25 Years Ago: January, 1980

[JohnRich 4]

Moments in time, from 25 years ago:

Photo #1: The Starlite was one of the hot new tandem rigs on the market, from Strong Enterprises. Of course, "tandem" back then just meant that both the main and reserve chutes were on your back, instead of having a belly-mount reserve.

Photo #2: The best Jump Shack advertisement, ever, in my opinion: "At two grand, the last thing you need is pretty gear."

Photo #3: The hot video gear to use for freefall photography: The Bell & Howell 16 mm motion picture camera.

Photo #4: The 1979 U.S. Parachute Team.
Front row: Jim Captain, Brad Dunkin, Garry Carter, Marty Martin
2nd row: Mike Eakins, Ron Urton, Steve Mayes, Jerry Bird, Sherry Schrimsher, B.J. Worth
Back row: John Culler, Bill Ottley, Emmet Florea, Craig Fronk, Mike Gennis, Jeff Wragg, Gary Sanders

Photo #5: The greatest invention ever for video judging of freefall performance.

Photo #6: You could order your new Condor rig with the new invention called a "3-ring release". All for only $325.

Photo #7: One of the most common jumpsuits was the "Silly Suit", with wings about the size of today's Birdman suits.

Photo #8: Your reserve pack job could be outfitted with a something new called a "freebag", for more safety than ever before from those nasty horseshow malfunctions.

[markd_nscr986 0]

Really scary John.....

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[patworks 5]

Da Starlight was a SMALL round canopy that opened at about 11Gs. The team song was,
"Starlights for sale."
Followed the Piglet. Handled better. Landed better. Killer openings.
CasaGrande Death Days.

Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

[BlueSBDeath 2]

Thanks John for sharing!!

I have always loved the Racer add (you sent it to me in the past) and I still jump a Racer (Power Racer).

I also had a two peice Silly Suit, jumped it once, and sold it.

I also had a Safety-Flyer in my first New rig, a Classiflyer with a Curse-Air (can't spell) and Safety-Flyer.

Thanks for a blast from the past, man how time flies!!

Later, Arvel

BSBD...........Its all about Respect,

USPA#-7062, FB-2197, Outlaw 499

[upndownshop 0]

Quote

Photo #4: The 1979 U.S. Parachute Team.
Front row: Jim Captain, Brad Dunkin, Garry Carter, Marty Martin
2nd row: Mike Eakins, Ron Urton, Steve Mayes, Jerry Bird, Sherry Schrimsher, B.J. Worth
Back row: John Culler, Bill Ottley, Emmet Florea, Craig Fronk, Mike Gennis, Jeff Wragg, Gary Sanders
.

John
Would you believe that we still have the running suit and USA gear bag!!
That same pic is in Bill Booths conference room.

Great stuff, thanks!!

[cosmobuddy 0]

Photo #1: The Starlite was one of the hot new tandem rigs on the market, from Strong Enterprises. Of course, "tandem" back then just meant that both the main and reserve chutes were on your back, instead of having a belly-mount reserve.

The photo is actually of Ron Walker (who worked for Strong at the time) showing off the new Strong Starlite Combination Tandem rig . . . one of the first, if not the first, student piggyback rigs. The photo appeared on the front cover of the rig's owner manual.

Yes, the rig was based off the "sport" Starlite piggback used by RWers of the day, 1975.

www.SkydiveLostPrairie.com

[BillyVance 34]

Quote

Photo #4: The 1979 U.S. Parachute Team.
Front row: Jim Captain, Brad Dunkin, Garry Carter, Marty Martin
2nd row: Mike Eakins, Ron Urton, Steve Mayes, Jerry Bird, Sherry Schrimsher, B.J. Worth
Back row: John Culler, Bill Ottley, Emmet Florea, Craig Fronk, Mike Gennis, Jeff Wragg, Gary Sanders

Pretty amazing that B.J. almost looked like a hippie there.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Orange1 0]

Reminds me of a car advert I saw from the 1920s, where headlamps, windscreen wipers and indicators were optional extras...

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[wmw999 2,171]

I bought a Starlite main+rig used in 1977 -- yup, that was the student starlite in that picture, probably with an SOS on it.

I loved my Starlite. I even took the slider off (only round I knew with a slider, although it was a spider slider). But then I'm not a large person.

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)

[Elisha 1]

That Condor looks like what was used in the beginning of Moonraker...but Moonraker was make in '79.

