SkydiveJack

What planet did you come from?

New thought. Delta II Parawing. Aslo known as the Delta Death.

This just happened a few days ago. My wife sent this to me. She also flies these. Shit happens! http://www.liveleak.com/player2.swf?token=0b8_1187619407

I think Jérôme is correct. Do I see the hydraulic reefing system there? Jack

This really hit me hard and I haven't even seen Lori in probably 20 years. She is a wonderful person. Please post any updates you receive.

My wife says hi right back. Hope you are being Faithful! Our best to you both!

This Thread is supposed to be Scary Stories from the Old Days but I want to tell you a funny one. I had forgotten about this for a while but maybe my gray matter is having a revival! It might seem scary to you but to me it was just another day living the dream, back in the day. In 1985 I was working for George Kabeller down in Z-Hills. He flew his DC-3, Southern Cross, to the Freak Brothers Convention and 100 way attempts in Freeport, IL. I went along as a boogie organizer and ground support personnel (read- gofer). It was a pretty cool trip, to ride in a DC-3 with just two pilots up front and two other employees in the back, from Florida to Illinois. But in reality it was just another day on the job. Yeah, right. We arrived in Freeport in the early afternoon. Roger Nelson greeted us when we arrived. He was supposed to have a motor home on site for us to stay in. As I found out later, this was standard for all the DC-3 crews that flew in for the Convention. Well… there was a little problem. Roger explained that although he had a motor home set up and reserved for us, he hadn’t been able to get someone to drive it in from the dealership. My boss George Kabeller remained unusually calm about this (don’t bite the hand that feeds you) but clearly pointed out that he expected it on site for that night. I was standing right next to them during this exchange and Roger said something to the effect that “I will arrange for Jack (that’s me!) to go pick it up.” OK, fine by me. I figured that someone would drive me into Freeport to the local RV dealership and I would drive the motor home back in a few minutes. No problem and it would help justify me being there to George. Even though the Convention hadn’t officially started yet there were lots of people there and I began to party. Yahoo! We’re having fun now!! I was having a blast seeing friends from around the country. About an hour later Roger Nelson walks up to me and tells me to get my rig. Duh, what? Roger repeated “Jack get your rig and go over to that C-182 parked by the ramp”. Well anyone around at that time will tell you that if you were at the Convention and Roger told you to do something, you shouldn’t ask questions, you just did it. I can be a very good soldier! I grabbed my gear and marched out to the Cessna. Up walks Jim Bohr, the pilot. He told me to get in. Now those that where there and knew Jim will confirm that he was one of Rogers Lieutenants. In fact, he was known to wear a fully automatic MAC-10 machine gun during the 100 way dirt dives and rip off a few rounds if people weren’t paying attention. It was actually very effective. Kind of made you pay better attention to where your slot was and where any ricochets might be going. In truth Jim was a really great guy, but if Roger sends you over to an airplane that Jim was going to fly, you did exactly what Jim told you. I got in the airplane. “Where are we going Jim?” “To get your motor home” he says. Oh this is cool I thought! We are going to fly into Freeport and get the motor home. I have my rig on so I must be jumping into town! Off we go into the wild blue but I notice that Freeport is fading behind us and we are heading East-Southeast. “Hey Jim, where are we going?” “I told you, we’re going to get your motor home.” “Yeah, but Freeport is behind us.” “It’s not in Freeport.” “Where is it?” “Chicago.” “Chicago?” “Yeah, you fucking deaf or something.” Off we go into the wild, wild blue. Now in writing this I took a quick look at Map Quest and it tells me that it is just over 100 miles from Freeport to Chicago. Well I really never knew where we were in Chicago but I know this. We were close to downtown. Very close to downtown. The skyscrapers were right out there, less than fifteen miles away it seemed to me. OK, it’s been many years so go ahead and add a few miles to my story. Years later I did a baseball demo into Kaminsky Park and it seemed just as close as I was with Jim. So I’m looking out the window, full of awe at downtown Chicago and starting to think about waivers and FAA stuff. Fortunately the next thing I know Jim pops the door open at about 2500 feet and I forget about all that. We start into a tight right turn and he points down to my DZ. “You see that RV dealership down there?” “No.” We are over the city and it was nothing but urban sprawl. Square city blocks everywhere you looked. “There, right there. You see all the motor homes parked together?” “Uh, OK, I see it.” Finally I picked out the dealership. “You see that little grass lot across the street from the all the RV’s?” “Uh, yeah.” “That’s your landing area.” “Uh, OK.” “There are lots of power lines around where you’re landing. When I finish this turn you’ll be on jump run” “Uh, OK” Well I was sent to get the motor home and that’s what I was going to do. When we finished the turn I stuck my head out the door to check the spot (I had to have some control of the situation), hopped out and opened. It’s always strange to be under canopy over a populated area. I noticed the traffic noise and the sounds of the city. I also had a big ego trip going on. I mean, hey, I was really going to impress these people by jumping in to pick up a motor home. How cool is that! The jump went fine. Jim was sure right about the power lines. They were all around my tiny landing area but I managed not to get fried. I had a nice landing in the small grass lot across the street form the dealership. I was buzzed! As I was gathering up my canopy I noticed people on the street and at the RV dealership looking at me. I knew I really impressed them! I was so cool! It was a busy street and I had to wait a bit to cross. A few people came up to me on the sidewalk to ask what happened. In my coolest skydiver manner I told them that I was just dropping in to pick up an RV. After the traffic finally cleared, me and my swelled head walked across the street and into the show room. I knew I was hot shit! They never saw anything like this before. I was strutting my stuff with my canopy over my shoulder! Hope I can get my big head through the RV door! I walked up to the counter and knew that the guy was blown away with me. I mean, who in the world has ever jumped into Chicago to pick up an RV? “Hello sir, can I help you?” “Yes, I’m here to pick up a motor home for Kabeller.” “OK Sir, let me get the paperwork for that” He stepped away from the counter to get what he needed. A few employees were standing around looking at me. I was sure they were almost as impressed with me as I was! He soon came back with the necessary forms. “Please sign here, here and here sir.” “OK.” “You know sir, this is really interesting.” “Oh, what’s that?” “Well you’re the third person to jump in here today to pick up a motor home.” Well, that was the fastest ego deflation I think I ever had. I signed the papers and had no trouble getting my head through the door of the RV. The drive back to Freeport was un-eventful and we had a great Convention. And I had another interesting day at the office.

