Veteran skydiver Tom Kenny returns to Hancock Prospecting’s Aus Day celebrations with epic skydive display

Tom Kenny may be 65 years old, but the veteran skydiver has completed nearly 2000 skydives — more than one every 12 days. This Sunday will be no different as he prepares to make the thrilling 5000ft descent onto Langley Park as part of Hancock Prospecting’s Australia Day celebrations. Mr Kenny — one of the five skydivers from Perth Skydiving Display Team jumping this Sunday — says he did his first dive at just 17 years old after catching the bug from his dad. “My father was the chief instructor at Commando Skydivers in Melbourne so I grew up with it,” he said. “We were in the drop zone every day and I just kept going after I got old enough to jump.” Almost 50 years later, the 65-year-old says he still gets a kick out of it every single time. “I just love showing off in front of people for displays. . . I always get a kick out of it,” he said. Mr Kenny says he and his crew — previously named the Chuting Stars — took part in the annual display for about 25 years, before they were forced to stop after the horror 2017 Australia Day Swan River plane crash. Now, the Perth Skydiving Display Team is back better than ever with a dazzling display of smoke and streamers. “They re-started it (the skydiving display) a year or two ago but got someone over east to do it. . . so this is our first year back,” Mr Kenny said. “Five of us will fly in at about 5000 feet and then we’ll start exiting the plane one after the other. “The lowest guy will take about 3000 feet and open his parachute, then the rest of us will open (our parachutes). “We just enjoy jumping in person, giving people a thrill. . . it’s just something we very much enjoy doing.” Hancock Prospecting’s free sky dive display will kick off at 6.50pm on Sunday.