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riggerrob

How many foreign countries have you jumped in?

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Canada
Mexico
Philippines
Japan
Okinawa

The picture is the Marine airfield on Ie Shima island (Okinawa). We would land about the middle of the runway, pack, and wait for the helo to pick us up for the next one. This is also the island where Ernie Pyle was killed.

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UK
Australia
UAE
Russia
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Switzerland
Netherlands
Spain
Ireland
South Africa
Namibia
USA

My most international jump: A few years back there were a couple boogies called “Island Boogie” where we took two Caravans (one with our luggage/bags and other with geared-up jumpers and flew, in formation, across the North Sea. Boarded at “Old Bucks” in UK and jumped/landed in Texel Island , Netherlands. Made for about an hour lift.

Seen some unique dropzones, but have to say best all-rounders for a fun day jumping – either Empuriabrava, Spain or Zephyrhills, Florida.
"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

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doog

I see you listed "West Germany" vice the current name. Was it at the Black Forest Club?



....................................................................................

Yes, I jumped with the Black Forest Parachute Club at Canadian Forces Base Baden.
I also jumped with the West Germany Army at Altenstadt.
I jumped with civilians in: Ampfing, Bad Tolz, Baden Baden, Freiberg, Kockertalle Bridge, Leutekirche, Saint Johan Im Tyrol, Schweighofen, Strassbourg and Texel. I was quite the jumping slut back in those days.

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jimjumper

Canada
Mexico
Philippines
Japan
Okinawa

The picture is the Marine airfield on Ie Shima island (Okinawa). We would land about the middle of the runway, pack, and wait for the helo to pick us up for the next one. This is also the island where Ernie Pyle was killed.



"Shima" means "Island." ;)

Too bad you couldn't hang around with the island det at the end of the jumping day. They have a really fine bunk house, and a great bar! B|
See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

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piisfish

US : Skydive Miami, where I started, Perris, Elsinore and Eloy
France : Montbéliard, Pontarlier, Vichy :)Italy : Casale Monferrato
Spain : Empuriabrava
South Africa : Pietermaritzburg, JSC in Carletonville
And home in Switzerland : with different clubs, at over 30 dropzones


scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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>Bad spot?

Brown Field circa 1995. Jump run was 1/3 of a mile from the border, and we usually paralleled it. Unless the winds were out of the south. Only a few people were allowed to spot, and no one was more fanatic about spotting than we were. "Call the cut at the powerlines?" "No, about a third of the way between the powerlines and the DZ. And you have to be flying at about a 20 degree angle to jump run because of the winds. Tell the pilot! And get a wind report."

Of course occasionally we'd get it wrong. On one famous jump run, the person spotting (an AFF JM who hadn't spotted very often) seemed like he was turning the plane a lot. He looked down, said "shit," then called the cut and told the first group to climb out. Apparently we were supposed to know that "shit" meant we were in Mexico. I had a student and didn't jump, but his AFF did. (Fortunately both student and instructors made it back.)

I got out in Mexico maybe 5 times, but always made it back under canopy. My (future) wife was on one of those loads and she got an open canopy but had a knotted brake line. She fussed with it for about 1000 feet and finally got it clear - at which point she noticed that she had been heading south the whole time. She landed in Mexico with no problems and headed back to the fence. A helpful kid showed her the holes where you could crawl through. She couldn't fit but passed her canopy through to the border patrol, who had driven up to see what was going on. The kid then showed her the place they had built a berm against the fence so you could walk up to the top. She climbed over and the border patrol helped her down.

A few weeks later we had a bad midair collision. The AFF JM who got hit had an AAD firing and landed in Mexico. She was pretty banged up - she could walk but couldn't use her arm, so getting her across the fence was a challenge. The border patrol pulled out all the stops to get her over; I think they were contemplating a helicopter rescue before they managed to heave her over the fence.

On another one of those one of the Navy guys (complete with a canopy that said NAVY) landed over there accidentally. His camera guy followed to get the shot. They took a few pictures. Some kids showed up. They took more pictures. Some adults showed up to see what the fuss was. The border patrol showed up and yelled "why don't you guys get back across the fence?"

Then the Federales showed up, and this guy realized he was a US active military member with a canopy that said "NAVY" who had just landed in Mexico without any sort of passport or ID. They took off for the fence. The Federales yelled at them to stop and gave chase. The border patrol jumped over the fence to help them over. Apparently someone pulled a gun. No shots were fired.

The next day, plastered over every free surface in the DZ, were signs that said "under no circumstances is anyone to land in Mexico ever again! We're serious! We will leave you there!" Spots improved for months after that.

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I've added all the DZs I can remember too - just because I could, and because I didn't have a very impressive list of countries. ;)

UK (foreign to all you foreigners) - Netheravon, Headcorn, Weston, Sibson, Tilstock, Peterlee, Langar, Middle Wallop, Cockerham, Ipswich, Cranfield, Hinton
USA - Tecumseh, Eloy, Z-Hills
France - La Ferté, Gap-Tallard
Spain - Empuriabrava, Seville, Lillo
UAE - Umm al-Quwain
Argentina - San Juan

Quite a few of those dropzones no longer exist!

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billvon

They took off for the fence. The Federales yelled at them to stop and gave chase. The border patrol jumped over the fence to help them over. Apparently someone pulled a gun. No shots were fired.



Federales McNasty
You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

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