chuteless

The best years of jumping were from 1962 to 1982. So many changes, and much of what was learned by trail and error. The thing that made it the best years for me, was the constant hate from CSPA towards anything I did. The more I did, the more they hated me. The more they hated me, the more I did. The Descenders Parateam and I, had the full and total support of the Ministry of Transport, ( Canada's version of the FAA ) and I had the world by the tail. I had sponsors of many kinds, but the main one was Toyota, a new vehicle every 3 months, all lettered up from 1972 to 1984 .. I had a watch company " BULOVA" , sports clothing manufacturer, and Gillette Trac II , and others. It was an exciting time to be jumping, because the general public had not even been aware that skydiving existed, until I came along and opened low at demos, and did other things that others wouldn't do. I did many HALO jumps, and everything I did made the news, but so did CSPA's sniping at me. It sure was the best. I think my 1st chuteless jump ( in 1969 ) started the ball rolling and it just kept getting better from there. I had a skydivers dream, made my living at my variety of jumping, and never looked back

Consider yourself too old the day after the flowers begin to arrive at the funeral home. Bill Cole

I have cracked my pelvis twice on separate jumps, and never stopped jumping. I have also broken two vertebrae on separate jumps, and never stopped . \

It is a very sad thing to announce that we lost a great jumper and a great man in yesterday's death of Ken Weichec , Grafton DZ in Ohio. Ken was 75 yrs old. He handed me the chute on my second chuteless jump on July 20th 1972. He will be greatly missed. Bill Cole

I jumped in the Montreal area in the 1960s and the 1970s. Mostly doing skydiving TV commercials, but some fun jumps as well, up at the Gatineau area. Bill Cole D-41

My most serious congratulations to Alan Eustace, for his new record. I envy him, but when I was his age, there wasn't much possibility of getting anything that would go that high.I had to settle for a Cessna 210 turbo and got out at 44 feet short of 7 miles. Best wishes for a continuance for Alan's space exploration, and may he have many more high or low jumps and most of all, safe jumps. Bill Cole D-41 aka chuteless numbers 2 and 3 .

I am trying to contact Libby as per your data that you posted. I will let you know how I make out. Thabnks so much to all. Bill Cole D-41

I am trying to contact an Aussie Gal, named Libby Lyver, who was running a DZ in New Zealand until about 3 years ago. If anyone in the Australian skydive community knows where she now is jumping in Australia, and can send me a PM, I would like to contact her. I 'll be 82 yrs old next week, and dont know how much longer I will be around, so the sooner the better. Much thanks to anyone who can give me an email contact for her. Bill Cole D-41 Canada, aka chuteless #2 and #3.

I made my living at skydiving, which also got me into hot air balloons for corporate sponsors. I made money at both, but I was willing to take risks that others would not take. I was on the air show circuit as well, and I had many corporate sponsors. They all helped. I did HALO jumps plus other stunts that others would not do. It got me lots of press coverage, and television interviews. I do not think a person could do those things in today's world. Since 9/11, the air shows have got fewer, and there is so much skydiving, ( and fatalities) that the " sport" is lost to the general public. It is over exposed to the public's view. My type of jumping was not over exposed in the 1960s 1970s and 1980s, and I was able to bring the sport ( or my activities within the sport) to the public's view. If I hadnt done so, skydiving would not be recognized as much as it now is.I suggest that if you try to do skydiving as your only means of financial support, you will not be able to make a living at it. Keep your electrical trade, and try skydiving as a means of money slowly, and see how it works for you. If you go the route I took, you will have hard time, especially if you are living in the USA and have to bow to USPA's rules and regulations. I felt that the rules were made to be bent or outright broken, and that got me into the public view even more. I didnt really lose anything by not belonging to CSPA who suspended me for life ( twice). As a matter of fact, CSPA's attitude was a great help to me getting publicity. I took the air shows right out of the backyards of CSPA member clubs, which they didnt like, but it all helped me. Good luck . Bill Cole D-41, aka chuteless #2 and #3

Take a big box of matches into freefall and light the candles on the cake during your delay.

