BillyVance 34
QuoteI still ride motorcycles...
Cool! How do you do that? Do you only ride the ones with automatic transmission or what? Isn't the manual clutch on the left handlebar that you have to squeeze to change gears with? Just curious...
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban
mx757 4
manual clutch... not a problem to use.. and everyone wonders how I do it?? I just reach forword and grab it with stump of my left hand pull it back.. I use it only 1st gear starting / stopping.. every other gear powershift. piece of cake ... but people often look at me funny.. one arm guy on motorcycle....
BillyVance 34
That's certainly worthy of a double-take... 
It's cool, man!
It's cool, man!
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban
Quotemanual clutch... not a problem to use.. and everyone wonders how I do it?? I just reach forword and grab it with stump of my left hand pull it back.. I use it only 1st gear starting / stopping.. every other gear powershift. piece of cake ... but people often look at me funny.. one arm guy on motorcycle....
***
HARDCORE!
The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!"
The Optimist says: "Sure it can!"
Andrelr 0
Hi Ron
Didn't know you hung out on DZ.com.
You probably have more that a few scary stories with all the demos you've done. Share them with us.
I remember Dave well - jumping at Klerksdorp in the mid to late 80's and having to check in his gun to Schalk (the DZ operator and another larger-than-life character) for the weekend to avoid any Saturday night pub fun.
Didn't know you hung out on DZ.com.
You probably have more that a few scary stories with all the demos you've done. Share them with us.
I remember Dave well - jumping at Klerksdorp in the mid to late 80's and having to check in his gun to Schalk (the DZ operator and another larger-than-life character) for the weekend to avoid any Saturday night pub fun.
skybill 19
Hi John Brasher!!,
Just going thru old posts looking for some info and I read yours and the part about,"Douris'es devilish grin!!" Oh Yes!! and how well I remember!! If there was ever a "Got'ya!!" Grin that's it. Also it could be as suttle as a handgrenade (with the pin pulled!!) Next time you're at the bar with Gary, "Ask him for a BatCardinal Demo!!!!!!!!!!"
I did it perfect but he called me anyway because I didn't "Slosh enough beer all over the place!!!" (That's one of the rules!!)
Just going thru old posts looking for some info and I read yours and the part about,"Douris'es devilish grin!!" Oh Yes!! and how well I remember!! If there was ever a "Got'ya!!" Grin that's it. Also it could be as suttle as a handgrenade (with the pin pulled!!) Next time you're at the bar with Gary, "Ask him for a BatCardinal Demo!!!!!!!!!!"
I did it perfect but he called me anyway because I didn't "Slosh enough beer all over the place!!!" (That's one of the rules!!)
SCR-2034, SCS-680
III%,
Deli-out
III%,
Deli-out
Story I heard from an old timer at my DZ when he was in the army based in germany in the 80s.
Two jumpers were known for some stupid tricks. But this one got them banned from this DZ.
Both exited the aircraft at altitude, did a little RW and dumped close to one another to do some crw. After flying for a bit they made a downplane, and both chopped their mains at the same time while leg locked. They then turned a few more points before opening their reserves. They then proceded to build a 2 stack on their reserves and landed it.
Make old time skydiving sound much more exciting to watch.
UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.
Two jumpers were known for some stupid tricks. But this one got them banned from this DZ.
Both exited the aircraft at altitude, did a little RW and dumped close to one another to do some crw. After flying for a bit they made a downplane, and both chopped their mains at the same time while leg locked. They then turned a few more points before opening their reserves. They then proceded to build a 2 stack on their reserves and landed it.
Make old time skydiving sound much more exciting to watch.
UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.
BillyVance 34
QuoteStory I heard from an old timer at my DZ when he was in the army based in germany in the 80s.
Two jumpers were known for some stupid tricks. But this one got them banned from this DZ.
Both exited the aircraft at altitude, did a little RW and dumped close to one another to do some crw. After flying for a bit they made a downplane, and both chopped their mains at the same time while leg locked. They then turned a few more points before opening their reserves. They then proceded to build a 2 stack on their reserves and landed it.
Make old time skydiving sound much more exciting to watch.