[cosmobuddy 0]

The red and gold rig at the beginning of Moonraker was a Wonderhog. BJ asked me to change the harness so it could easily be taken off and put on in freefall. If you look closely at the scenes in Moonraker, you will see that the rig does not have legstraps. Basically, it had a split cheststrap with Velcro hook on one side and Velcro pile on the other. Same with the "bellyband".

www.SkydiveLostPrairie.com

[Elisha 1]

I DID notice the lack of legstraps! How does the person stay in? Are you saying that you were in on that stunt? Cool!

[wayne8577 0]

The team picture reminds me of all the hair we had in the late 60's.

Here's to Old Farts in the Wind!

[Taylor610 0]

Photo #4: The 1979 U.S. Parachute Team.
Front row: Jim Captain, Brad Dunkin, Garry Carter, Marty Martin
2nd row: Mike Eakins, Ron Urton, Steve Mayes, Jerry Bird, Sherry Schrimsher, B.J. Worth
Back row: John Culler, Bill Ottley, Emmet Florea, Craig Fronk, Mike Gennis, Jeff Wragg, Gary Sanders

***

Wow, check out Wragg...he was skinny!!!

[cosmobuddy 0]

"I DID notice the lack of legstraps! How does the person stay in? Are you saying that you were in on that stunt? Cool! "

I only did the easy work.

The Wonderhog was just a prop. It had no canopies in it. Each of the jumpers shown in the freefall fight scene (BJ Worth & Jake Lombard) had "suit-rigs" under their costumes. Very small and thin. There is where the real creative rigging was done. Mike Zahar from Canada was the primarily engineer for those rigs. Here is some info about the rigs from Al MacDonald of Flying High:

"The main pilot chute was in the right pants pocket.... a classic "throw out" design. The bridle unpeeled from the waist band, popped a pin that opened the main container, and the pants dropped down. Cutaway handle was in the usual place, but under the suit jacket, and the reserve pilot chute was on the left side under the suit jacket -- reserve deployment was a 3-pin pullout. (In the case of an emergency) The jumper pulled the reserve pilot chute out of the pouch and kept pulling until the pins popped, then let go of it. I don't believe the reserve was ever deployed in the number of movies the rigs were used on."

www.SkydiveLostPrairie.com

[AggieDave 6]

Do you have pictures of these rigs? Is there anyway that you would start a new thread on this subject with pictures and such if you have the pictures?

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

[wmw999 2,171]

Man oh man! On ebay today, someone is selling a "freefly jumpsuit" that looks astoundingly like a late 70's Brand X jumpsuit

Yes, it has swoop cords

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)

[bozo 0]

Quote

Man oh man! On ebay today, someone is selling a "freefly jumpsuit" that looks astoundingly like a late 70's Brand X jumpsuit

Yes, it has swoop cords

Wendy W.

I sold a Brand X suit just like that one (different colors) to a freeflyer , up at Lodi, a couple years ago.
The kid was stoked to get it and I got to make a couple more jumps.

bozo

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[JohnRich 4]

Quote

Man oh man! On ebay today, someone is selling a "freefly jumpsuit" that looks astoundingly like a late 70's Brand X jumpsuit

Darn, I got rid of all my old jump suits. Who would have thought they would come back into fashion once again?

Now, how about those wide neckties?

[JerryBaumchen 1,080]

Wendy,

How much they paying someone to take it?

[IanHarrop 37]

I still have my Brand X and sure as heck that's one in those photos. Mine has red strips,
If I suck everything in really hard I can get into my Brand X and my 110 pound girl friend can keep up with out any weights!

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[Hammitt 0]

I have an old Jerry Meyers jump suit in my shed. It makes that Brand X look tiny.

[darkwing 4]

Jerry Myers... I wonder what Jerry is up to these days. I had a Top Secret rig that was really scary, even back when it was new. Well made, but some real issues with the reserve.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[JerryBaumchen 1,080]

Last that I heard, he was in the airplane buying/selling business; hanging around the Kapowsin area; got married; adopted a youngster; and was considering moving to Wyoming.

Anything else?

[Hammitt 0]

I think I had the second or third cutaway on a Top Secret. After Jerry found out about it, he came out and looked at the rig the next weekend. He gave it quite the once over. Boy isn't that a way to build up your confidence in your new rig.