Oct 2, 2008, 11:44 AM
Post #1 of 12
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"Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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A friend of mine once had a CReW wrap and ended up riding in his collapsed main, the other dog's chopped and collapsed main still wrapped around him, and his reserve..also mostly a ball of crap. He was unscathed...one small scratch. A birch tree was broken in the process of cushioning his fall.
While untangling the canopies back, someone mentioned something like "I guess this makes you a member of the thunderball club, doesn't it?" Does anyone know about this? I may have the word "Thunderball" mixed with something else...it was a while ago and I just thought to ask it now.
If you ever heard of this or something like it I'd like to know some history.
Oct 2, 2008, 12:30 PM
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Re: [NickDG] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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yah...it was unclear....to clarify:
The lower jumper cutaway and landed their reserve no problem (no longer a factor in the rest of the story).
The chopped canopy remained on my friend and fowled his main producing two balls of crap. He tossed his reserve out without chopping either as he was getting low, and the reserve did some good, but not something you'd want to land without lots of luck. Basically the whole thing came straight down, spinning slightly.
Oct 2, 2008, 3:02 PM
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Re: [keithbar] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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The official records of the Caterpillar Club are held by Airborne Systems. Unfortunately, the link on their web site to the Club is currently broken; I've told them about it. As chair of the PIA Historical Committee, I spoke with their PIA rep at a meeting a couple of weeks ago; she wondered whether PIA might be interested in publishing a book of Caterpillar Club stories based on the original applications they have on file. I said yes. Now we just have to make it happen.
Oct 2, 2008, 3:21 PM
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Re: [keithbar] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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I think you just have to use a parachute to save your life in an emergency. So I've always thought using a reserve after a main malfunction would qualify.
Oct 2, 2008, 4:11 PM
Post #7 of 12
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Re: [NickDG] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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I think you just have to use a parachute to save your life in an emergency. So I've always thought using a reserve after a main malfunction would qualify.
Oct 2, 2008, 5:54 PM
Post #9 of 12
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Re: [airtwardo] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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Ah, yes, Wikipedia, that bastion of reliable, verifiable info. I'm surprised no Wikibody has inserted [citation needed] somewhere in the vicinity of that quote. Anyone ever heard that story anywhere else?
Oct 2, 2008, 7:22 PM
Post #10 of 12
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Re: [howardwhite] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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Ah, yes, Wikipedia, that bastion of reliable, verifiable info. I'm surprised no Wikibody has inserted [citation needed] somewhere in the vicinity of that quote. Anyone ever heard that story anywhere else?
HW
HOWARD...it's on the Internet...it MUST be true!
Point being, if ya went up to jump out...no pin - no tie.
Oct 3, 2008, 6:00 AM
Post #11 of 12
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Re: [howardwhite] "Thunderball Club", or something like that?
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Howard, Pioneer used to award some device (caterpillar pin) for aircraft emergency use of their equipment as well. Not sure if that is still done or not.
