patworks

News Update from the United States Parachute Association, "Pat Works to Receive USPA Gold Medal at Hall of Fame Ceremony" 8/15, USPA

WOW! What a read-trip! The thread is like having the wheel of Karma roll right by your window as part of a parade of times, feelings and events that cycle around us. Interesting read! I started in '93 and never finished getting there. Being here I watch what tomorrow will bring. Rock on. It is a long way to any horizon. !Viva! FreeFly! !Viva the revolution! Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

Thanks IMGR2, Knut's smile and warm vibes lit all our skies! Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

Hey, Cicero, as FB #3 you shoulda been there! Fedo took the prize with FB #17. Jan's #30 made her low number Lady. Pirate jumps there a LOT with many friends. The Nelson family all are doing well and looking good. Missy is on a health trip w/ over 15,000 leaps. Rook is 6+feet tall and has something like 30,000 jumps. Jeanie is looking and doing fine. They are running a nice operation! Jim Baron and Lou did Mexican with the Federman's and us.... I'd forgotten that Aurora, Il. is more a city than a town. Cheers! Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

What happened with ESPN (X-Games) Pro Tour Freefly champion “Knute" Knutsson ? Knute is a tall, warm, friendly guy. One of the originals. He flew with the Freefly Flyboys (Perris) who dominated the ESPN $$$ 300,000.00 USD Pro Tour for several years. ... around '96-'97 (?) when we 'Solitary Birds' competed. He flew camera...... Produced the 'Da Kine' freefly suit. Tres mellow dude. We fell out of touch. What's he doing?

"Get out! Get Out! GET OUT OF MY WAY!' Still in commercial use today, the Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar was a World War II era. passenger transport Aug. 21, 1983--Eleven, including nine jumpers, died when a Lockheed L-18 Lodestar stalled and plunged 12,000 feet at Silvana, Wash. The 15 survivors included 11 who jumped before the plane went out of control and four who escaped on the way down. [ Stanwood, Wash., UPI --, Aug 22, 1983] “After the first 10 or so exited things went crazy and the plane flipped and began a flat spin... at that moment time seemed to slow way down and it appeared that I was watching a movie in slow motion as it seemed to just waffle and fall past me with little horizontal separation from me. I could see people exiting from the aft end of the plane. Then everything went back to real time and I cleared myself and dumped. During opening I could see the fireball at impact and under canopy I heard it. I quickly counted open parachutes and I knew we were missing nine.” Their average descent rate was 550 ft/sec (it was 23 sec. stall at 12,500 ft. to-impact.) [Survivor tbdavis1 (D 7719) In Dropzone.com, ] “I’ve got pieces of people everywhere in my barnyard.” Said McGuire whose property borders the crash site. Excerpts from the FAA Accident Report, Lockheed Learstar L - 18, Landry Aviation, NI16CA, August 21, 1983, Silvana, Washington About 1832 p.d.t.. on August 21, 1983, a Lockheed L-18 Learstar, N116C.4, operated by' Landry Aviation crashed in a farm field adjacent to a State highway after uncontrolled descent from 12,500 feet. The airplane had carried 24 sport parachute jumpers and 2 pilots. Fifteen parachutists successfully parachuted from the airplane during the descent. Nine parachutists and the two pilots were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the operator and the pilot-in-command to assure proper load distribution during the jumper exit procedure. Surviving parachutists stated that takeoff and climb, to the jump altitude were normal. All the parachutists remained in the positions occupied at takeoff until jump altitude was reached. Surviving parachutists also stated that none of the jumpers seated on the floor used the available seatbelts. About 1 minute before the airplane arrived above- the drop zone, two jumpers moved aft to the door to spot the airplane for the jump run. ,,,, the drop zone, the jumpers moved to their prejump-positions. ….. as they jumped, One of them observed the airplane was in a steep right bank, that it then rolled over, the nose dropped, and that it entered a steep dive during which it made one or two slow spirals as it continued the steep dive until it struck the ground. Descriptions of the descent offered by several other jumpers were similar. that they felt the aft end of the airplane drop, then oscillate slightly up and down, after Three jumpers, the 9th, llth,and 12th in the planned jump sequence…. the airplane rolled to the right before the jumpers were able to reach the door. One was killed and two were seriously injured when they struck the tail. Sixteen of the 24 jumpers were able to leave the airplane.; 13 were uninjured. Witnesses on the ground, stated it rolled to the right, entered a steep dive, and rotated slowly during the dive. They described loud “screaming” engine* sounds which continued until the airplane struck struck the ground in a steep nosedown attitude.” * * * * “screaming engine* -- “…the aircraft was in a dive at full power… over 400 knots. you could hear rivets popping out of as the airframe gave way … sounded like a machine gun…” JW (Witness). Excerpts from a similar but not-fatal incident at “The Gulch” Michael D Larson, Owner-Operator Casa Grande DZ posted, “Closest I've ever come to getting snuffed was in that old Lodestar. “This is the Rande DeLuca photo of the Casa Grande “Lodestall” with Randy (Roach) Kempf flying at the Gulch. About 6 of us got out before the G's held everyone on the floor until Randy recovered. “That's where the term, "Get out, get out, get out of my way!' was coined. ….. Randy was (is) one of the best pilots we ever had and not everyone could recover a stalled Lodestar. It took somewhere between 3 and 6 thousand feet to get back to level flight. The Lodestar just was not designed to be used as a jump plane and took a very specialized procedure to do that safely. ….. Somehow we survived thanks to guys like Randy and Steve Gras.” . . . OH! SHIT! Oh Golly! Exit,! Your brain says get out! ~ 6,000 feet of altitude fall away Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

