chuteless

I have no intentions to be dragged into personal attacks in this or any other forum. Best wishes to you too, Sparky. No offence meant , intended, or taken. Take care : Bill

No, I must confess, I did not notice the smiley face. No offence meant or taken. Best wishes all the way, BILL

377 : To say that being chuteless is the equal or worse than jumping nude, is a major lie. You are trying desperately to divert the truth away from those who are vulgar and immoral. there is NO comparison, and you should withdraw your dumb comment. Chuteless.....is naked, nude ???? That is nothing but a lie and you know it. Try diverting your rude and immoral comment to show what a foolish statement you made.

Nude jumping is wrong, whether you like it or not. It is just as wrong if someone nude got on a crowded subway in a big city. Its wrong, the police would tell him so, and so would many others, including me. You may not object mjosparky, and that is your right, but if it degrades the sport, then all jumpers should take another look at this immoral behaviour and suggest in the name of decency, to stop it. No other sport would tolerate it. How much would a baseball player be fined for such behaviour?....more than you and I would get in a year. As for Buzz bennett, you are better off never having heard of him. I had times when he was doing things in order to try to stop me from jumping. He is the worst liar I've ever encountered, but its all in the past, and I have no idea where he is, and couldn't care less. You are wrong in saying this isn't the forum to mention him. This is a skydiving forum, and he was ( maybe still is) jumping, so he is or was a part of the sport. I have every right to mention in this forum, him or anyone who has ever jumped , so climb down to earth again. This IS the correct forum to do just that....IF someone really wants to. I would suggest it is their own choice. Take care, Sparky....you likely still have many years of life left. I hope they are productive and happy times. Having been involved in skydiving or Sport Parachuting for more than 52 years, I have made lots of good friends, and found a few that were not so good. I am not sure WHY they are like that, unless we got into a heated discussion over something like HALO for example, but that was likely many years ago, and I don't carry a grudge. They should learn to do the same.

Steve; I would consider shaking your hand would be my pleasure. There is one person on DZ.com who has no respect for me, and it is really quite obvious. I couldn't really care less, and if he thinks I am losing sleep over his nonsense, he is totally wrong. Not really sure why he has this chip on his shoulder, but that is his problem. I hope he settles down some day and realize he wasted a lot of effort and time for nothing. If we ever get together Steve, make sure you grab me by the throat and tell me to shake your hand....finally. Best wishes from me to you....always.

At least no one can say anything that I did was immoral or indecent. Life " can be" serious, but it doesn't have to be. I must confess though, I take life very seriously, and everything I do is covered by my motto, FAADBD,................................... Forge Ahead And Don't Back Down. Having said that, I apply serious forging ahead, and know the consequences which are usually dangerous should be taken serious. I totally disagree that its in any way at all, okay to jump nude. It shows just how stupid some jumpers can be, and how little honor they attribute to the sport itself. NO OTHER sport in the world would do such a disgraceful thing...because they would rather act like true decent people, and jumping nude would leave them out of that level. I have done many things which were " unusual" but I hurt no one, and no one can say I hurt the sport. It advanced more because of me and my stunts, than it ever would have done if left to the whims of people like Buzz Bennett, the biggest liar in Canada, and the representative of CSPA in some levels.In my opinion, Buzz couldn't adequately represent the toilet paper that he wipes his fat ass with. He is a coward and will lie in any conversation, and he simply cannot be trusted. Now, you say you know someone who jumped out of a good aircraft without wearing a chute? I question that. Who would be so dumb as to do that? Thinking about it for all of 5 seconds, I can only say he did the sport a service in whatever country he lives in. That is how a sport like skydiving is able to advance, so tell the guy, be carefull, or he may never grow old.

Maybe he didnt, but he sure had script writers who peppered his movies will similar comments. It is still a stupid remark, and shows immaturity, no matter who says it. It is equaled only by nude jumping. Skydiving is the only sport in the world that allows or encourages this immoral behaviour. There is nothing brave or daring about it....just immorality and stupidity. Some people have no shame, and in skydiving, this is how they show it. Bil Cole

I saw on Facebook today, that 50 yrs ago Norm Heaton got angry when people called themselves SKYDIVERS. Heaton said we were Sport Parachutists. 50 yrs ago, I said the same thing as Norm Heaton, but finally had to give in to the John Wayne Syndrome and agree to " skydiver" However, I would never use the term Blue Skies, Black Death. It is a stupid remark and shows major immaturity. Time to grow up guys and gals.

Jim I sent you a message re Delta II . Please reply when able. Bill Cole

For the most part I would say, Skydivers know they can fly, while wuffos cannot fly...........that is why they ask Wuffo you jump from de airplane ?

Hey Jim, Thanks for the compliment. I will be 82 this year, and I tried to get permission from a DZ owner/operator to do a Mr. Bill, but I would beholding onto the other guy and not wearing chute, so I would land with him. I got a real stern look from the DZO, and said, no I don't think I can allow that. There is getting less fun to the sport now, a guy can't even try something different. I suppose its time to make 1 more this summer with my daughter, and then disappear into the trees at the edge of the DZ and just watch.

