cdcollura

Wow, He was a great guy! He was one of my first instructors at Clewiston in the 90s, and even filmed me skydiving in the mid 1990s. God bless him. I remember him as an avid birder too. His photography of birds of prey and eagles was stellar. BSBD

Probably in a sense. The chart says $11k per jumper to 41k with 6 jumpers. I think there were 4, so $15,000 per jumper. Either a brand new jet ski (or small car), or 3 mins of free fall. I think most of the cost is towards the required FAA paperwork and not just equipment / Aircraft. Remember you are also jumping from RVSQ "special qualifications" airspace (above 28.5k MSL which was imposed in 2002 after 9/11) ... Things like this simply ARE NOT CHEAP now. Especially in this day and age.

Good morning, Yes - They did it around 11:45 AM. I was not on it because I didn't want to basically "buy a car" for $15k (they had 4 jumpers) - For 3 minutes of free fall. The DZO there did it as well (state record too)! Not cheap but great to hear about it.

Not cheap. But I'm all for this.

Now the jet won't fly jumpers because the flight school is closed (to train the pilots for it). Thank you Covid

Hope so ... I jumped at Perris this past weekend and was told in early 2021 it might be dropping jumpers again ... But this has been a rumor since 2007. Ha ha ha...

I was told they have to extend the runway at Perris when I was last there in April 2019 before the jet can fly again.

Good day all, Sorry to chime in on this late... My buddies at my local DZ here in Florida were just talking about him. What an awesome guy he was, crazy awesome (literally)! The last time I saw him was at both the WFFC and in Lake Wales. Hating the costs and pains of a dental visit myself, this is just rediculous. Everyone attacks me for this "risky sport" I engage in - Regardless on how many times I try to explain that I got a greater chance of getting hurt DRIVING to the DZ than "what I do AT the DZ"! I'll have to add "dentistry" to the most risky things you can do. Skydiving and BASE jumping off the radar. LOL Only GOD can decide when it's your time. BSBD Scotty... Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, Who's guidelines? Mr. Mullins and other DZs seem to set their own on this. The last time I looked at the SIM it had the bailout system recommended for a "broad range", being from 20,000 to 40,000 MSL. This is kinda meaningless because the "boundary" between 19k and 20k isn't like your'e crossing a less subtle boundary (like above or below water)! The bailout system becomes more important above 24k, and a must near and above 28k. If CSC was jumping from 30,000 feet, I could understand the use of a bailout system. Maybe it's to be treated as "familiarization with such a system" or bragging rights. This equipment is also difficult to obtain and quite expensive to rent, so the ticket prices may be high for such a jump (I did 22k at Z-Hills for the price of "2 jump tickets", around $50, when they had them there). Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Jumped there a few times in Spring of 2017. The facility is very nice with full service and constantly turning at least 2 planes on a busy day. Staff was very accommodating and professional. The location is a bit far and at the end of a bumpy dirt road (about 60 miles NE of Dallas / Fort Worth). When busy, I waited almost 4 hours to get on a load a couple times (I'm a licensed skydiver with almost 700 jumps at the time). Jump altitude was never above 11,000 feet. At 10,500' I was confused on why everyone was exiting (I thought a group was exiting lower) and literally "yelled" at to "get the F*** out of the plane". Not sure why no one got "standard" 13,500' on any load. Other than that, the place was overall a good experience with large landing areas and friendly to up-jumpers and students / tandems.

Good day all, That's exactly what I was thinking. Having done nearly a dozen high alt jumps, many from 22k or 23k (one nearly 24k), we would breathe oxygen in the plane only, come off at exit point, and in 20 seconds or so we are in "breathable" air, where the tiime of useful consciousness (TUC) is indefinite. At 22k, the TUC is at least 2 minutes, so exiting without a bailout package is not a problem. I'm wondering myself if this is a new requirement, or simply wasn't being followed EXACTLY? Z-Hills does 22k (or even 23k) consistently during events there, and never used a bailout system. Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day, Thanks for clarifying this! Wow that's an experience you had. Thanks for sharing. Scary thinking I was probably lucky there were no issues jumping from 23k without a bailout system. I consider myself lucky. Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, I saw this ad for 23k (HALO) jumps at CSC (Chicagoland Skydiving Center). https://www.skydivecsc.com/extreme-altitude-skydiving?utm_campaign=Experienced&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=53902817&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8TqyYGmsOzd_93h46rdOTZTotsCAOxyqE1ww8YsD1AYNwqtsfifQkGGpU8H7EkHGm0yi7pe1nkU97ZzTIwNGySZNy2jw&_hsmi=53902817#licensed-halos Looks like a decent event, but not sure why they are using a bailout oxygen system. These are not needed below 24k on hi altitude loads. I've jumped many times from 22 / 23k with just aircraft oxygen (not needed in freefall). I'm wondering if they will get any interest on this, as jump tickets are kinda high ($159 USD). Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, This all sounds very exciting. The last ones who flew inverted Pitts jumps dropping jumpers was Freddy Cabanas (RIP) at WFFC and Randy Thompson (who sold his Pitts back in 2009) at Summerfest at SD Chicago. Will this Pitts Special be making it's rounds at the summer "boogie circuit" or will it be exclusively at W TN Skydiving? Thanks Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

That was about it ... The Skyvan was the only "specialty" aircraft at this "shrinking" event... ...Rewind to 2008 through 2011 and we had an L-39 to fly in (not a jump plane), Balloon, Pitts Special, 4 aircraft (including the skyvan), a UH1 huey, hi-alt load, night jumps, almost a "Quincy" near lake Okeechobee each year. Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, A lot of people have trouble visualizing what the rules are. I like to sketch them out on paper. Draw a low cloud, draw a high cloud, and sketch in the required clearances.