Praises of NickDG from Sweden: Methinks (agrees) that "a prophet has no honor in his own country." Arrows, yes. Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

I have feeling for that. 'You can always tell who the pioneers are because they have arrows in their back and are lying face down in the dirt. ' Quote

Waz there.... The LoadSTALL falling was fearful. ... Jump Run. Guys Climbing out.... Floor tilts crazy up then down. Then just falls out of the sky, FAST. Like a bad-ass roller coaster making that first high-dive. Your footing & balance go away. Your stomach freaks. Huge G-Forces pin you to where ever you is. OH! SHIT! Oh Golly! Exit,! Your brain says get out! No chance. ~ 6,000 feet of altitude fall away at Mach speed. The floor whomps up as you as Gravity returns to "down." You act "Mr. Cool" while your heart and nerves jangle your frame. Your cool diminished, you've earned a new respect. You've met a dark friend. Real Big Guy. Mr. Fear. Oh! Dear!

Info on Ed Fitch burial at sea..... Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

A note from Hank: "Hi Pat, I would like to take credit for inventing the curved pin, but I didn't. The fact of the matter is some skydivers were using a curved pin before I started using them. There was plenty of variations out in the community then. Most of them were silver soldered and all were labor intensive. I got with Dennis Trepiner and he made the tooling for stamping the product. The stamped pin was strong and cheap to manufacture. So there you have it! The only item I invented was the diaper, which improved reliability of reserve canopies. As the diaper became popular and more manufactures started using it, I felt a need to help the sport.... Take care and say hello to Jan." Hank did develop the manufacturing process to die cut a one-piece curved pin. Thanks Hank Asciutto Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

Wow! 3-Way CRW with C9 28' flat canopies! Group Insanity! Crazy shit! In '62 Cal Cary and ? tired it, went through each others lines, wrapped, spun, and got spit out the bottom ~800' AGL, Canopies reopened. Later, early to mid '70s teammates Tim Long and Mark Sechler did a passel of PC to ParaDactyl CReW. (PC on the bottom). But, both ran about a quart low anyhow. SkydiveJack, can you send me more/bigger photos (ground shots too) names, location, & date? (I'm doing a skydiving history) Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

1975 – First CRW? -- Canopy formation AKA Canopy Relative work --- Bobby Gray and Mike "Beanpole" Barber made the world's first 2-way in 1975. Canopy formations are known by several names: canopy formations (CF), canopy formation skydiving (CFS) or canopy relative work (CRW or CReW).

Nick has a way with words, His writings and communications on the topic opened new doors, saves lives, and records life & death results. NickDG's work epitomizes the Communication Imperative: Knowledge is good; skill is fun, and that what BASE mates don’t know is deadly. I toast NickDG! Without him and people like him, our BASE history is but dust in a wind. Emulate him. Share your story else the world is dumb and trees fall silently in our forests. Here's a sample of Nick DG-ing: By NickDG; 2003 Apex BASE. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ also, Di Giovanni, Nick. "World BASE Fatality List." http://hometown.aol.com/base194/myhomepage/base_fatality_list