Its a stupid saying. People who use it are trying to impress people who don't jump, like they are some sort of high risk daredevil. It reminds me of John Wayne, who often had some dumb remark in his movies, and this is the same dumb thing.

stick with it. You'll be glad you did. I realize that there isn't really a great thrill at your stage, but get a few more under your belt, and your enjoyment will grow fast. Don't quit....you will be very glad you stuck it out.

When I was training the Ecuadorian Special Forces, we took off the ground at 9500 ft above sea level. We had to climb to 17000 ft in order to do a 30 second freefall. During each jump, I would perform as well as at a lower altitude, but after opening, I would start to feel bad effects on my body. Once I landed, I could hardly stand up, and carrying my canopy back to the pack area was a real chore. The men who live there were accustomed to living at the higher elevation, and you would never see any one of them showing hypoxia effects...not ever. We were staying in a hotel at 9500 ft ASL, and by the 2nd or 3rd day, we could hardly walk up a low sloping ground, and the city of Quito is all hills. It was truly the most exhausting jump session Ive ever encountered, and I have been to over 20,000 ft sharing breathing from a small walkaround oxygen bottle. Jumping from 30,000 plus ft AGL or ASL one does need supplementary oxygen, and would be foolish to try such a jump without it, and back up systems. Usually the pilot breathes from the aircraft supply, but I always had a large bottle on the aircraft floor with a console for at least two supplies for oxygen masks. To answer your question, continued jumping without oxygen over 20,000 ft MAY cause problems, because once you are out you are very soon into a level where the ambient air will sustain you. Once back on the ground, your body returns to everything normal. If you make another jump from that altitude within a short time span, you MAY run into some more evidence of hypoxia. Over 35,000 ft, you should consider at least a partial pressure suit. Without it, more problems will affect you.

I was sitting after supper, alone in my apartment and the telephone rang. I answered and a man's voice ask if I was Bill Cole. I said yes, and he told me his name....Bob Karns.... I was so elated at hearing a voice from a man I had been told was killed in an aircraft crash near Detroit many years ago. Bob flew the B-25 aircraft when the 16 jumpers drowned in Lake Erie on Aug 27th 1967, and two jumpers were pulled from the lake, while two others went out on a separate pass, and landed on the airport. The jumpers had exited over 100% cloud and were told by the Oberlin, Ohio control tower that they were directly over the airport. Truth was, the control tower was looking at a radar blip caused by a Cessna 180, and the B-25 was 16 miles north far out over the lake. Bob also flew me on my 1st chuteless jump, taking off in Ohio and flying over Lake Erie to where we made the jump. I am so glad to know Bob is alive and well, and will have to rig a trip to Minnesota to see him. What a wonderful surprise....one of the finest people I have ever known, alive and well after all these many years have passed. Thanks you God, You are still working miracles.

Jim: I might have missed it, but your description of the opening sequence : One should remember NOT to wrap the OSI around the line to the nose. With it unwrapped, the nose if first to catch the air, and that is what causes the velcro to come off the OSI. If that nose line is wrapped with the others, you can almost count on a malfunction. Bill Cole

I do think all Canadian Delta II canopies were prone to malfunction. Don't ask me why, all I know every Canadian canopy was a mal waiting to happen. The American Delta IIs like mine and Gary Freeze's, were the perfect flying machine. Soft openings, , no extra modifications, and you couldnt ask for a better chute. As for mine, it was in a box at the Baldwin Hangar, and someone got hold of it, claiming it ass their own. Somewhere along the way someone did some very poor rigger work on it. They shortened the velcro tab, tied two pieces of 1/2 inch tubular to activate the release of the OSI, and stitched by hand some of the rear lines....what for, I have no idea. They have ruined a great canopy with some of the worst rigger work Ive ever seen.. A jumper who claims he got the canopy from someone on a dark night, has loaned it to me for one last jump. I think the stitching of the lines tells me someone has perhaps shortened them, and I don't think I could trust it like I used to. I told this guy he can have the canopy, although I certainly question the legality of anyone but myself owning it. I had quite a history using mine, HALO jumps, demo jumps, and everything in between. It was heartbreaking to look at it in its new configuration, and I cannot understand why anyone would do that to a great chute. It sure is a puzzle. Thanks for your offer anyhow....but I guess for some reason, I dont own it anymore, and for the life of me, I don't know why I don't. When someone takes a chute that doesnt belong to them and claims it, that has several titles in police work, like theft, maybe fraud, and I'll admit, I am sorry that great canopy ended up like it has.

Thats a good write about the Delta II. I probably used my American Delta II on more demos than any other chute, exzcept for the Para Commander for low openings. Both Gary Freeze and I had American Delta II canopies, and they worked like a charm. One must remember when wrapping the lines in the OSI, the last blue line to the center of the nose should NOT be wrapped with the other blue lines. I found the canopy always opened, and it was a soft opening. I was give a dozen or so Canadian Delta II canopies, and they were all over the sky, a mal was almost guaranteed. I gave them all away to guys I jumped with. The comparison between the American and Canadian Delta II canopies was like night and day. I loved the canopy, and you sure could chop the sky in pieces with it. I presently have my old Delta II in the back of my car. I repacked it, and noticed someone did a hatchet job of " rigger" on various things, like the velcro tab, the rear blue lines which had been stitched by hand with the guts of a piece of 550 cord. I dont know who did it, but they sure ruined a great flying parachute. I have been mulling it over in my mind, and I believe the chute has been rigged for a malfunction, and there is no way to know what has been done to how many lines. I don't think it will fly like before. I doubt I will bother to jump it in the Spring, but what a shame....what a great canopy, wasted by some self styled rigger.

I am not sure your intention in asking your question, but I will answer it anyhow. I did use a harness with Capewell releases on it for the chuteless jump. When practicing, I wore that harness, with two 3 ft risors which were attached to a rigid D ring on each. Overtop of that harness, I wore my Para Commander in its Pioneer 3 pin pack. I therefore had two harnesses on. Once I had the D rings which ran down my arms , snapped onto the reserve ( a brand new red and white Strong 26 conical), I decided I would open this new reserve and see how it was in flight. My intention was to use that reserve on the actual chuteless jump.....so why not try it out. I pulled the ripcord on the Strong reserve and it literally blew to pieces. About 1 million holes from pepper and salt size to 4 ft long, covered the entire canopy. I cutaway the reserve and rolled over to activate my main chute, my Para Commander. I bought a 28 ft C-9 canopy from Dale Gates and we rigged in onto a board with two hand holes . The combined weight of myself and my Para Commander just was too much a strain on the conical, so that is when I used a cutaway in practice for the chuteless jump. On my 2nd chuteless jump, I used the same 28 ft C-9 and everything else was as my 1st jump.

Being a dinosaur isnt so bad. I think we had some good gear, and it wasn't the B-4 or B-12. I understand that you like the fast flying canopies of today, but I have flown both and didnt really like the modern stuff. I had numerous squares, and some flew well, some didnt. I found the PC was reliable and I wouldnt want to do intentional low openings on anything else. As you stated, time marches on, and I agree, but I dont think every step it takes is necessarily a good one. To each his own. The remarks about the belly bands was from an article which said a new rig has been designed with two belly bands. I don't like the look of it, so I have no argument with you on that. I have walked many times with both leg straps undone, and the quick ejectors swinging, and never once felt like I was being injured by them. I have cutaway a rig with the 3 ring, and it was fast and clean, but so was the 1 1/2 shots, many times. I guess its what you have lived with. If I jump any more, I will use whatever is handy...and maybe wish for something else.

Hi JIm; I didnt realize it was your thread on the Volplane....and I guess it was the same Hydraulic system that I used....on George's Volplane. As for the Delta II, I liked the way it worked, but I have Peters on the rear seat of my car. I dont know if I will jump it in the Spring, mainly because someone did some home made repairs or mods to it. It is very poorly done, and I suppose it would open, but wouldnt bet money on it. Good to know you are staying well. Bill Cole

My good friend George Drainville had a Volplane and I dont think he ever adjusted the hydraulic system, EVER. He too it as it came, and I only jumped it once, and the opening was so hard, it tore the helmet off my head. It was the 2nd hardest opening I ever had, and I would never jump a Volplane again. Mind you, I wouldnt jump the canopy that was harder than the Volplane either....most certainly wouldnt.

I prefer the 1 1/2 shots, perhaps because I was raised on them. Ive had lots of use with them, including both chuteless jumps, and on one practice jump, I cutaway my reserve and opened my main. I never once had a problem in all the mals I had. I like the easy disconnect of the risors from the main lift webbing, and how simple it is to replace the risors to the harness. I suppose someone, somewhere, had snagged a canopy on a capewell, but I dont know of any personally. It sure didnt happen to me. The one shots are also as good, fast and clean cutaways. A hangup isnt likely with the 3 ring circus, but that is the only real advantage.

Most skydivers dont have a clue on how to spot a load. Better they try some jumps from a Cessna with a Para Commander, best parachute ever invented. The foils you use now are strictly to get you back after someone failed to drop you on the spot. Why not have a Para Commander built with modern materials, pack up small, and still be a fabulous flyer, right to dead center. Nothing wrong with a swoop canopy if that is your thing, but if you put some jumps on a PC, you would appreciate parachuting / skydiving much more. You haven't lived till you've put 100 jumps on a PC. That was skydiving.

What heavy metal.? The quick ejectors were so much better because immediately on landing you could pop your leg straps and your body was free from the lower harness restrictions. How many jumps did you ever make with quick ejectors....I will bet not a single jump. You new skydivers didnt know how good those things were because you never were on the scene when they were being used.