skypuppy 1
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airdvr 197
While we're on the subject... 4 way chunk exit from a 182. As the jumper in the crotch is getting out his container opens and his PC goes over the leading edge of the wing. In the video you see the #2 jumper trying to make him aware then he's gone in an instant, over the leading edge of the wing. This puts the plane in a nasty spin but the pilot does a good job recovering. Leaves a nice sized dent in the leading edge. Jumper is unconscious at 10,500. Chest strap is shreaded but his only injury is a severely strained neck and back. I talked to him about it later and he said he could see the PC and bag, lines unstowing...his thoughts at that point..."this is really gonna hurt".
Older jumper in his 60's...had a habit of pulling his chest strap so tight his main lift webs were almost touching. 4 way dive...all zoomies (me included). I noticed when we got up to get ready Jack had the smell of liquid courage on his breath. Never saw him during freefall. When we landed we saw his canopy way high...6-7K. Never thought much of it...must have pulled high. This was the first time he had brought his wife to the DZ...I remeber her sitting in his car reading a book or something. About an hour after we landed she comes up and asks if anyone had seen him...here's what happened:
Jacl opened in a track and his chest strap shreaded. He did a front flip out of his harness and was hanging by his legs upside down at 7 grand. With no way to control the canopy it put its tail into the wind and headed west. Found the biggest tree in the woods...about 70 feet up. Jack told me later he was hanging there and it was hot so he tried to get out of his jumpsuit. In the process he fell about 15 feet upside down and broke his collarbone. When we noticed he was missing the 182 was sent up to search. When the fire department got there it had been about 2 hrs. They got a rope up to him. He put it around his shoulders and then fell out of the tree. The rope slipped up around his neck. His lips were blue and he was almost unconscious when they finally got his to the ground.
First dive of the day out a skyvan. No one had taped those nasty looking hooks that kept the rear door on. 4 way chunk exit. I was diving. On set I ran to the back and dove...into a sea of blue fabric and lines. The door hook got caught in a girls container and ripped it open on exit. In the vidoe you can actually see the canopy open for a split second in the plane as I dove into it. Managed to get myself free of the canopy only to look up and see the lines wrapped around this girl's neck. I watch her struggle. I'm helplees to do anythng as I'm about 15 feet below her. She finally gets the lines off and cuts away. I turned and dove to the formation
. Afterwards she has a 3" ring around her neck that is raw from the line burns.
Older jumper in his 60's...had a habit of pulling his chest strap so tight his main lift webs were almost touching. 4 way dive...all zoomies (me included). I noticed when we got up to get ready Jack had the smell of liquid courage on his breath. Never saw him during freefall. When we landed we saw his canopy way high...6-7K. Never thought much of it...must have pulled high. This was the first time he had brought his wife to the DZ...I remeber her sitting in his car reading a book or something. About an hour after we landed she comes up and asks if anyone had seen him...here's what happened:
Jacl opened in a track and his chest strap shreaded. He did a front flip out of his harness and was hanging by his legs upside down at 7 grand. With no way to control the canopy it put its tail into the wind and headed west. Found the biggest tree in the woods...about 70 feet up. Jack told me later he was hanging there and it was hot so he tried to get out of his jumpsuit. In the process he fell about 15 feet upside down and broke his collarbone. When we noticed he was missing the 182 was sent up to search. When the fire department got there it had been about 2 hrs. They got a rope up to him. He put it around his shoulders and then fell out of the tree. The rope slipped up around his neck. His lips were blue and he was almost unconscious when they finally got his to the ground.
First dive of the day out a skyvan. No one had taped those nasty looking hooks that kept the rear door on. 4 way chunk exit. I was diving. On set I ran to the back and dove...into a sea of blue fabric and lines. The door hook got caught in a girls container and ripped it open on exit. In the vidoe you can actually see the canopy open for a split second in the plane as I dove into it. Managed to get myself free of the canopy only to look up and see the lines wrapped around this girl's neck. I watch her struggle. I'm helplees to do anythng as I'm about 15 feet below her. She finally gets the lines off and cuts away. I turned and dove to the formation
. Afterwards she has a 3" ring around her neck that is raw from the line burns.Please don't dent the planet.
Destinations by Roxanne
Destinations by Roxanne
Back about 4 years ago at ZHills. We were on an 8 or 9 way RW dive. One was an older guy about 80. He had jumped with us before without a problem.
