Portrait of Michael-2


Michael was a licensed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) parachute rigger who inspected and repacked emergency bailout parachutes for pilots, predominantly aerobatic pilots who flew “in very austere conditions and used them in an emergency in case their airplane failed and they needed to save their lives.” Michael provided services through his company TransWorld Aero.

Michael participated in this business for about fifteen years. He initiated his parachute career in the Air Force where he learned this trade. He was a parachute rigger for a team of parachutists who “went out and saved lives for a living and the parachutes were a way for them to get to work, so I worked in servicing the equipment for them.” His parachutes, during his military career, were on the backs of those jumping out of mostly C-130s. Sometimes helicopters as well.

Michael was involved with parachuting for twenty years and made his first parachute drop on his 30th birthday. After he “hit the ground,” he discovered that he wanted to find a means by which he could continue a lifelong involvement. His father was partially his inspiration to start his business in that he told him to “find something you love to do and use that to make a living.”

Michael “really enjoyed” what he did in his very successful business in Rosamond, California, USA.

Michael inspecting the inside of a parachute

Michael preparing to fold a parachute

Image Credits: Bat-Ami Gordin ©2017 all rights reserved. Credit if you use it, please.

About zongrik

For those of you who do not know the handle "zongrik," that would be Bat-Ami Gordin. Most people call me "Tammy." Bat-Ami means "daughter of my nation" in Hebrew. It's a heavy name to carry around. I answer to either name. I also answer to "mama." Some Basic Things about me: Animal lover, mom, poet/writer, dramatic soprano, photographer, teacher/tutor, CERT/Technician and, oh yeah, aerospace engineer. I consider myself "The Astro-Poet." To learn more about the origins of the word "zongrik" see whats-a-zongrik?

Posted on July 26, 2017, in photography, Portraits and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.

  1. Nice portrait of Michael and pictures of chute folding. Great write up on him too.I didn’t know that Rosamond had a business such as his which is exciting to know and see. Great job

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