If the gear was manufactured in the USA, you wouldnt have to pay anything to take it back there. If made in Canada, you would likely get taxed, but I doubt it would b4e much.

I packed according to the manual for the first few jumps, and after that I would speed pack the Para-Commander. Simply put, you drive a tire iron into the ground, and get a bit of tension from someone on the container/harness, and the just flake the canopy as fast as you can, as though you were checking something out. Drop the whole thing onto the ground and pull the sleeve over it. Its rather bulky, but squeeze the air out as you pile the whole thing on the backpack, close it up, put the pins in a go for a jump. A good speed pack can be done in 6 minutes, and it gives a very fast, hard positive opening. You can take it as low as you want to, and it opens with a thunderclap . The best chute ever made, and the most fun to use for a low demo. Scares the hell out of all onlookers.

You are totally wrong. The increase in speed would blow the canopy apart. It is a good thing Felix didnt pull high. At past the speed of sound, he wouldn't have had a chute ( except for the reserve. I have travelled at high speed from 7 miles up, and I would hate to have to use either chute at anything over 20,000 ft. That is when you get ground rush, and a chute wouldnt open in one piece at that high. I have been to 43,000 in a chamber, but they didnt have any way to simulate an opening shock at that altitude, but the did simulate the freefall , rapid descent.When jumping at Quito Ecuador, we went to 17,500 feet to get a 30 second delay, so with the land at 9500 ASL, we would be pulling at another 2000 ft above that. No noticeable difference than jumping in Ontario.

I am not sure which decades you refer to. I jumped when I was in my 20s, my 30s,my 40s,my 50s,my 60s,my 70s, AND MY 80S, WHICH WOULD BE 7 DECADES, BUT HAVING STARTED IN 1962, i JUMPED IN THE 1960S, 1970S,1980S,1990S,2000, 2005 TO 2010, TO 2013 TAKE YOUR PICK, Bill Cole D-41 Canada , aka chuteless #2 and #3.

I have jumped rounds from 1962 to 1972, and beyond. I like the Para Commander, which if you speed packed it, you could open as low as you wanted to. openings at 200 feet to 500 feet were great, especially if someone on the ground was below you...they usually thought you weren't going to open at all. I loved the rounds for a reserve. belly mounted, they were nice to see go up and blossom before your eyes. Made for a great demo. That was a great canopy, better than any square. Ive had many rounds of various makes, but the P.C. was the best. BILL COLE D-41 Canada

Ive made lots of jumps at night from 12,500 ft, but only one from 30,571 ft over Canada's largest airport, Toronto ( Pearson) INTNL Airport. Bill Cole D-41 aka Chuteless 2 and 3

I HAVE JUMPED IN MY 20S, 30S, 40S, 50S, 60S, 70S, AND MY 80S. Bill Cole D-41 Canada aka chuteless 2 and 3

I jumped blindfolded, and they were supposed to talk me into target with a giant bullhorn, which broke about the time I left the aircraft. Another jumper was supposed to hookup with me, and he overshot, and I had no idea where he was. I decided I had done 30 seconds of freefall, and opened my canopy. I had no idea what the winds were, and I just fly blind. Finally i hollered WHERE AM I? No answer, I hollered again and hit the ground. I refused to take the blindfold off and flew by luck ten feet beside high voltage lines. I was lucky, but my motto is Forge Ahead, and Dont Back Down. I sure would have been fried if I had been ten feet closer . Good for a laugh...close doesn't count. Bill Cole D-41, aka Chuteless 2 AND 3

It was a sad day last week when we were told of the passing of Andrew Gillinson. I never met him, but he and I had a very good rapport, and he sure seemed to be a great guy. God be with him, and R.I.P. Bill Cole ( Canada )

