JerryBaumchen

***P.S.: katzurki - what's YMMV? OK? Jerry

Hi perckerhead, QuoteYour attitude changes with age. Funny how that happens. I joined the service at 19, came home at 23; my dad got smart while I was gone. Jerry

Back in the late '60's a guy was sitting transverse to the line of flight, behind the pilot in a C-180. The left rear window was out of the airplane. The guy was jumping a piggyback rig and his reserve pilot chute inadvertently went out that little window, he 'quickly' followed. If something gets out of the aircraft, it is very serious. Jerry

Hi Mark. QuoteAs long as we're on theological arguments, should Slinks be wrapped clockwise or counter-clockwise, and does it change based on left-right or front-back? Looks like a presentation you could do at the next Symposium in Reno??????? Jerry

Well, there goes that Grey Goose. Jerry

When I first visited DeLand 15 yrs ago it was a sleepy little burg in the middle of nowhere. I was there 4 months ago & as I drove around I noticed a lot of construction taking place; both commercial & residential. That noise of construction is music to the ears of the City Council and the Swan Song to the skydivers. As a jumping buddy said back in the 60's, 'Progress is a dirty word.' Jerry

Hi FlyinDawg, I spent about 3 yrs jumping without goggles (all types of jumps, most at altitude). The only problems I had were that at the end of the day my eyes were dry and slightly irritated. I finally got tired of the dryness & irritation and went back to goggles. However, that may contribute to why I now wear bifocals. Given the choice, I would recommend wearing goggles. Jerry

If I recall correctly the 'stock' colors were that one, a solid black, a blue w/black trim & a red w/black trim. Am I right? Jerry

Terry, Send the link to Booth; he might want it. Jerry

Hi steve1, Back 'in the day' I converted my already short-lined Mk I into a Comp PC. I jumped it for a season and then changed it back into a Mk I. A lot of work but I was younger then. The Comp PC (IMO) was to get a little more forward speed & less oscillation. It has larger rear opening in it and larger/longer steering vents, if I remember. If you come to Molalla; bring it with you. Jerry PS) The gut pack offer is still good.

OK Chris, you asked, in the mid-50's (yes, I am an old fart) I was watching a tv show and this guy talked about having made a parachute jump. I thought 'I got to do that.' Early 1960, while in basic training in Texas, I see Lew Sanborn's 'A Sport Is Born' and I know I've got to try that. Late 1960 while stationed at Edwards AFB in southern California there was some scuttle going around the base about some guys making jumps. Soon thereafter the Daily Bulletin had a notice that anyone making a sport parachute jump would be court-martialed for endangering government property (us being the property in question). Little did I know at the time, there was a very active dz in the closest town to the airbase, in Lancaster, CA. Late '62 while stationed in France one of the NCO's had made a jump at Orange, MA and said that it had scared the sh!t out of him. Oh, I gotta do this. Late '63, just out of the service, ran into some guys from high school and they said and old high school buddy of mine was skydiving. WHAT! Feb '64, I'm out for my first jump; but I know that 'skydivers' are really suicidal and I am only going to make one and go one with my life. On the way to altitude, at about 500 ft I look out the hole in the side of the airplane where a door would normally be and see a graveyard; OMG, I'm gonna die. Well, as they say; the rest is history. Jerry

steve1, If you have the Ser. No. and/or the date of mfr then we could zero in on what you have. The Comp PC was the last one that really sold in the numbers. The RW PC, the Jumbo, etc were just Pioneers attempts to hold onto a declining market. They did not succeed. Just let me know when you will be in Molalla, Jerry

Hi Steve1, I think that I have an old SuperPro belly container & I know that I have a couple of 26 ft LoPos. I don't think that I have any MA-1 pilot chutes but I would think most modern reserve pilot chutes should work. Interested? Get in touch; I am in the Portland, OR area. Jerry

Sparky, Yup, that is the gizmo. Made by Pete Swan known as PeteS on this board. I now owe you a beer or whatever you drink. Jerry

Hi packerboy, Without a doubt the best company I have ever dealt with in this industry in the last 40+ yrs is DJ Associates. Now I know most of you do not order 3-ring sets in quantities of 50 or Type 8 webbing in multiple 75 yd rolls, DJ is a FANTASTIC company. Jerry

