wartload 0 #326 April 13, 2005 (A little prologue first) I learned to skydive at a club that was located on an airport in a rural area. They were a great bunch of people, but there wasn't any real incentive to instruct newcomers. I'd waited around all day for someone to have time for me, but it was too good a day for jumping. The sun was starting to go down so I risked bugging one of the guys to see if there was still a chance to learn that day. He gave me about 15-20 minutes of explanation as to how to steer the cheapo and how to do a cutaway/reserve deployment, then loaded me up for a sunset SL jump. It went fine, and I was back the next day for 3 more SL jumps. Everything went fine. The next weekend I did my last dummy ripcord pull, a couple of hop'n'pops, and a 10 sec delay. I asked my instructor (not at the time rated as an instructor, but he didn't have a pilot's license, either, and he was a great jump pilot) what I needed to do about freefall. He concluded that I'd done fine up to that point, and that I'd gotten to the point where distance didn't matter all that much. The next load was going to 7,500 and there was room for one more. I might as well get on that one and see what freefall was like ... so I did. I didn't have an altimeter, but one of the other guys had just been loaned a new wrist-mounted altimeter to field test how it worked. Everyone else was using big aircraft altimeters, mounted on the reserve bungees, so this was an honor. The best thing was that I didn't really have to read any numbers ... just watch for the needle to get to the red zone. The exit was a basic student departure. The spot happened to be directly over "the numbers" at the far end of the runway. I fell flat and stable, alternating between checking the needle on the altimeter and looking at the scenery. It was really cool. Time seemed to stand still. The needle on that new type of altimeter wasn't getting close to the red area nearly as fast as I thought it would. It was still 'way up in the white area when I glanced down and saw the numbers on the runway suddenly getting *very* big, so I punched the ripcord without thinking about it. The canopy opened. I got turned almost into the wind and did a PLF on the end of the paved runway. Then I gathered up all of my stuff and had to walk almost a half mile back to where the clubhouse was, but I had a big grin on my face all the way there. The guy who loaned me the altimeter met me about 200 feet from where everyone else was standing. When I got to where he could hear me, I said, "This freefall stuff is GREAT!" "You liked that, did you?" "YEAH!" "I think you liked it a little too much! Why'd you pull so low?" "Well, I was waiting for the altimeter needle to get to the red, but it never did, so I pulled when I saw the ground coming up at me." The guy looked at the altimeter. The needle was just then touching the edge of the red area. It was an "Aww SH**!!!" sort of moment -- the face had managed to somehow lift up and rotate 90 degrees in the case while I was in freefall. I'm not sure how that happened, because I didn't get to look at the altimeter again before it went back to the manufacturer, but the design was modified before they went onto the market. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alw 0 #327 April 14, 2005 I used to make some demo jumps in the old days. Anyone with more than a hundred jumps and a para-commander was usually invited. Well anyhow after a 25 year lay off I started jumping again. Quote I 've been readin and enjoyin but I couldn't bring myself to post till I read this. I spent some time in a government position in the 60's and 70's. Couldn't really call it skydiving - just doing what UPS does today - delivering the mail (me mail). I got started in sport jumping in Idaho Falls (The Tiki Room) in '75 but new nonskid on the 182 strut took a layer of skin off my arm the day my new wife made her wuffo debut and my blood and the fact that our JM broke his leg in front of her was her scariest and my last day of jumping. 30 years later she gave me a ballon ride coupon with a skydiver and a paraglider on it and went home to visit her mother. Figuring at this age I could claim I forgot the "never again promise", I re-zeroed the log book, figured what the heck and headed for the DZ. These young guys are pretty patient with an old man and the gear is the balls! - so I'll share my scary story (and it wasn't when my wife got home from her mother's) Circa 1968 somewhere hot and humid - I'm headed for a pre-dawn twilight SO. Just like well manicured stadium grass, elephant grass is hard to judge. Treat it like water - right? I end up on my chin in the tall tall grass - not so scary. When my ears stopped ringing I could hear a hiss like an air hose leak at Dobber's filling station back home. Another second and my vision cleared enough to actually focus on the cobra that might have been 10 feet away but looked like it was in my face. Now that's scary. After getting up and being yanked back on my ass trying to run away in harness I did an adrenaline induced cutaway then made an orderly and dignified exit (sort of). --------------------------------------------- Every day is a bonus - every night is an adventure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybill 19 #328 April 14, 2005 Hey Wart, How did it feel to be a "Test Jumper" and you weren't even on the payroll!!!???SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wartload 0 #329 April 14, 2005 Didn't really think about it that way at the time. I'm sure that you did the same kinda stuff and didn't think of it that way, either Looking out the rear window, through 35 years of the haze that time creates, we did stuff that was clearly unsafe and stupid. The thing is, that we weren't looking at it through the rear window then. Life was right in front of the windshield for us, and we figured that the rigs we were jumping were about as safe as they could possibly get ... there was just a little room for improved performance. I've still got my first "high performance" rig and plan to post some pics of it when I can get to it. It was a very early Security pig rig that had a lead stop on the ripcord, a gravel protectors on the ripcord housing ends, an "aftermarket" jeeziz string (or "oh sh**! cord), blast handle, no AOD (AAD ... they were scarce and expensive), etc. Compared to the stuff today, it might seem like a death rig, but it was pretty cool stuff at the time. The safety of today was learned from the lessons of back then ... and before. There were some military guys who worked at the rigger's shack on a base about 2 hours' fast drive away from the club where I learned to jump. They'd show up with a trunk full of "damaged" canopies that had officially been destroyed (some had a dirt smudge on them, or a small burn, etc.). They'd haul them out, take what looked like a pair of long carpet shears to them, and start cutting out panels ... just to see what various sorts of patterns performed like. I don't recall very many malfunctions, even on that sort of stuff, but people always seemed to assume that they were going to have a 'function before too long, and I think they were much better prepared for one when it happened. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Ashtanga 0 #330 April 14, 2005 This is a story I heard from an old schooler. His son packed tandems at a dz and he came to visit. I do not know if this actually could happen? I never wanted to try it to find out. Said old timer made a few jumps one day. Last jump of the day he landed off and was waiting for someone to pick him up. Decided to daisy chain his lines and close the rig since it was the last jump of the day. The dz came and picked him up and he went back to the hanger and had a few beers and went home. His gear sat at home all week... Saturday morning he went out to the dz and there was a 10 minute call. He wanted to get on the load that was being planned so he got on it. They geared up, went out and got on the plane. Up to altitude and out they went. Had a good dive, he tracked away... As he deployed he watched as his lines became undaisychained rather akwardly above him. He forgot that he daisy chained his lines and closed the bag the previous weekend! He said he had some line twists but it opened and he landed the canopy! I laughed really hard when I heard that story. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wartload 0 #331 April 15, 2005 I think that would be brutal on the lines! I guess that it's possibly a true story, but I didn't know anyone who'd close the container completely when the lines were just daisey chained. You'd just hook a couple of bungees across with thestuff hanging out and clearly visible. The group that I mainly jumped with for awhile got to the point that we decided a sloppy pack on a PC would open as reliably as a good one, so long as the lines were stowed reasonably cleanly and there was a clear "tunnel" of at least four feet. I never saw a malfunction on a "trash pack" job like that, and you could do one in about 10 minutes, vs about 30. The rate of small friction burns on canopies probably increased, though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mccurley 0 #332 April 15, 2005 I remember when I started in the early 70s a story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines and it worked good enough that he did a few more times just to show off.Watch my video Fat Women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wmw999 2,123 #333 April 15, 2005 Quotea story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines I used to tell my FJC students that it stood a better than 85% chance of opening that way, and that it was a standard Army jumpmaster trick. I had no idea how true it was (other than that it really is not bad -- if the lines come out at all they should be fine -- remember a T10 has a shitload of over-engineered lines). But it sounded good, and no student ever contradicted me Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mjosparky 3 #334 April 15, 2005 QuoteQuotea story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines I used to tell my FJC students that it stood a better than 85% chance of opening that way, and that it was a standard Army jumpmaster trick. I had no idea how true it was (other than that it really is not bad -- if the lines come out at all they should be fine -- remember a T10 has a shitload of over-engineered lines). But it sounded good, and no student ever contradicted me Wendy W. Sometime around 1980/81 I did it with a 7TU and a Staters Bros. bag. I jumper out tore the bag all to hell and the daisy chained lines beat the crap out of me as they deployed. Ended up with a split lip and a bloody nose. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jonstark 8 #335 April 15, 2005 I used to throw three static liners from our 182 with a student harness and a belly wart on then have the pilot go around for another jumprun. While he was going around I would take a Piggly-Wiggly bag from under his seat that had a cheapo S-folded into it with the risers taped to the outside. I'd then climb out with my back to the strut and the bag in a bear hug, hop off and pitch the bag out in front of me. Did it half a dozen times. Good visuals. I had a gutted cheapo (550 innards removed form the canopy from skirt apex). That one opened real weird! Like it was in a lava lamp. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mjosparky 3 #336 April 15, 2005 QuoteI had a gutted cheapo (550 innards removed form the canopy from skirt apex). That one opened real weird! Like it was in a lava lamp. Dave Barr used to jump a gutted 7TU and from above it looked like a jelly fish. Scary. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wartload 0 #337 April 15, 2005 QuoteI remember when I started in the early 70s a story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines and it worked good enough that he did a few more times just to show off. I won't say who actually did that, but I think that if you could locate Pete ("PC") Luter, Jerry Warren, Claude Paramore, Freddy Shaw, (or the late Fred Irwin), one of them could give you the details. I'm pretty sure that the objective was to film a malfunction, and they finally had to tie all the suspension lines together at the skirt. It was the only way to keep the cheap-o from opening. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rehmwa 2 #338 April 15, 2005 QuoteI'm pretty sure that the objective was to film a malfunction, and they finally had to tie all the suspension lines together at the skirt. It was the only way to keep the cheap-o from opening. Same experience at my old DZ - we couldn't pay to get a malfunction no matter what and finally tied up the canopy to get the vids. The old docile canopies really WANT to open. ... 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Niki1 1 #339 April 16, 2005 It was Paul Poppenhager (sp?) at Indiantown out of a Lodestar. Seems like the blue one from New York owned by Bob Sweet. Tom Plonka asked the jumpers on the DZ with the most jumps if they wanted to go on Pop's 3,000th. Most said yes even though it was only to 3,500 ft and kind of windy. Poppenhager spoted the load and started putting people out before the plane even reached the WDI. Over half the load gets out when Poppenhager jumps in line and out the door and starts tracking upwind (line of flight). The next jumper out sees this and thinks, "I'll get a hook-up with Pop on his 3,000th" Well, this guy gives up at 1,200 ft. Poppenhager saddles out about 300 ft. He holds for a bit, then turns 180 for an accuracy run and gets the disk (or pretty close) Very good on the skill level but pretty tacky on the personal level.Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites murps2000 86 #340 April 16, 2005 Locust Grove, GA. Skydive Green County. Jumper committing suicide tracked toward the pit and overshot. He then turned around and tried again but hit about 10 feet shy and bounced over the pit. He left a perfect delta crater. We would go out to it from time to time and have a safety meeting dontcha know. The crater was often refurbished by foot skuffing and some rock salt. The DZ dawg got the tasty treat of the deceased's brain matter. circa 1980-ish?*** I heard about this years ago, and always wanted to believe it was true. So "Brain-eater" the dog was real... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jbrasher 0 #341 April 17, 2005 The way I heard this story was hat he eventually daisy chained the line backward and they didn't open. Red, White and Blue Skies, John T. Brasher D-5166 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybill 19 #342 April 18, 2005 Hi Mike, Here's a twist on the "jelly fish" cheap-po. Back in 65, Ben Seal took Leon Riche's PC and measured all the cuts and noted them on a drawing. Then he took an old cheap-po he had and proceeded to make a cheap-po/PC out of it complete with pulled down apex and crown lines. Wallah! The "Sky Hook!" It flew like a slow PC and the landings were tip-toe!!! I put a dozen or so jumps on it before I went into the Navy. Fun!!!SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyclearjohn 0 #343 April 18, 2005 QuoteLocust Grove, GA. Skydive Green County. Jumper committing suicide tracked toward the pit and overshot. He then turned around and tried again but hit about 10 feet shy and bounced over the pit. He left a perfect delta crater. We would go out to it from time to time and have a safety meeting dontcha know. The crater was often refurbished by foot skuffing and some rock salt. The DZ dawg got the tasty treat of the deceased's brain matter. circa 1980-ish?