Cloudy, unjumpable weather day. Probably 10.6 DC3s over Z-Hills, 264 Mass exit. Jump run(s). Go arounds. Go arounds. About 4,000 ft. AGL. Pilot advises: This is as good as it gets, exit or ride down. I holler, "Who plans to pull high?" Most hands raise up "Me!" Waldo Jecker RIP grins, points to me him and we exit. We 2-way; take it low, like very. break off, turn 90 & pull sitting up. Getting opening shock. Dirty Billy RIP screams past hollering LOUD about CS MFs !! (pissed we didn't hold for him to enter 3rd). We landed in the swamp... broke my ankle. Lt. Needles & his USAPT 10-way team carried me out of swamp to ambulance. Rain. Ambulance gets lost on swamp roads. Bottom of my foot is looking up at me. I stay pleasant. Hospital. Newell RIP and Nugent RIP entertain Jan on the beach doing stoned spin outs (rented convertible) 'til i'm released. Ever thoughtful, dead Nugent seals a plane so Tuna flies us home in an ice storm. En route, Nugents HUGE Great Dane challenges me to a puking contest. Dog wins. Icy strip landing in Schaumberg Il., . Me on crutches. Slippery. Attitude dissipates. X-years later: Charming FBI shows up at work. Me, a Norton Simon executive in my walnut-window suite, am less than happy. "Where is G. Nugent?.... ??" No clue. No see since landing. Grumpy, I escort them out. X-months later. Fullerton Post Office has Nugent featured on FBI's "Most Wanted" list. Good photos. I send 'em to Fedo back in Il. He is delighted. Nugent stiffed him for x-$K big. Frames it. Photo still on his wall.

MEMORIES...Personal recollections -- Mike and I met when he was the editor of Parachutist Magazine in ’73-74? We worked together on several many projects. Through him, USPA promoted the 1st book on formation skydiving, my 1975 “The Art of Freefall RW.” He published the 2nd edition and 2-3 reprints with his Aerographics publishing house. As a supporter of our “RWunderground Newsletter”, Mike Truffer helped foster the birth of formation skydiving. Later, as publisher editor of “Skydiving Magazine” he, along with ParaGear, McElfish, and RW freaks promoted RW & my RW book and the anthology of articles from RWunderground printed in “United we Fall” in 1978, the UWF Art prints, and the first book on freefly, “The Art of vRW” in 1997. Mike was a seasoned USPA BoD member while I served three terms as National Director from 1981-1986. Then he did much via USPA to help pilot formation skydiving into safe waters; assured USA Teams ‘ funding; dared cover B.A.S.E.; waded calmly through near USPA impeachment for conflict of interest; recused himself (removed himself as a judge) over a the particular BOD proceedings to henceforth identify our sport as “skydiving,” a proscribed expression, in conjunction with our PCA sanctioned name, “parachutists.” NSTIW. Throughout that period, he, Sue, and Troy encouraged my blithering and printed my prose. I think that like him, they too carried the torch for skydiving by sharing and communicating clearly our joy, heartbreaks, skills, and survival techniques. “Skydiving Magazine” championed and followed the Communication Imperative: that, what sky mates don’t know may perhaps kill you. Knowledge is safety; skill is fun. Mike is so much more than a friend, icon, and fun guy. My lame words do naught to fill the empty that my heart cries into. All i feel is sorrow. All I hear is echoes. Of all skydivers, such scribes (and aerial photographers) are a splendid few. Treasure them. Remember Mike Truffer. Emulate him. Share and protect our mutual history. Guide others to respect and honor our traditions. Tell your story else the world is dumb and trees fall silently in our forests.

The curved pack-closing pin was invented and marketed by Hank Aschiutto. Hank produced them and distributed them to all gear Mfgs from his FAA parachute factory in Perris. Hank developed the Piglet, the smallest, lightest main-reserve-harness-container then available in ~'mid 70s. It weighed about 25 pounds. Hank started at Hinckley and later jumped with several World Champion 10-way teams. A retired Lockheed rigger, he lives in California. I made over 350 jumps on his gear.

After making over 1,500 round jumps, I swithed to a square. Before I made my 1st Para Commander jump...'64? all my others were on the ubiquitous 1.1, 28' flat-round C9 surplus canopies. Well, that 1st Paracommander Jump was my last 28' round jump. I borrowed PCs from then until I could buy my own. Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

Mike Truffer (and Sue Clifton) promoted skydiving, communicating clearly knowledge of joy, heartbreaks, skills, and survival techniques. They paid honor to our Communication Imperative as wordsmith and publisher both. Recall after all, that what ‘others’ don’t know could kill you. Of all skydivers, scribes are a splendid few. Publishers, a rare gem. Remember Mike Truffer. Recall and honor those who capture our history with their words and art: J. Scott Hamilton, Lyle Cameron PUBLISHER (RIP), Skratch Garrison, Dan Poynter PUBLISHER, Uve Beckman PUBLISHER (RIP), Matt Farmer, Roger Hull, Carl Nelson PUBLISHER (RIP), Roger Nelson (RIP), Bj Worth, Howard White PUBLISHER (RIP), Bill Ottley (RIP) Bud Sellick, Russ A. Gunby (RIP), Tamara Koyn, John Schuman PUBLISHER (RIP), Brian Germain, Charles Shea-Simonds PUBLISHER (RIP), Michael Horan PUBLISHER, C.W. Ryan, A.C. Keech PUBLISHER, Gene Hunnell PUBLISHER, Kevin Gibson, J. L. Seagull and emerging wordsmiths all. Hail our scribes & publishers or else our history is but dust in a wind. Honor our traditions else respect flees. Say your story else the world is dumb and trees fall silently in our forests. ... Mike was so much more than that. He is so much more than a friend. My lame words do naught to fill the empty that my heart cries into. All i feel is sorrow. All I hear is echoes

