7 days
Duration
France
Destination

Ground Control Skydive & Mindfulness Retreat

The Ground Control Skydive & Mindfulness Retreat combines intensive skydiving with mental calm and focus. You learn by doing and reflecting (experiential learning), with person-centred coaching, here-and-now interventions, mindfulness, and deliberate moments of slowing down. Result: more agency, clarity, and confidence — in the air and beyond.

Why Ground Control?

  • Experiential learning: jumps, reflection, and feedback reinforce each other
  • Person-centred: guidance tailored to your goals and need for balance
  • Here-and-now: direct, practical insights you can apply immediately
  • Mindfulness: focus, breath, presence — calm in action
  • Reflection & slowing down: smart pauses for perspective and growth

At a glance

Booking period

25-07 to 01-08 2026

Courses & prices

  • 7 days AFF — 7 jumps — from €1,895 p.p.
  • 7 days Airboss Academy — 10 jumps — from €1,395 p.p.
  • 7 days Expert Skydiver — from €495 p.p.

Prices per person, excluding travel and accommodation. Options: coach trip & on-site stay — see Accommodation & transport.

Included in your week

  • Daily mindfulness/breathwork sessions
  • Personal skydive coaching (per chosen course)
  • Group reflection & here-and-now interventions
  • Deliberate pauses (slowing down) for focus & recovery

Want to see the course breakdown first? View the
overview of all our skydive courses.

Optional add-ons

  • Coach trip — 3 Jul to 5 Sep • return €225
  • Own tent • €15 per day
  • Bunkhouse (4-person) • €27.50 per day

More Ground Control inspiration

Experiential learning: learn by doing & reflecting

You develop through a powerful cycle: actionexperiencereflectionnew action. Feedback moments and video debriefs increase insight and accelerate progress.

Person-centred & here-and-now

We tailor coaching to your level and goals. Interventions focus on what’s happening now — delivering directly applicable insights, in the air and on the ground.

Mindfulness, reflection & slowing down

With breath, attention, and deliberate pauses you find calm in action. You learn to regulate tension, keep focus, and jump with confidence. Reflection in a small group deepens your learning.

Deposit & payment

If you book ≥6 weeks before departure, the deposit is €200. Within 6 weeks, the full amount is due at booking.

Frequently asked questions about Ground Control

Do I need experience with mindfulness or meditation?
No. We build up gradually. All exercises are clearly explained and adapted to your level.
Can I join without skydiving experience?
Yes. With AFF you start from zero with intensive guidance and a clear progression.
What does a typical day look like?
Morning mindfulness/breath and intention, daytime jumps and coaching (video debriefs), evening reflection in a small group.
What if the weather doesn’t cooperate?
Safety first. We re-plan and use the time for theory, mindfulness, and reflection. Jumps are moved as soon as possible.
What is the difference from a “regular” skydive week?
Ground Control adds structured mindfulness, here-and-now interventions, and reflection. That brings calm, focus, and faster learning.
Is participation in all sessions required?
We strongly recommend following the full programme. Person-centred also means we adjust intensity and pace with you.
What should I bring?
Comfortable sportswear, notebook, water bottle. Training gear is available; your own gear is welcome after a check.
Which languages are used?
Dutch and English. Instructions and hand-outs are concise and practical.


Participation requirements

Age

From 18 up to 55 years

Weight

Maximum 100 kg

Medical

Self-declaration regarding health and fitness for parachuting.

Questions or booking?

Still unsure or ready to start the Ground Control course? Call, email, or WhatsApp us — we’ll help you quickly.

Phone: +31 (0)85 401 46 47
Mobile (WhatsApp): +31 6 1659 2266
Email: spring@airboss.nl


Ground Control Program

What makes Ground Control unique

Ground Control Skydive & Mindfulness Retreat is not a regular course. Here, skydiving is the means to become mentally stronger. You train focus, calm and decision-making under pressure. What you learn in the air carries over to work, sport and relationships. That’s what makes this program different from a standard AFF or technique week.

Who it’s for

Suitable for beginners who want to start consciously and for experienced jumpers who want more depth. We work in small groups with personal goals. Pace and intensity are tailored to you.

Experiential learning with real-life transfer

We use a simple cycle: actionexperiencereflectionnew action. And we go beyond technique. After each jump you connect it to situations outside the dropzone: presenting, taking the lead, sensing and setting boundaries, dealing with tension. Every jump becomes practice for real life.

Mindfulness as a performance skill

Mindfulness is not a break but a skill. You learn to stay present under pressure, regulate tension and return to your anchor (breath, posture, focus). It helps during the climb, the exit, freefall and landing, and just as much in a tough conversation or a deadline.