I've heard of crwdogs doing crw, getting into an entanglement then double cut-away... THEN building a 2 stack with their reserves!
Not the smartest of things to do, I'm sure... 
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban
D-17 0
I got one story and I won't name the DZ but a long story short, cuz I gotta go to work....I did a two way with a buddy and he ended up cuting away....one of his links got caught up and his reserve entangled with his main.....he spiraled in for awhile then the reserve callapesed and we all thaught that he was a gonner.......it ends up that he went threw a barn and crashed into the hay....he brokr his leg and ankle but he lived.....
Rudy
Rudy
BillyVance 34
That's one helluva good accuracy specialist!!!
But seriously, he was the luckiest dude on earth that day...
But seriously, he was the luckiest dude on earth that day...
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban
This may come more under the heading of "stupid" than scary......well, how bout it was scary how -stupid- I was? 1981, I had around 50 jumps..it was a rainy Wenesday afternoon, and I had skydive'n on the brain. Just so I could be doing something skydive related, I decided to pack my rig in my apartment.
Kite in the living room, lines running down a short hall way and disappearing around a corner into the bed room.{stupid #1} I've heard of folks packing in the trunk of their car, the back seat , a picnic table etc...perhaps they were qualified to do so..me, in hindsight, I should'a been out in an acre or two field with 3-4 people helping. Saturday morning I strap on the "indoor" pack job and head for altitude. Up to this time, my log book entries said 3way -"attempt" ...4 way - "attempt" . At 4 grand we had a 3 way and were holding on for that last guy to close...he was doin that hovering thing about 2-3 feet away. I'm whoopin and yelling cause I can almost taste the first log book entry without the dreaded "attempt" word in it! He finally closes, we hold it for a nano second, a glance at my altimeter
shows us cruising thru 1800 ft. {stupid#2} I wasn't the only rookie on the load...when everyone else realized we were low... there was a lot of -"YOU track, I'll dump!" - {stupid#3}
My relief after feeling opening shock (and no collision) was short lived when I looked up and saw the slider about half way down the lines and wadded into a huge knot. {ref:stupdi#1} Instead of choppin it on sight..I played with it down to under a grand {stupid#...man I'm losing track} Finally I cut away..for the life of me I cant remember what that cut-a-way system was called, but it had a velcro strap that fed through a slot on the riser hardware, then down through a slot in the harness connection..and looped a few times. The dang canopy was fixed to the harness with velcro! {stupid# aaaww forget it} Between cutting away and pulling my reserve handle, I took time to wave off (which I thought was really cute at the time) so some where around 6-700 ft I saddle out under my 24' flat and start a speedy decent. (weighed in at 220lbs) I realize I'm gonna land in the trees, cover up, close my eyes as I'm hitting the limbs. A couple of seconds later I feel my feet hit the ground, and an instant later the back of my head thumps the turf.
Instantly I feel my helmet begin filling with blood, and I mean filling fast. My eyes were still closed , so I opened them to take in my last few moments on earth, as my life blood drained away. A quick glance to my left revealed that I was laying head down in a little stream. The water was flowing into the hole in my pro-tech (thru my head and out the other side unabated I'm sure!)
As I walked back into the packing area, dripping wet and muddy, one of the grizzled ole vets(2-300 jumps) came up and
said "when I saw you having a function I started to get my camera ...then I thought, who would want a picture of a clit head like you?"....my thoughts exactly bro...it's a wonder they even let me outta the house.