Airtwardo said it correct: I'd add that is is also a salute to sky friends, a brotherhood/bonding, AKA "Hail!" meaning something fuzzy like, "This ain't Scrabble here! It's Bitchin' Blue, beautiful and bonkers! Dig it!" Hand slapping got towards drama about '93 - '94 when Freefly was unborn but kicking hard. ... it can now be like the handshake of friends greeting: courtesy. For some, It will forever connote gleeful emotion, and shared joys: respect. Quote from the 3rd Godfrog Fable,

More than an icon, bigger than a legend, Ken was a watchtower, the lighthouse, he both lit and flew the way of CReW. A balm to be with Although any candle you can snuff, Ken's lights the lives in all of us. Blue sky, sky brother. Blue. Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

ANGLE DIVING..... new term for flocking? A heard of skydivers who clump in a swarm whilst delta tracking to a horizon compass point are indeed "Flocking" Flocking is an air deed we do. It started in ~'96. Mostly Free flyers of any-all levels could go big group jumps sans danger + fun. The lead is key. Flock on him. Garotte him if he fast-flys. Back track or delta track. Closer is cool. Finger-touch is skill. Group fun is the boon. Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,

Chuteshack, this may help you with your article: KAP– 3, automatic parachute activation device (AAD) Developed in the USSR in the 1950’s the mechanical KAP 3 is the earliest functional AAD known. For decades, the Soviet KAP 3 AAD was the only sensible device for parachuting. For example, in the USA, the similar USAF high-altitude bail-out AAD was hardwired to open at 14,000 feet ASL making that device impractical for civilian jumps. KAP -3 is a Warsaw Pact AAD. A highly reliable device, all Soviet manned capsules and cosmonauts’ carried redundant KAP3s. You can check them out at the Smithsonian or the Boeing Museum. There are two-each of them mounted on the frame of a Soviet re-entry space capsule on display at the Boeing Air Museum in Seattle.... They were part of the kit for many drop zones around the world including wide use across America in the 50s -60s -70s. KAP 3 was the Czech designation where they were manufactured, the Soviets called them PPK 3. You can still see them on rigs in Russia and eastern non-EU Europe. Long lifecycle and very reliable durable devices, don't "time expire" after a few years. The AAD was mechanical and installed on the MAIN, and it fired on every jump, at the preset altitude. Basically, it was a "pin puller" type of AAD. Prior to parachuting one would wind the pin-puller like a mechanical clock. Some skydivers (in Checksolvia use KAP on the main canopy and Cypress on reserve. An Australian drop zone reports, “We have KAPs AND Cypress on our student Telesis SOS systems, possibly overkill but the KAP seems pretty simple to install on the single ripcord rigs we use, they do need regular maintenance though as the fire off on every jump.” A typical KAP3 jump looked like this: -- Let's say you jumped from 10,000 feet. The safety pin was inserted into the AAD. The AAD was "armed" (by pulling the AAD's "pin puller" cable to some extension on the ground and locking it in this "pulled" position). You hooked up the safety pin's lanyard to the airplane (much like you hook up a static line to the airplane). When you jumped, the lanyard extracted the pin from the AAD, and the AAD started it's 5-second countdown (you could hear the mechanism "rolling"). It then stopped after the 4-th second, and waited until you reach the pressure altitude of however many feet you'd pre-set. It then fired after one second, whether your main was out of container or not. Company Name AAD Model/Name Airtec GmbH Cypres Advanced Aerospace Designs VIGIL FXC Corporation Astra FXC Corporation Model 12000 Steve Snider Enterprises (SSE) Sentinel Sentinel Irvin Industries of Canada Hitefinder Mikrotechna Praha a.s. KAP 3p MarS Marsjev.cz MPAAD * * * Developed from Dropzone.com posts and other references. Thank you all! Pat Works nee Madden Travis Works, Jr .B1575, C1798, D1813, Star Crest Solo#1, USPA#189,