Ever jump one of these??

[NSEMN8R 0]

Wow! It's amazing how much things have changed. Just the other day I was talking to a couple of "newer" guys and I was feeling like 8 yrs in the sport was a long time. This really puts things in perspective for me. I feel like a newby again. I guess compared to you guys I am.

I was going to ask what average fall rates were in those huge suits, but I'm guessing there weren't protracks back then either

[NSEMN8R 0]

With the reserve on your front, were you supposed to flip over onto your back to dump it?

[wmw999 2,121]

Yep. Bring your feet and knees together, butt into a sitting position. Cover your capewells with one arm to prevent snagging, and pull and punch your reserve with the other.

And nope, no protracks. The Paralert (predecessor to the Dytter) came out about 1983 or so I think. We had to use slide rules to calculate our speed

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)

[airtwardo 6]

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Yep. Bring your feet and knees together, butt into a sitting position. Cover your capewells with one arm to prevent snagging, and pull and punch your reserve with the other.

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And...put your face into the arm covering the
Capewells...that springie thingie hitting
you in the nose makes for icky stains on
the jumpsuit!

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

[steve1 5]

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With the reserve on your front, were you supposed to flip over onto your back to dump it?

We may not have been trained properly. Covering your cape-wells makes sense, but noone ever told us that at my drop zone.

I only had two malfunctions back then. Both times I was pretty unstable. I had my feet and knees together in an inverted position, and then pulled the loops on my capewells. I had my elbows in tight to my side when I pulled my reserve (similiar to a military inverted paratrooper position). Both times, I went over on my side when my reserve strung out. Both times the reserve openned okay, but again my body position was far from ideal.....The new gear is sure a whole lot better!....Steve1

[steve1 5]

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Hi steve

We still got our "Bunny" helmet.

I recognize the pop top reserve in the first pic, Butt whats the reserve called in the second pic? was that one of the Jerry Bird reserve's we heard about?.

R.I.P.

Things were changing quickly during this time period. I never packed a Jerry Bird reserve, but I did pack a couple pop tops....They were a real pain to get closed up right (if I remember correctly). I never owned a bunny helmet. It seemed like some of the better jumpers were going to them. I stuck with my good ole motorcycle helmet.....Steve1

[airtwardo 6]

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We may not have been trained properly.

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Doing a two way, my partner was supposed
to pull out of it...he had bent a pin on exit
and I got a real close up view of the proprer
proceedure for a total...

He rolled over, looked at me (10 feet away)
...shook his head and dumped.

24' Flat un-modified...
It looked like it bent him in half BACKWARD!

On the ground I asked him if he was shaking
his head beacuse he knew a reverse jack knife
was coming...

"No...I was more worried about a terminal
opening blowing up the reserve...after the back
of my head hit my heels...I kinda wish IT HAD!"

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

[steve1 5]

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Here's one that won 4-way at the Nationals in 1978 and 79... Wanna do some 4-way in that?

Now, that is a nice set of wings! No one dared go that big in 75. But 78....that was a whole different ball game.....Steve1

[steve1 5]

Airtwardo,
We had a girl in our club who was nick-named "Total". She was really weak and wasn't strong enough to pull her ripcord on her four pin B-12 container. Twice she openned her belly, 24 ft. reserve, going terminal. She started lifting weights and got an easier rig to open, but she didn't quit. She was made of tougher stuff than I was....Steve1

[mjosparky 3]

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Here's one that won 4-way at the Nationals in 1978 and 79... Wanna do some 4-way in that?

I did and it was like driving a Diesel truck in a road race.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[mjosparky 3]

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With the reserve on your front, were you supposed to flip over onto your back to dump it?

We may not have been trained properly. Covering your cape-wells makes sense, but noone ever told us that at my drop zone.

I only had two malfunctions back then. Both times I was pretty unstable. I had my feet and knees together in an inverted position, and then pulled the loops on my capewells. I had my elbows in tight to my side when I pulled my reserve (similiar to a military inverted paratrooper position). Both times, I went over on my side when my reserve strung out. Both times the reserve openned okay, but again my body position was far from ideal.....The new gear is sure a whole lot better!....Steve1

I was taught with a total to look, pull, punch. You kept you left arm out and this caused you to go to your back for deployment. And damn that hurts.

A 24' flat is biased constructed with continuous lines. I have seen them take 450 pounds at 135 knots. They are tough.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[mjosparky 3]

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The teardrop shape is supposed to make it easier to get close on exit

Did you ever put a piece of plywood on your rig and park your car on it overnight? That would allow you to get one more between the door and the fusalage in 10 way lineup.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[wmw999 2,121]

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In 1978 at the nationals, some computer geek figured out that a 99 way box formation would slow down enough to land.

Hmmm... My computer geek boyfriend said it would take a 220-way box, about that time.

He said it'd suck to be the guy who went low.

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)

[usedtajump 1]

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The teardrop shape is supposed to make it easier to get close on exit

Did you ever put a piece of plywood on your rig and park your car on it overnight? That would allow you to get one more between the door and the fusalage in 10 way lineup.

Sparky

HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Damn, I forgot about that one. I know folks that would cut the manufacturers tags out of underwear, t shirts, shoes, frap hats, etc. trying anything to make themselve lighter. Anything for an advantage.

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

[mjosparky 3]

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The teardrop shape is supposed to make it easier to get close on exit

Did you ever put a piece of plywood on your rig and park your car on it overnight? That would allow you to get one more between the door and the fusalage in 10 way lineup.

Sparky

HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Damn, I forgot about that one. I know folks that would cut the manufacturers tags out of underwear, t shirts, shoes, frap hats, etc. trying anything to make themselve lighter. Anything for an advantage.

First rule of "10 way", If you ain't cheat'n, you ain't try'n.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[wmw999 2,121]

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I know folks that would cut the manufacturers tags out of underwear, t shirts, shoes, frap hats, etc. trying anything to make themselve lighter.

I remember Larry Yohn telling me he'd put his Paradactyl on just two risers instead of 4 to save the weight of the other 2 risers.

Why not just pee before 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)

[mjosparky 3]

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I know folks that would cut the manufacturers tags out of underwear, t shirts, shoes, frap hats, etc. trying anything to make themselve lighter.

I remember Larry Yohn telling me he'd put his Paradactyl on just two risers instead of 4 to save the weight of the other 2 risers.

Why not just pee before jumping?

Wendy W.

Wendy,

Larry's rig had a Paradactyl as both main and reserve. And both canopies were on just 2 risers. If you broke one line on a dactyl it was a bad canopy. Go figure.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[wmw999 2,121]

I thought I remembered that, but wasn't sure. Of course, 2 risers on reserves was pretty common. He told me he felt he'd achieved the perfect weight personally, and therefore took what he could out of the rig instead.

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)

[mjosparky 3]

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I thought I remembered that, but wasn't sure. Of course, 2 risers on reserves was pretty common. He told me he felt he'd achieved the perfect weight personally, and therefore took what he could out of the rig instead.

Wendy W.

Larry wasn't wrapped real tight on some things. He cut the other 2 reserve risers off of his rig.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[crewdog2 0]

A 24' flat is biased constructed with continuous lines. I have seen them take 450 pounds at 135 knots. They are tough.

Sparky

[steve1 5]

The hooks on the old pack opening bands (or bungies) were a definite hazard. I used to use a pair of pliers to tighten the hooks slightly, so they hopefully wouldn't come unhooked and snag something else on opening.

Another hazard on exit, with the old b-12 containers, was hitting the top of the door and bending the stiffener which held your rip cord housing to the container. This could result in a really hard pull.

Getting back to the old pack opening bands. I had a friend who, when he traveled, used to hook one of these (on his belly reserve) over his rip cord handle. When he got to where he was going to jump he'd remember to fasten it up right. He didn't want to accidently snag his handle on anything in his trunk. One day he forgot to hook it up right. That was the day he cut away and died. The bungie was over the top of his reserve handle, and he couldn't pull his reserve.

There's been five fatalities in Montana that I know of. Three burned in using the old gear and two died from turns too close to the ground on modern gear. There may be others. I was out of the sport for about 25 years.....Steve1

[steve1 5]

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Here's a couple pictures showing the jump gear and suits worn in the mid 70's.....Steve1

What I wouldn't give for a full head of hair like that again! (Picture #2) I'm kind of follickly challenged now....(Anyone know how to spell follickly? I couldn't find it in my dictionary) Another definition might be balder than a cucumber.....Steve1

[RogerRamjet 0]

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In 1978 at the nationals, some computer geek figured out that a 99 way box formation would slow down enough to land.

Hmmm... My computer geek boyfriend said it would take a 220-way box, about that time.

He said it'd suck to be the guy who went low.

Wendy W.

It would be a bummer to be everyone else if anyone chickened out at a few hundred feet and pulled out of it....

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

[fergs 0]

And nope, no protracks. The Paralert (predecessor to the Dytter) came out about 1983 or so I think.

Wendy W.

[airtwardo 6]

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Another definition might be balder than a cucumber.....Steve1

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We're not losing our hair ole buddy...

We're "Gettin' more head!"




(For me the glass is ALWAYS 1/2 full...)

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