Quantum Leap Needs Help.

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

As you all know, Quantum Leap lost 4 family members, two students, our twin otter and some of our gear to a horrible plane crash on July 29, 2006. All that is left are the surviving family of jumpers, our combined inner strength, determination and hope. We still want to skydive and we still want to continue the legacy our brothers left behind.

Much is in the current works and is being done to keep Quantum Leap alive as a new corporation and to rename the Sullivan Regional Airport the Scott Cowan Regional Airport.

Unfortunately, the only thing standing in our way are the attorneys. Quantum Leap has everything it needs to barely stay afloat except what the attorneys have tied up.

Many staff members of Quantum Leap are willing to donate their time and skills to keep the operation running and we are going to try and make a go of it. One of our instructors has lined up a King Air airplane for us to jump out of and has agreed to pay for it out of his own pocket for a month to try and "Jump" start our DZ.

What we no longer have access to because they are tied up from the lawsuit are the Quantum Leap rigs. Many of us will try and retrieve Quantum Leap's gear from the thousands of dollars we have on account collectively as a whole. This is what is necessary to keep our DZ alive. So why am I writing you all this post? Because we desperately need at least two tandem rigs and four student rigs to generate the bare bones revenue necessary. This is where we are asking if there are any DZs, DZO's, gear manufacturers or anyone out there who is interested in helping Quantum Leap stay alive.

If there is anyone who would be willing to lend us tandem/student gear (for a short period of time), all of our tandem instructors are Vector rated and all of our tandem containers were Vector. If you are able to help we would so greatly appreciate it and please contact Jen O'Hara (NoShitThereIWas on DZ.com) at [email protected].

If you don't have any gear to lend but would like to make a donation to keeping Quantum Leap alive we again very much appreciate all of the help. Donations may be sent to:

Velocity Adventures
P.O. Box 11715
Clayton, MO 36105

Not only do we want to save Quantum Leap, we want to be up and fully running so we can grant Kimberly Dear's wish of taking her on her tandem skydive at Quantum Leap.

If a greenie would please make this a sticky it would also be much appreciated. Thank you all for all of your thoughts, love and words of encouragement in this very difficult time. It is times like this when I am amazed by the human spirit.

Blue skies.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[NWFlyer 2]

What about the "smaller" stuff like helmets, goggles, altis, frap hats, etc.? I'm sure there's lots of those around that people might be able to send along to help out as well.

Good luck! Your spirit is amazing in the face of all this darkness.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[JohnRich 4]

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What we no longer have access to because they are tied up from the lawsuit are the Quantum Leap rigs.

I hope you get back in the air again soon.

And I don't understand why the damned lawyers would cause parachute rigs to be seized, when the cause of the accident was the airplane...

[AggieDave 6]

If the rigs are owned under the same company that runs the DZ and owns the AC, then they may have them locked down for monitary possibilities.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[flygirl03 0]

jen, i heard about the petition for re-naming the airport.
how can those of us who were not there saturday, sign it?
has anyone set up an online petition?
can that maybe be done on QL's home page?

c

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
earthbound misfit

[popsjumper 2]

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...And I don't understand why the damned lawyers would cause parachute rigs to be seized, when the cause of the accident was the airplane...

Legal "shotgun" approach. Sue everybody, there's gotta be some $$$ somewhere.

Hey lawyer! You missed the ice cream man who stopped by!

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

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What about the "smaller" stuff like helmets, goggles, altis, frap hats, etc.? I'm sure there's lots of those around that people might be able to send along to help out as well.

Good luck! Your spirit is amazing in the face of all this darkness.

Thanks for all the PMs, ideas and responses so far. Yes we can use anything and everything. Like I said, we are starting over. All we have is a bunch of dedicated people determined to make it work, a ton of talent and leadership and an airplane. We are working diligently on all the rest.

Someone has PMed me about getting in touch with the manufacturers. That is also a great idea and I will work on that tomorrow.

To the best of my knowledge, anything of any monetary value will be tied up until the lawsuit goes away. If the lawsuit wasn't there, I think with the amount of $$$ our jump family has on account, we would have a strong go at getting the rigs right away. But we all know how attorneys work and we need to act fast if it is going to happen at all. That is why I am asking the skydiving community for help. Thanks

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[peanut4040 0]

I've got a vector student rig, NEEDS a "safe" main. I'm due to travel through in two weeks. I'll drop it off when I come. I want it back after the fight. Need an old timer to ensure it will be used "safely".

I DON'T NEEEED NO STINKING LAWYERRR

Its a good day to LIVE, why puck up a good thing.

There is no reply in aad section for. " hell no i would not put an AAD on my back"

[Gawain 0]

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To the best of my knowledge, anything of any monetary value will be tied up until the lawsuit goes away. If the lawsuit wasn't there, I think with the amount of $$$ our jump family has on account, we would have a strong go at getting the rigs right away. But we all know how attorneys work and we need to act fast if it is going to happen at all. That is why I am asking the skydiving community for help. Thanks

That brings up a question I have: Are donations sent to the address you noted at risk of legal action/seizure? I want to donate, but I don't want it to end up in some lawyer's ass fund.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

That is an excellent question. Before I explain I want to thank the greenie moderators for making this post a sticky.

Velocity Adventures is the new corporation opened by a guy named John Wall. John is a pilot, skydiver and instructor with some pretty affluent friends. He is the one who has stepped up to the plate to secure us a King Air. All he needs to do is make the call and a friend of his who his dad once helped out owns like 65 airplanes now.

