What was your first canopy?

[AirCav 0]

Pop that was one of two we had at Skydive Greene County in Xenia Ohio from about 1964 to 1968. This one was the standard R985 450hp. The other was an animal, with a 650 HP Pratt.

GW685,D3888,C5052,SCS843

[skychic68 0]

The good ole days.

I had a 190 PD, hwich I also used for bridge day. I think I still have that ole thing somewhere.

150 Sabre, 110 Diablo, 135 Triathlon, 99 Crossfire, Soon to have another Spectre.

Que sera sera

[SkydiverRick 0]

Quote

The good ole days.

I had a 190 PD, hwich I also used for bridge day. I think I still have that ole thing somewhere.

150 Sabre, 110 Diablo, 135 Triathlon, 99 Crossfire, Soon to have another Spectre.

They didn't have PD 190's in the good old days.

never pull low......unless you are

[poppenhager 1]

I think I saw the red & white Howard over in the Columbus area once.I jumped from the 650hp one during practice at the 64 nationals in Salt Lake City.It was called THE YELLOW CAB and belonged to a guy from Denver.It was a real (ROCKET).I don't know if West bought it from him or someone else but it was the same one that went on it's back at Xenia.I think it ran out of fuel and landed in a corn field.POP

[skychic68 0]

Well, put it this way.....they were my good ole days. Don't you have any?

I, for one am glad that I didn't have to jump the rounds. I'm dainty and delicate you know

Que sera sera

[AirCav 0]

The 650hp one was bought from someone in Illinois, maybe the same one as there were only a few converted. It did go on it's back once but NOT from fuel starvation. During the landing roll out on a winter day the main gear broke through a small patch of ice in a low area on the runway. It was only a few inch drop but enough to start it over in very slow motion, the pilot could not keep the tail down. New prop, some wing tip and vertical stabilizer repair it was back in the air within weeks.

Yes it was a rocket!

GW685,D3888,C5052,SCS843

[deadbug 0]

Dragonfly 225 White and Blue in a Racer SST with a 26ft lopo reserve. Jumped it for about 125 jumps, then went to Triathalon 160, Viper 135, Viper 120. The dragonfly was the first canopy I owned but I jumped all kinds of other club crap before I got the dragonfly. It was all good though.

What if the hokey-pookey is what it's all about?

[jonstark 8]

My first canopy was a red, white and blue, tie-dyed 28 foot 5 TU. I blew it up and had to cut it away with double-shot capewells (not shot and a halfs).

To replace it I got another 28 foot and gutted the 550 from skirt to skirt. It made about a lunch bag's worth of pack volume difference in the B12 that I had it in. It was a 3 TU for more speed but a slower turn.

My reserve was a 28' flat twill that I used at terminal with low belly mount rings. UGH! footprints on my Bell helmet from that.

I then inherited a rings and ropes Strato Star when a friend went in. Jumped that till my Strato Flyer arrived and on and on and on...

[pchapman 261]

Pioneer Titan 265 in a Racer.

It has accuracy modifications to it, like soft cells (bottom surface vents), and shortened lines. It also has experimental upper surface slots, across the whole canopy, facing rearward, above the B lines. I'm not sure how that mod affects flight characteristics, but it makes for an awful lot of holes. It's good for accuracy, because the crappy flare makes one want to hit the peas.

It served as my main canopy for 400+ jumps from '91 to '02, and I still use it as my second rig. Despite its slow nature, old F-111 like that is great for some things:
-- trashing. People have looked up and thought they were seeing a mal, then realized that it was 'just me'.
-- toggle hook turns under 100'
-- taking to Bridge Day (Actually that's another Titan I have, less baffed, with a tail pocket I put on.)
-- low RW. (Not low like 1970s craziness, but just nice little 3 ways from 3 grand on bad weather days, the sort of thing you don't want to do with sub-100 ft ZP wings.)

