Scary stories from the old days?

[airtwardo 6]

Pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with an "alleged" jump into the University pool
(cant remember the exact list of injuires, but there were multipul limbs and such broken)
...or the "alleged" illegal jump into a homecoming game. Up until that time (naive me) always thought if they didn't catch you with your rig on you had got away clean.....didn't realize them fed. boys would actually hunt folks down!


***



I remember hearing about that...seems like I was in collge at the time too...

Southern Illinois was a lot more laid back...

Our school team always jumped into the football games, and I use to jump onto campus ALL the time, I lived just across the street.

Never had so much as a comment from anyone...
Might have been interesting though, my buddy flying me didn't have a pilots license!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[sfullerman 0]

Dont know if your school was the same...but for a few years people on the Univ. Skydive "team" could actually -letter- in that sport. So you would be sitting around campus and see a half a dozen dudes walking thru with letter jackets on. Two would be bowed up football players, maybe a couple of buff guys on the basketeball team......and then here comes two skinny hippies, shades, comfortably numb smiles, styling with a parachute guy emblem on the arm of their letter jacket (priceless!)

My apologies for draggin this off topic with all the talk of hippies and "alleged" illegal jumps. I'll try to
redeem myself next time and tell'ya the story 'bout how I had my 7th & 8th malfunctions...on the same jump. (pretty frickin scary ...for me anyhow!)

[airtwardo 6]

...here comes two skinny hippies, shades, comfortably numb smiles...

***

And a pull up cord in a belt loop of their faded cut-offs!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[sfullerman 0]

***

And a pull up cord in a belt loop of their faded cut-offs!

[airtwardo 6]

Single Most "Dangerous" Jump...


I've had my fair share of Scary jumps, but one comes to mind that I knew was dangerous before even boarding the aircraft.

We were scheduled to do a night pyro demonstration jump into downtown Atlanta. It was sponsored by "Bell South" for the "Golf Classic" tournament and was meant as promotional entertainment for the participants and staff of the match.

Bell South's CEO had an amusing idea that was in the planning stages for close to a year and was spending Boo-Coo Coin to make it happen.

He'd gotten the idea during the preceding tourney, when another demo team had opened the Golf Match by jumping on the course minutes before tee off.

He'd mentioned that he always wanted to make a parachute jump and that 'one of these days...'

We'd arrived several days early to assist with the pre production of his plan.

The big banquet was to be held in the penthouse of one of the downtown high rises. The tournament starting the morning after. On the last 'practice' day, the CEO was out on the links and stayed behind to supposedly "get in the back 9" and said he'd see everyone at the banquet.

A local news channel was of course covering every angle of the event, and was going along with and helping pull off our "gag".

We had to be there to help with the film that would be used, and it looked like a really cool promotion...not just for them but us as well.

The night of the party, everyone (almost) was in the huge penthouse...open bar... big screens on the walls showing Golf stuff and the games big stars being interviewed etc.
The camera cuts to the CEO...still on the links messing around when a "live" call comes to him on his cell...It's his assistant at the party, speaking from the podium, 45 minutes before dinner starts.

She's chastising him for running late, saying to stop 'playing for the news camera' and get back to the city and his guests.
Saying he realized he was running late, he'd already arranged for a "quick ride in".

Suddenly a chopper lands on the green and he,
with our assistance (arriving with the Helio) puts on a team jumpsuit and rig...climbs abroad and away we go!

All this was of course filmed a couple evenings earlier.


Cut to the day of the jump...

It's been severe weather for two days with thunderstorms moving into and out of the area every few hours. We pretty much had carte blanche from the city on the effort, and were using it to try to ensure success.
The landing area was to be the top of a five story parking garage, the ONLY area downtown even close to big enough for four of us to set down with the pyro.

During a lull in the weather the afternoon of the jump, we each went to the roof of a different high rise building surrounding the LZ and popped M-18's to get a general idea on what the winds were like with all the obstructions.

I'm standing 30 stories up watching all the different colors of smoke spin, dip & rise in a wind ballet that only served to widen the ever growing lump in my stomach. The only thought going through my head as I watched the patterns of smoke squirrel in every direction was....

~Fuckin' "Shorty" ...took the EASY way out, scratching off this one~

Referring to a long time friend and team member that had been scheduled for the demo, this but tragically... died scuba diving not long before.