Kite in the living room, lines running down a short hall way and disappearing around a corner into the bed room.{stupid #1} I've heard of folks packing in the trunk of their car, the back seat , a picnic table etc...perhaps they were qualified to do so..me, in hindsight, I should'a been out in an acre or two field with 3-4 people helping. Saturday morning I strap on the "indoor" pack job and head for altitude. Up to this time, my log book entries said 3way -"attempt" ...4 way - "attempt" . At 4 grand we had a 3 way and were holding on for that last guy to close...he was doin that hovering thing about 2-3 feet away. I'm whoopin and yelling cause I can almost taste the first log book entry without the dreaded "attempt" word in it! He finally closes, we hold it for a nano second, a glance at my altimeter
shows us cruising thru 1800 ft. {stupid#2} I wasn't the only rookie on the load...when everyone else realized we were low... there was a lot of -"YOU track, I'll dump!" - {stupid#3}
My relief after feeling opening shock (and no collision) was short lived when I looked up and saw the slider about half way down the lines and wadded into a huge knot. {ref:stupdi#1} Instead of choppin it on sight..I played with it down to under a grand {stupid#...man I'm losing track} Finally I cut away..for the life of me I cant remember what that cut-a-way system was called, but it had a velcro strap that fed through a slot on the riser hardware, then down through a slot in the harness connection..and looped a few times. The dang canopy was fixed to the harness with velcro! {stupid# aaaww forget it} Between cutting away and pulling my reserve handle, I took time to wave off (which I thought was really cute at the time) so some where around 6-700 ft I saddle out under my 24' flat and start a speedy decent. (weighed in at 220lbs) I realize I'm gonna land in the trees, cover up, close my eyes as I'm hitting the limbs. A couple of seconds later I feel my feet hit the ground, and an instant later the back of my head thumps the turf.
Instantly I feel my helmet begin filling with blood, and I mean filling fast. My eyes were still closed , so I opened them to take in my last few moments on earth, as my life blood drained away. A quick glance to my left revealed that I was laying head down in a little stream. The water was flowing into the hole in my pro-tech (thru my head and out the other side unabated I'm sure!)
As I walked back into the packing area, dripping wet and muddy, one of the grizzled ole vets(2-300 jumps) came up and
said "when I saw you having a function I started to get my camera ...then I thought, who would want a picture of a clit head like you?"....my thoughts exactly bro...it's a wonder they even let me outta the house.
rainman 0
That is a GREAT story, with your style of writing you could make the telephone book a great read!
Thanks for sharing, and I'm glad you got through that OK!
Ramon
Thanks for sharing, and I'm glad you got through that OK!
Ramon
Rainman
Thanks for the kind words brother! I've got a p.s. to that story that makes me look like a frickin MIT grad.....
Remember the guy at the end of the story ? The one that called me a "clit head"? A couple of months after my incident, this guy was gonna jumpmaster a student
load. He had them geared up, and they were to meet the plane (C-182) The aircraft pulls up, this cocky jumpmaster fella is walking around gesturing at the
students to herd them onboard...he's backing up towards the airplane yelling and pointing...and yep, backed into the spinning prop!
I'm tellin'ya bro....the sound that prop made tearing into that rig is something I can still hear 20+ YEARS later. The prop (of course) tore thru the container, snagged the reserve kite, and for a second or two was
dragging the canopy out and wrapping it around the cone , prop...well, all that stuff up front on the plane.
The pilot was lightening fast with his reaction ...(this whole thing transpired over the course of probably a second and a half) He killed the mags, the engine quit, the prop stopped.....jumpmaster dude was standing there with the entire reserve kite out of the container and a couple of the line stows undone....I think the others popped out when he went to his knees.
Out of respect for the severity of the situation, we all stood there in silence...for about three seconds. Then
the laughing began in earnest. To this day I still get this pain in my lower back, kinda on the side...I'm pretty sure I damaged a kidney laughing that day .
Which is not as cold as it sounds, when you hear the rest. It was his own jumpsuit he shat in when it happened, but the rig he was wearing was borrowed from another guy that .....uhhhh, wasn't the most popular feller on the dz. And since it didn't kill the dude, we figured he was fair game. I recognize
a gift from God when it's set before me...I sauntered
my 53 jump self over to him...leaned over,looked him right in his pale face and said......."nice deployment , clit head"
Sweet....
p.s.s. - I later became really good friends with the guy.The day of the prop incident, He rang the reapers doorbell and ran away ....it was nearly 15 years before they were to meet again, his hard lifestyle had made his body tired...he simply laid down on the couch one morning before work, and passed on . RIP Bro.
And no, I dont feel bad telling this on him, if he were here he'd tell it on his own self, and then give me a ration of S*%# for doggin on the dead guy.