[cuppa_tea007 0]

28 double L in '73, went to elsinore and bought a modified dactyl, commonly called double death off the guy who made them, forgot his name but he was big into hang gliding (help with his name would be appreciated) that was an interesting canopy, didn't like opening very much

He who laughs last, didn't get the joke

[darkwing 4]

Wasn't Jim Handbury the Paradactyl guy? I did a quick web search and didn't confirm that, although it is in my memory banks. One of my teammates in the old days had a Handbury rig with a dactyl in it. Scary, even then. Not a good photo, but its rig worn by the guy in the lightest jumpsuit in this photo

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[cuppa_tea007 0]

the name rings a bell, he had a workshop around elisinore, he made one for me but modified for more fwd speed, interesting concept, had many an adventure on it, made it for me in 79 i think, put it in a Shadow rig

He who laughs last, didn't get the joke

[packerkevin 0]

my first was also a cruiselite 220. it had about 500 jumps on it when i got it. lines were about thiiiis big around

Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Not counting the student and rental canopies I flew, my first (um ... beer) canopy which I owned was a Triathlon 220 which I used for about 50ish jumps. Then I went on to a:

Sabre2 190 (90+ jumps)
Sabre2 170 (220+ jumps)
Crossfire2 139 (173 jumps and counting)

and pretty soon I should take possession of a used Spectre 150 which I plan to use in a 2nd rig for wingsuit jumps, having a 2nd rig for boogies and most importantly to get some experience flying a smallish (for me) seven cell canopy so that I won't be freaked out on possible reserve rides on my respective 143 reserves to be used in both of my new rigs (one is brand spanking new and the other is used but in good shape). Oh I also have a FLiK 293 being built for me as we speak, but don't tell my mom.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[gavinwolff 0]

First canopy was something called a Spearchucker.
Evil beast that gave me whiplash every time it opened.
Such a long time ago that I cannot even remember the specs, except to say that it as a steerable round with very little forward speed and one hell of an opening shock.

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Wasn't Jim Handbury the Paradactyl guy? I did a quick web search and didn't confirm that, although it is in my memory banks. One of my teammates in the old days had a Handbury rig with a dactyl in it. Scary, even then. Not a good photo, but its rig worn by the guy in the lightest jumpsuit in this photo

It was Jim Handbury, the boy wonder. He was partners with Gary Douris.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[davidlayne 5]

I remember that happening. There was also a Howard DGA at Xenia witha 450 engine in it.

I don't care how many skydives you've got,
until you stepped into complete darkness at
800' wearing 95 lbs of equipment and 42 lbs
of parachute, son you are still a leg!

[AirCav 0]

David, you should remember. I remember you went with them to pick up the 650 Howard and were the first to jump it coming back home. I remember low clouds, mist and an 1800 ft hop & pop. Correct?

GW685,D3888,C5052,SCS843

[Tink1717 2]

Crusielite 225. I weighed 145 at the time (1987).

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[davidlayne 5]

I certainly do remember that. Someone in this part of the world has a Howard up and running I heard last week. Have just found your postings George and they bring back lots of pleasant memories.

I don't care how many skydives you've got,
until you stepped into complete darkness at
800' wearing 95 lbs of equipment and 42 lbs
of parachute, son you are still a leg!

[BrianSGermain 1]

A 28' Round with a hot "Double L" modification. Dick Swanson had run out of 35's, and he told me that this one would "turn faster".

Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com
Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com
Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

[efs4ever 3]

A Maltese Cross 24' regular PC with a 28 foot bellywart. $200.00

Like this rig I own NOW.
and

second shot is the canopy

Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com

[bravoniner 0]

Mine was a 28 ft., orange & white flat circular 7-double L (recut to a 7-TU after a couple jumps), deployed by a Popenhager bag and double (stacked ) pilot chutes. Replaced after a dozen jumps by a blue/white checkerboard PC, which streamered on my first jump on it. (It had been rigged with way too much slack in the steering lines, which blew into and tied off the stabilizer panels.) Chopped it and got a brisk ride to the ground on my 24 ft. non-steerable TWILL reserve.

Stand-ups were so rare you logged 'em. Different times!

Bravoniner

[377 20]

1968, a 28 ft very used surplus C 9 orange and white with a tiny T mod (not TU). It didnt really have any significant fwd drive. Turning just changed your view, not your direction of travel. Used to jump that canopy in 15-20 mph winds, insane landings. When someone finally let me jump their PC I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Now older and wiser, I fly a Volvo (actually a Triathlon 190). The good old days of skydiving were certainly good for orthopedic surgeons.

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[RogerRamjet 0]

First Jump @135lbs - T-10 static line.
First owned - 28' C-8 7TU all white.
Next (and last) - Strato-Star (rings & ropes, then slider).

Jumped about all the squares available at Z-Hills at the time, sled, foil, plane, cloud, etc. Known as Roger Ramair for a while. Even had a few rides on a 400ft cargo square, but no jumps. We pulled it up on a 1000' of line behind a car down the back runway!

BTW, At Z-Hills and Deland in 74,75,76, you needed 200 jumps before being allowed to jump a square.

-----------------------
Roger "Ramjet" Clark
FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519