The circumstances of RW Forty-one years ago: The First World Cup of RW is announced!

[patworks 5]

RWunderground Newsletter - March 1973

The circumstances of RW Forty-one years ago: The First World Cup of RW is announced!

A World Championships in Relative Work! What Does It All Mean?? (1973)

OK, now adjust your ego to the fact that you are now an athlete of Olympic calibre. Straighten your shoulders and condescend to explain to your short-sighted friends that "your crazy hobby" is now a major world sporting event.

In one short year our thing of precise, beautiful, ecstatic involvement with other people in a form of three-dimensional aerial ballet, with the wind providing the symphonic score orchestrated by the clouds, has been viewed by le monde. And that king that governs all of the world's air realized, accepted and rejoiced with us in the newest of International art-forms - freefall relative work.

After the big FAI meeting in Paris came the USPA Board of Directors meeting in Florida. A heavy thing came across at both meetings - freefall RW is, in fact, a major air sport and is recognized as such. And the big organizations that control all air sports want very much what we want ... RW to continue to grow smoothly into the significant athletic event that it is, with fun and freefall for all. If this is to happen we must continue to work together as an International Union of Freefallers. We are all just beginning, let's begin together. Make lotsa RW jumps. Communicate your feelings on what you're doing and don't delegate the future of your favorite activity to some paper-pusher who's more interested in the glory of piles of paper than making RW jumps.

We're gonna have a World Cup RW meet. Problems can be numerous.

Rod Murphy, the Henry Kissinger of the FAI's RW Committee, made a visit to give us a positive briefing on the international aspects of relative work competition. The FAI's RW Committee is an international group who are watching and trying to not have just a few skydivers or individual countries who, however well meaning, might set RW off on a weird track that'd take YEARS to correct so it reflects what we RW'ers want to do.
Rod was instrumental in the RW competition proposal made in Paris to the FAI-CIP group. He's from South Africa, and here's what he has to say:

Quote

"The first RW World Championships could be an athletic event or a political event, so we've got to plan ahead. RW people must realize that on a world-wide basis things happen slowly. For example, the current 10-man star rules must be translated into something like 29 languages. That means that each word in the rules will have a different meaning and interpretation to all readers. Plans must be made and presented at FAI meetings. Misplanning, or poor presentation of a plan, could delay adoption of a proposal by an easy two years."

Thus the FAI RW Committee has a problem: the USA Ten-man rules won't do for a world meet where things must be worded like a peace treaty. Translation and politics, coupled with poor communication and differing goals, lead to problems and protests. Protests lead to ill will and delays. Twenty-nine nations can't all think the same, points out Rod, and some countries have a different boogie than the U.S.A. Think about it. If you represented your country in a world meet and were defeated and had to return home where defeat means disgrace and perhaps loss of job or housing, you'd make damn sure you got the best shake you could possibly get. Including protesting for the sake of protesting.

It looks like the World Cup could be a rotten banana mess if every country doesn't give a bit. Let's hope we can let the sport grow; let positive things help the growth.

Quote

"What are the rules for judging the meet?" asks Rod. "We need international calibre judges. Where're we gonna get them? In 30 years the FAI hasn't produced competent judges. Where are we gonna get good RW judges? Some RW people don't want to be judged by style judges, and the FAI won't accept separate classes of judges."

Rod suggests we invite style judges to RW meets and teach `em to judge RW. They are experienced and tend to be professional, because after all,judging is a discipline. It's hard to be a good judge when your best effort only garners curses.

The point is, we need judges. And we could use some intelligent articles on HOW to judge an RW meet. For instance, in judging RW the angle of observation on a 10-man star is critical. What are the limits of this angle?
A good start in this direction was the motion at the Paris meeting which was approved by USPA's Board that up to three foreign judges be invited to participate in the U.S. Nationals each year. This should improve the level of international judging.

Remember, the FAI is BIG. Its presidents, vice presidents, committee heads are often Kings, Princes, Dictators, Prime Ministers who banded together in the world FAI as a formal organization to defend the use of airspace for sport. As a part of FAI we are also big and have the power and influence of great men to back our activities. If we act deliberately and in unison.

Pat Works, RWu. March 1973
________________________________________
Here's What Eilif Ness, Norway, Has To Say About the FAI-CIP* RW Committee:

He's chairman of the committee which will arrange RW training meets, gather information on technical developments, and make suggestions to further international relative work competition.