Good day all, I doubt there will be another WFFC. I am glad I did my time there in 2006, jumping the DC9 as well. I know I know ... Jealousy can commense now... It was a grave disappointment to see the WFFC 2007 cancelled, and it simply never came back. Don Kirlin just stated "personal reasons and a strong commitment to continued excellence" as the cause of the cancellation(s). The latter seems a little cynical and ironic. Their web domain is still alive and well, for over 9 years... http://www.freefall.com Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, Yeah ain't that the truth (I also have a Skydive Monterey Bay jump ticket) ... As well as their sister drop zone in Monterey, which takes tandems to 18k (for $279), like they'll notice the difference (15k is 60 less)! Tandems HAVE FUN ... FUN jumpers can WATCH (sounds like a whore house)! In 2011 I went to Monterey bay and was turned away under blued skies, turning loads, and light winds after driving 2 hours to get there. Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, I highly recommend the two drop zones in Byron or Davis. Skydive Monterey Bay simply pulled the plug on fun jumpers there after there was an incident there with a hidden camera in someone's glove, he jumped, had a premature deployment at 15,000 feet, passed out, landed injured, and sued the DZ making it an wild media circus. In 2011 I went to Monterey bay and was turned away under blued skies, turning loads, and light winds after driving 2 hours to get there. I would stay away from them, and the same things goes for their sister DZ in Titusville, FL. blues, Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

I jumped here a couple of times while visiting N/C California on vacation and never had a bad experience. I'm an experienced up-jumper. What I was quite impressed by was the way the staff and folks there handled an out-of-towner like me along with the tandems and other up-jumpers alike. Just recently, I went to do a jump there, but unfortunately it was too windy to jump / not enough to make a load. The staff there tried as hard as they could to get me in the air. Even renting gear (my rig was having its reserve repacked at the time) from their pro shop was very helpful. They even "waived" their lower wind limit just for me (I have over 500 jumps)! Ultimately, and totally out of the hands of the drop zone, strong winds grounded everyone. Knowing I was from out of town, they still gave me a full refund on everything - Even though they said no refunds. The DZO was a great guy and again I was very impressed on their attitude and striving to get a visitor like me up. I will definitely be back on a calmer day! As for jumping there, the expert landing area is a bit small - Watch out for that canopy eating hawk in the tree! Plenty of out-landing and you have the student field as well. Great planes (Grand Caravan and Cessna). Awesome view of the central valley, and they have events throughout the year, even 30k HALO.

Good day all, I have an aerobatic compilation and some of his flying is also in it (including footage shot from a Piper "chase' plane of myself and Cabanas doing aerobatics back in the 90's over Key West). http://www.sky-chaser.com/pittsvid.htm Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, I learned of this loss during the memorial sunset jump we did on 1/26 at the Everglades skydiving Boogie in Clewiston. http://www.sky-chaser.com/image/flying/flypitt2.jpg I knew Freddy since May of 1990, when he first introduced me to Aerobatics in his Pitts S2A he had at the time. I have flown with him a few times afterwards, in the mid 90's over beautiful Key West (where he had "Island Aeroplane Tours") and his flying and aerobatic skills were second-to-none. http://www.sky-chaser.com/image/skydive/skywfc11.jpg Him and his wife offered Aerobatics at Sun-N-Fun in Lakeland each year for some time, and I was lucky enough to skydive from his Inverted Pitts S2B at several boogies, including the last WFFC in 2006. http://www.sky-chaser.com/image/skydive/skypitts.jpg Freddy was an awesome pilot, funny character, and did nothing but put a smile on everyone's faces who were lucky enough to meet him! We all will miss him alot. Chris Collura - C30317 www.sky-chaser.com/skydive.htm Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Good day all, Not worth it (for Tandem 30K) even if I was rich! Makes me happy I am solo! Wow ... The 30 K tandem is crayzy (price wise)! 23 K is set at $1,800 ... Reminding me that Air Adventures in Clewiston, FL flies loads to 22K or 23K a few times a year and would include tandems for $300 and change ... Just a thought as it's literally 1/6 the cost!! I think the 3,500 price tag for the 30 K tandem is arranged through "incredible adventures" which caters to rich people (civilian spaceflight, etc) ... Asking around can save you a ton of $$$. Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

I'll be there too! They will also be doing "HALO" jumps from 22 K ... The inverted Pitts and helicopter is a MUST! Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!

Bummer as this nice and fast jump platform seems to have faded out of the skydiving community. Has anyone heard about the Perris Jet? Or did fuel costs / politics moth-ball it indefinitely? Fly High ... Don't "Get High"!