Its not hard to read the winds. Having been skydiving since 1962, and taking a spell off to fly hot air balloons for Corporations, one gets to understand wind velocity, and things like dust devils, and gusts. It takes being observant, and making mental notes about the wind conditions that are around you and what the weatherman tells you on TV. Watch for things the wind has an effect on, like small bits of paper blowing across the grass, or as in hot air ballooning, we would inflate a small 1o inch balloon and send it aloft. You can see the wind at different elevations, and the way the wind indicator changes direction, and you watch how it blows the small balloon, and remember what you saw when you are preparing for your landing. Most of all, be prepared when you land. Expect the unexpected, and don't be taken by surprise. I have don that myself, and it hurts when bones break. It is all about being observant and using your memory to apply it to your skill in jumping. Stay safe. Bill Cole D-41

Make sure you are wide awake, and spend every second paying attention to everything that is happening. Be aware of who you are with, who is around you, watch others and know you will be as experienced as they are one day. When you fill out your log book, don't be in a hurry. Think about every things that happened. Write it clear, and don't leave out anything. It may seem small to you now, but later you will be glad you notarized everything that happened. Best of luck to you. You first is only your FIRST. All the rest are repeats, with a few twists thrown in for excitement. Its a great sport, and stay safe. Bill Cole D-41 aka chuteless #2 and #3.HALO jumper. ( You see, there is a wide variety of things you can do to make the sport even greater.

I heartily agree with Twardowski. I started in 1962, and have done everything the sport offers. I never di get into big-ways, but the smaller group jumps was just as exciting. I slacked off a few years while flying Corporate hot air balloons, and building airplanes, but I never lost the zeal for flying the blue, and just punching a hole in the sky. I must confess, I am almost 82 now, and I am getting tired of my small amount of participation. I have sold or given away everything connected to jumping, and hope my belongings brings happiness to others in the game. My daughter Crystal is jumping, and while I have said so many times, I won't jump anymore, there is always that lingering, " well, maybe just one more". It is like a narcotic, and very hard to stay away from. I enjoy being at a dropzone even if its only to watch, but I find it is getting harder to walk, move, sit, stand up, and certainly, to fly, so I have to keep telling myself its over......until that urge comes to me once more. We'll see. Bill Cole D-41 Canada

Just make it appear that you aren't breaking them. I do agree, rules were made to be bent, broken, and sometimes disregarded in favor of something else. Know your limitations. If you are a beginner, then wait until you have learned what you can break and what you cant. Just don't break bones.

Hey Jim: I just thought I would bring you up to date on my Delta II rebuild. It should be ready to fly by the end of May, give or take a week or two. Its been quite a job, but the rigger says he has run into several difficulties, but its a time thing. I told him to do what he had to do. I do not want to get it back with a single thing wrong with it. I may make a few jumps on it, and then sell it. It will likely be costly, but if it doesnt sell for what I will ask after paying so much to get it fixed right, then I will just keep it. I hope to see you sometime this summer., but can't say when or where. I guess it will depend on your schedule, and my willingness to drive any distance Take care...talk at ya later. BILL

Hi Jim: I recently sent my Delta II ParaWing to a United States ( USPA ) rigger, for some major repairs. I got the canopy from Peter Chapman, and although I packed it, I wasn't happy with it, because there was so many things that had been damages, and supposedly rigged, and I felt the chute was no longer safe. I will let you know later this summer, when I get it back, and perhaps you would take a look at it, and let me know your opinions on it ( and several other things ). I have never in my 50 + years of skydiving seen so much damage to a canopy, and I have taken some photos of thew chute before I sent it to the guy in the USA, and you can see the extremely poor rigging. I believe someone had shortened the two rear blue lines, and it certainly was not the safe canopy that I had been using for many years. I don't know the full extent of repair costs, but I may sell the canopy to someone, after I put a couple of jumps on it. I can tell how it flys, and then I'll decide if I keep it or sell it. It should never have ended up in anyone's hands unless they had made a deal with me, but it appears some people dont mind taking a canopy that wasn't theirs, and when I saw the damage and rigging on it, I decided I would get it back into top shape, and then either keep or sell it. Take care, maybe see you sometime this summer. Bill Cole