*** I heard about this years ago, and always wanted to believe it was true. So "Brain-eater" the dog was real... The story is true and the dog's name was 'Lopo'. John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nitrochute 2 #344 April 18, 2005 that mite work on a square canopy but , i know of 1 fatality where it was actually done to a round reserve and the last part of the daisy chain did not come out. unfortunately it was near the skirt .in fact "back in the day"(early 70's) somebody tried to patent daisy chaining the lines as a reefing system for squares. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airtwardo 6 #345 April 18, 2005 Quote Back in 65, Ben Seal took Leon Riche's PC... *** ...So a couple years ago... I'm taking the kids horseback riding here in the Houston area. A place we've been to many times, but it's a busy day so this 'old biker' dude says he'll be trail lead since the 'usual' girl is busy. I'm thinking ...old biker dude....kids in the woods... "Think I'll tag along" Five minutes into it....Leon Riche & I are became 'fast friends' Couldn't believe how we knew the same people... "Spike" and I still email at least once a week... neat guy! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jonstark 8 #346 April 18, 2005 This thread is about scarey stories of the old days. Leon definatley qualifies! All dogs must leon riche. Wonder how the other Coon-asses are? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybill 19 #347 April 19, 2005 Hey Jon!! So where is Leon?? If he ain't postin here he needs to be!! He has too many storys to be told!! I still have the book with "All" the minutes from the meetings of "Southland Skydivers, Inc." I was the secretary of the club for most of the last half of it's exisance.SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airtwardo 6 #348 April 19, 2005 QuoteHey Jon!! So where is Leon?? If he ain't postin here he needs to be!! He has too many storys to be told!! I still have the book with "All" the minutes from the meetings of "Southland Skydivers, Inc." I was the secretary of the club for most of the last half of it's exisance. Quote Bill~ I just got an Email from "Spike" this morning... He's here in Texas...but will be moving to Missouri shortly... I'll PM you his current Email...but ya better use it QUICK! Spike says where he's goin' they'll be no power or water for a while! Edited to add: He SHOULD be posting here...he's a great writer, He sent me a day by day diary of a motorcycle trip he and his new bride took a couple years ago... Should have been a book in itself! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skyhpp 0 #349 April 19, 2005 Round about 1980 I met Dave Barr - a skydiver who had lost both legs in a landmine incident, and only started civilian skydiving after losing his legs! He jumped with prosthetics and quite rightly became quite a legend here in South Africa. Initially he used to jump with a super-size main canopy, landing mostly on his butt - later on he downsized and did many stand-up landings. His attitude was inspirational- he was hard as nails, and would not let anything deter him from achieving his ambitions. At a boogie one year one of his legs became detatched in free-fall, eventually landing in a suburb next to the dropzone. Noticing Dave's predicament, the jumpers at the boogie held an impromtu collection, and presented Dave with a sizeable donation towards a new artificial leg. Understandably he was very appreciative and touched by the gesture. Just then, one of the locals walked in with his false leg - they had found it in a garden, and put one and one together and brought it to the DZ. Dave's reaction was classic - he took the money that had been collected for him, put it on the bar counter, and declared "free beer for everyone!" He also used to ride a Harley - one day the bike fell over, trapping one of his legs underneath - Dave was cursing much better, trying to free himself when someone came to help him -the guy nearly fainted when Dave ripped the leg out from underneath the bike and threw it aside! Courage, determination, guts, and attitude - Dave Barr had it all! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mjosparky 3 #350 April 19, 2005 QuoteHe also used to ride a Harley - Dave still rides a Harley. In fact he has ridden it around the world on one trip, around Australia on another and then rode from the Atlantic cost in France to the Pacific coast in Siberia. And the last one was during the winter. He has written 2 books about his trips, Riding the Edge about the trip around the world and Riding the Ice about the trip through the Siberian winter. I rig for him and we have lunch every so often. He is still tough as nails and one of those rare people you feel lucky to meet. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Next Page 14 of 61 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 1 1