Earlier this year I heard talk of Bill Coe (Mr. PD) was considering buying his own property for his drop testing. Maybe there would be enough of them to go together and just buy some land and own their own airport. $40 mil income/yr is some serious $$$$. Jerry

Hi koppel, Re: 'If it is a Reserve the quote suggests that it was not new.' This occurred during drop testing for TSO testing. We had put maybe 3-4-5 tests on the rig; we were just 'jamming' the round canopies into the container (being in a hurry to get things done); Mick was doing the closing of the test container using a plate, a pull-up cord and his hand/arm muscles; and, yes, he broke the Type II sheathing. As I posted, he was and is a very strong person. It can be done (surely not with every type of Locking Loop) because I watched it happen. Hi Riggerrob, Excellent clarification and that does help a lot of people know just how it should be done. One device that helps eliminate wear/fuzziness/etc on Locking Loops is the stainless steel device that Para-Gear sells that lets you put it through the Locking Loop and then put the ripcord pin into the end of this s/s gizmo, then push the ripcord pin into the Locking Loop (which pushes the gizmo out of the Locking Loop). This gizmo has a smaller end than a ripcord pin so it goes through the loop without damage (is you use it correctly). I replace ANY loop that shows ANY signs of wear; you do factor loop replacement into your repack charges don't you? Jerry PS) A quiz: Who posts here that makes the s/s gizmo for Para-Gear?

Hi koppel, Re: 'due to the forces that can be exerted' This REPLY is not to be negative towards you in any manner. Just wondering about your (and other's) thinking regarding the forces applied to the Locking Loop when using or not using a positive leverage device. IMO there is a thinking that if one does not use a positive leverage device then just pull to your hearts content. I disagree with this thinking. IMO it comes down to just what forces are actually applied to the Locking Loop, not the method of applying those forces. Lots of riggers use lots of devices and, I will argue, that they do not know the forces that they are applying to the Locking Loop. I personally witnessed a very good friend break a quite new Locking Loop by pulling on the pull-up cord by hand (yes, he was and is a very strong person). Therefore, I contend that it is not the device that is used, it is the actual force that is applied. I do however agree that it is very much easier to apply large forces with the positive leverage device, but I do not agree that it applies more force than other methods. Riggerrob has posted about using a strap with a hook from a harness snap with the strap around his body/shoulders. I think that is a great device; but does he know how much force he is applying? Does anyone? Just my old $0.02 which isn't much sometimes. Jerry

It looks to be military surplus; go back about 40 yrs and it would have some value in this sport. Today; not much. Jerry

My all-time favorite: "Things are more like they are now than they ever have been before." Dwight Eisenhower Jerry

Hi David, A little trivia for you: The '63 US National Parachuting Championships were held at Issaquah. Back in the '60's & '70's there was a great dz there. I even did some drop testing there a looonnnngggg time ago. Jerry

Yup, Did it to really see if I could do it; the old 'challenge' thing. Jumped it for a season or so (it was really too small for me plus it was F111 fabric) and sold to an Aussie who loved it; or so he said. Believe it or not but it was the most stable canopy I have ever been under. Jerry

Hi Strato, Re: "pioneer B-4 jumbo PC lopo" If that is the one you got from me, a couple of corrections: 1. It is a Pioneer 4-pin main container but not a B-4; B-4 was/is military surplus. 2. The PC is a Mark I, not a jumbo. Also, does that Stylemaster still have the solid/split saddle on it? If so, contact me off the board; I would like some info from it. Thanks, Jerry PS) A phenominal collection, kudos to you guys.

Hi Sparky, My memory is not so perfect but I was talking with jeannie at Elsinore about two weeks before she went in. I had heard about the flying pud, reserve pull & her getting razzed for it then. Jerry

Hi Larry, Re: 'getting a little carried away up there on that soap box' Probably, you ever been to Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park? Lot's of fun. Re: 'because the harness was constructed improperly' Back in about '93 or so, I visited the largest rig maker and got to talking with the president (a great guy that I hit it off with right away) and I asked him what was the biggest mistake that they ever made was. He said that they had a rig returned, after having been assembled & repacked by four different riggers (#'s 2-4 were repack only) when it was discovered that all four loops on the reserve risers had never been sewn. They only were being held together by the hot glue used to tack them together. Jerry