Quote

"From now on it is up to the Relative Workers of every nation to work within their own national organization to develop teams for international competition ... and work to have their national Relative Work Teams sent to the different world meets. ... I am not quite sure that the grass roots jumpers in the different countries really appreciate the enormous importance of the decisions that have been made by the FAI, and the responsibilities that are put on them as a result of these decisions. It is now up to the Relative Work jumpers to prove that the work has not been wasted."

*FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale) - (The official international group responsible for all aviation-related activities. CIP is the parachuting arm of this body.)
Pat RWu, March 1973

[councilman24 36]

And forty years ago, as quoted from your book United We Fall,....

"The 4-man event was won by the "Rainbow Flyers." They totalled 42.99 seconds in six jumps which means an average of 7.17 seconds:, their fastest formation was the diamond in 6.42 seconds. France and South Africa followed in places two and three."

Sam Brown, the captain of the Rainbow Flyers and recipient of the RW Council's Certificate of Merit in 1976, picked up his rig Friday after a repack and was in Florida this week jumping and visiting Rainbow Flyer Rocky Evans. Rainbow Flyer Don Carpenter who I saw a few weeks ago stopped jumping regularly a few years ago and spends lots of time with his son Ben who has Duchene's muscular distrophy. He also just became a grandfather. Of course Ken Coleman, the fourth Rainbow Flyer and father of AFF (along with Rocky and Sam), died in the 80's in a hot air balloon crash that Rocky survived by jumping from the burning balloon without a parachute.

During my whole 34 year skydiving career Sam and Don were willing to jump with any newbie. Learning to do a back loop from a world champion when four way RW started with a back loop was special.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[patworks 5]

Kewl. Fun. Army helicopters. ... Janner and the Army took photos... I'll post 'em if I find him....
Was Bob Vanderau on the team ??

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

[councilman24 36]

On the Rainbow Flyers? I've never heard that name. There was a guy named Jimmy Plummer that claims and I guess was a n alternate but I don't think ever competed or really jumped much. Certainly was never as good as a jumper. He did end up with Ken Coleman's custom team belt buckle after his death and wore it a lot. There were only four ever made.

Sandy Reid was in the same area at the same time and was just getting into rigging. Ted Strong was in MI too.

You mention Sherman in your book as going to bat for RW. He was from MI and gave the Flyers prototype SST's (he claims they weren't prototypes but they have H harnesses instead of X) for the world meet in Germany. 75? They were the hit of the meet with Strato Stars and I think lopo reserves. I have Sam's SST. It was the second rig I owned and bought it from him in 1981. I stopped jumping in 1982 after I got to struggle struggle thu.... with a 1400' reserve total.

Sam has 7 kids but know grand kids yet. When I was a student and sleeping in my car at the DZ for the weekend Don Capenter invited me over to his house to sleep on the couch. And Don was always ways excited to make ANY jump... especially with 20 jump wonders..

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[WGore 0]

The 4-way was won by GC Atlanta in 73. Paul Fayard, Chuck Price, Dave Briar, and Bob Vonderau.

GUNFIRE, The sound of Freedom!

[steve1 5]

Sicily Drop Zone. Is that the same one, near Ft. Bragg? It brings back memories of my army jumps.....

I dig those old pictures!.....Makes me want to get some old gear and partake on the fun.

[zoobrothertom 5]

steve1

Sicily Drop Zone. Is that the same one, near Ft. Bragg? It brings back memories of my army jumps.....

I dig those old pictures!.....Makes me want to get some old gear and partake on the fun.

My thoughts too. I spotted that US Army Chinook and when it said Sicily on the next picture ... = Ft. Bragg!

I jumped there too and never knew Ft. Bragg hosted the world's first international meet. Cool!

____________________________________
I'm back in the USA!!

[Thunderbow 1]

Terry - Wasn't Dave Kinney an alternate at some point? Don't think so in 73 but I remember he was around in 74 or 75 when they were practicing at that little grass strip near Athens, Mi. They had a video camera with a HUGE lense mounted in a gun turret on a trailer to video them from the ground. It was quite a feat to keep the camera centered on them. They were flying a DC-3 out of that little strip. I seem to remember the pilot saying something about bouncing it into the air on a small hill at the end of the runway.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am.

[councilman24 36]

Plummer was the only alternate that I know of. Dave was certainly around and might have been. This was all before I moved up here.

But I'm pretty good friends with Don Carpenter. I think I would have heard over the years if Dave was.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE