First turbine?

[PhreeZone 15]

What DZ or DZO was the first to bring turbines into the skydiving environment? Also does anyone know the first DZ to use an Otter? A Caravan? King Air?

I imagine that was a huge risk on the first DZO's parts.. a lot of cost compaired to the older planes like Beechs and DC3's.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[skr 1]

I don't know who was first but the first one
I ever heard about was an Otter at Spaceland
in Texas.

(Australian) Ken Hills and I had it up for a weekend
at (the first dropzone named) Skydance in
Tahlequah in 1980.

Skr

[wmw999 2,126]

Spaceland definitely had Otters in the late 70's. Dave Boatman (then DZ-owner) was the chief pilot (I think) for Houston Metro Airlines, and we'd get one of their planes each weekend. I have no idea which year in particular it was, but I'm pretty sure it was by 1978, and it could have been earlier. I was in school until 77, and so real irregular about jumping.

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)

[mccordia 73]

We've got a turbine C206 at our DZ...love the turbine..hate the lack of space..

JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

[AggieDave 6]

To make a the distinction, that was the *old* Spaceland, the new Spaceland opened 2 years ago, right?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[wmw999 2,126]

There is only one real Spaceland. League City, TX. However, the new Spaceland also has turbines. And more of them, too.

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)

[howardwhite 5]

The first DZ to use a Twin Otter was Pepperell, MA, in April 1972. Mark Schmidt, D-21, was the pilot. It was written up in Parachutist a few months later.

If you don't believe this, I'll sic Ted Strong D-16 on you. He was a co-owner of the DZ.

HW

[AndyMan 7]

Just out of curiosity, anybody know when Roger got busted? Was he using otters, or the DC-3 at the time....?

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[skypuppy 1]

I thought he had the C-130 back then...

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

[MikeTJumps 4]

To my knowledge, Dave Boatman (deceased) operated the original Spaceland Parachute Center in League City, TX (Houston Gulf Airport formerly known as Spaceland during NASA construction days), and was the first one to introduce the Twin Otter as a regular jump ship (I emphasize regular as in scheduled routinely, not just one or two times) in skydiving operations. That was back in the 1976-77 era.

Mike Turoff

Mike Turoff
Instructor Examiner, USPA
Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook

[howardwhite 5]

Quote

regular jump ship (I emphasize regular as in scheduled routinely, not just one or two times

a. That wasn't the question.

b. Talk to Poynter about this.

HW

[JumpHog 0]

Quote

The first DZ to use a Twin Otter was Pepperell, MA, in April 1972. Mark Schmidt, D-21, was the pilot. It was written up in Parachutist a few months later.
HW

I don't know about this. On the October, 1971 issue of Parachutist, there is a picture taken by Carl Boenish, of jumpers leaving a Twin Otter(N7669) over Perris.

[smokeitdown 0]

One of the first Caravans was bought brand new by Dave "Cowboy" Williams around 1985. It was based in Jenkinsburg Georgia when it was not on the boogie circuit. It crashed on takeoff at Jenkinsburg that summer killing all aboard, including Williams. The NTSB sighted fuel contamination as the cause of the crash spawning rumors of conspiracy and sabotage.

[Tonto 1]

I don't know, but we're on that road in South Africa now. I'm CI of only the second turbine DZ in the country. We got a Porter a year back. The other DZ is maybe 100 miles from here and they operate a King Air B90. Everyone else is in Cessnas...

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[usedtajump 1]

Re: "The Real Spaceland", you nailed that real good Wendy. Something like that won't ever come around again.

Jerry

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[tbrown 26]

They weren't the first with Turbos, but the United Parachute Club, aka The Herd, in Pennsylvania was using Skyvans and hosting Skyvan boogies regularly by about 1977.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[annabates 0]

I made many jumps from Boatman's Twin Otters at Spaceland back in the 70s. I remember his partner, a guy named Jess Hall, saying they were the first and only DZ in the country to use turbo-props at the time. I have no idea what happened to Jess Hall. I know Boatman died from cancer, and that the commuter airline he ran (which is where he got the Twin Otters) went out of business.

[MikeTJumps 4]

Howdy Jerry.

Long time, no chat!

How are things going for you?

I'm still operating in the Houston area and I've just published (with Dan Poynter), the 9th edition of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook.

Yes, I'm still active but I'm slowing down a bit.

.

Mike Turoff
Instructor Examiner, USPA
Co-author of Parachuting, The Skydiver's Handbook

[ReverandJim 0]

Hey Guys, speaking of da old days...I've started a little triva site for SPX's olden days, the mid 70's. Got any good pics, send'm along. I was SPX's first, first jumper on June 14, 1975..........Only had a 110 instamatic during my short stay, but it lives with me everyday of my life....Enjoy

http://www.hdfed.com/spx/spx.html


Always

Jim

[wmw999 2,126]

Hi Jimmy.
This is Wendy Nordstrom here; I started just about when you did at Clover, and did some jumping at Spaceland when you were there. But I was in college most of that time. I'll send some pictures, I have a variety of them lying around.
Have you been by the old site lately? It's totally depressing.

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)

[Adriandavies 0]

Whilst looking through some old British Sport Parachutist magazines dating from 1970 at my DZ I saw some pictures of parachutists exiting from an Otter, but I'm afraid I can't remember any more details. When I'm there on another weather day I'll try to remember to look up the details.

[slug 1]

Quote

I thought he had the C-130 back then...

You sure

Nelson? any relation to Ricky Nelson?
R.I.P.

[LittleBoatman 0]

Hi Mike! Valarie here! My first time on this forum. Anyone have any more information on my father, Dave Boatman? Pictures or anything? Feel free to contact me at vlvclss @ msn.com

[drjump 0]

Howard--what ever happened to the "Spotter" newsletter?
Doc. D-2785

[drjump 0]

Boatman started bringing the Houston Metro Otter to Spaceland in the spring of 1971, loading jumpers there and dropping them into The Galveston Skydiver's DZ in Dickenson, TX. Just five miles the other side of the gulf freeway at Hwy 517. The first Otter entry in my log book is April 24, 1971.
Don Stewart D-2785