Remember the guy at the end of the story ? The one that called me a "clit head"? A couple of months after my incident, this guy was gonna jumpmaster a student
load. He had them geared up, and they were to meet the plane (C-182) The aircraft pulls up, this cocky jumpmaster fella is walking around gesturing at the
students to herd them onboard...he's backing up towards the airplane yelling and pointing...and yep, backed into the spinning prop!
I'm tellin'ya bro....the sound that prop made tearing into that rig is something I can still hear 20+ YEARS later. The prop (of course) tore thru the container, snagged the reserve kite, and for a second or two was
dragging the canopy out and wrapping it around the cone , prop...well, all that stuff up front on the plane.
The pilot was lightening fast with his reaction ...(this whole thing transpired over the course of probably a second and a half) He killed the mags, the engine quit, the prop stopped.....jumpmaster dude was standing there with the entire reserve kite out of the container and a couple of the line stows undone....I think the others popped out when he went to his knees.
Out of respect for the severity of the situation, we all stood there in silence...for about three seconds. Then
the laughing began in earnest. To this day I still get this pain in my lower back, kinda on the side...I'm pretty sure I damaged a kidney laughing that day .
Which is not as cold as it sounds, when you hear the rest. It was his own jumpsuit he shat in when it happened, but the rig he was wearing was borrowed from another guy that .....uhhhh, wasn't the most popular feller on the dz. And since it didn't kill the dude, we figured he was fair game. I recognize
a gift from God when it's set before me...I sauntered
my 53 jump self over to him...leaned over,looked him right in his pale face and said......."nice deployment , clit head"
Sweet....
p.s.s. - I later became really good friends with the guy.The day of the prop incident, He rang the reapers doorbell and ran away ....it was nearly 15 years before they were to meet again, his hard lifestyle had made his body tired...he simply laid down on the couch one morning before work, and passed on . RIP Bro.
And no, I dont feel bad telling this on him, if he were here he'd tell it on his own self, and then give me a ration of S*%# for doggin on the dead guy.
I was just getting ready to head off to bed and thought I'd read one last thread. Hey, that rhymes. Fucking Brilliant story. I've heard lots of strange but true stories. One of those sad but true ones. The ones we don't want to tell but almost have too. Props to you. [no pun intended]
Fucking Brilliant story. I've heard lots of strange but true stories. One of those sad but true ones. The ones we don't want to tell but almost have too. Props to you. [no pun intended] Sandy
......."nice deployment , clit head"
***
Pay back is a BITCH!
Where did that happen?
I remember hearing about it when I was still just working on my 'Clit Head' rating!
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~
***
Pay back is a BITCH!
Where did that happen?
I remember hearing about it when I was still just working on my 'Clit Head' rating!
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~
At that time the dz was 10 miles west of Ruston Louisiana, in a little town called Simsboro. Most of the folks jumping there were remnants of the La Tech Univ Skydive Team. I say "remnants" because the team had been disbanded....I'm sure like all discontinued activities, the schools budget got the blame. 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!
The alleged jumper on that occasion was "jumpmaster dude" from the clit-head story.
You talking about being glad you weren't him...a few weeks later we got ahold of a copy of the legal news
(area court docket) and there in really bold font
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs JUMPMASTER DUDE" When he saw that, his butt puckerd up like a buggy hub!
He eventually beat it, or the govt lost interest...can't remember which, but he never got locked up for it.
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!
The alleged jumper on that occasion was "jumpmaster dude" from the clit-head story.
You talking about being glad you weren't him...a few weeks later we got ahold of a copy of the legal news
(area court docket) and there in really bold font
"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs JUMPMASTER DUDE" When he saw that, his butt puckerd up like a buggy hub!
He eventually beat it, or the govt lost interest...can't remember which, but he never got locked up for it.
I got that nickname from the crew at work. I'm aircraft mechanic for AA on the 767 aircraft overhauls. the guys at work say Im Lucky I didn't kill myself this weekend skydiving.. name stuck.. everyone calls me lucky at work..in fact some of newer guys don't even know my first name..just "Lucky"
***
LOL!
I think we're written each other before...
My better 1/2 is a 767 Pilot, (un?)fortunately for CO...
I say that because I would LOVE to say ~her birds
are fixed by ole "Lucky"...the Harley ridin' Skydiver....
Which is how she use to describe ME when we first met!!
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~