NEIL AMONSON

ATHLETE FEATURE

By KAVU

April 30^th, 2024

WHO IS NEIL AMONSON?

Get ready to embark on a unique journey as we shine the spotlight on one of the most remarkable athletes in the world of flight, Neil Amonson. From piloting wingsuits and parachutes, to flying airplanes of all types, Neil's story is a testament to his boundless spirit for exploration and his pursuit of adventure.

As a KAVU athlete, Neil Amonson embodies our brand's ethos ; freedom, authenticity, and a passion for the great outdoors. His relentless pursuit of activities in the air, and his unwavering commitment to pushing limits, serves as an inspiration to us all.

Although Neil's journey has clearly been exciting, the profound connection he shares with the outdoors, and the communities he encounters along the way, has defined him. An advocate for "alternative paths" in life, Neil started a general aviation school called Absolute Flight Training. While giving the gift of flight to his students, he also reminds us of the importance of preserving the places we love while supporting the people who make them special.

So, join us as we celebrate the determined spirit of Neil Amonson. Whether you're an avid thrill-seeker, or simply someone who appreciates a good story, there's something for everyone in Neil's extraordinary tale.

WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO “BE” WHEN YOU GREW UP?

The first thing I remember wanting to be as a kid was an oceanographer. I thought (and still do think) the ocean and marine life are super cool!

DID YOU DO THE “STANDARD” SCHOOL ROUTE? OR, DID YOU TAKE MORE OF AN UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO EDUCATION?

I went "unconventional" and joined the Air Force right out of high school. It was the best decision I ever made. Four years after graduating high school, I had valuable life experience, zero debt, and free college.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED DOING WHAT YOU DO AS A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE FOR TEAM KAVU?

It all goes back to when I attended military free-fall school as part of the CCT training pipeline. That first jump from a plane over the Arizona desert altered the course of my life forever. I became obsessed with jumping, stopped doing all my other hobbies, and eventually left the military so I could jump more as a civilian.

CAN YOU ELABORATE A BIT ON YOUR JOURNEY to BECOMe A PRO ATHLETE? WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?

By sheer dumb luck, I was the first person to upload a BASE jumping video to YouTube, filmed with a GoPro. GoPro saw it, reached out to me, we started working together, and the rest is history. The funny thing is, the video that I uploaded was edited by a random person I hired off Craigslist, because I didn’t know how to make videos.

This is the actual video!

DO YOU HAVE A CORE MEMORY OF A MOMENT OR TIME WHEN YOU WERE LIKE “YES"…THIS IS THE THING I LOVE TO DO, AND I WANT TO DO IT ALL THE TIME?

Right after graduating from jump school in the military, a buddy and I went to get our civilian jump certifications at Emerald Coast Skydiving in Florida. After making one jump with an instructor, we were given the "green light" to rent gear and jump on our own. The very next jump, the plane let out all the other skydivers for a "beach jump" (my buddy and I didn’t have the right license to do beach jumps yet), and then flew us back to the drop zone with just the two of us in the back of the plane. The culture shock from freefall school with the military.... where there are long briefings, complicated wind drift formulas, and jump masters baby sitting you... to a civilian drop zone with complete freedom (and essentially no supervision) really hooked me.

WAS THERE A PARTICULAR PERSON who PLAYED A ROLE IN HELPING YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY OF BECOMING A PRO ATHLETE?

I mostly just bumbled my way through it on my own. I'd put ads on Craigslist for photographers to go out and shoot pics while I was BASE jumping, as an example. I also hired a friend to make a website; kind of the old “fake it till you make it” mind set. I always loved jumping.... that wasn’t fake... but one day, I just realized I wanted to present myself like a professional athlete and felt that people/brands would perceive me as one. I remember walking around the outdoor retailer show with my wing suit hanging off my backpack, with a sign that said “your logo here” on the wing suit. It seems silly now (and probably was at the time), but I was definitely willing to put myself out there as a young athlete.

BASICALLY, CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON YOUR JOURNEY OF HOW YOU GOT TO THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE OF BEING A PRO ATHLETE/ AMBASSADOR FOR KAVU?

I’ve got to give props to Tyler Lee and Barry Barr for taking a chance on the GoPro Bomb Squad back in the day. We pretty much emailed KAVU out of the blue, asking if they would help sponsor our new team wingsuits in exchange for putting their logo on the suit. We had asked a lot of companies, and most said no... or didn’t reply. But, Tyler and Barry said YES! That was the catalyst, and we’ve all become family since then. One of those original wing suits is at our new South Seattle KAVU store in White Center.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PASSIONATE ABOUT? LIKE, IF YOU FINISHED CHECKING OFF ALL THE THINGS ON YOUR “RESPONSIBILITIES” LIST, AND YOU HAD A DAY FULLY FREE AND OPEN TO DO ANYTHING YOU WANTED, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THAT FREE TIME?

That’s easy! I’m most passionate about flying! Really, it’s about being in the air. It can be an airplane ride, paragliding flight, skydive, anything that gets me off the ground under some kind of wing. If I had a free day, I would fly myself to the drop zone, make a few skydives, fly home and finish off the day with a paragliding flight. Multi sport days are always special. As a new Dad, it’s been a long time since I’ve done something like that.

Lol.

What is your favorite thing to do that is not related to the "sports things" you get paid to do as an athlete?

Hang out with my kids. Walter is 3 and Gemma is 1.

They are my world.

How many years have you been a KAVU athlete? Do you have a favorite memory/ trip over the years of being on Team KAVU?

It’s been at least 11 or 12 years... maybe longer? I’m getting old and senile now. Ha ha. I don’t have a favorite memory; there have been just been too many good ones. But, one of my favorite KAVU stories is when we went on a speedflying trip to Alaska, and tried to rent a pick up truck for 3 weeks and it was going to cost thousands of dollars. It was Way out of our scrappy budget. So, instead we bought an old suburban off Craigslist for $800, drove it the whole trip, then sold it on the last day and got all our money back. We sure thought we were clever.

What is your favorite part about being on Team KAVU, and what makes it special to you?

The group of athletes on Team KAVU are some of my favorite people in the world. They inspire me, and I’m continually impressed by the caliber of physical feats they pull off and the creative professionalism they display. It is special to call these people teammates, but they are really more than that.

They are family!

Have you ever had any close calls/ injuries/ near death experiences in your sport/ craft? What did you learn/ take away from this moment?

I’ve been lucky to avoid any major injuries during my aviation journey over the years, minus a couple sprained ankles. It would be naive to think that there haven’t been any close calls, as any activities as high risk as BASE jumping are essentially a "near death experience" every time you jump.

Joking, but not joking.

But, each time I’ve had to pull back from jumping for whatever reason, I’m reminded that I want to be in this for the long haul. I’d rather push less hard and pursue these activities in a mellow way that I can do forever, as opposed to burning myself out doing the super high risk stuff.

What do you feel is your most important resource in life, and why is it the most important resource to you?

Time. I’ve never been good at chasing money, but I’ve always been good about chasing time. I guess it just depends on how your brain is wired. But, I need space around my thoughts to see, think, and feel clearly.

WHAT IS A PIECE OF WISDOM YOU WOULD GIVE TO A GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL CLASS?

Dream. Plan. Do. If you have an idea you are excited about, come up with a plan and give it a try! Don’t underestimate your passions. The world needs passionate people and the only person who can figure out what you are passionate about is you.

What Book are you reading right now?

“Ice Palace” (1952) about Alaska prior to statehood.

What is your favorite food to cook/ make?

Anything I can throw on the grill. However, I’m really working on learning the art of cast iron cooking so I can incorporate that into future airplane camping missions.