BEAR HOLLOW — Planes fly. So do birds. Skiers can and often do . . . for a few brief seconds, anyway, they are weightless, subject only to gravity . . . and then splashdown.

For those few seconds in the air, skiers are free to move about at will. It is this freedom that lures skiers to the sport of aerial freestyle skiing.

And, in particular, to the public freestyle program being offered at the Utah Olympic Park. It is the point where all fliers start.

Even the most novice of skiers can slide down on the plastic surface, take flight and land in the Olympic-size pool with style, albeit, sometimes accidental.

The park began to offer public pool jumping in 2001.

"Since then," said Chris Haslock, executive director of the park's freestyle program, "interest has grown, every year. In fact, we now offer a year-round freestyle program. We jump into the pool in the summer and jump on snow in the winter.

"What's encouraging to us is the program is showing the greatest growth at the lower level, among the younger kids. And yes, we are seeing kids from the public program advance into the group of elite jumpers."

Public jumping will continue through Oct. 9. Then the pool will close and coaches and athletes will begin the transition to snow. It's all part of the natural progression for some to the Olympics.

The program being offered today is not the same as the one offered in the beginning. The public freestyle program has, over the years, been refined and improved.

"In the interest of time, for example, we've gone from a full-day program to one that runs for three hours," said Haslock. "But, in those three hours people can learn a lot and gain a real respect for the sport."

The class begins with a brief orientation followed by a video "giving them an idea of what's to come," he noted.

Students then slip into wetsuits and move to the edge of the pool where they are introduced to a mini-trampoline angled toward the pool. From an elevated platform they can jump onto the little trampoline and be catapulted into the pool.

"This gives them the feeling of forward motion and takeoff," said Haslock. "They can also start to do tricks into the pool, but without skis."

The next step is to the equipment shed where jumpers pick up skis and ski boots, helmets and lifejackets.

"We then put them on the 'dry ramp.' It's the same plastic that's on the ramps, but they simply slide down and stop. It's a chance to get their ski legs under them without going into the pool. Everything is done for a reason. Once they get the feel of sliding on the plastic, then we go to the mini-ramp," he explained.