We exit the plane at 13.5 and build the formation. The older guy is now missing, and for the longest time no key is given for the second point. We break off and track, and after opening we see the older jumper under his reserve.
What happened: after exit, the older jumper ended up in a spin on his back, saying he was unable to get stable. The jumper had been directly behind me during his ordeal. I couldn't see what was going on but some of the others could (edited to add this). Finally, at about 8,000, he goes for his reserve and lands uneventfully. I never saw him after that and don't know if he is still jumping.
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We exit the plane at 13.5 and build the formation. The older guy is now missing, and for the longest time no key is given for the second point. We break off and track, and after opening we see the older jumper under his reserve.
What happened: after exit, the older jumper ended up in a spin on his back, saying he was unable to get stable. The jumper had been directly behind me during his ordeal. I couldn't see what was going on but some of the others could (edited to add this). Finally, at about 8,000, he goes for his reserve and lands uneventfully. I never saw him after that and don't know if he is still jumping.
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I don't drink during the day, so I don't know what it is about this airline. I keep falling out the door of the plane.
Harry, FB #4143
Harry, FB #4143
An...uh...Interesting and cute story
with a lesson...
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~
with a lesson...
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~
What would the lesson be?
The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!"
The Optimist says: "Sure it can!"
The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!"
The Optimist says: "Sure it can!"
QuoteWhat would the lesson be?
Quote
I'll leave that one for Sparky!
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~
wartload 0
Not all that scary, but ...
Some years ago I dropped by a DZ that I visited from time to time, but hadn't gotten up that way in over a year. Two guys were packed and ready when I got out of the car, so we decided to make that a load for the 170.
None of us knew each other, but I knew the pilot well. One of the other jumpers was from a university club--he and I decided to do a 2-way. The third was a visitor from the UK who just wanted just to make a solo freefall.
As we got to the plane, the college guy asked what licenses we had. I didn't have one, so he (with a B) announced that he would be jumpmaster. Ok, I thought ... and the pilot grinned at me. We got to 12,500, over a broken (generous use of the term) layer of clouds at about 6,000, and the pilot told college guy to open the door and see if he could see anything. He did, and the guy from the UK immediately left the plane.
College guy's face turned pale. I wiggled up to the door and there wasn't anything showing below but white. "Want me to spot this one?" I asked college guy, and he nodded. Through a crack in the clouds I luckily caught a quick glimpse of a drive-in movie screen that was pretty near the DZ, made a good guesstimate as to where the DZ should be and gave the pilot a slight correction (big fields, even if we were out a bit).
College guy and I got out, hooked up, and held it through the layer of clouds, then broke off and opened. The spot turned out to be (luckily) right on. We landed ok, as did the plane. The pilot and I were laughing about the "jumpmaster" looking so scared, and then we remembered the guy from the UK.
It was a definite "oh sh**!" situation. The DZ owner sent cars out in all directions, but couldn't find him. About 2 hours after the jump a local farmer showed up with our friend ... he'd planted his canopy in a tree, had to leave his whole rig there, lost his logbook, watch and altimeter climbing out of the tree and walking out of the woods. He found a road after over an hour of bumbling around in briars, but didn't have any clue where his gear had been left.
He wasn't at all happy. It turns out that he wasn't paying close attention and, when the pilot told college guy to open the door, he assumed that we were over the spot ... so he departed expertly.
I think that they spotted his canopy from the air a few days later and were able to get it back for him, but no sign of his other stuff.
Some years ago I dropped by a DZ that I visited from time to time, but hadn't gotten up that way in over a year. Two guys were packed and ready when I got out of the car, so we decided to make that a load for the 170.
None of us knew each other, but I knew the pilot well. One of the other jumpers was from a university club--he and I decided to do a 2-way. The third was a visitor from the UK who just wanted just to make a solo freefall.
As we got to the plane, the college guy asked what licenses we had. I didn't have one, so he (with a B) announced that he would be jumpmaster. Ok, I thought ... and the pilot grinned at me. We got to 12,500, over a broken (generous use of the term) layer of clouds at about 6,000, and the pilot told college guy to open the door and see if he could see anything. He did, and the guy from the UK immediately left the plane.
College guy's face turned pale. I wiggled up to the door and there wasn't anything showing below but white. "Want me to spot this one?" I asked college guy, and he nodded. Through a crack in the clouds I luckily caught a quick glimpse of a drive-in movie screen that was pretty near the DZ, made a good guesstimate as to where the DZ should be and gave the pilot a slight correction (big fields, even if we were out a bit).