We're geared up and waiting in the rain at a local airport for the rapidly approaching jump time, hoping for a window in the weather. With the amount of time and expense going into this we were going to make every possible effort to pull it off.

The appointed hour arrives and the rain has let up,
winds are marginal and the ceiling low...but we crank and taxi, if nothing else we can make a better decision over flying the site, since with the way the clouds are moving...there may be a workable hole over the city.

Our night pyro jumps are technically hairy enough with several types of hot 'explosives' strapped to each leg...as well as a heavy and cumbersome belly wart systems of steel cable, chains and even larger fireworks.
The usual performance exits at 5500' with only a short delay...opening high to get situated and organized then working to set everything off in a choreographed display. We all knew there was no possible way we would get that kind of altitude tonight, and had gone over a few possible contingencies that might work in this instance.

Mine...I thought, was the most viabale~

Jump out, pull silver and land as close to the bus station as I can, catching the first thing smokin' outta town!

Over the LZ the team leader is hanging out the door, ceiling is at 1500' broken with a solid layer a few hundred feet above...he looks back in at us and says, "I think we can do this, I'm going...follow me if you want.."

We set up on jump run right around 1500 feet, telling the pilot to firewall the throttle...at the team leaders signal, he is to stay on heading and pull back the yoke till the stall horn squeals and she starts to buffet!

Yours truly...being the biggest guy, is at the door...going first.

A short few seconds into the climb I roll out, basically throwing my pilot chute at the tail of the roaring 206 as I hit the wind stream. I'm in the saddle a touch under 2 grand listening to the sound of other canopies open as the pea soup thickens around me.
About this time I start thinking how this whole Golf playin' gig is starting to look REAL good as an alternative form of free time entertainment!

Leaving the brakes on and rear risering away from the sounds in front,
...I went on automatic pilot "Double Time"
...armed, deployed and set off the whole 80 pounds of fiery inventory strapped to me. Popping the brakes and doing a 180*, I have everything burning and am finally far enough below the shit to make out a few city blocks and draw a bead on the roof top LZ.

To say the approach in was 'bumpy' would qualify as one of the century's gross understatements! My total concentration was focused on the landing site and the position of the other jumpers. We usually tend to stagger our landings when we need to go into a tight area.

The pyro is still quite hot even 10 minutes after landing, and those down first need to clear it away so the following jumpers won't land on it. Concentration was broken momentarily when I heard the screams coming from behind the windows of the party we doing all this for as I flew past...

THAT'S how close to the building I was under canopy 1/2 block away from the obviously soon to be CROWED landing area.

Because of the low altitude, we were ALL going for the same place at the same time...and NOT from the same direction!

It was a scenario we'd discussed and the plan was to divide the rooftop into quadrants...and take the closest 1/4 to the respective line of flight. The bad part is...not only has your target gotten significantly smaller...it's even tighter than it looks because with almost 50 feet of cable below you...the jumper needs to be far enough past the edge lip of the structure so as not to foul the steel "tail" and go out of control.

With my best accuracy face on, I'm transfixed on an invisible point at least 1/2 way into my chosen quarter of the suddenly minuscule parking garage, trying to ignore the two other canopies approaching at the same altitude 90* on my right.

In 1/2 to 3/4 brakes...canopy still bumping and rocking all over from the vortices, I cleared the close wall of the building and seemed to be on an angle to auger in just a bit ahead of where I'd planned to...

The roof top was of course wet and slippery from all the rain, I was maybe 30 feet up and into my flare when I caught sight of another jumper sliding along the concrete in the section to my right...

Into a full flare...the old Excalibur 260 is in slow flight, wavering on a stall...but NOT DROPPING.
The expended pyro "tail" is dragging along...I can hear the chain slapping against the cement...but still I'm floating 10-15 feet up, chewing up precious runway like a Tomcat on a Flat Top!

Less than 50 feet from what WAS the far end of the building...I let go of the toggles
and grab double front risers...

I slammed down hard, the toes of my once polished jump boots being the first
point of contact, and getting destroyed in the process. The second point of contact
was my right shoulder, but only after I'd done a front flip over the deflating
nose dived nylon.

The sound of the metal pyro bracket on my leg grinding into the hard - wet surface
was almost deafening...

I'm on my side sliding, trying to get belly down...

