About Vladiball

20 Years With You

Vladiball was invented and developed by Yugoslavian (Serbian) skydiver, Msc. Aeronautical Engineer and Commercial Pilot - Vladimir Milosavljevic. Vladimir's first ideas of skyballs date back in 1993 while he was learning relative work skydiving in Paracentrum Teuge, Holland. ...but very soon, he banned that idea since he assumed that such an object could be very dangerous for people and properties on the ground. ...just few years later, first skyballs appeared! Skydivers (mostly Americans) jumped with few different ball types among which weighted tennis balls dominated. Skyballs became loved toys, giving skydivers a thrill and feeling of prestige! ...but yes, these toys were also really dangerous if not caught before deployment of parachute. In 1998, in Quincy, Illinois, in United States, on World Freefall Convention, Vladimir Milosavljevic met freestyle skydiving World Champion from Sent Louis - Tamara Koyn. Tamara was running freestyle seminar and Vladimir was in the audience. After the seminar, he dared to ask her few questions about skydiving stability and thus a great friendship began. Very soon they started working together on Vladimir's ideas about improving skydiving maneuverability in freefall. In early 1999 they summed up the results of their researches into an article Skydiving Stability, later published in 9 countries on 6 different languages. Sometimes in May 1999, they were also discussing other trends in skydiving and Tamara mentioned that it would be very interesting if someone would invent a safe skyball. She pointed out that such a tool should exist in the sport and advised Vladimir to think about the solution. After few days, Vladimir responded that he would make it mechanical and with granular extra weight that should be released into the atmosphere, somewhere between parachute opening altitude and the ground. Tamara liked that concept and encouraged Vladimir to think further. Thus, in one of the following afternoons, Vladimir made first sketches and the general concept of Vladiball - specific skyball with an extra weight release system - was born. First Vladiball test took place in May 2001, in Archway Skydiving Center, in Vandalia, Illinois. Those days, new skyball got its name - Vladiball. Archway skydivers were very excited with new ball's design, many were chasing the ball and many were telling great stories about it, however Vladiball product was not ready yet. That summer Vladimir spent most of his time on the ranch of a friendly local - Stan Kelton, planning Vladiball future and finalizing video project Body Pilot in Command, together with Tamara. Year and a half later, in November 2002, after finishing few modifications on the ball assembly, tests took place in Skydive Arizona, most progressive DZ in the World. Kerry Vail from Surfflite was Vladimir's host, they were both striving for good acceptance test results. Vladiball again got good attention, especially among World famous freeflyers Omar Alhegelan and Jason Peters, whose photos with Vladiball just few weeks later surfed the World! By now, Vladiball reached all the continents and it became a recognized item in all skydiving communities.

Skydive Archway, May 2001

Omar Alhegelan, Skydive Arizona, November 2002

Skydive Archway, May 2001

Omar Alhegelan, Skydive Arizona, November 2002