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One of the original Herd members and instrumental in bringing big planes to the United Parachute Club. Also organized the annual Herd boogie.

Books by Jim Hooper.

Johnston Atoll, in middle of the Pacific Ocean, is where Bobby V worked for a subcontractor in 1996. I was there with the Base Operations Contractor as Quality Assurance Manager. I walked into the mail room and there was Bobby V waiting to get his PO Box, we recognized each other immediately.

Jim and Jeff also Jim and Phil Smith.

Jim Hooper has died of Cancer. He told me about his condition months ago and asked I not say anything. This a cut and paste of Roland Hilfiker’s post in Facebook Old School Skydiving. Jim Hooper the former owner and operator of the Zephyrhills Parachute Center, passed away on 12 January at the age of 82. Jim was a guy who left his marks on skydiving like hardly anyone else by running what was the world’s leading drop zone between the early 70s and 1983 (including the Turkey Meets), by staging the 1981 World Meet in Relative Work there, and by fostering Canopy Relative Work with the first international competitions around the same time . He retired from what he referred to as dispensing “fun and frolic” liberally to an entire skydiving generation in 1983 and became a war correspondent in Africa and in the Balcan. Author of several books and regular contributor to the Soldier of Fortune magazine, he reported on conflicts big and small from which the other journalists stayed away. Godspeed Hoop! And thanks for everything you did for us. My life would not have been the same without you!

Viewing For Bobby V will be held Saturday January 6 at Martinez Funeral Chapel (2580 S 6th Ave, Tucson) at 11:00. From there, we will ride to VFW in Marana. Followed by a military service at Marana VFW Post 5990 (15850 W El Tiro Rd, Marana, AZ) at 3:00. They will do a fly over and release his ashes. There we will celebrate his Life......donations will be collected to pay for services. Spread the word please.

From Dale Grady. Bobby Valenzuela passed away on Sunday after A motorcycle accident in Arizona. To say Bobby V was larger than life is like saying the ocean is big. Bobby was a true legend and lived a life worthy of a novel or a feature film. ————————————————— Many comments and photos on Facebook.

High Time Skydiving Enterprise. Harleysvill, PA Marc Nadeau is offering a Senior Rigger course October 16-23. Contact Marc at 610-442-7500 or [email protected] for more information.

It was a D-18 over Coolidge Arizona. We first started “hang loads” as we named it in 1976, made the headlines in 1977. Carl Boenish did the filming at Coolidge in 1977. Tony Gonzales took the famous photos that made the news paper’s and posters. That’s me on the wing, white suit blue rig with WSCR patch. I have been answering questions and Bull Shit statements about what happened for many years. So many people who were not there and only heard rumors think they know it all.

Yes, open all year with events.

I was a Great Event and you missed it. Laura Kraus was there too.

https://www.facebook.com/events/663681095728653/?ref=newsfeed chesapeakewelcome-01.webp

Thank you for the video dump. Greene County Xenia is my home DZ, I consider Jim West my Mentor in Skydiving.

First signs of arthritis !

https://www.uspa.org/Call-To-Action

Johnny Crews of the Pelican Skydivers Passed away quietly on the morning of July 9, 2023 Another true pioneer of Sport Parachuting, an original member and founder of the Pelican Skydivers when the club originated in Manassas Virginia and later moved to Ridgely Maryland. Survived by his wife Sandy Amundson.

I neglected to mention, the only activity at the airport is Sport Parachuting with occasional Balloon launch. B9BC5B7F-FF8B-437E-AF3C-58AC72D711D9.webp

Ridgely Maryland, Skydive Chesapeake is open. The DelMarVa Jumpers moved there. skydive-locations.webp It’s where the Pelican Skydivers used to be. chesapeakewelcome-01.webp

Two photos of Mike.

Mike was a loyal member of Greene County Xenia Ohio. Like so many he considered Jim West a Mentor. https://www.recordnet.com/obituaries/pyrk0397279?fbclid=IwAR3533vuP3Frd2AvhKkjh4Vn3G_2yMOoDqeYCHxEVNZECXNtTlko5XAh7RU

https://uspa.org/About-USPA/USPA-News/uspa-seeks-to-fill-two-staff-positions?fbclid=IwAR30uu9uiZcwiBvHbtT-sioGZmT8J0J5Ol6Mf6zCBoiTKfNNopgY1TCOj1A

Skydive DelMarVa in Laurel Delaware closed after decades, issues with the Airport owner, don’t know the details. They moved to Ridgely Maryland where the famous ‘Pelican Skydiver’ used to be. They are now ‘Skydive Chesapeake’ and in a much better arrangement. The only activity on the airport is Skydiving.

He's alive and well on Facebook.