~For Two Reasons~

One...
So I can claw with BOTH hands to stop the slide.

And Two...
I really don't wanna see the underside of the single iron rail as I slip underneath and go over the side!

Less than ten feet from the edge...I jerk to a sudden stop.

I get up to my knees and see one of Atlanta's Finest... A burley SWAT Team member,
standing there with a handful of Red, White & Blue F-111...
...looking at me in amazement.

He'd grabbed on as I rumbled by!

* Several of them we there to assist with security and our equipment.

"You Okay?" he asked...
My mouth was to dry to answer so I just nodded.

Still kneeling down because I figured I was shaking too much to stand just then,
I'd pulled the Q-R's on the leg brackets throwing them aside and was working
with vibrating hands on the helmet buckle...when this Fire Plug of a Cop, with forearms like Popeye,
pulls me up to my feet.

"NO FUCKING AMOUNT OF MONEY would get me to do THAT!" he said grinning at me.

"NO SHIT"...I answered, "You guys taking applications?!" I asked...


Half an hour later...

The jumpers and the CEO are standing at the bar in the banquet room.

All of us still in our jumpsuits, we walked in together, the CEO leading the way
since apparently to everyone there...he'd been with us on the load!

We touched glasses in a toast, the 'Boss' asking our team leader how long he would need
to practice before being ready to "Really" do a jump like that...?

We all just looked at each other and turned to the bartender...grateful it was an open bar~


..........And closing time was still four hours away!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mjosparky 3]

Great story Jim. And people ask why I do demos.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[loumeinhart 0]

not skydiving but -in the air old days:
back in the 20's a police officer took a ride in his buddys bi-plane in massillon, oh. Something happened and he slipped out but managed to grab and HOLD ON to the exhaust pipe until touchdown

[skycop 0]

HA!!!!!
Who said us cops don't have any sense!!!
Especially those of us who jump!
Great story!!!
Blue Skies

"Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!"

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

not skydiving but -in the air old days:
back in the 20's a police officer took a ride in his buddys bi-plane in massillon, oh. Something happened and he slipped out but managed to grab and HOLD ON to the exhaust pipe until touchdown

Not quite...but 'kinda' like this guy?

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[sfullerman 0]

Not quite...but 'kinda' like this guy?

[mark 102]

Quote

Not quite...but 'kinda' like this guy?

Isn't this guy just changing spark plugs on an endurance flight? IIRC, the in-flight refueling required flying low while a pick-up truck kept pace so fuel cans could be handed up. Do you have more pictures?

Mark

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Quote

Not quite...but 'kinda' like this guy?

Isn't this guy just changing spark plugs on an endurance flight? IIRC, the in-flight refueling required flying low while a pick-up truck kept pace so fuel cans could be handed up. Do you have more pictures?

Mark

***

Actually, that's one version I've heard...He'd have to be QUICK since the ole girl is comin down!

And sorry no, that's the only PIC of it I have...maybe someone else knows?!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[namgrunt 0]

not skydiveing related but its true

as a door gunner we used to step out on the skid of a huey while in flight and ease up to the ac door and knock ,the shocked expressions on new warrents faces were great ,of course that was when we were young and nothing was going to happon to ME.


got a wet rag and eased up on skid pretended to wash window

this at 4000 feet over the jungle I corp
viet-nam 1967

we also also heard of new gunners being pushed out while in flight ,of course we wore a harness with safety strap so you fell about 6 feet

hooah

..

59 YEARS,OVERWEIGHT,BALDIND,X-GRUNT
LAST MIL. JUMP VIET-NAM(QUAN-TRI)
www.dzmemories.com

[krkeenan 0]

Damn !!
That was one hell of a jump story.
Thanks.

Kevin K.

======================
Seasons don't fear the Reaper,
nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain...

[wartload 0]

Quote

Quote

Not quite...but 'kinda' like this guy?

Isn't this guy just changing spark plugs on an endurance flight? IIRC, the in-flight refueling required flying low while a pick-up truck kept pace so fuel cans could be handed up. Do you have more pictures?

Mark

No ... while there were several different endurance flight attempts, using various aircraft, I think that the one that you are thinking of (famous photos) was an Aeronca C-3.