College guy and I got out, hooked up, and held it through the layer of clouds, then broke off and opened. The spot turned out to be (luckily) right on. We landed ok, as did the plane. The pilot and I were laughing about the "jumpmaster" looking so scared, and then we remembered the guy from the UK.
It was a definite "oh sh**!" situation. The DZ owner sent cars out in all directions, but couldn't find him. About 2 hours after the jump a local farmer showed up with our friend ... he'd planted his canopy in a tree, had to leave his whole rig there, lost his logbook, watch and altimeter climbing out of the tree and walking out of the woods. He found a road after over an hour of bumbling around in briars, but didn't have any clue where his gear had been left.
He wasn't at all happy. It turns out that he wasn't paying close attention and, when the pilot told college guy to open the door, he assumed that we were over the spot ... so he departed expertly.
I think that they spotted his canopy from the air a few days later and were able to get it back for him, but no sign of his other stuff.
skybill 19
Hi Wart,
Lesson to be learned,"Leave your watch(don't need no stinkin' watch, look at the sun!) and wallet in the car. Carry a quarter (to call) or your cell phone. Put $20.00 with your reserve data card so whoever gets to your crater first at least gets a case of beer on you. (you're dead so what the ....)
Lesson to be learned,"Leave your watch(don't need no stinkin' watch, look at the sun!) and wallet in the car. Carry a quarter (to call) or your cell phone. Put $20.00 with your reserve data card so whoever gets to your crater first at least gets a case of beer on you. (you're dead so what the ....)
SCR-2034, SCS-680
III%,
Deli-out
III%,
Deli-out
skypuppy 1
Takes more than a 20 to buy a case of beer in Canada -- or are you talking US money?
If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone
skybill 19
Hi Pup,
Was thinkin' U.S. $ but as you say, like gasoline, the price of alcohol keeps going up!!!
Was thinkin' U.S. $ but as you say, like gasoline, the price of alcohol keeps going up!!!
SCR-2034, SCS-680
III%,
Deli-out
III%,
Deli-out
wartload 0
Good advice, but that was the pre-cell phone era and I don't think there was a pay phone in the county back then. On the other hand, a case of beer could be had for about $5...if you weren't picky ... and we weren't.
skybill 19
Hi wart,
Must have been like the early 60's or something. DIXIE BEER was $0.99/ 6pak so $4.00/case is about right. Gas was 29.9 cents/gal.!!!! 7500' was $3.50!!!!
Must have been like the early 60's or something. DIXIE BEER was $0.99/ 6pak so $4.00/case is about right. Gas was 29.9 cents/gal.!!!! 7500' was $3.50!!!!
SCR-2034, SCS-680
III%,
Deli-out
III%,
Deli-out
slug 1
QuoteHi wart,
Must have been like the early 60's or something. DIXIE BEER was $0.99/ 6pak so $4.00/case is about right. Gas was 29.9 cents/gal.!!!! 7500' was $3.50!!!!
Hi Folks
Compared to the increase in the cost of Jumping (gear, lift tickets etc) over the last 40 years, the relative cost of beer has gone down
![[:/]](/uploads/emoticons/dry.png "[:/]"){kind=small}
Who's buying the next round
R.I.P.
wartload 0
Actually, early 70s ... but gas and beer were still still pretty cheap. Stuff like Miller and PBR were $1.25 a 6 at the grocery store. Bud was $1.35 a 6. 7.500' was up to about $4.50 - 5.00 then.
The owner of the jump plane that our club used worked for a travelling evangelist* as a combination organ player and bus mechanic. About once a year they'd go out to "Fleece the Flock" in the western part of the country, leaving NC with cases of cheap cigarettes stacked up to the windowsills, and returning with Coors (then unavailable on the East coast). The Coors sold back in NC for the then-unheard-of $1 a can. (*The last I heard, this guy was still running a "church" out of his busses.)
The owner of the jump plane that our club used worked for a travelling evangelist* as a combination organ player and bus mechanic. About once a year they'd go out to "Fleece the Flock" in the western part of the country, leaving NC with cases of cheap cigarettes stacked up to the windowsills, and returning with Coors (then unavailable on the East coast). The Coors sold back in NC for the then-unheard-of $1 a can. (*The last I heard, this guy was still running a "church" out of his busses.)
