Pate Brings Tandem Skydiving to Tuscaloosa Airport this Weekend

Thrillseekers can get a fresh perspective of Tuscaloosa this weekend as businessman Stan Pate's aviation company hosts skydivers offering tandem jumps on Saturday and Sunday.

Pate's Bama Dixie will host Skydive the Gulf, LLC, a beloved Baldwin County outfit that traditionally offers an array of jumps down near the beach.

This weekend only, they'll be out at the Tuscaloosa National Airport and offering tandem jumps over the Druid City, meaning participants will be securely strapped to a trained skydiver who executes all critical aspects of the experience. With a professional deploying the parachute and guiding the landing, even beginners have a chance to see the beauty of the region from a few thousand feet above it.

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"I want to do everything I can to promote the Tuscaloosa National Airport and to promote aviation in general," Pate said. "But I have jumped before, and what I would say about skydiving is it puts an exclamation point on freedom."

The business and real estate magnate also said he plans to skydive again this weekend while the professionals are here in Tuscaloosa.

"I figure this will be the biggest plunge I'll ever take in my life -- unless I decide to get married," Pate joked on Thursday.

The team will be at the airport this Saturday and Sunday, offering tandem jumps beginning at 8:45 a.m. and wrapping up at 3 p.m.

Registration to jump is $375, and Skydive the Gulf said the maximum weight for this round of tandem skydiving is 265 pounds. Anyone weighing more than 200 pounds will be charged a fee of $1 per pound above that weight.

A signed release is also required for jumping, but Pate said anyone who's not up for skydiving is welcome to come and watch from Bama Dixie, where they can enjoy complimentary refreshments and enter a drawing for two free jumps.

The fun kicks off tomorrow morning at Bama Dixie, at 5851 Robert Cardinal Airport Road in Tuscaloosa.

For more coverage of news in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.