Velocity Adventures is his corporation and has nothing to do with the old Quantum Leap so no, the greedy attorneys will not be able to touch any of that money. I think we may try and keep Quantum Leap's name by slightly modifying it. Maybe call it Quantum Leap's or Quantum Leap Skydiving. Quantum Leap is a physics term so whether we even have to change the name is questionable. I'm not really involved in any of those decisions.

John said the only thing we are lacking right now to get the operation running is gear. We don't need gear for experienced jumpers to jump but everyone knows experienced jumpers don't generate the revenue. He said if worse came to worse he would buy some student gear, but at this point he wants to spend as little as possible since he is already covering all the costs associated with the airplane.

He is working with the city of Sullivan to keep the new DZ at Sullivan Regional airport but if we are unable to, our fallback is Cuba.

If anyone had sent PMs to Kelly Hinson, Kelly is a bit overwhelmed right now dealing with much other business and cannot take on this task. I was misinformed about this so those of you who did PM Kelly, please PM me instead.

Although we appreciate people's desire to send anything, what we really need is student/tandem gear. IF someone had some to loan we would even consider renting it and paying something for it's use. However, that is what we will need to save for, we have no extra money right now to spend on things like goggles, helmets, altimeters, etc.

Our hope is that if we all pull together, we can continue QL under a similar name, everyone here is pitching in for nothing in return and maybe after this summer which only has a couple months left, we build enough of a cash reserve to make it a profitable venture next season and everyone can go back to taking a paycheck, etc.

If not, then we gave it a go, as best we could and know that we do have intelligent, capable people with some financial backup here to make this work but there just aren't enough of us at this point to support the gear too.

Thanks to everyone. If our new DZ survives it will be in part from all of your support and efforts. And I want to make clear that any gear we get is borrowed gear (unless you specify that you are giving it to us).

Thanks again to our skydiving community.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Another option is to bring in TMs that own their own gear.That would at least get the revenue started.


.

[ACMESkydiver 0]

Good luck. I'm sorry I have no gear that would work for you, but good luck.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[aaxman 0]

in 99 we lost ten in a plane crash. I know your pain. keep the faith... Ill check for some gear and see whats available. Cant make any promises but ill make the call...

[jumper410 0]

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Quote

...And I don't understand why the damned lawyers would cause parachute rigs to be seized, when the cause of the accident was the airplane...

Legal "shotgun" approach. Sue everybody, there's gotta be some $$$ somewhere.

Hey lawyer! You missed the ice cream man who stopped by!

this is the same SHITBAG, SLIMEFUCK lawyer that handled the lawsuit in the Grain Valley/Independence crash here in 1998. He made $9 mil off that $27 mil lawsuit. We have all paid for it through our insurance rates as Continental Engines settled out of court to avoid the risk of losing the case. FACT. it was the insurance company that made them settle as they have the final word on whether to settle or not. it would be nice to hear of this slimebag dead one day in my opinion.

[NoShitThereIWas 0]

Yes, I couldn't agree more. I find it a disgrace and a shame that just a few days after this accident while those of us who lost loved ones grieved, went to funerals, wakes, etc., suit had already been filed and those who are responsible for filing were thinking more about money during that period of time. The attorney has already made some incorrect comments and conclusions about the engines just to try and come up with a quick way to blame Pratt Whitney and name them in the suit. The attorney is speculating only and has not used any evidence associated with the NTSB's report. Immediately following this tragic accident the people who filed suit were thinking about deep pockets. It was before the grieving process really even had much time to sink in that people were thinking about $$$$$$$$$.

I have put some serious thought into following my mom's footsteps to practice law as a career. The only thing that has ever stopped me is to be seen as someone who makes their living like these slimeball attorneys.

Roy Bacon: "Elvises, light your fires."

Sting: "Be yourself no matter what they say."

[Dolph 0]

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I have put some serious thought into following my mom's footsteps to practice law as a career. The only thing that has ever stopped me is to be seen as someone who makes their living like these slimeball attorneys.

That's exactly why you should go into law. Fight those buggers on equal terms.

Unfortunately I cannot offer anything except my best wishes for success for you guys . Sounds like you're dedicated enough to pull it off on a dime and a shoe string, much respect for that.

Good luck in your endeavour!

[bloody_trauma 2]

perhaps times like these call for a fresh start, instead of modifying the name may haps you should rename it entirely and market it as something new, people in your immediate community watch the news and associate the current name with "plane crash"... i'm sure there are lots of talented digital graphics artists in this community who could help you design and market your "new" company, im pretty good with photo shop and know several manual artists here in my unit who can draw well, if you have any ideas for a logo or design jsut let me know and myself and buddies here in iraq will see what we can do

Fly it like you stole it

[JoeJ 0]

My dad called me from St. Louis about the crash. I'm so sorry to hear about it. You guys were great when I came through. I'm also sorry to hear about the attorny. he sounds like a scumbag who can rationalize damaging other people's lives to make money. the shotgun approach allows lawyers to ride their "client's" grief like a wave until it crashes. its bad for the economy and brings innovation to a screeching halt. in the long run, how can the US stay a world leader with a legal system that supports parasites?

Joe Jennings
http://www.skydive.com
http://www.skydive.tv

[zoobrothertom 5]

Joe, (& Jennifer) this is sad. After this, what should we do? The next time there's a fatality at the DZ, do we check with manifest to see if there was a non-skydiver on the plane. If so, should we then all grab a student rig and through it in our trunks?! At many DZs. the student rigs are leased or legally separated from the DZO. But, if a lawyer files suit, it would still be months before ownership is sorted out and the rigs returned/released.

Jennifer, I'm stuck over here in S. Korea. I don't practice in the States, but I did graduate law school. I wish I could help you guys *&%$ this parasite.

PM sent

____________________________________
I'm back in the USA!!