Proceeds From Sale Of Mid-Air Collision Video To Help The Business Recover

The dramatic video of two planes colliding in mid-air last week may be a key to helping the company that owns the planes stay in business.

The planes are owned by Skydive Superior, a family-run skydiving business in the far northwestern part of Wisconsin. Nine skydivers and two pilots survived when two airplanes belonging to the company collided in mid-air, shearing off the wing of one, which was destroyed. The other plane was damaged, but landed safely.

The Duluth News Tribune reports that the company carried liability insurance on the airplanes, but could not afford to spend the $10,000 per aircraft necessary to actually insure the planes themselves.

The skydivers sold exclusive rights to the video of the accident to NBC News for two weeks, with the option to make it available to other news organizations after that. Barry Sinex, one of the jumpers, recognized that the video could be valuable not for the individuals, but to preserve the jump zone at Richard I. Bong airport (KSUW). 

So they shopped the video to the highest bidder. Everyone involved in the jump agreed that it was the appropriate thing to help Skydive Superior stay in business rather than to realize personal gain from the serendipity of being on the airplanes that collided. Skydive Superior is the only place in the area where they can participate in their chosen sport.

So far, they are thought to have raised $100,000 from NBC for the footage, though the actual figure has not been revealed. That’s about two-thirds of what Skydive Superior says will be needed to repair the damaged airplane and replace the one that was destroyed. Sinex told the paper that everyone hopes that Skydive Superior can be back in business by next summer.

FMI: www.skydivesuperior.com