NickDG 23 #1 December 10, 2007 Here's mine. It's the old red type logbook from Steve Snyder Enterprises (SSE) and it held ten jumps to a page. To show how dorky I was, I had this logbook in my back pocket when I made my first jump and as I was walking back in I signed off my very own first jump! I read it as, "Parachutist or Pilot's Signature and License No," to mean, hey I was now a "parachutist" (I didn't know "Parachutists" had license numbers) so I signed my own name. That's why it's crossed out and my Instructor signed above it. I got reamed pretty good for that one back at the clubhouse . . . These early logbooks didn’t provide enough room for all a beginning jumper wanted to write. But on the other hand the later "Black Freefall Logs" offered too much. NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DavidB 0 #2 December 10, 2007 Here's mine, about 10 years newer, & blue, but basically the same.When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #3 December 10, 2007 Nice, Dave, and lots of "Excellents" in the comments column too !!! NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites howardwhite 4 #4 December 10, 2007 Here's mine. I was a pretty retarded student early on (although my canopy control was good enough so that I was allowed to jump a PC on #18 -- a big deal in 1966.) My first freefall was #13, and it was pretty smooth progress after that. All but one of the jumps on this page were signed either by Al Smith, who disappeared from the skydiving world in the late sixties, or by Doug Angel, who went on to run Skydive East in New Jersey until a few years ago. Jump #9 was signed by Max Knor, who gained international fame in 1962 when, as a member of the Yugoslavian team at the '62 World Meet in Orange, he defected to the US. The "Telsan Tern" was PI's name for a modified C-9 (Telsan coming from IsTEL SANborn.) (I celebrated the 42nd anniversary of my first jump a few days late this year, with a Thanksgiving Day jump, and two more the Sunday after Thanksgiving -- landing on all within 50 yards or so from where I landed on #1.) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #5 December 10, 2007 Wow, I bet that "Norseman" stamp would be worth something on E-Bay now !!! And Howard, let's watch those "High Hands . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DavidB 0 #6 December 10, 2007 Thanx Nick! The next page isn't as good, but after that they got better. My first jump was signed by Dick Spates (D-6224) but it was actually his X-wife, Theresa, that put me out. (I did get to jump with her a few years later when I ran into her in Coolidge.) Dick did put me out my second jump The rest are signed by Wayne "Smitty" Smith (D-8715), Bob Young (D-3976), Billy Sokol (D-9098), & Lenny Luzak (C-16801). (edited to ask: Where are they today?) Here's page 2. Note my comment on the bottom/left! When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites howardwhite 4 #7 December 11, 2007 Dunno about the rest, but Dick Spates has for the past few years been chief instructor at Jumptown (Orange, MA). He does many of the AFF FJCs, and virtually all of the AFF "camps" -- start Thursday and (weather permitting) get to solo status before the end of the weekend. He's largely responsible for the fact that Jumptown produced 31 new A licensed jumpers this year. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #8 December 11, 2007 >>Where are they today?I wonder that too . . . My first jump Instructor was a salty old Marine Corps Master Sergeant we called Sparky. Before I got off student status he was hauled off for beating his wife up. About ten years later, in 1985, he showed up at Perris and I had a few beers in the Bombshelter with him. He wasn't jumping anymore and I said, "You know, I became an Instructor because I wanted to be just like you." He looked at me for a moment and then said, "So these squares, it looks like they caught on, eh!" . . . And, also of course, there are other signatures in my first logbook who are long dead now . . . jumping and otherwise . . . Photo: Sparky (left) gear checking another student while I waited for him to check me . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites michalm21 0 #9 December 11, 2007 that's some scary looking equipment... for me, rookie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites fastphil 0 #10 December 11, 2007 Good pic Nick. I remember too, holding my own static line, feeling as if I were holding my own noose. You took a whole month to fill that first page, guess you didn't like the sport much at first LOL... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites steve1 5 #11 December 11, 2007 My first three hundred jumps were in the little red log books. My scribbling was so tiny that it may not post very well.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites efs4ever 3 #12 December 11, 2007 I was just looking through the pile. Eight Precision FF books. For a long time, before beginning tandems, my jumps were only logged to computer database. After about 100 tandems I started getting students to comment about their jump and sign off.Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airtwardo 6 #13 December 11, 2007 Only 'Red' in mine are Malfunctions...14 and counting. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites davidlayne 5 #14 December 11, 2007 Here's mine! Who can tell me who signed mine? My jumpmaster on my 1st jump didn't sign mine. He was only 13 at the time and had to go do school work when I needed a signature. Come to think of it, he didn't have a license so I suppose its a mute point.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! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites zoobrothertom 5 #15 December 11, 2007 Quote Thanx Nick! The next page isn't as good, but after that they got better. My first jump was signed by Dick Spates (D-6224) but it was actually his X-wife, Theresa, that put me out. (I did get to jump with her a few years later when I ran into her in Coolidge.) Dick did put me out my second jump The rest are signed by Wayne "Smitty" Smith (D-8715), Bob Young (D-3976), Billy Sokol (D-9098), & Lenny Luzak (C-16801). (edited to ask: Where are they today?) -------------------------------------------------------- LSC!! That brings back some memories! I was stationed at Ft. Monmouth and used to take the bus over to LSC on Friday after school. Don't forget co-owner Joey (?). I'll get my page scanned soon. Theresa Spates put me out on a 15 second delay for some turns. I buffeted a little, but did my turns. She wrote "uncontrolled turns" in my logbook. I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized she wasn't wearing her glasses! I added my own "correction" to her entry. . Here's another one you don't see nowadays. I arrived at LSC on 5 second delays with my own gear. A Starlite in a Starlite container. AAD, what's that?Remember Dick Spate's 'Impossi-Ball' commercial? ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites docjohn 0 #16 December 12, 2007 I guess 1975 was a popular year to take up skydiving.......... Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DavidB 0 #17 December 12, 2007 Joey D... "Let's go, let's move, let's jump, let's hop!" Quote Remember Dick Spate's 'Impossi-Ball' commercial? The sock ad? That one was hanging on the wall in the club house. He said the "smile" he wore in the ad was actually a grimace, due to spending so much time on his back with his legs raised. My favorite after-jump activity, besides the partying of course, was... BOWL PATROL!!!!!! Then there was the one 182 pilot, Charlie something I think, & his fireworks. Bottle-rocket wars in the bowl, shooting at junk in the woods... ahhh, the good old days. When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites fastphil 0 #18 December 12, 2007 Good thread NickDG Here's my page one. I used up three pages in my first month; skydiving was something I could not get enough of. And while I'm lost in the logbook, I included pic two in memory of a couple of the good ones... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites grimmie 173 #19 December 12, 2007 David, I wish my first real log book wasn't stolen 14 years ago along with my rig. I recovered the rig at a swap meet, but never found my log. My 100th jump was a 4 way with Airmoves, Dan, Troy and James. I took Tom's slot. It was out of "Our Douglass". At least I have video. James signed it and wrote some funny stuff in it over the following year. I made about 300+ jumps with him that he signed off. I think of him on every jump, we had a blast in those days! I'm looking through my old shoe boxes for my first log book. It was from 1980 at Cleveland Sport Parachute Club. On the back it said..."After 500 jumps, you too can fly the Paracommander, the Ferrarri of all canopies!" Excellent memories guys! Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites chileman 0 #20 December 12, 2007 Nick...thanks for sending me on a search for my old log books. I had a few good laughs reading mine and the others on here. Jump #4 on a T-10 7 TU, one mile off, landed in a neighborhood, the guy comes out to see WTF and I know him. Gave me a ride back to the air strip and I beat my JM back. Jump #5, trees, #6 my last stable pull for 10 jumps, didn't stand one up until #25. Needless to say, i was not one of the "naturals". Jeez, how did we survive? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #21 December 12, 2007 >>Jeez, how did we survive?One time on a really early "big way" at Perris the spot was so bad I landed about 5 miles out and over by the "rock house" on the other side of town. I'm walking down the road when this old farmer in a beat up pick- up truck stopped for me. So we are driving down the road and in between squirting huge wads of tobacco out the window he says, "Skyjumper, eh?" "Yes," I said proudly. "Well," he added, after another spit out the window, "Ya ain't too good at it, are ya . . . !" NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites RogerRamjet 0 #22 December 12, 2007 Nick, 8 static lines? Not giving you a hard time, I had 9 At Z-Hills, it was 2 regular static, followed by 3 DRCP. I just could not get the exit down until Dan Steiger JMd for me and altered my exit. No problem after that... ----------------------- Roger "Ramjet" Clark FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimjumper 25 #23 December 12, 2007 That would be Joey D'Afflisio (sp?). We must have been around Lakewood about the same time. Theresa was at the last PIA convention and still recognized me. She put me out the first time I spotted myself and when I thought the spot was good turned and asked her opinion. She said "How would I know? I can't see anything with you in the door!!" I stepped out and left. The spot was fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimjumper 25 #24 December 12, 2007 I get to lay claim to Dick Spates first AFF (Unofficial) instructional jump. I was having problems getting stable on 10 sec delays. We were reading in Parachutist about AFF and Joey D. and Dick decided to take me AFF style from 10.5. That was really high since we usually only went to 7.5 for RW. It was also my first jump on my new (used) Russian PC. Hey, What could possibly go wrong! The freefall went great and i only missed the landing area by a little bit! Still didn't learn anything about stable exits though! I only took 32 jumps to get off student status. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites NickDG 23 #25 December 13, 2007 >>Nick, 8 static lines?Yeah, I was a real spazz . . . But I think it's why I'm good with students who are having a tough time - I can relate. But, one thing we can all be proud of (all us old guys) is we learned without some moke strapped to our backs, or hanging on to us . . . !!! NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 Next Page 1 of 3 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. 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DavidB 0 #2 December 10, 2007 Here's mine, about 10 years newer, & blue, but basically the same.When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #3 December 10, 2007 Nice, Dave, and lots of "Excellents" in the comments column too !!! NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 4 #4 December 10, 2007 Here's mine. I was a pretty retarded student early on (although my canopy control was good enough so that I was allowed to jump a PC on #18 -- a big deal in 1966.) My first freefall was #13, and it was pretty smooth progress after that. All but one of the jumps on this page were signed either by Al Smith, who disappeared from the skydiving world in the late sixties, or by Doug Angel, who went on to run Skydive East in New Jersey until a few years ago. Jump #9 was signed by Max Knor, who gained international fame in 1962 when, as a member of the Yugoslavian team at the '62 World Meet in Orange, he defected to the US. The "Telsan Tern" was PI's name for a modified C-9 (Telsan coming from IsTEL SANborn.) (I celebrated the 42nd anniversary of my first jump a few days late this year, with a Thanksgiving Day jump, and two more the Sunday after Thanksgiving -- landing on all within 50 yards or so from where I landed on #1.) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #5 December 10, 2007 Wow, I bet that "Norseman" stamp would be worth something on E-Bay now !!! And Howard, let's watch those "High Hands . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidB 0 #6 December 10, 2007 Thanx Nick! The next page isn't as good, but after that they got better. My first jump was signed by Dick Spates (D-6224) but it was actually his X-wife, Theresa, that put me out. (I did get to jump with her a few years later when I ran into her in Coolidge.) Dick did put me out my second jump The rest are signed by Wayne "Smitty" Smith (D-8715), Bob Young (D-3976), Billy Sokol (D-9098), & Lenny Luzak (C-16801). (edited to ask: Where are they today?) Here's page 2. Note my comment on the bottom/left! When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 4 #7 December 11, 2007 Dunno about the rest, but Dick Spates has for the past few years been chief instructor at Jumptown (Orange, MA). He does many of the AFF FJCs, and virtually all of the AFF "camps" -- start Thursday and (weather permitting) get to solo status before the end of the weekend. He's largely responsible for the fact that Jumptown produced 31 new A licensed jumpers this year. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #8 December 11, 2007 >>Where are they today?I wonder that too . . . My first jump Instructor was a salty old Marine Corps Master Sergeant we called Sparky. Before I got off student status he was hauled off for beating his wife up. About ten years later, in 1985, he showed up at Perris and I had a few beers in the Bombshelter with him. He wasn't jumping anymore and I said, "You know, I became an Instructor because I wanted to be just like you." He looked at me for a moment and then said, "So these squares, it looks like they caught on, eh!" . . . And, also of course, there are other signatures in my first logbook who are long dead now . . . jumping and otherwise . . . Photo: Sparky (left) gear checking another student while I waited for him to check me . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
michalm21 0 #9 December 11, 2007 that's some scary looking equipment... for me, rookie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fastphil 0 #10 December 11, 2007 Good pic Nick. I remember too, holding my own static line, feeling as if I were holding my own noose. You took a whole month to fill that first page, guess you didn't like the sport much at first LOL... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #11 December 11, 2007 My first three hundred jumps were in the little red log books. My scribbling was so tiny that it may not post very well.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #12 December 11, 2007 I was just looking through the pile. Eight Precision FF books. For a long time, before beginning tandems, my jumps were only logged to computer database. After about 100 tandems I started getting students to comment about their jump and sign off.Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #13 December 11, 2007 Only 'Red' in mine are Malfunctions...14 and counting. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davidlayne 5 #14 December 11, 2007 Here's mine! Who can tell me who signed mine? My jumpmaster on my 1st jump didn't sign mine. He was only 13 at the time and had to go do school work when I needed a signature. Come to think of it, he didn't have a license so I suppose its a mute point.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! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #15 December 11, 2007 Quote Thanx Nick! The next page isn't as good, but after that they got better. My first jump was signed by Dick Spates (D-6224) but it was actually his X-wife, Theresa, that put me out. (I did get to jump with her a few years later when I ran into her in Coolidge.) Dick did put me out my second jump The rest are signed by Wayne "Smitty" Smith (D-8715), Bob Young (D-3976), Billy Sokol (D-9098), & Lenny Luzak (C-16801). (edited to ask: Where are they today?) -------------------------------------------------------- LSC!! That brings back some memories! I was stationed at Ft. Monmouth and used to take the bus over to LSC on Friday after school. Don't forget co-owner Joey (?). I'll get my page scanned soon. Theresa Spates put me out on a 15 second delay for some turns. I buffeted a little, but did my turns. She wrote "uncontrolled turns" in my logbook. I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized she wasn't wearing her glasses! I added my own "correction" to her entry. . Here's another one you don't see nowadays. I arrived at LSC on 5 second delays with my own gear. A Starlite in a Starlite container. AAD, what's that?Remember Dick Spate's 'Impossi-Ball' commercial? ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
docjohn 0 #16 December 12, 2007 I guess 1975 was a popular year to take up skydiving.......... Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidB 0 #17 December 12, 2007 Joey D... "Let's go, let's move, let's jump, let's hop!" Quote Remember Dick Spate's 'Impossi-Ball' commercial? The sock ad? That one was hanging on the wall in the club house. He said the "smile" he wore in the ad was actually a grimace, due to spending so much time on his back with his legs raised. My favorite after-jump activity, besides the partying of course, was... BOWL PATROL!!!!!! Then there was the one 182 pilot, Charlie something I think, & his fireworks. Bottle-rocket wars in the bowl, shooting at junk in the woods... ahhh, the good old days. When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fastphil 0 #18 December 12, 2007 Good thread NickDG Here's my page one. I used up three pages in my first month; skydiving was something I could not get enough of. And while I'm lost in the logbook, I included pic two in memory of a couple of the good ones... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 173 #19 December 12, 2007 David, I wish my first real log book wasn't stolen 14 years ago along with my rig. I recovered the rig at a swap meet, but never found my log. My 100th jump was a 4 way with Airmoves, Dan, Troy and James. I took Tom's slot. It was out of "Our Douglass". At least I have video. James signed it and wrote some funny stuff in it over the following year. I made about 300+ jumps with him that he signed off. I think of him on every jump, we had a blast in those days! I'm looking through my old shoe boxes for my first log book. It was from 1980 at Cleveland Sport Parachute Club. On the back it said..."After 500 jumps, you too can fly the Paracommander, the Ferrarri of all canopies!" Excellent memories guys! Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chileman 0 #20 December 12, 2007 Nick...thanks for sending me on a search for my old log books. I had a few good laughs reading mine and the others on here. Jump #4 on a T-10 7 TU, one mile off, landed in a neighborhood, the guy comes out to see WTF and I know him. Gave me a ride back to the air strip and I beat my JM back. Jump #5, trees, #6 my last stable pull for 10 jumps, didn't stand one up until #25. Needless to say, i was not one of the "naturals". Jeez, how did we survive? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #21 December 12, 2007 >>Jeez, how did we survive?One time on a really early "big way" at Perris the spot was so bad I landed about 5 miles out and over by the "rock house" on the other side of town. I'm walking down the road when this old farmer in a beat up pick- up truck stopped for me. So we are driving down the road and in between squirting huge wads of tobacco out the window he says, "Skyjumper, eh?" "Yes," I said proudly. "Well," he added, after another spit out the window, "Ya ain't too good at it, are ya . . . !" NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RogerRamjet 0 #22 December 12, 2007 Nick, 8 static lines? Not giving you a hard time, I had 9 At Z-Hills, it was 2 regular static, followed by 3 DRCP. I just could not get the exit down until Dan Steiger JMd for me and altered my exit. No problem after that... ----------------------- Roger "Ramjet" Clark FB# 271, SCR 3245, SCS 1519 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #23 December 12, 2007 That would be Joey D'Afflisio (sp?). We must have been around Lakewood about the same time. Theresa was at the last PIA convention and still recognized me. She put me out the first time I spotted myself and when I thought the spot was good turned and asked her opinion. She said "How would I know? I can't see anything with you in the door!!" I stepped out and left. The spot was fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimjumper 25 #24 December 12, 2007 I get to lay claim to Dick Spates first AFF (Unofficial) instructional jump. I was having problems getting stable on 10 sec delays. We were reading in Parachutist about AFF and Joey D. and Dick decided to take me AFF style from 10.5. That was really high since we usually only went to 7.5 for RW. It was also my first jump on my new (used) Russian PC. Hey, What could possibly go wrong! The freefall went great and i only missed the landing area by a little bit! Still didn't learn anything about stable exits though! I only took 32 jumps to get off student status. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #25 December 13, 2007 >>Nick, 8 static lines?Yeah, I was a real spazz . . . But I think it's why I'm good with students who are having a tough time - I can relate. But, one thing we can all be proud of (all us old guys) is we learned without some moke strapped to our backs, or hanging on to us . . . !!! NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
