rapter 0 #1 August 28, 2006 This weekend will be labor day, That use to mean skydiving at Costerison's. Farm, Own by Hal Costerison and his wife. Steve Fielding would organize mini boogies twice a year there. Grass runway, Skip's DC-3, and great jumps, We would spend the weekend jumping and partying, People would fly in, drive in and camp, bring there RV's or stay in town. Always a good time. Sometimes it was Jan's DC-3 "Our Douglas", or a D-18. The first time I jump there was in 86 or 87, when Van was called to bring out his Otter when there planed Aircraft broke. Not to many rules, except be cool, don't leave a mess and keep the drinking out of sight and don't land in the Buffalo pen. Rarely was the an injury and nothing seriously. Hal Costerison dies the result of a plane crash in March 1990, We jumped in there a couple of week before for the first jump of what may have been the last Round Robin. For the last few years after that his Wife would let Fielding continue with his boogies till her death. The last jumps there were Oct 3 1999. The farm in still there, the grass runway is gone, it's a catfish pond now. And the memories will last for ever. Only the good die young, so I have found immortality, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #2 August 28, 2006 Cary, That does bring back some great memories. I still have a T-shirt from one of Steve’s last times at the Farm. I remember giving Paul Zacks his first Crew hook up and landing it in front of the stage. I thought he was going to kill me. My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreenLight 5 #3 August 28, 2006 We were just discussing thia yesterday... Oh the memories...Green Light "Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #4 August 29, 2006 Thanks for the picture, I marked where I landed the 2 stack with Paul Zacks on his first hook up.My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #5 August 29, 2006 Cary- Too many great memories to fit in one post. If we all got together with our stories and photos it would be a great book. Here I am on a water jump, with June Urschel waiting in the rescue boat with the Cuervo. Blue Skies! Harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rapter 0 #6 August 29, 2006 That's what I was hoping for, people to share there memories and photos. Some where I have a lot of them, I just can't find them. It was always so special there........ My boy always had a way with the ladies there, I'm so proud of him. Only the good die young, so I have found immortality, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #7 August 31, 2006 Got to keep this thread going. My first time landing a DC-3 was on that grass strip. When I fly from LGB to Bakersfield with a student on an IFR cross country, I go fairly close while being vectored for the ILS. My students wonder why I get misty eyed in that area. We made a memorial jump for Hale after he passed away. That's the lake in the middle"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rapter 0 #8 August 31, 2006 QuoteGot to keep this thread goin Seems there should be tons of pictures of the good times there. There was the time Mark Smith had a cut-away and his Main landed on top of the corn, Brain Fairhurst (spelling is wrong) landed next to it not knowing the corn was about 7 feet tall and the field was flooded with mud a couple of feet deep. I was flying up above and watched him disappear into the corn with just his main on top next to Mark's. I landed on the dirt road and for the next half hour heard him sloshing around to climb out covered from head to toe in mud holding two muddy main under each arm. Only the good die young, so I have found immortality, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #9 August 31, 2006 The photo brings back some memories. I am in the dark blue suit with the yellow Protec, bottom left. Clockwise from me is Danny Benge, an unknown, Dave LeClerq, Cary Stephens, Roy Buchanan, another unknown, and Brian Fairhurst. My logbook shows the jump was probably made on 8/15/87 since I am jumping my Warp 3 container and I didn't jump my Vector till my second trip to Costerisan 2 weeks later. I remember because I scratched the reserve flap on my new container on the loading stairs we flew over with. The photographer was probably Mike Burt although it could have been Tom Sanders. I think it was Mike because I don't see Tom's logo on the photo. It is also possible that 1 of the 2 unknowns is Mike Deluna since he vollunteered to organize and jump with the Cal City group because the Fielding group was to big for an Otter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #10 August 31, 2006 I spotted that load and I didn't get a lot compliments from Brian. We got Mike Deluna to repack Mark though and he didn't miss a jump!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #11 August 31, 2006 QuoteI am in the dark blue suit with the yellow Protec, Jim, There isn't any dark blue jumpsuit with a yellow Protec. The only yellow Protec is at 3 o'clock and that is Rich Brooks.My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #12 August 31, 2006 There is in Cary's photo's! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #13 August 31, 2006 QuoteThere is in Cary's photo's! Oh!My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rapter 0 #14 August 31, 2006 Quote The photographer was probably Mike Burt although it could have been Tom Sanders. I think the Photographer was Lee Webb, or maybe Mike. Only the good die young, so I have found immortality, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bozo 0 #15 August 31, 2006 QuoteI spotted that load and I didn't get a lot compliments from Brian. We got Mike Deluna to repack Mark though and he didn't miss a jump!! Mike Deluna....wow thats a name I havent heard in a while. I was in the same Boy Scout troop with Mike when we were kids. Also as a coincidence...while working at UNLV I usta have lunch with a really nice guy on occasion.....turns out thru conversation it was Mikes father. Small world. bozo Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hottamaly 1 #16 September 1, 2006 QuoteQuoteGot to keep this thread goin Seems there should be tons of pictures of the good times there. There was the time Mark Smith had a cut-away and his Main landed on top of the corn, Brain Fairhurst (spelling is wrong) landed next to it not knowing the corn was about 7 feet tall and the field was flooded with mud a couple of feet deep. I was flying up above and watched him disappear into the corn with just his main on top next to Mark's. I landed on the dirt road and for the next half hour heard him sloshing around to climb out covered from head to toe in mud holding two muddy main under each arm. Hey, I'm in those pics I'm in the dirt dive in the first and in the 3 in the second. We called that pecker planting since all the mooners hit the deck when we got too close. Damn I miss those days. Skydiving gave me a reason to live I'm not afraid of what I'll miss when I die...I'm afraid of what I'll miss as I live Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rapter 0 #17 September 1, 2006 QuoteQuoteQuoteGot to keep this thread goin Hey, I'm in those pics Ok, I showed you mine, now show my your's. Only the good die young, so I have found immortality, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #18 September 2, 2006 ***Ok, I showed you mine, now show my your's.Quote That's Jan Aarvik's Our Douglas I think this was in 1988. I'm basing it on the tee shirts, amount of hair, pigment remaining in the hair, and girlfirends at the time. Some of the hair, pigment, girlfriends, and jumpers are no longer with us. What great times those were. I'll be looking for more photos. BSBD Harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimjumper 25 #19 September 5, 2006 I only have 1 photo that I can actually confirm as Costerisan. I do have a fair amount of video that I haven't put on disc yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites GreenLight 5 #20 September 6, 2006 By the way I think it's Costerisans Farms. I posted a link in the Air Trash website to gain more momentum with this thread... Those really were the good ol days. With the loss of Ol Farts it's as though all the fun is going out of the sport.... Well maybe not all the fun... We still have our parking lot even though we have to share it with that noisy old wind tunnel.Green Light "Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skyjunki 0 #21 September 26, 2006 Yes, I do remember those days long gone and I do have to say it was one of the best times for me in the sport and I also learned alot (drinking and being cought by uncle JOHN D. while talking to his doughter). Growing up on the Taft D.Z and the loss of some good friends, well not sure were to go I called up Bill Newell and at the time he had some jumping going on at Costerison's and what a time. Some of you might remember when Bruce (not sure of last name) and the observer went out of the otter and she held on to Bruce on the exit, Bruce then reached over his shoulder and dumped her round reserve. It was like yesterday when you hear Philly tell the story. It would be fun to find a ranch like this again, but we would have to dig up alot of friends to have that good of a time again. Brian Fairhurst Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites itllclear 1 #22 September 26, 2006 Quoteit was one of the best times for me in the sport We all know that when someone who is not a licensed rigger packs a main parachute, it has to be done under the direct supervision of a licensed rigger. We had no problems finding riggers to supervise this packer. Those were the days BSBD Harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #23 September 26, 2006 We all remember that observer. (I wasn't there.) It was 1981 or '82 I think, and one of the jumpers thought something was up as she moved toward the door as a group exited. Most observers naturally won’t go near an open door. The weird thing, he said later, is she was stuffing her camera down her shirt. And even though he motioned her away from the door - out she went! The way we heard the deployment story was, she didn’t hang on to anyone on exit, but one of the jumpers saw her tumbling around outside the formation and he went over and deployed her. After she landed (it was a round parachute, wasn't it, in a pilot's rig?) she was summarily kicked off the property. When we thought about it later I think everyone over reacted to it. Skydiving is fun, the jumpers in the plane were having fun, and she wanted to have fun too. None of us Instructors every looked at an observer quite the same again . . . In fact for awhile the observer briefing included the line, "If you jump, and somehow live through it, number one I'm going to kick your ass, and number two you're going owe me one hundred dollars for the first jump course that you stole." In fact, the whole practice of even allowing observers onboard started to wane after that . . . NickD BASE 194 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites itllclear 1 #24 September 27, 2006 Quote(it was a round parachute, wasn't it, in a pilot's rig?) I think it was Ed McCay's sport rig, and Brude deployed the round reserve."Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybytch 259 #25 September 28, 2006 Quote It would be fun to find a ranch like this again, but we would have to dig up alot of friends to have that good of a time again. You shoulda come to the Star Farms Boogie. I'll make sure you're on the invite list for next time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
jimjumper 25 #19 September 5, 2006 I only have 1 photo that I can actually confirm as Costerisan. I do have a fair amount of video that I haven't put on disc yet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreenLight 5 #20 September 6, 2006 By the way I think it's Costerisans Farms. I posted a link in the Air Trash website to gain more momentum with this thread... Those really were the good ol days. With the loss of Ol Farts it's as though all the fun is going out of the sport.... Well maybe not all the fun... We still have our parking lot even though we have to share it with that noisy old wind tunnel.Green Light "Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjunki 0 #21 September 26, 2006 Yes, I do remember those days long gone and I do have to say it was one of the best times for me in the sport and I also learned alot (drinking and being cought by uncle JOHN D. while talking to his doughter). Growing up on the Taft D.Z and the loss of some good friends, well not sure were to go I called up Bill Newell and at the time he had some jumping going on at Costerison's and what a time. Some of you might remember when Bruce (not sure of last name) and the observer went out of the otter and she held on to Bruce on the exit, Bruce then reached over his shoulder and dumped her round reserve. It was like yesterday when you hear Philly tell the story. It would be fun to find a ranch like this again, but we would have to dig up alot of friends to have that good of a time again. Brian Fairhurst Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #22 September 26, 2006 Quoteit was one of the best times for me in the sport We all know that when someone who is not a licensed rigger packs a main parachute, it has to be done under the direct supervision of a licensed rigger. We had no problems finding riggers to supervise this packer. Those were the days BSBD Harry"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #23 September 26, 2006 We all remember that observer. (I wasn't there.) It was 1981 or '82 I think, and one of the jumpers thought something was up as she moved toward the door as a group exited. Most observers naturally won’t go near an open door. The weird thing, he said later, is she was stuffing her camera down her shirt. And even though he motioned her away from the door - out she went! The way we heard the deployment story was, she didn’t hang on to anyone on exit, but one of the jumpers saw her tumbling around outside the formation and he went over and deployed her. After she landed (it was a round parachute, wasn't it, in a pilot's rig?) she was summarily kicked off the property. When we thought about it later I think everyone over reacted to it. Skydiving is fun, the jumpers in the plane were having fun, and she wanted to have fun too. None of us Instructors every looked at an observer quite the same again . . . In fact for awhile the observer briefing included the line, "If you jump, and somehow live through it, number one I'm going to kick your ass, and number two you're going owe me one hundred dollars for the first jump course that you stole." In fact, the whole practice of even allowing observers onboard started to wane after that . . . NickD BASE 194 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
itllclear 1 #24 September 27, 2006 Quote(it was a round parachute, wasn't it, in a pilot's rig?) I think it was Ed McCay's sport rig, and Brude deployed the round reserve."Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #25 September 28, 2006 Quote It would be fun to find a ranch like this again, but we would have to dig up alot of friends to have that good of a time again. You shoulda come to the Star Farms Boogie. I'll make sure you're on the invite list for next time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