The guy seen in the famous pic, changing the sparkplugs, had a little platform build around the engine of the Curtiss Robin. The pilot was Forrest O'Brine and Dale Jackson was the mechanic.

This one's a Piper J-3 Cub--one of the only planes that had a fold-up door allowing you to do this. Note that the photo's called "Air Start" and that the prop isn't turning. The plane didn't have an electric starter, and had to be "hand propped" (not the same as what some of you do). By leaning just a bit further forward the guy can flip the prop and get it spinning again, especially since the relative wind against it will help. The most common way to restart would be to get the nose pointed down ... speed builds up fast enough to get the prop spinning before long.

There's probably a pilot in the back (you usually fly a Cub from the back seat), holding the brakes so that the wheel doesn't turn while he's standing on it.

[sfullerman 0]

This is long....I appologize for that, but I've had 18 years to think about it...........(oh, and unlike the other stories I've posted, no one gets called -clithead- in this one)

It was a beautiful Oct afternoon (1986), I looked down at the pilotchute in the bellyband pocket for about the 10th time, before I climbed into the Cesna for the cramped ride to altitude. I was wearing borrowed gear, my rig was still at the house drying out from the weekend before. I had gone to Bridge Day and made
my first and only BASE jump...a four second delay, and then a really nice snivel,
put me in the middle of the New River. Truth be told, even without the snivel, I may not have tried for the tiny LZ and would'a still landed in the river. BUT, I digress.
I wasn't going to jump the rig without a reserve repack, and at that time we had no riggers in the area. There was no way I was going to miss making my 300th skydive that weekend , so I borrowed a student rig.I packed one with a ripcord, but just moments before the load went up, I traded with a guy who had packed one with a throwout...(soundtrack from JAWS begins playing) minutes later this would come back to bite me on the ass.

My brother and two other good friends went up with me,one of them wearing video. I was the star of the show. Bombed off the strut and just burned a hole in the sky while they closed on me. Lots-o-geek'n..really fun dive.....up to a point. We broke off around 2500ft
and a few seconds later I slow down to dump out...reach back for the leg mounted pilotchute thats, of course , not there. Oh yeah, borrowed gear...the little voice of reason in my head was saying "borrowed gear kills"...the adrenaline junkie in there told him to "shut TF up" I remembered the throwout was on the bellyband and went for it. It didn't budge. I checked again to make sure my air was still clear...saw two open kites, and my brother falling less than 50 yards away just watching me. Another tug on the pilotchute...it's not coming out. I'm falling thru 1200ft now and (in my head , the voice of reason is screaming like a little girl.....adrenaline junkie is yelling "ooowww low pull rock-n-rollllll!!") I figure (duh) it 's about time to give up on the main...come in with both hands and pull the single point cutaway and reserve handle...(when my brother saw me go for the reserve, he turned away and tossed out) I felt the kite come off my back, and for a moment relief flooded thru my body.....for a moment. I'm falling feet to earth still haulin ass. Looked up to see the reserve in full streamer mode. (a chilling site for those who haven't had the pleasure) I flung a boat load of cursewords at the malfunctioning kite, but just in case that wasn't gonna fix it by it self...I grabbed handfulls of lines and spread my arms trying to get air up into the canopy. IT WORKED! A second or two later I felt a numbingly hard opening shock, and relief again flooded thru my body.....for a moment. I looked up to see that the kite had exploded (26ft lopo) torn from the bottom to the top, and holes blown all thru it. Approximately a third of the material was left.
(at this point the voice of reason had fainted on the floor of my mind...all the adrenaline junkie could say was "shhhhhhhhit") I'm under a grand and ,obviously, coming down rapidly. Our cow pasture DZ was two fields totaling 103 acres, with a paved road up the middle. Where am I coming down? Well hell yeah, right over the ROAD! Crack..this is turning out ot be a total pain in the butt dive. I grab handfulls of lines and shake the mess over my head..after a little of that I'm falling over the pasture again. If I grabbed a line and moved it, I could get the torn material to catch air...inbetween those times the kite would go back into streamer mode. Looking over a shoulder I noticed a tree line...I knew those trees were about 50 ft high, so I figure if I keep an eye on them I'll know when I'm about 50ft off the deck.... After thinking about it later, I'm not sure what I thought i would do with that information...but it was a plan, and I needed something to hang onto at that point. I saw was going to land (hit? bounce?) about 30ft inside the fence line, I focused on the fence, and
a couple of moments before I thought I was going to contact the planet, I pulled my arms in, put my feet and legs together...and at the very last instant, I threw my self sideways trying my best to immolate
a PLF. I've been asked countless times how fast I was coming down....eyewitness accounts guess anywhere from 60-90mph....I dont know...I was a 230lb dude, with a third of a 26ft lopo over my head in streamer mode....it felt "hell'a fast"
My right foot hit first ..drove a hole in the ground around 6-8 inches deep (compound separation) my spine was compressed so hard that I crushed L-2 into a butt load of tiny pieces. A bone fragment from L-2 went into my spinal cord and did some nerve damage. This has caused me some daily hassles not everyone has to deal with, however, I wont complain. I am blessed in being able to still walk, and I could'a just as easly checked out that day.
Less than a month later, one of the friends on my last dive, died making a BASE jump........this sport has given me so much in the way of memories, life long friendships, love, thrills,emotional highs (uh safety meetings not included).........it has taken a lot from me too...but if I add it up, I'd have to go with a quote from a dear friend......"I love the way we live"