My son is an attorney; I'll have him contact you regarding the settlement. JerryBaumchen Well Howard, I know you meant well but your screwed now. Do you have any last words or pictures? Jack

I think the picture of Canopy3 in Post Six is a version of the Barish Sail Wing. Am I close Howard?

Well, there's one in the museum in Willow Run. If you can persuade them to fly it, or find another we can both jump out of, I'll buy your jump. HW I live near Willow Run and am a member of the museum. That's why I knew what an Argosy looked like. But I don't think you will be buying me a jump anytime soon. It hasn't flown in over twenty years.

Zing, I believe what you are thinking of is the Nord Atlas. It was used at a World meet. However it has just two engins so it's not the one in the photo. See my post above for the answer. The Nord Atlas is commomly mistaken for the C-119 Flying Boxcar.

It's an Armstrong Whitworth Argosy. The one in the photo is a Royal Air Force version with the 'Beaver Tail' arrangement at the rear. However since I don't see any RAF markings on the wings it must have been sold to a freight airline. What do I win Howard?

I believe the fee is just a few Krugerrands.

Ever notice that Brown looks a little like Mr. Bean?

Let's ask him about it this week. See you Wednesday Twardo!

So your saying that by the morning they have all been de-flowered! Kinky party!!!

Thanks for the input Bill. I found the following calculator where you can put in an altitude (which actually defines the air temperature, not pressure) and a speed (based on distance over time, i.e. MPH). I'm not sure where you got the speed of 614 mph, but using that, he clearly never exceeded the speed of sound. I would like Skydive Radio to ask him about this. How can I put this politely?- It is my personal belief that Kittinger "stretched the truth" once about going supersonic while doing an interview, and has had to continue doing it to save face. All of the old books or article I have read over the years said he DID NOT go supersonic and over the last ten years or so I have seen Kittinger on TV claiming he DID. I think it's time that someone called him on this, and got his side of the story. http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/sound.html

I have a serious question for him. Many years ago everything I ever read or watched about his jump said that he DID NOT break the speed of sound. He came close, but didn't go supersonic. Then about ten years ago I saw him on a TV show claiming that he DID exceed the speed of sound. Now it seems that everyone takes this as a fact. What does he have to say about this? Does anyone know where the official record of his jump can be found? Can someone with one of the books about his jump please post what it says about this matter? Don't get me wrong. It was an amazing accomplishment and I salute him for it. And I could be wrong, but it seems to me that the facts about his speed have changed over the years.

I will equally send you my photos so that you will see and know whom I am. Waiting for your cooperation. Yours Faithfully, Joyce Anthony. Maybe she will send you a photo of her Boobies!

Hey Guy! Remember the black T-shirt with the smiling Grim Reaper and the words "Hey, lets be careful out there"? Was that yours? If not, who did it?

I finally saw one in Hawaii earlier this year. Really cool. I have been to Key West many times and large groups of people would hang out at sunset looking for it. I never saw one and I kind of wondered if it was an urban myth. Well, I saw it with my own eyes. It was quick but spectacular.

I don't think it's been reduced. I think it's an improvement!

Hi Hoop, That was a great read. It brings back lots of good memories from Z-hills. Do you realize that you gave me my first job on a DZ? Yep, I was an official Z-hills garbage grunger, hauling the trash! It led to much better things. As far as your article, I see the same story repeating itself when I go to a DZ these days. The new generation is into it's new things and poo-pooing the older generation. I used to think I was a skydiver but now I find out that I was just a belly flyer. Deja-vu all over again! The newer generation needs to understand that while they are expanding the sport into amazing new areas, they are repeating history in respect to how they view the past. And the wheel goes round and round. I love it! Jack Gregory

Don't be so fast to pass judgment Skymama! Let it heal into a nice manley scar first. I can hear it now- "Why yes, I got this protecting the virtue of women." He's gonna get laid for sure!

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