Doug Barron - Behind the Scenes of the 250-Way State Record Attempts Artwork

The 20 Minute Call - A Skydiving Podcast

The 20 Minute Call Podcast is a podcast about the dreamers, boundary pushers, rebels and champions of the skydiving industry. Each episode is a narrative journey highlighted by the highs, lows, and luck that the skydiving industry delivers told by the most influential people within the sport.

If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a skydiver, opening a DZ or becoming the next world champion, check out The 20 Minute Call hosted by James La Barrie

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The 20 Minute Call - A Skydiving Podcast

Doug Barron - Behind the Scenes of the 250-Way State Record Attempts

March 09, 2026 • James La Barrie • Season 3 • Episode 81

0:00 | 1:04:51

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About This Episode
Doug Barron returns to share the incredible story behind organizing the 2025 All American Big Way - a 250-way skydiving record attempt at Skydive Chicago that ran simultaneously with a 200-way vertical record. This is a masterclass in event logistics, leadership under pressure, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in skydiving.

Resources Mentioned

📺 250-way Documentary - 25-min film by Anthony Armandiraz
🎙️ Episode 19 - Doug's origin story (December 2023)
💻 SKYCRU - Event management platform
📅 Next Event: September 2028 at Skydive Chicago

What You'll Learn

✈️ How to coordinate 11 aircraft and 260+ jumpers across multiple days
💰 The real financial costs of running large-scale skydiving events
🛠️ Innovative solutions: mobile fuel stations, aircraft choreography, and SKYCRU platform
🧠 Leadership strategies for managing setbacks and keeping teams motivated
📅 What it takes to plan 5+ years ahead for a world-class event

Timestamps

[0:00] Welcome & episode context
[7:00] The 2017 vision that started it all
[14:00] Aircraft logistics & the "corn sharks"
[28:00] Financial realities DZOs face
[42:00] SKYCRU: solving the admin nightmare
[52:00] Leadership through adversity
[57:00] Emotional debrief & looking ahead

Quotable Moments
"If you were to tell a non-skydiver we're taking 100 people in 5 aircraft to 18,000 feet and building a formation in 60 seconds - they'd say it's impossible."

"It's not goal failed, it's goal prolonged. We're going to do it again."

"Safety is always my top priority. No record is worth someone getting hurt."

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