***side note*** after I was choppered out that day, instead of waiting on a rigger to examine the rig...some dufus went over and tried to get the pilotchute out of the pocket....he had to put his foot on the rig, and pull with both hands to finally get it out.

[jumpergirl 0]

I've always wondered about that story. I jumped in S'Port and I know you and your brother, among all of the others. I've heard things here and there, but reading it from you for the first time, gave me goosbumps and fills empty holes I've wondered about over the years.

Hope to see you at SkyFest!!

• Quote

[rainman 0]

All I can say is: Yikes!

No more calls....we have a winner!

Rainman

[airtwardo 6]

I hear by nominate thee into the respected ranks of R.O.L.L. and are to considered to be a member in good 'standing' and are granted all privileges of a life time member henceforth...




R.O.L.L. ~Royal Order of Living Lawndarts~




I hope we get to meet one of these days...I wanna rub yer head, maybe some of that luck will come off on ME!!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[markd_nscr986 0]

That scared me!!!!!!

One of the few to "bounce" and live!

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[sfullerman 0]

R.O.L.L. ~Royal Order of Living Lawndarts~ [Wink]
____________________________________________________
(makes his way to the front giving everyone the "homecoming queen wave"....and approaches the podium)

I gratefully accept this nomination into R.O.L.L. I would like to thank all the little people (I landed on) that made this possible!
(previously the only thing I've ever been awarded was a blue ribbon from my 4th grade teacher....inscribed on the ribbon was the fact that I had been voted
"Most likely to misspel my own name")
____________________________________________________
"I hope we get to meet one of these days...I wanna rub yer head, maybe some of that luck will come off on ME!! [Sly]"
____________________________________________________
From a previous conversation, I'm bettin we'd have plenty of skydive lies to swap....until then, I could send'ya a little chunk of one of the reserve lines...I kept the kite, and ya gotta figure it's got some good muju on it!

[Peej 0]

Holy hell! That was quite a story

What year did that take place?

OTOH, i'm glad to see this thread hasn't died though! Keep 'em coming guys.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[sfullerman 0]

It was October 1986.
__________________________________________________
"OTOH, i'm glad to see this thread hasn't died though!"
__________________________________________________
Me too bro.....I'm hoping someone will share another
story soon....I dont wanna get credit (blame) for killin a thread that's over two and a half years old!!!

[Peej 0]

Quote

It was October 1986.
__________________________________________________
"OTOH, i'm glad to see this thread hasn't died though!"
__________________________________________________
Me too bro.....I'm hoping someone will share another
story soon....I dont wanna get credit (blame) for killin a thread that's over two and a half years old!!!

Thanks!

I doubt you've killed it tho dude, that's my job

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[aj4218 0]

I've forgotten the detail but I'm sure another Brit jumper can fill in for me. There's an amazing story of an old time jumper, Bob Acraman (may have mis spelled) who was an instructor at a DZ in the south of England which ran 2 De Haviland Rapides back in the 70s. Bob had despatched his students and then did a freefall follow out and went through the fabric fuselage roof of the second Rapide which was below! He descended with the 2nd Rapide (obviously!) and I don't record his injuries, but he certainly survived it and jumped again.