DaveTheSlave 0 #1 February 10, 2008 I have missed this sport greatly and I'm enjoying my long awaited return. I began skydiving in 1989. I attended my Sophomore year of High School across the street from Flagler Airport in Bunnell FL. I wanted to learn to fly but the guys at Flagler Aviation had something else in store for me. I worked there every day after school and most other days. I learned how to work on airplanes from Gary Dupuis and Rocky Evans. I learned to skydive from John Norman and Richard "Fang" Fenimore (Rocky and Gary had some input too). I did whatever was needed that I could deliver from cleaning the bottom of the jump planes to cleaning the bathrooms. I did this at near minimum wage and that is where my nickname from Fang was born "Dave the Slave". I was given the oppourtunity to skydive and I plead with my parents to sign the waiver to let me do it. I finally got permission and then did a tandem with Fang. Shortly after I put almost every dollar I earned back to the company to do the AFF program. I made 52 jumps that year and learned a lot more from my time at the airport. My parents had to move and at 16 I did too. I finished high school in New Jersey and learned to fly. I found an airport to work at but only jumped on occasion. I went to Tulsa in 1991 to formailze my aircraft maintenance education. I made another 50 jumps around Tulsa while I was there and then found my way back to Flagler. I got to live my dream for a short time. On a perfect day I would fly the first load work on aircraft during the day and jump the last load. I left Flagler near the end of 1993 and jumped a few times into a NJ cow pasture in 1994. I became a responsible adult after I got married in 1996 and I have been persuing my aircraft maintenance career. My loving wife noticed when I spoke of skydiving how much I missed it and for Christmas 2007 she paid for me to get back in the air. After a refresher at the local DZ in Sebastian FL I was soon back in the air. I made 2 jumps at Sebastian and I hope to keep the momentum going. I am looking forward to my renewed interest in skydiving. I love the use of this new fangled internet and e-mail to keep abreast of what is going on. I hope to meet and skydive with new friends and most of all I hope to be reunited with my old friends. If I jumped with you in Flagler or Tulsa please send me a PM. If you know where Rocky Evans is let me know, He saved my life a few years back and he dosen't know it. I'll tell the story after I thank him personally. I'm looking forward to seeing y'all in freefall. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #2 February 11, 2008 Welcome to the forums! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
