The Good Ole Days

[slug 1]

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What I remember about the old days,late 70's early 80's were the memorable parties.Although I'm happy to see DZ's cater to a more family friendly atmosphere as my 2 kids have been with me in my more recent jumps,I'll always fondly remember the parties.

I met my old sakydiving roomie from the early 70's how come we never had any of those parties at our house?

"Say what" Dude we had them every weekend you just don't remember them. Damn I remember going to college and jumping. But the weekends at our house were a blur.

My wife now, then my girlfriend says it used to get old walking over the bodies Saturday and Sunday morning. What the hell happened? I lost two years!

But it must have been fun!

R.I.P.

[chuteless 1]

Here is a true story for you re the good old days that you mightget a laugh out of:

Back in August 1966, I was asked to be part of a load of jumpers to make a dive into the Ponderosa Nature Park, a nudist hangout (if you'll pardon the pun).

We left the plane at 4500 feet, and as I landed in an adjacent field to the main action area, I twisted my knee. I looked up, and witnessed about 20 young naked women running toward me. A scene like that simply takes your breath away.

We stayed for awhile, had a swim, and took a few color pictures. We then drove back to the airport where our other cars were.

About 3 months later, I was asked to give a talk to a group of pilots from a local flying club. I thought this would be a good idea, because if I ever needed a plane for a demo jump, I may be able to call on some of these guys to repay the favor.

I got to the flying club, and set up my Carosel Slide Projector with about 50 color slides of parachuting activities. As I clicked the projector along, I would explain what the jumpers were doing etc. I eventually got to the second last slide, and explained the large trophy
with small skydivers mounted on the top was the type of prize one could win in competitions. There was a beautiful Para Commander seen descending behind the trophy.

I then clicked to the last slide and said, " And this is the consolation prize. It showed me sitting with my chute piled up in front of me, and I had two beautiful young naked women sitting on my knees.

The whole place erupted with laughter and shouts of, "We are in the wrong business...lets take up skydiving".

The presentation went over extremely well, and calls to have another look at the last color slide.

And to think that CSPA says I dont promote skydiving in Canada. LOL


Bill Cole D-41

[slug 1]

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Let's not forget that in the "good ole days" the fatality rate (fatalities per 1000 jumpers) was way higher than it is now, even with the low turn accidents considered.

Was it?? My understanding is that it's been pretty consistent over the years

[Beerlight 0]

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We didn't need $1,000.000.00 multi engine, climb at the speed of sound, jet fuel burning, aircraft. We were happy and totally satisfied to have one cessna that would run every weekend. We never needed altitude over 7,500 to do our RW jumps,

I very much enjoyed your post. I remember in the early 80's when I started jump plane flying (C-182) the only altitude you'd get was 7,500, then a couple years later went to 8,500 and finally by 97' (end of my jump plane flying) the standard altitude was 10.5. FreeFly, what's that?.......all RW baby........

But there's a lot to be said for the major improvements in gear now, and better maintained jumpplanes (most DZ's).......Oh, I still drink, just have to go to bed earlier

[smooth 0]

Bill - thanks, I enjoyed your story.

[mccurley 0]

I started in 73 and remember the good old days fondly. But without trying to express how much better things were back then or how people were different, or try to draw comperisons to toadys crop of jumpers, lets just remember what made the good olds, actually the good old days. It's the memories of the people you knew, and hopefully still know, that made them the "good olds" I think every one of every era in the sport will always look back on thier beginning days the same way no mater when they started.
Keep living in the present, treasure the past, and look forward to the future.

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

[poppenhager 1]

Well said......Pop D-47

[airtwardo 6]

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Well said......Pop D-47


***
Ditto Pop!
And old DZO I worked for told me once...

If you think the times are changing,
it's because you're not keeping up with them!

Keep and open mind...THESE ARE the 'good old days!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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[kallend 1,623]

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Let's not forget that in the "good ole days" the fatality rate (fatalities per 1000 jumpers) was way higher than it is now, even with the low turn accidents considered.

Was it?? My understanding is that it's been pretty consistent over the years

See www.skydivenet.com/fatalities/fatalities_history.html

The bars are the fatality count, and the blue dots and line are the rate per 1000 skydivers. The actual fatality count stayed pretty constant, but the number of active skydivers increased by 3x over the last 20 years.

[jonstark 8]

23 US fatalites in 2003, lowest number for many years.

[kallend 1,623]

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23 US fatalites in 2003, lowest number for many years.

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You're right about it being a very good year. As a matter of fact I don't remember a better year statisticly since I started in 74. (My memory is good, just short, being a product of the seventies ya know.)

I'm sure I'd be able to find this info if I were more willing to dig or fully read here but what was the proportion of fatalities with fully functioning gear -vs- malfunctioning, no pull, entanglement, etc???

thx, jon

[oldfart 0]

We left the plane at 4500 feet, and as I landed in an adjacent field to the main action area, I twisted my knee. I looked up, and witnessed about 20 young naked women running toward me. A scene like that simply takes your breath away.

If that had been the end of your story,I would've said that in reality,you went in and that was Heaven!