Hell, well into the '80s you could still jump a Cessna (which is all most places had other than twin-bos) for a dollar per 1000 feet where I lived. My roomates and I would pitch in together at lunch everyday and buy a CASE of Old Millwauke at the PX for $3.85 in 1983. That was back when you could still have a "two beer lunch" in the Army. It was also back when they had titty dancers during lunch in the Yntema Club on Fort Bragg! It was very convenient being able to walk 100 feet from the HALO barn (and the SF Engineer committee) on Smokebomb Hill for a proper lunch in 1984.
Chuck
Chuck
Scary story: I worked at the Z-Hills commercial center in 1973-74. I believe this took place at the '74 Thanksgiving meet. Pop-Top reserves were popular at the time and the SST piggy back rig was popular as well using a pop-top style reserve container on the back.
Now, I owned a pop-top front mount before moving on to the Wonderhog when I went to work for Booth and I got very good at packing them. It follows that I was pretty good with the SST too...
As the meet got underway, a girl came into the loft with a SST rig and said "I hear you can pack these into more of a wedge shape than this and I'd like to have you do that for me." I said I could have it done in about an hour and she could just leave me the rig to which she replied ok and left. I inspected the outside of the rig and other than the reserve being "lumpy" looking, found no exterior problems so I proceeded to do the fish scale pull test I always do. The pull force was no issue, BUT... when the pilot chute took off to the end of it's bridle, I could see that this person would have died if she had needed her reserve, for there screaming out at me were four temporary pins complete with red flags still in the temorary closing loops! They had been neatly packed under the pilot chute and it's cap and could not be seen from outside. I looked at the packing card (she had been jumping this pack job for about a month) to see who the rigger was and realized he was on the dropzone.
I got the Master Rigger (Jeff Searles who also owned the center at the time) and the ASO (Jim Hooper) and we discussed the situation for a few minutes before calling in the rigger. When he came in, I asked him to look at the rig on the table and when he did, he actually turned completely white (I had never actually seen that before, only heard about it). He just looked at us and said "I've been having nightmares about where those temporaries were for a couple of weeks now..." I just said (I never really learned how to hold back) "Didn't you learn the first rule of packing? Count your tools when you start, count your tools when you finish, if the count's don't match, open the reserve back up!"
It was decided among us NOT to tell the jumper involved. I re-packed the reserve in the correct manor and she picked it up without further problems.
I don't think Jeff and Jim reported the incident (I left that to them of course). I don't know if that was good or bad, but I do believe that guy counted his tools from that day forward!
I have seen other scary things as a rigger, but that incident really re-enforced the reasoning behind some of the things Jeff had tought me in the riggers course.
-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519
Now, I owned a pop-top front mount before moving on to the Wonderhog when I went to work for Booth and I got very good at packing them. It follows that I was pretty good with the SST too...
As the meet got underway, a girl came into the loft with a SST rig and said "I hear you can pack these into more of a wedge shape than this and I'd like to have you do that for me." I said I could have it done in about an hour and she could just leave me the rig to which she replied ok and left. I inspected the outside of the rig and other than the reserve being "lumpy" looking, found no exterior problems so I proceeded to do the fish scale pull test I always do. The pull force was no issue, BUT... when the pilot chute took off to the end of it's bridle, I could see that this person would have died if she had needed her reserve, for there screaming out at me were four temporary pins complete with red flags still in the temorary closing loops! They had been neatly packed under the pilot chute and it's cap and could not be seen from outside. I looked at the packing card (she had been jumping this pack job for about a month) to see who the rigger was and realized he was on the dropzone.
I got the Master Rigger (Jeff Searles who also owned the center at the time) and the ASO (Jim Hooper) and we discussed the situation for a few minutes before calling in the rigger. When he came in, I asked him to look at the rig on the table and when he did, he actually turned completely white (I had never actually seen that before, only heard about it). He just looked at us and said "I've been having nightmares about where those temporaries were for a couple of weeks now..." I just said (I never really learned how to hold back) "Didn't you learn the first rule of packing? Count your tools when you start, count your tools when you finish, if the count's don't match, open the reserve back up!"
It was decided among us NOT to tell the jumper involved. I re-packed the reserve in the correct manor and she picked it up without further problems.
