: 26 points (also national female record)
    (USPA National Championships 2009).

Formation Skydiving indoor

  • FS 4-way Open Indoor — Highest average: 18.3
    (IBA US National Championships 2017).
  • FS 4-way Open Indoor — Single highest scoring round: 24 points
    (IBA US National Championships 2017).

Vertical Formation Skydiving

  • VFS 4-Way Open — Highest average: 17.8 points
    (USPA National Skydiving Championships 2018).
  • VFS 4-Way Open — Single highest scoring round: 24 points
    (USPA National Skydiving Championships 2019).

Vertical Formation Skydiving indoor

  • VFS 4-way Open Indoor — Highest average: 26.1 points
    (2019 USIS National Championships).
  • VFS 4-way Open Indoor — Single highest scoring round: 46 points
    (2019 USIS National Championships).

Mixed Formation Skydiving

  • MFS 2-Way Open — Highest average: 12.0 points
    (USPA National Championships 2017).
  • MFS 2-Way Open — Single highest scoring round: 17 points
    (USPA National Championships 2017).

Speed Skydiving

  • ISSA Eternal Ranking: #30.
  • Highest scoring round: 481.04 km/h / 298.90 mph.
  • Highest average: 472.77 km/h / 293.76 mph.
  • Highest total: 3782.20 km/h / 2350.15 mph (all achieved at the 2023 Speed Skydiving World Cup Prostějov, Czech Republic)
Silver Medal at FAI World Cup 2023 in Speed Skydiving Silver Medal at FAI World Meet 2008 with Team Blue Bronce Medal at FAI World Meet 2010 with Team Blue Bronce Medal at FAI World Cup 2019 with Team X-Force Bronze Medal at USIS Nationals in 4-Way VFS Open in 2019 Second Place at USPA Nationals 2017 in the Speed Skydiving Test Event Bronce Medals at USPA Nationals in 4-Way VFS Open in 2015, 2016, and 2017 Silver Medal at USPA Nationals in 4-Way VFS Open in 2018

FAI World Championships and World Cups

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2nd in Speed (Female), Prostějov, Czech Republic (2023),
3rd in FS 4-way (Female) and
3rd in VFS 4-way, Eloy, USA (2019), making Brianne the first female skydiver ever to medal in both disciplines at an FAI World Competition,
4th in VFS 4-way, Saarlouis, Germany (2017),
3rd in FS 4-way (Female), Menzelinsk, Russia (2010),
2nd in FS 4-way (Female), Maubeuge, France (2008),
4th in FS 4-way (Female), Gera, Germany (2006).

USPA National Skydiving Championships

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3rd in Speed Skydiving Open and best female competitor (2023),
12th in Speed Skydiving Open and best female competitor (2022),
2nd in VFS 4-Way Open (2019),
2nd in VFS 4-Way Open (2018),
2nd in Women"s Speed Skydiving (Test Event 2017),
3rd in VFS 4-way Open (2017),
4th in MFS 2-way Open (2017),
3rd in VFS 4-way Open (2016),
3rd in VFS 4-way Open (2015),
6 x Best Female Team, FS 4-way Open (2005-2010).

USIS National Championships

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3rd in VFS 4-way Open (2019).

Other Indoor Skydiving Competitions

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2nd in VFS 4-way Open (2017 Paraclete XP Indoor Championships),
3rd in FS 4-way Open (2017 IBA USA Indoor National Championships),
1st in VFS 4-way Open (2016 Battle of the Blades at iFly Seattle),
3rd in VFS 2-way Open (2016 Battle of the Blades at iFly Seattle).

