Photo from TNT Brothers' Collection
It is the end of a very sweet and generous november. The weather is perfect, the sky is so blue that it hurts. In the middle of a green, open field, a lot of happy, beautiful people smile to each other. They are the TNT Brothers Team, who will teach you freedom. It is a lesson that you can take for granted, or you can be grateful for. It is your choice to feel the freedom inside you or not. I looked at their faces and I wonder: "Am I missing something here or am I at home?" I see friendship, love and modesty. I can see beauty, courage and a little bit of craziness. Dragos is ready to fly. The look in his eyes is indescribable. There are no words to be told. Just smiles.
1. Dragos, could you please describe me, in one word, that feeling of falling down from the sky?
Skydiving is a beautiful sport, a unique experience that allows you to discover who you are. It's very hard to describe what it offers in just one word, but I guess if I were to choose one it would be freedom.
Photos by Vlad Semen
2. How this sport (and passion) has changed your life?
This sport has always been in my blood. My father was a paratrooper in the Romanian army and my brother and I grew up with our father's passion that later on, became our own. We travelled across Europe to various countries to see how they practised skydiving, learnt about the importance of rigours and safety and got inspired by how professionalism and true passion could help us build our dream in Romania.
Skydiving has not changed my life, it is my life.
3. What kind of clients do you have? Do you have a specific memory about some particular client of TNT Brothers?
Contrary to popular belief, skydiving is not a sport of the younger generations and I had the pleasure to meet lots of mature ladies and gentlemen who wanted to experience the sensation of freefall. Although they had been thinking about it for quite some time, they only had the opportunity to do it later in life. The youngest client we've had was a 16 years old, the minimum age requirement with parental agreement, and the oldest was actually a gentleman of 65.
We do have a chance to meet some incredible people and get inspired by their stories. A moment that really had an impact on me was the tandem jump of a blind young adult. It was an emotional and challenging experience as we had to use adapt our safety briefing to a sensory experience that involved senses like touch and smell.
I believe these stories to be very moving, motivating all of us to follow and fulfil our dreams no matter the age or consequence. The people that come to TNT Brothers want to experience the beauty of flight, the wonderful feeling of adrenaline that gives you courage and proves that anything is possible.
4. It is very clear that TNT Brothers is an amazing business and a true calling. I saw their passion, happiness and friendship. Can you define for me, in one word, these: money, sky, life, death and success?
Money = Investments
Sky = Happiness
Life = Opportunities
Death = Inevitable
Success = Performance
5. You've travelled the world, you saw a lot of beautiful places and you could live anywhere. Why did you choose to live in Romania?
Romania will always be my home as I am very close to my family and friends, but most importantly I wanted to build a place where everyone could experience, at least once, the feeling I got when flying.
6. Why would you recommend a foreigner to visit Romania? What are the three special places that someone must see in our country?
Because it is my country! Romania is a wonderful place with great natural diversity and sceneries. We have astonishing mountains where you can practice a lot of sports, the beautiful Black Sea, but also memorable traditional villages where you can really get a grasp of Romania's true spirit.
Everywhere you go in Romania you can see something beautiful and unique, but if I were to choose the three most special places to visit, they would be:
- Bucharest, the capital city seen from above, during a skydive at TNT Brothers. You can actually see all the important buildings such as the Parliament, as well as the immensity of the city.
- Transylvania's amazing culture, medieval castles and fortified churches
- Prahova valley and all its beautiful mountains, ski domains and paragliding spots.
If you want to see natural beauty as well as pristine lands, Romania should be at the top of your list.
7. What is your best memory from a flight?
All the flights are unique and all the memories related to them are too. Each and every memory from my skydiving activity is the best memory I have. Try it and you will share my opinion!
8. What is your biggest dream?
Since I am a skydiving instructor, my dream is to learn something from one of my students. This would mean they surpassed my abilities and confirm my qualities as an instructor.
9. If you could have one thing in the whole world, what would you want the most?
Wings - so I could travel all around the world anytime.
10. What is your greatest gift to the world?
I do not know about the world, but in Romania I had the opportunity to share my passion, the wonderful experience of flight with many others that had only dreamt of it before.
11. Can you tell me please 3 reasons to do skydiving with TNT Brothers, although I am afraid of heights and flights? Are there any risks?
It is not as dangerous as it may seem. Although we are talking about an adrenaline sport, currently, the risks involved in a skydiving jump have been reduced to a minimum due to the evolution of technology and the experience level of skydivers that practice it worldwide.
Highest safety standards. Our priority is to conduct our operations according to the highest safety standards and best practice models, this is why we chose to be affiliated to US Parachute Association, the largest organisation and authority in this field. Also we comply with all safety rules in skydiving imposed in Europe. Skydiving is a sport that annually improves its safety record due to high quality equipment, great safety training and frequent safety seminars and meetings.
Indescribable sensation and beauty. The feelings you experience in a skydiving jump are unique, incomparable and unforgettable. During the 50 seconds of freefall, you live life with amazing intensity. You understand the beauty of short moments and feel like you never want to waste another one again. After the parachute opens you gaze upon the vastness of the world and feel there is nothing that you cannot accomplish.
12. Romania definitely has something special. What is it?
The Romanians, of course. True Balkans in spirit, we are loud, friendly and with a great sense of humour that laughs in the face of different daily troubles. Not to brag, but we are also ambitious, intelligent, talented and most of the time underappreciated, a challenge that we accept and that motivates us to excel.