Here-and-now coaching

Short, practical interventions at the moment it matters: one focus phrase for your exit, a breath anchor for calm, a clear decision cue under your parachute. Small tools with big impact, ready to use immediately.

Reflection that works

No long write-ups. We use a simple progress tracker with four fixed prompts: the goal of the jump, what helped, one improvement for next time, one cue to carry forward. Brief group reflections deepen this and translate it to home and work.

Slow down and recharge

Between jumps we create calm. Short quiet blocks, walks in nature, attention to recovery. Slowing down brings clarity. You feel it in your next jump and you take it into the week after.

What a day looks like

  • Short morning check-in: intention, breath, focus.
  • Level-based briefing with clear goals per jump.
  • Jumps with one to two targeted mindset and technique accents.
  • Short debrief with the progress tracker and one concrete cue.
  • Mindful reset: breathing, walking, rest.
  • Optional evening session: transfer to work and home, Q&A.

What you take home after a week

  • A steady pre-exit routine with more calm and focus.
  • More grip and overview from call to landing.
  • Faster, calmer decision-making in freefall and under your parachute.
  • Concrete tools for tension: breath anchor, focus phrase, simple body cues.
  • A clear translation to daily life: what you will apply on Monday and how.
  • A personal set of next steps, matched to your level.

The result in one line

You leave with more calm, sharper focus and practical tools that work in the air and in daily life.

The Ground Control Coaches

Our mix of mindfulness, coaching and skydiving works because technique and mindset come together. Meet the people who guard that balance and translate it to your daily life.

Portrait of Thed van den Berg, team coach and trainer

Thed van den Berg

Team coach & trainer (psychology, systemic work)

Technical roots, 10 years in sales, then a shift towards people and behavior. Trained as a trainer at Van Harte & Lingsma (2007) and since then active as trainer, coach and interim team coach.

What drives me: helping people use their strengths and turn limiting beliefs into behavior that actually helps — on the dropzone and at the office.

  • Strengths: spotting patterns, making them clear & changing them
  • For teams: group dynamics through a systemic lens
  • Transfer: from “high-tension moment” to a concrete choice or action

Portrait of Sjon de Jong, skydive coach and Ground Control program lead

Sjon de Jong

Skydive coach & Ground Control program lead

From graphic designer to skydiving: I learned technique quickly; calm and focus made the real difference. That blend — mental calm in action — is what I pass on to participants.

In Ground Control I use jumps as training for real life: handling tension, making clear choices and landing with confidence — in the air and at home.

  • Strengths: simple cues that work immediately (breath, posture, focus)
  • In the air: clear goals per jump, short debrief, one next step
  • Transfer: what you’ll apply on Monday — concrete and doable


Dates & prices 2026

Booking period

Summer 2026 dates:

25-07 to 01-08

Beginner — Accelerated Freefall (AFF) €1,895

7 days • 6 AFF jumps with instructor • 14,000 ft (4,200 m) • Radio guidance

Included

  • Theory and practical training
  • All jumps from 14,000 ft (4,200 m)
  • 7 days of coaching
  • State-of-the-art equipment
  • Radio guidance for canopy flight and landing
  • Video debrief
  • Globally recognised skydiving licence
  • Packing your parachute (training jumps)
  • Bonus: free jump
  • Ground Control: personal skydive coaching, inspiring GC coaching, group sessions for personal development, meditation sessions

Intermediate — Airboss Academy €1,395

7 days • 10 jumps (5 FS + 5 solo) • Seminars & video • Towards your A-licence

Included

  • Theory and practical training
  • 5 Formation Skydives + 5 solo jumps
  • 7 days of coaching
  • All jumps from 14,000 ft (4,200 m)
  • State-of-the-art equipment
  • Video debrief
  • A-licence study material
  • Seminars
  • Packing course
  • A-licence exam
  • Ground Control: personal skydive coaching, inspiring GC coaching, group sessions for personal development, meditation sessions

Expert — Expert Skydiver €495

7 days • Tailored week with Ground Control support

Included

  • Ground Control: personal coaching
  • Group sessions for personal development
  • Meditation sessions

Accommodation & transport (options)

  • Tent (bring your own): €15 per day
  • Bunkhouse (four-bed room): €27.50 per day
  • Return bus trip: €225

Extra jumps

  • Extra jump incl. gear & packing: €55.50
  • Extra jump with own gear: €33

Booking

  1. Select your skydive course and start date on the right. Also choose your accommodation and (optional) the return bus trip.
  2. Click Book now and fill in your details.
  3. You’ll receive a confirmation/invoice by email with the payment schedule.


Groundcontrol