This veteran of more than 2,000 jumps works a custodial job to support his sky-high hobby

And he is not ready to give it up any time soon.

Since retiring six years ago, Fragoso got a custodial job at Sparr Heights Community Center in Glendale to earn extra money so he can go skydiving every two weeks.

He spends about $250 a month on skydiving and he doesn't always jump out of an airplane alone.

Fragoso is a member of Skydivers Over Sixty Society, an organization of jumpers who range in ages 60 to 75, who skydive as a group.

But for Fragoso, skydiving is more than just a thrill of jumping out of an airplane. As a licensed demonstration jumper, he often skydives and makes a landing on school campuses to talk to students about his hobby.

Glendale News-Press News Assistant Ani Amirkhanian sat down with Fragoso at Sparr Heights and asked him a few questions.

Why did you choose skydiving as your hobby?

I wanted to be a paratrooper. When I joined the army in 1957, I applied to go Airborne, but because I had flat feet, I couldn't. I had what they call a class B profile. At that time, they were very selective and you had to have a class A profile. So that kept me out of Airborne. But I always wanted to jump. So lo and behold, when I was 40 years old and my kids were grown up, I decided to go and make a jump. I made it down. You might say I've been hooked ever since.

What went through your mind when you were getting ready to jump for the first time?

I said to myself, 'What am I doing here?' It's just something that I wanted to do and I wanted to be Airborne. You're up there, it's so quiet. It's like you are the only one in the whole world.

Have you every been scared or concerned for your safety?

Unfortunately, there have been accidents. I did see one of my fellow jumpers … he had a total malfunction and he died.

I saw him going to the ground and that was scary. That made me scared.

I did go up and jump at that time, but I shouldn't have because it was on my mind.

What is the best part of talking to children about what you do?

What I like doing, when I land, I go and high-five all the kids around and the parents want to take pictures with you.

It's just really giving something back to the community.

We go to schools and tell kids that you don't have to get high on drugs, you can come with us and we'll jump out of a plane. I tell them that I am not a young man and I'm doing all these feats that are attributed to young people.

How would you describe what you feel overall when you skydive?

I just love being in the air and it's just one big thrill. I can jump out and use my body to actually fly.

I can make left turns, right turns, front loops, right loops, I can come into a formation. I can do anything a plane can do except go back up.