skybill 19 #328 April 14, 2005 Hey Wart, How did it feel to be a "Test Jumper" and you weren't even on the payroll!!!???SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wartload 0 #329 April 14, 2005 Didn't really think about it that way at the time. I'm sure that you did the same kinda stuff and didn't think of it that way, either Looking out the rear window, through 35 years of the haze that time creates, we did stuff that was clearly unsafe and stupid. The thing is, that we weren't looking at it through the rear window then. Life was right in front of the windshield for us, and we figured that the rigs we were jumping were about as safe as they could possibly get ... there was just a little room for improved performance. I've still got my first "high performance" rig and plan to post some pics of it when I can get to it. It was a very early Security pig rig that had a lead stop on the ripcord, a gravel protectors on the ripcord housing ends, an "aftermarket" jeeziz string (or "oh sh**! cord), blast handle, no AOD (AAD ... they were scarce and expensive), etc. Compared to the stuff today, it might seem like a death rig, but it was pretty cool stuff at the time. The safety of today was learned from the lessons of back then ... and before. There were some military guys who worked at the rigger's shack on a base about 2 hours' fast drive away from the club where I learned to jump. They'd show up with a trunk full of "damaged" canopies that had officially been destroyed (some had a dirt smudge on them, or a small burn, etc.). They'd haul them out, take what looked like a pair of long carpet shears to them, and start cutting out panels ... just to see what various sorts of patterns performed like. I don't recall very many malfunctions, even on that sort of stuff, but people always seemed to assume that they were going to have a 'function before too long, and I think they were much better prepared for one when it happened. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ashtanga 0 #330 April 14, 2005 This is a story I heard from an old schooler. His son packed tandems at a dz and he came to visit. I do not know if this actually could happen? I never wanted to try it to find out. Said old timer made a few jumps one day. Last jump of the day he landed off and was waiting for someone to pick him up. Decided to daisy chain his lines and close the rig since it was the last jump of the day. The dz came and picked him up and he went back to the hanger and had a few beers and went home. His gear sat at home all week... Saturday morning he went out to the dz and there was a 10 minute call. He wanted to get on the load that was being planned so he got on it. They geared up, went out and got on the plane. Up to altitude and out they went. Had a good dive, he tracked away... As he deployed he watched as his lines became undaisychained rather akwardly above him. He forgot that he daisy chained his lines and closed the bag the previous weekend! He said he had some line twists but it opened and he landed the canopy! I laughed really hard when I heard that story. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wartload 0 #331 April 15, 2005 I think that would be brutal on the lines! I guess that it's possibly a true story, but I didn't know anyone who'd close the container completely when the lines were just daisey chained. You'd just hook a couple of bungees across with thestuff hanging out and clearly visible. The group that I mainly jumped with for awhile got to the point that we decided a sloppy pack on a PC would open as reliably as a good one, so long as the lines were stowed reasonably cleanly and there was a clear "tunnel" of at least four feet. I never saw a malfunction on a "trash pack" job like that, and you could do one in about 10 minutes, vs about 30. The rate of small friction burns on canopies probably increased, though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccurley 0 #332 April 15, 2005 I remember when I started in the early 70s a story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines and it worked good enough that he did a few more times just to show off.Watch my video Fat Women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,123 #333 April 15, 2005 Quotea story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines I used to tell my FJC students that it stood a better than 85% chance of opening that way, and that it was a standard Army jumpmaster trick. I had no idea how true it was (other than that it really is not bad -- if the lines come out at all they should be fine -- remember a T10 has a shitload of over-engineered lines). But it sounded good, and no student ever contradicted me Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #334 April 15, 2005 QuoteQuotea story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines I used to tell my FJC students that it stood a better than 85% chance of opening that way, and that it was a standard Army jumpmaster trick. I had no idea how true it was (other than that it really is not bad -- if the lines come out at all they should be fine -- remember a T10 has a shitload of over-engineered lines). But it sounded good, and no student ever contradicted me Wendy W. Sometime around 1980/81 I did it with a 7TU and a Staters Bros. bag. I jumper out tore the bag all to hell and the daisy chained lines beat the crap out of me as they deployed. Ended up with a split lip and a bloody nose. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonstark 8 #335 April 15, 2005 I used to throw three static liners from our 182 with a student harness and a belly wart on then have the pilot go around for another jumprun. While he was going around I would take a Piggly-Wiggly bag from under his seat that had a cheapo S-folded into it with the risers taped to the outside. I'd then climb out with my back to the strut and the bag in a bear hug, hop off and pitch the bag out in front of me. Did it half a dozen times. Good visuals. I had a gutted cheapo (550 innards removed form the canopy from skirt apex). That one opened real weird! Like it was in a lava lamp. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #336 April 15, 2005 QuoteI had a gutted cheapo (550 innards removed form the canopy from skirt apex). That one opened real weird! Like it was in a lava lamp. Dave Barr used to jump a gutted 7TU and from above it looked like a jelly fish. Scary. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wartload 0 #337 April 15, 2005 QuoteI remember when I started in the early 70s a story about a guy to prove point took a cheapo up, stuffed in a paper bag with daisy chained lines and it worked good enough that he did a few more times just to show off. I won't say who actually did that, but I think that if you could locate Pete ("PC") Luter, Jerry Warren, Claude Paramore, Freddy Shaw, (or the late Fred Irwin), one of them could give you the details. I'm pretty sure that the objective was to film a malfunction, and they finally had to tie all the suspension lines together at the skirt. It was the only way to keep the cheap-o from opening. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #338 April 15, 2005 QuoteI'm pretty sure that the objective was to film a malfunction, and they finally had to tie all the suspension lines together at the skirt. It was the only way to keep the cheap-o from opening. Same experience at my old DZ - we couldn't pay to get a malfunction no matter what and finally tied up the canopy to get the vids. The old docile canopies really WANT to open. ... 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Niki1 1 #339 April 16, 2005 It was Paul Poppenhager (sp?) at Indiantown out of a Lodestar. Seems like the blue one from New York owned by Bob Sweet. Tom Plonka asked the jumpers on the DZ with the most jumps if they wanted to go on Pop's 3,000th. Most said yes even though it was only to 3,500 ft and kind of windy. Poppenhager spoted the load and started putting people out before the plane even reached the WDI. Over half the load gets out when Poppenhager jumps in line and out the door and starts tracking upwind (line of flight). The next jumper out sees this and thinks, "I'll get a hook-up with Pop on his 3,000th" Well, this guy gives up at 1,200 ft. Poppenhager saddles out about 300 ft. He holds for a bit, then turns 180 for an accuracy run and gets the disk (or pretty close) Very good on the skill level but pretty tacky on the personal level.Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done. Louis D Brandeis Where are we going and why are we in this basket? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
murps2000 86 #340 April 16, 2005 Locust Grove, GA. Skydive Green County. Jumper committing suicide tracked toward the pit and overshot. He then turned around and tried again but hit about 10 feet shy and bounced over the pit. He left a perfect delta crater. We would go out to it from time to time and have a safety meeting dontcha know. The crater was often refurbished by foot skuffing and some rock salt. The DZ dawg got the tasty treat of the deceased's brain matter. circa 1980-ish?*** I heard about this years ago, and always wanted to believe it was true. So "Brain-eater" the dog was real... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbrasher 0 #341 April 17, 2005 The way I heard this story was hat he eventually daisy chained the line backward and they didn't open. Red, White and Blue Skies, John T. Brasher D-5166 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybill 19 #342 April 18, 2005 Hi Mike, Here's a twist on the "jelly fish" cheap-po. Back in 65, Ben Seal took Leon Riche's PC and measured all the cuts and noted them on a drawing. Then he took an old cheap-po he had and proceeded to make a cheap-po/PC out of it complete with pulled down apex and crown lines. Wallah! The "Sky Hook!" It flew like a slow PC and the landings were tip-toe!!! I put a dozen or so jumps on it before I went into the Navy. Fun!!!SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyclearjohn 0 #343 April 18, 2005 QuoteLocust Grove, GA. Skydive Green County. Jumper committing suicide tracked toward the pit and overshot. He then turned around and tried again but hit about 10 feet shy and bounced over the pit. He left a perfect delta crater. We would go out to it from time to time and have a safety meeting dontcha know. The crater was often refurbished by foot skuffing and some rock salt. The DZ dawg got the tasty treat of the deceased's brain matter. circa 1980-ish?