A Day in the Life: Skydiving with Jeff Hunkele, Senior Software Developer

I have had the good fortune to know and work with a person I believe to be both brave and courageous. He is risk taker, and I tease him that he is an adrenaline junkie. Yet, in the end, he is just someone who throws himself into those hobbies about which he is passionate. Jeff Hunkele, senior software developer for SolArc RightAngle, has found the challenges and risks of skydiving to be well worth the reward.

Jeff Hunkele, SolArc senior software developer and weekend skydiver, made what some would consider a risky and expensive decision back in 2010 to support a friend’s wish to skydive on her birthday. He said that, although he was nervous and hesitant, he took a leap of faith and threw caution (and himself) into the wind.

Jeff Hunkele (uppermost) dives from an airplane during one of his 100+ skydives in the past year and a half.

Jeff remembers that first jump vividly. After sitting through the training video and suiting up with all of his gear, he said that his nerves were running high. “I told my friend that I needed to jump first otherwise I would ride in the plane to the ground again.”

The instructor opened the door opened at 2,000 feet.  “I was literally terrified and looked down thinking, ‘We still have 12,000 more feet to go!’ When I approached the door, my heart was beating so hard I could actually hear it. I had never been more afraid in my adult life than that day.”

Jeff said he knew at that moment that there was no turning back, and it was only sheer will that pushed him through the next few seconds. Fear. Excitement. Terror. All were flowing through his veins, and as the instructor commanded “READY,” Jeff and the instructor to which he was tethered (as is required for the first 2 jumps) leaned back, said “SET,” and jumped out of a perfectly good airplane! It’s mind-boggling, and requires a bravery and courage unknown to many, but to talk to Jeff and others like him, and you can see how captivated they feel every time they make that jump.

“For the first 3 seconds, we were the equivalent of the Hulk’s eyes changing and his transformation from human to hero. All of the fear, excitement, and pure terror were converted into pure adrenaline, and it was pumped into my system within those 3 seconds. I went from terrified to feeling like I could actually lift a car! I couldn’t feel the tandem instructor. All I could feel was that I was flying.”

Screaming in pure delight, he said he took in the sights and sounds of the sky. He saw the ground, the Houston skyline, the clouds. “For that minute, you own the sky, and you are invincible.”

Jeff (in the red suit) and other skydivers fall in formation during his 100th jump. photo by Brittany Sanchez

At 6,000 feet, Jeff and his instructor pulled their chute, and the noise of the 120 MPH fall was silenced. Jeff recalled, “I’ll never forget my instructor asking me in the silence of our canopy ride, ‘So, how do you like my office?’”

Upon that first landing, Jeff said he knew that he had to do it again. He knew he was addicted. Ironically, though fear and nervous excitement consumed him on that first jump, he instantly fell in love with skydiving. A year and a half later, he has earned two different skydiving licenses, and jumped out of an airplane over 100 times. He has now earned his class A and class B licenses, no longer has to tandem jump, and can now jump at night, near water, or from a helicopter or hot air balloon.

He said his ultimate goal is to earn his class C and D licenses and to perhaps become a videographer, which would allow him to earn money while jumping on the weekends and videoing first-timers.

“I waited to call my family after I jumped. They said I was crazy, and while they have come to accept my new hobby, they still wish I would quit. Many friends and family love the videos but say they could never do it. I was one of those people, and now, I can’t imagine not doing it.”

Jeff said that skydiving has given him the courage and confidence to overcome obstacles and fears. When he is up against a challenge, he knows that he is capable of finding resolution whether at work or in life.