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

On 12/25/2022 at 9:36 AM, alygator said:

Also record for the more expensive commercial jump?

 

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.

On 11/2/2022 at 12:03 PM, gowlerk said:

November 2 at almost exactly noon N321LH was at 41K over the Clewiston FL airport. I assume the jump happened, I hope all is well.

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.

On 7/13/2021 at 3:55 PM, bigbearfng said:

Runway has been paved/extended!

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

On 11/24/2020 at 8:55 AM, airnutt said:

I just saw something on the Perris website looking for a pilot for the dc9 it sounds like their getting ready to possibly fly it again, i did jump it in 03 if i remember right and loved it.If you haven't done a jet jump it should be on your bucket list.

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...

On 8/14/2019 at 2:59 AM, 20kN said:

again none of this matters, the jet is not in operation and likely never will be. i've been asking about the jet for years and I havent seen a single serious attempt to getting it up in the air.

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...

Good day all,

gowlerk

Quote

I would be surprised to find out we weren't doing things per guidelines/requirements.

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).

Good day all,

dpreguy

I did the same 24,000 jump in Mullins' T tail Beech. No problem, nor did I observe or know of anyone else who had a O2 problem.
Sounds like the problem is if the pilot is in compliance, not the skydiver being endangered. Nothing new about that.

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

Good day all,

JohnMitchell

***I know this is a newb question but im trying to fill out my proficiency cardd and dont know the cloud clearance rules. I tried reading them in the sim but dont really understand it so can someone please explain it in a simpler manner?

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.
Back in the late 2000's I was in an L-39 jet and we were doing 420 KNOTS about 20 feet above a canal ... Does that count with the 250 limit? Isn't under 500 feet class G?

Yeah, but we dove from 15,000 feet to the 20 foot altitude in 20 seconds. Shhhhhh!

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

Good day all,

normiss

My favorites are the tandem mills that don't even take fun jumpers.
I still have 3 jump tickets for Titusville.

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.

Good day all,

I highly recommend the two drop zones in Byron or Davis.

KaLexiSPEED

Hello!! There are a lot of places here, but it is getting to be winter, so weather is iffy. Skydance in Davis is a great DZ for both. I highly recommend Skydive SurfCity for the instructors and view, but they only do tandems... (You could try Monterey, but I hear they aren't as fun jumper friendly...)
There is a new dropzone, Skydive California, that has a lot of instructors from Byron and Davis.
Hope that helps!!

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,

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

Quote

Someone else provided some links for his aerobatics. I haven't checked them all out:

http://www.cabanasaerobatics.com/pilot_fred_cabanas.html

http://vimeo.com/23497577

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnFmph7wt94

http://www.keywestbiplanes.com/tag/conch-republic-air-force/

https://www.facebook.com/KeyWestBiplanes

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

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 $$$.

I'll be there too!

They will also be doing "HALO" jumps from 22 K ... The inverted Pitts and helicopter is a MUST!

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?

Good day all,

I am wondering how much soaring has been attempted for canopies that are NOT intended to be soared (not para-gliding)?

On May 2, 2009 in Clewiston, FL I was waiting for a 190 rig I usually jump there to be packed (rental rig). After several loads waiting, it was not ready so I reluctantly (eager to get in the air) tried a huge 340 SQ Foot canopy (I weight in at 185 Lbs)!

Jump was normal, until about 3,000 feet where I opened softly. It was late afternoon, with nearly 90 degrees at ground level and lots of thermals off the lake-breeze boundary. You could not mistake the rising air and actually FELT the lift - And decided to USE IT for extra (free) air-time, until my legs got tired!

To get to the ground from 3,000 feet took well over 11 minutes (normally, with the 190, I am on the ground in about 2).

The data (annotated, from Alti-Track) for two examples, including the 190 data and soaring under the 340 Sq Ft canopy, are below...

190 SF example, no thermals, cool day - http://www.sky-chaser.com/data/misc/can190sf.jpg

340 SF example, thermals, hot spring day - http://www.sky-chaser.com/data/misc/can340sf.jpg

Thanks, and wondering if any one else has intentially tried to "soar" large canopies after a great skydive?

Blue skies,

Chris Collura - C30317
WWW.SKY-CHASER.COM

Good day all,

The boogie event was awesome ... And I thank everyone who attended and those at Air Adventures who helped make it happen!

I was one of those who took a spin in the L-39, and you can see video of it at the link provided below...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvrCetZVofc

Enjoy and blue skies!