Dec 10, 2009, 11:16 AM
Post #5 of 21
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Re: [mjosparky] Cessnas in formation
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Hi Sparky,
Quote:
Dave Ruckert
If I remember Dave for anything it will be for when he showed up at a Seattle Skydivers xmas party with a fish tie. He had an actual salmon hanging from his neck.
Dec 11, 2009, 9:35 PM
Post #12 of 21
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Re: [howardwhite] Cessnas in formation
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It was the second annual Cessna Boogie at Snohomish May 1989, (see photo) and if the skydives had been as good as the aircraft formations, we would have completed every load.
Jan 31, 2012, 3:44 AM
Post #14 of 21
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Re: [johnmatrix] Cessnas in formation
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Trying to get them all in proximity to enable a successful dive would be pretty hard...too many variables in aircraft performance, pilot ability and skydiver co ordinaation to make it easy....
We organised a 6 way attempt out of 6 Tiger Moth aircraft one time, back in the late 70's, only getting to 4 grand before the performance of the aircraft fell away,
As soon as we got out of the front cockpit on to the wing the formation fell apart...I think we got a 4 way together before we ran out of altitude.
Jan 31, 2012, 9:48 AM
Post #15 of 21
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Re: [obelixtim] Cessnas in formation
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In reply to:
Trying to get them all in proximity to enable a successful dive would be pretty hard...too many variables in aircraft performance, pilot ability and skydiver co ordinaation to make it easy....
We organised a 6 way attempt out of 6 Tiger Moth aircraft one time, back in the late 70's, only getting to 4 grand before the performance of the aircraft fell away,
As soon as we got out of the front cockpit on to the wing the formation fell apart...I think we got a 4 way together before we ran out of altitude.
Interesting to try though.....
Hi
Were were on the ground when the 15 cessna formation flew over head in a tight V formation sounded like hornets nest. It was snohomish.
Just getting 15 cessna's to show up at one timein working order was a feat by itself. Yes there were some other coordination problems with the exit from 15 planes but Ruckett had a plane, some jumper were a little to eager to exit. ETC.
May have a pic of the little dots flying in a tight V from the ground somewhere. The audio would be better.
Only second time I've seen the patch wasn't on the load. I think John Mitchel was includeing 59 others. Plus the bench.
Didn't stay around long enough to see if they ever made the 55 way from the cessnas. Saw a few attempts and the video used for the debrief.
Jan 31, 2012, 9:56 AM
Post #16 of 21
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Re: [howardwhite] Cessnas in formation
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Great Shot Howard....I can remember back in the day at Zhills we ran the 182, 196, lodestar and a 3 in formation to get the numbers....where were those Twin Otters when we needed them....?
Feb 1, 2012, 8:29 PM
Post #17 of 21
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Re: [beenthere] Cessnas in formation
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It was at Snohomish as Jamie Woodward had closed Issaquah several years earlier and been running Slow-ho for some time. With Jamie's organization, the logisitics weren't that hard.
I brought my 182 over from Spokane and, along with most of the jumpers, had some apprehension about how tight and safe the formations would be. But after the first load, we all relaxed and knew that the challenge was getting all 55 jumpers into the dense slow falling diamond.
Norm Kent gave us plane owners some plane to plane shots that give some perspective (as well as just great photography). I'll see if I can find those.
I had a great time and I think almost everyone on the load and the pilots did too.
Here's a picture of Dave from that era that I still have sitting on my bookshelf and enjoy looking at. When I met him 30+ years ago, I never thought I'd say that.
Here's a picture of the 1st year (1988). This is as close as we got that year at least. We may have completed it in 90 or 91, but by then, it was just Dav3 fun and we didn't really care.
Also here's a picture of the pointy end of the formation. It was also impressive just seeing all those Cessna's lined up on the taxiway. Looked tight and squared away.
I think I threw away the Norm Kent plane pics as they were very nice but only 5x7's.
cessnas.jpg
I've seen the patch wasn't on the load. I think John Mitchel was includeing 59 others. Plus the bench. 
