European Skydiving Symposium 2026 by Norman Kent

The living legend behind Norman Kent looks back on the 2026 European Skydiving Symposium in Seville, discussing what it means for the industry, the importance of events like this, and much more in this interview:

Firstly, thank you for taking part in the event and contributing your knowledge to make skydiving safer and more efficient. What did you think of the EES 2026 in general?

In general, I thought, European skydiving symposium was amazing, better than I expected. Some of the things I loved about it were: The incredibly talented, technical staff and equipment available for all presentations. As a visually oriented person (since I’m a photographer), the quality of the screens and sound is important, and that was handled at a very high-level, I was super impressed. I love the layout being in the middle of the hotel, were the rooms were very accessible in case one needed something from the room, or to take a short break, everything in the center and available without having to go anywhere else it made it very convenient, and great for attending various lectures and vendors with little time wasted to get to them. The only thing I did not like about that location is that some of the vendors were so hidden in the inner circle, facing into the fountain, that I didn’t even know they were there until the second day, it wasn’t until I was looking for someone specifically that I was made aware that there was an inner circle. Not sure there is a solution for that given the venue, and the upside might outweigh the downside but I think those vendors were not as happy from what I heard. One idea could be to have a better marked entry to the center circle and taller wind-blades so people can locate them easily from the outside? Staff was amazing and super professional and experienced.

What does an event such as the European Symposium, held this year in Seville, Spain, represents for the world of skydiving?

To me, the European Skydiving Symposium, represents several benefits for skydiving, for example: It’s a way to close the gap between USA and other parts of the world especially Europe. Events for sharing information like the Symposium by PIA and the European Skydiving Symposium are crucial for the development and growth of the sport and it’s an opportunity for everyone to come together in one space devoted to learning and sharing, having an alternative to PIA is very beneficial to the entire sport of skydiving. Having two different organizations available in different parts of the world and at different times, can only help our support by providing more alternatives for everyone. Additionally, competition can only benefit everyone, I hope someone from PIA was taking notes, was inspired to improve their event, which has become very stagnant and dark.

What makes this Symposium unique compared to other events in the sector?

Location, staff, equipment, etc.

Why is it important for the skydiving community that the ESS is held regularly?

Holding the event regularly inspires people to prepare for next time. Whether you’re a speaker, a vendor or a participant, you learn something and there’s always room for improvement, having an opportunity to look ahead to the next time is important. It also builds excitement and anticipation.

The main focus of the event is security: What have been the most relevant and interesting topics discussed in your opinion?

In the aspect of safety, because I was busy with my own presentations or attending other’s more relevant to me, I did not attend too many presentations that were related to safety, however there was a sense of responsibility and incorporating safety to any of the conversations no matter what the subject, including ones related to photography, for example, the one given by Gustavo Cabana. No matter what the topic is, there’s always room for addressing safety in our sport and I believe that was achieved at the ESS 2026.

After hearing so many important voices from our industry, what challenges would you say that skydiving faces in general in the near future? 

Like any other entity, as skydiving grows it becomes a little bit more out of control, I think one of the challenges is to educate everyone on the safety aspect, as well as the dangers of using skydiving as a tool to “look cool” instead of to experience the beauty of human flight. In this day and age of social media, everyone is looking for something unique to post or a way to become a hero and get lots of attention, using skydiving as an instrument for that can be super dangerous and detrimental to the sport, I think that is a challenge we face as a sport. Having symposiums regularly, no matter who organizes them, is an opportunity for the leaders to educate the newcomers in all aspects in order for our sport to grow responsibly and beautifully.

What did you think of Sevilla as the host city for this year’s Symposium and the upcoming edition in 2028?

Love it!!

What did you think of the operation and atmosphere at our DZ during Testing Days?

Thanks!