FAI Skydiving Record 20032, Aug. 22 2023, Continental Record North America Female, Speed Skydiving, Maximum Vertical Speed w/o Drogue 485.35 KM/HFAI Skydiving Record 20032, Aug. 22 2023, Continental Record North America Female, Speed Skydiving, Highest Avg Speed 481.04 KM/HFAI Skydiving Record 20045, Aug. 22 2023, Continental Record North America Female, Speed Skydiving, Highest Overall Avg Speed 472.77 KM/HFAI Skydiving Record 18267, Sep. 23 2017, World Record Female, Speed Skydiving, Maximum Vertical Speed without drogue,  384.66 KM/HFAI Skydiving Record 18262, Sep. 23 2017, Continental Record North America Female, Maximum Vertical Speed without drogue,  384.66 KM/HFAI Skydiving Record 18261, Sep. 23 2017, Continental Record North America Female, Speed Skydiving, Highest Avg Speed 347.05 KM/HUSPA National Skydiving Record Female 20061, FS 4-Way Open: 26 points (with Spaceland Blue)USPA Performance Record 100130, Formation Skydiving, Largest Formation female - 27-Way

Records

World Records, Female:
FAI #18267 G-1 SP (23 Sep 2017) – Maximum Vertical Speed: 384.66 km/h / 239.02 mph (at US Nationals, Perris) [eclipsed]

North America Records, Female:
FAI #20032 G-1 SP (22 Aug 2023) – Highest Average Speed: 481.04 km/h (298.90 mph) at FAI World Cup 2023, Prostějov
FAI #20045 G-1 SP (22 Aug 2023) – Highest Overall Average Speed: 472.77 km/h (293.76 mph) at FAI World Cup 2023, Prostějov
FAI #20034 G-2 SP (22 Aug 2023) – Max Vertical Speed w/o Drogue : 485.35 km/h (301.58 mph) at FAI World Cup 2023, Prostějov
FAI #18261 (23 Sep 2017) – Highest Average Vertical Speed: 347.05 km/h (215.65 mph) at US Nationals, Perris
FAI #18262 (23 Sep 2017) – Maximum Vertical Speed: 384.66 km/h (239.02 mph) at US Nationals, Perris

National Records, Female:
USPA #20061 G1 FS (14 Oct 2009) Record in FS 4-Way Open: 26 points (with Spaceland Blue) at the USPA National Championships 2009 [eclipsed].

Arizona State Records, Female:
Arizona: USPA #100130 G2 FS (27 Dec 2010), FS Large Formation: 27-WayUSPA #20061 G-1 FS (14 Oct 2009) Record in FS 4-Way Open: 26 points at the USPA National Championships 2009 [eclipsed].
Texas: USPA #100110 G-1 FS (14 Oct 2009) Record in FS 4-Way Open: 26 points (with Spaceland Blue) at the USPA National Championships 2009.

Chesley H Judy USPA Safety Award 2015 to Brianne ThompsonRegional Achievement Award 2015 to Brianne Thompson180 Hours of Freefall (2020) to Brianne Thompson12,000 Skydives (2020) to Brianne Thompson

Awards and Recognitions

Chesley H. Judy USPA Safety Award (2015) in recognition for having, through example, deed, training, or innovation, promoted safety in the sport of skydiving.
USPA Regional Achievement Award (2016) for her work in teaching disabled veterans to skydive through Operation Enduring Warrior; for developing highly customized curricula to instruct and train mulitple wounded verterans through to their A licenses, allowing them to enter the sport of skydiving despite many obstacles.
USPA 180-Hour Freefall Badge (2020) for completion of 180 hours of freefall in accordance with the Basic Safety and Requirements of the USPA.
USPA 12,000 Jump Wings (2020) for completion of 12,000 skydives in accordance with the Basic Safety and Requirements of the USPA.

Body Flight Theory—Part 1:
A Skydiving Coordinate System

By Niklas Daniel. Photos and illustrations by Niklas Daniel.

In order to fully exploit our body’s maneuvering potential in the air, we have to understand what is aerodynamically and physically possible and which underlying principles apply. This paper will eventually cover theory and application for all human flight disciplines, whether for training purposes or general inquiries.

The goal of part 1 of this paper is to establish a more elegant and convenient way to visualize body-flight movement with the purpose of creating order by introducing AXIS systems. You will be introduced to aerodynamic fundamentals and principles of a person in freefall – be it skydiving, base jumping, or flying in a vertical wind tunnel.

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