*** I heard about this years ago, and always wanted to believe it was true. So "Brain-eater" the dog was real... The story is true and the dog's name was 'Lopo'. John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nitrochute 2 #344 April 18, 2005 that mite work on a square canopy but , i know of 1 fatality where it was actually done to a round reserve and the last part of the daisy chain did not come out. unfortunately it was near the skirt .in fact "back in the day"(early 70's) somebody tried to patent daisy chaining the lines as a reefing system for squares. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #345 April 18, 2005 Quote Back in 65, Ben Seal took Leon Riche's PC... *** ...So a couple years ago... I'm taking the kids horseback riding here in the Houston area. A place we've been to many times, but it's a busy day so this 'old biker' dude says he'll be trail lead since the 'usual' girl is busy. I'm thinking ...old biker dude....kids in the woods... "Think I'll tag along" Five minutes into it....Leon Riche & I are became 'fast friends' Couldn't believe how we knew the same people... "Spike" and I still email at least once a week... neat guy! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonstark 8 #346 April 18, 2005 This thread is about scarey stories of the old days. Leon definatley qualifies! All dogs must leon riche. Wonder how the other Coon-asses are? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybill 19 #347 April 19, 2005 Hey Jon!! So where is Leon?? If he ain't postin here he needs to be!! He has too many storys to be told!! I still have the book with "All" the minutes from the meetings of "Southland Skydivers, Inc." I was the secretary of the club for most of the last half of it's exisance.SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #348 April 19, 2005 QuoteHey Jon!! So where is Leon?? If he ain't postin here he needs to be!! He has too many storys to be told!! I still have the book with "All" the minutes from the meetings of "Southland Skydivers, Inc." I was the secretary of the club for most of the last half of it's exisance. Quote Bill~ I just got an Email from "Spike" this morning... He's here in Texas...but will be moving to Missouri shortly... I'll PM you his current Email...but ya better use it QUICK! Spike says where he's goin' they'll be no power or water for a while! Edited to add: He SHOULD be posting here...he's a great writer, He sent me a day by day diary of a motorcycle trip he and his new bride took a couple years ago... Should have been a book in itself! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyhpp 0 #349 April 19, 2005 Round about 1980 I met Dave Barr - a skydiver who had lost both legs in a landmine incident, and only started civilian skydiving after losing his legs! He jumped with prosthetics and quite rightly became quite a legend here in South Africa. Initially he used to jump with a super-size main canopy, landing mostly on his butt - later on he downsized and did many stand-up landings. His attitude was inspirational- he was hard as nails, and would not let anything deter him from achieving his ambitions. At a boogie one year one of his legs became detatched in free-fall, eventually landing in a suburb next to the dropzone. Noticing Dave's predicament, the jumpers at the boogie held an impromtu collection, and presented Dave with a sizeable donation towards a new artificial leg. Understandably he was very appreciative and touched by the gesture. Just then, one of the locals walked in with his false leg - they had found it in a garden, and put one and one together and brought it to the DZ. Dave's reaction was classic - he took the money that had been collected for him, put it on the bar counter, and declared "free beer for everyone!" He also used to ride a Harley - one day the bike fell over, trapping one of his legs underneath - Dave was cursing much better, trying to free himself when someone came to help him -the guy nearly fainted when Dave ripped the leg out from underneath the bike and threw it aside! Courage, determination, guts, and attitude - Dave Barr had it all! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #350 April 19, 2005 QuoteHe also used to ride a Harley - Dave still rides a Harley. In fact he has ridden it around the world on one trip, around Australia on another and then rode from the Atlantic cost in France to the Pacific coast in Siberia. And the last one was during the winter. He has written 2 books about his trips, Riding the Edge about the trip around the world and Riding the Ice about the trip through the Siberian winter. I rig for him and we have lunch every so often. He is still tough as nails and one of those rare people you feel lucky to meet. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
