We all wanted to be Andy Ford when we grew up, but only one of us was quite that lucky
Name: Andrew “Fordy” Ford
Birthplace: Weymouth, Dorset
Current home DZ: Hinton – and wherever future events take me
Jumps: 19,600 (plus a few miscellaneous military jumps I never added to my civilian logbook)
Cutaways: One
Sponsorships/Teams: Squirrel, CYPRES, LB and Travel Parachute Systems
Gear
Main: Squirrel Omicron 150
Container: Travel Parachute Systems
Reserve: Skylark STANDARD 7 162
AAD: CYPRES
1. Where, when and why did you make your very first jump?
Dunkeswell International Skydiving Centre (DISC), 7th August 1988. A passing comment in a pub on a Friday evening – where I was taken too seriously, I didn’t back out and that set everything in motion.
2. What are your three favourite things to do when you’re not jumping?
I’m passionate about all aspects of photography, just like I am with coffee, and I absolutely love to read.
3. What philosophy guides your life in general? If different, what philosophy guides your life in skydiving?
If you’re going to do something, give it 100 per cent and do it right. This applies to everything, and I truly believe it’s the only path to success.
4. What items on your “skydiving CV” are you proudest of?
It’s hard to pinpoint just one thing. My ego points to the medals, podium finishes, filming jobs and incredible jumps over the years. But my heart says it’s the friendships I’ve built and the opportunity to mentor newcomers in a sport I’ve always been passionate about.
5. Who have been your mentors in the sport, and what was the most important lesson each of them taught you?
My mentors were definitely Nutty Norma, Ian Louttit and Steve Fitchett (who still jumps in Australia) – my early-days instructors who introduced me to this madness. Dave Wood at Weston – and a list too long to mention of people who shaped me in the sport, stopped me from being a statistic and allowed me to find my way without injury on this journey.
6. What would you like every new skydiver to know?
Like many hobbies, pastimes, and passions, there is no final destination. The game keeps evolving and growing. The most rewarding part is simply being part of the journey. Don’t rush to get to the next thing; if you do, it likely means you haven’t truly mastered the first.
7. What about the sport would you most like to change, and why?
The sport, like a meandering river, evolves as needed. Rules and regulations don’t always make it safer – common sense and humility do. I wouldn’t change the sport; its beauty lies in its ability to mean different things to different people.
8. What has been your most challenging moment in the sport, and why?
Maintaining my passion for jumping after a long career has been a challenge. I returned from Dubai having completed an incredible number of jumps and been part of an amazing team. I was fortunate to experience some truly iconic jumps, but once back in the UK, I felt adrift – I struggled with depression, like an extreme version of the post-holiday blues. At one point, I nearly walked away from it all.
Finding my way through that post-Dubai chapter and adjusting my perception of where I am now has been difficult. I’m not there yet, but I’ve come to accept the change in course.
9. What’s the next challenge you’ve set for yourself?
Building on that idea, my challenge is to actively seek out what drives me – to find what pushes me forward and the challenges that keep me motivated.
10. What does it mean to you to be a British skydiver?
Being a British skydiver and skydiving in Britain are two very different things. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, especially considering that many of my jumps take place on a small, windswept island where battling the weather and staying current is a constant challenge. But in many ways, that struggle has made me a stronger jumper. Having the opportunity to go to the dropzone every day and do 10 jumps in perfect sunshine is incredible, but without adversity, the learning is limited.
Being a British skydiver is just a matter of postcode. On the world stage, I’m certainly patriotic, but in the skydiving community, nationality doesn’t matter – we’re all part of the same family.