I don't think Jeff and Jim reported the incident (I left that to them of course). I don't know if that was good or bad, but I do believe that guy counted his tools from that day forward!
I have seen other scary things as a rigger, but that incident really re-enforced the reasoning behind some of the things Jeff had tought me in the riggers course.
-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519
efs4ever 3
I've had two different riggers leave packing tools in my tandem rig. Both of them realized the error of their ways after FINALLY counting their tools. 
Each of them contacted me immediately (like the next day...) and opened the rig up to get the tool. The first rigger GAVE me his trusty ole paddle. 
Each of them contacted me immediately (like the next day...) and opened the rig up to get the tool. The first rigger GAVE me his trusty ole paddle. Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com
BillyVance 34
QuoteHell, well into the '80s you could still jump a Cessna (which is all most places had other than twin-bos) for a dollar per 1000 feet where I lived. My roomates and I would pitch in together at lunch everyday and buy a CASE of Old Millwauke at the PX for $3.85 in 1983. That was back when you could still have a "two beer lunch" in the Army. It was also back when they had titty dancers during lunch in the Yntema Club on Fort Bragg! It was very convenient being able to walk 100 feet from the HALO barn (and the SF Engineer committee) on Smokebomb Hill for a proper lunch in 1984.
Chuck
Heck, I remember when it was $12 to 10K feet in the ol' C182 at my first home DZ in the mid 90's... and gas was still hovering around the $1.00 per gallon mark...
Your time still sounds a lot more fun though...
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban
QuoteI've had two different riggers leave packing tools in my tandem rig. Both of them realized the error of their ways after FINALLY counting their tools.
Paddles or Fids as we called them scare me a lot less than temporary pins, but at least the riggers were able to contact you. Back then, I think you contacted people by calling them at home, no cell phones, no email, etc. He realized his temporary pins were missing, but probably had no way to contact traveling jumpers on their way to Z-Hills for the annual Turkey meet. I'm just happy she wanted a streamlined pack job that particular day....
-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519
rehmwa 2
So for the temp pin story -
Do you think that rigger is now likely MORE careful and particular than an average rigger because of that incident?
or is he more of a risk because of the that incident?
I like to think it's the first, that this will hammer a lesson home more effectively than any number of speeches, etc.
(It's a matter of how he learns his lessons and owns up to the responsibility)
In other words, was it a good or a bad thing that he didn't lose his rating that day?
And that was the scariest story so far in this thread.
...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants
Do you think that rigger is now likely MORE careful and particular than an average rigger because of that incident?
or is he more of a risk because of the that incident?
I like to think it's the first, that this will hammer a lesson home more effectively than any number of speeches, etc.
(It's a matter of how he learns his lessons and owns up to the responsibility)
In other words, was it a good or a bad thing that he didn't lose his rating that day?
And that was the scariest story so far in this thread.
...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants
QuoteSo for the temp pin story -
Do you think that rigger is now likely MORE careful and particular than an average rigger because of that incident?
or is he more of a risk because of the that incident?
I like to think it's the first, that this will hammer a lesson home more effectively than any number of speeches, etc.
(It's a matter of how he learns his lessons and owns up to the responsibility)
In other words, was it a good or a bad thing that he didn't lose his rating that day?
And that was the scariest story so far in this thread.
Well, first off, this was 31 years ago, I don't even remember who the rigger was (nor would I say here). I think the odds he still rigs or jumps are low based on how many people I jumped with at the time are still jumping...
Personally, I think he learned his lesson right there. I have never seen the color leave someones face so fast and he looked like he'd just killed someone. I believe he was from Michigan as was the young lady, so I had no way to know anything more about him.
Rigging courses in those days were not structured much. There were a basic set of items that the FAA required you know, but I was tought to count my tools before and after by Jeff Searles, the master rigger who trained me, not by any requirement in the FAA documents or in Poynter's manual.
When I get a chance, I'll add my 2nd scariest riggers story.
-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519
Anyway I remember being in a biplane transitioning to a biside between 1500-1000 feet and watching one of our other pairs doing the same about 400 feet below us when - DANG! - wasn't that a hornet that just flew past in between us!
My buddy started to freak out a bit 'Did you see that?"
Well I'm not blind, but I think if he can see us he'll miss us and if he can't I doubt we can get out of the way anyway, so we might as well go on with the show.... So we did a downplane and got the hell out of there.
I think we got the horses ass award that day for being about 20 seconds late.....
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone
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