jackwallace

JohnMitchell

***I always leave the main in as if it's a total. Some of the rig \ canopy configurations these days are rather tight which in some cases acts to somewhat bind the reserve upon deployment.

Better to see anything like that on the ground than at two grand.

Remember some of the old pig rigs that the reserve would total? Good time for the last hope rope.

Noobs, pm me for a translation.

Dam you're old john. I had a lead sinker on mine. Went to the Nats. Pointer looked at it. Looked at the rig and sealed it, didn't say a word.

I named my kid after him. Middle name not first. The wife wouldn't let me.

PLF PLF PLF

Probably should be under "stupid jumps I've made."
We had a demo into a bar on a lake in the early 70's Two cessnas. Nobody wanted to jump their good gear in the water. So we decided to use the club student gear. Cheapo's in B 12's. This bunch of geniuses (including one actual rocket scientist and one that worked on the M60 tank) figured we could do without reserves if we got out at around 100 feet. Lots of math involved here!! That way if you even had a streamer it would slow you down (more math) enough to live. So we load up and head to the lake. The whole way we are looking at the other plane just knowing they snuck reserves on board. They were looking at us thinking the same thing. We get to the lake. Its maybe 5 acres in size. At 100 feet and 100 mph, do you know how fast that lake went by? One guy hit the lake. One landed on a dock then fell backwards into the lake and the rest of us dumb asses has to find out way into peoples back yards.

Learn to eye ball your altitude. You probably do it some now. Ever notice you seem to glance at your altimeter at the same altitude.

HA. I bet after half a dozen shots your "ears" can't focus well enough to "hear". I know I can't even walk then.

drink shots instead of beer, makes your ears numb sooner

My dad was a cab driver. He said every one in a bar is an expert after 9 o'clock and the only thing wrong with a drunk is, your not.

gb1

I am helping Sandy put together an original Beechnut Strato Star. It was my understanding that we pulled the red line down to retract the pilot chute because it was pulling on the rings, trying to collapse the canopy! Boy, the junk we tested. Alot of malfunctions till we switched to diaper tails or bags. There was a nylon rod about 3in long that indexed after pulling red line. This was to lock pilot chute down so you could let go of the red line. I found one in my old stuff! Thank's Jim Tafralian Beechnuts

Originally we just put a couple knots in the reefing line near the pilot chute, to catch on the canopy, to hold the pilot chute down. Then people went to the plastic thing (usually and old toggle) or a V'd wire. This was to stop your "friends" from reeling in your reefing line and putting you back into opening sequence. We had a weird sense of humor in those days!

Doesn't Para Flite have one around? If not check with Sandy Reid.
If I remember right there was a piece of cotton sewn to the top and bottom skins with a #8 grommit. The reefing line passed through them and around the perimeter of the canopy. The red line had a ring on it that the rope went through. It was below to canopy. Pulled on that rope a few times to help opening speed. As time went on people put a number of different devices up near the pilot chute that would keep it seated once the canopy was fully open.

You guys are getting old and no fun. Best way is to put your rig on, start a loud argument with a friend. Run among a large group of people and have him yank your reserve. Don't forget the camera's.

Amazon

***When I got my 52 XK120 a guy told me. Now you'll know why god invented Sundays.: So you can work on your English car, so it will run for the rest of the week.
he wasn't lying

TRUTH.... I spent more than just Sundays working on my 60 XK150S Roadster great fun to drive but way too much work even for an "enthusiastic enthusiast"

More shit could vibrate off that car then I had time to retighten the bolts I did manage to get the carbs to stay in sync.. a couple touches of brazing rod once the Unisyn got em right.

Would your 150 do 150mph? I was told that's what the numbers meant. I got mine to 140 once running with an XKE. Wind buffeting was huge!!!

When I got my 52 XK120 a guy told me. Now you'll know why god invented Sundays.: So you can work on your English car, so it will run for the rest of the week.
he wasn't lying

Broke my racing motorcycle and couldn't get parts for it. Saw an ad skydive $19. After I made the first jump I asked what they did to the equipment between jumps. when they said pack it and throw it in the car. I sold the motorcycle.
Paul Thompson who managed Para Gear for many years saw the Ripcord show as a kid.
I believe the best I've ever heard is a woman that bought a gift certificate at a rummage sale for $2. The person had bid on it on public TV's fund raiser, but was too scared to try it. As far as I know she is still jumping 40 years later.

Freebie with smoke.

oldwomanc6

***Different hair,different clothes,different makeup, no make up.
Boobs don't change though.

Give it a few years, and I guarantee you will be eating those words .




This is exactly why this place needs a "like" button.

promise5

Different hair,different clothes,different makeup, no make up.
Boobs don't change though.

Never seen them in freefall or upside down then have you?

Hoss. If for no other reason than the story about him sitting in a bar. Guy comes up to him and says "I've been waiting 5 years to fight you." Hoss says " Good. Now give me 5 years to get ready and we'll fight.

We were poor. So my dad would wait till the day before Xmas to get a tree. He would go to the lot and get the biggest tree they had, 20-25 feet. One for a church or some big building. They would sell it for a song. We'd drag it home. My dad would cut off the top to use as our tree. Then make a stand out of 2x4's. He'd cut the branches off the lower part of the tree. He would use those branches to fill in thin spots on the part we kept and we'd always have to tie the tree to the wall so it wouldn't tip over. The rest of the branches went under the kitchen sink. Every time you came in the house you'd stomp on the branches so the house smelled great.
When xmas was over all the kids would haul the trees to the local play grounds to use as a wind break. The city would flood the play grounds to make ice rinks.
I had skates from my uncle that I had to wear 2-3 pair of socks and stuff the toes full of newspaper to fit. We'd play this game where one kid was it. Everyone else would charge across the play ground from one side to the other. If the "it" guy got you, then the two of you were out there for the next pass. The last person caught was "it" on the next game.

I can't be positive, but I was on the first 40 round attempt about that time. We had made the first 50 way and they took the "best" 40 people from it. Turned into a giant cluster fuck. It was like everyone took there brain out, stepped on it and then jumped out the door.

377

Quote

The Altitude Shop had a highspeed video/movie of free stowed lines coming out of the container that was one of the scariest things I'd ever seen.

Wonder if that film is still around somewhere?

Lots of good films have disappeared. I recall seeing one made by the govt using high speed cameras to document structural failure in C9 canopies that were deployed way above speed and weight specs. It was fascinating but cant find it anymore.

I remember how cool it was to have a skydive store with onsite rigging in downtown Vallejo. As I recall the Altitude Shop had climbing gear too. Got my MK I PC shortlined there. Really reasonable prices. Good guys.

Bought my PC with a Top Secret rig for $125 from a fellow Pope Valley jumper. As squares took over, PCs became dirt cheap. Nobody wanted them. The canopy and rig had only 120 jumps.

I was still in school so funds were tight. I was always a gen behind everyone else in gear which allowed be to get super cheap stuff.

Speaking of free stowing lines, I saw a guy at Livermore jump a cheapo stuffed into a paper grocery bag with no line stowage. He did it on a bet. No prob, it opened fine, but I didn't see the process on high speed film.

377

Might get hold of the Jump Shack. 40 years ago John let me watch a bunch of opening movies by of cheepos. Taken in high speed. I think they were from Hughes. I learned a lot about opening sequence from them. Most of it translated to squares then the time came.

Just never depend on it. The best altimeter is your eye ball. Practice with it and you can become incredibly accurate.

Eating Raoul
Deep Throat. People stood in lines for blocks to see that when it first came out.

Come to bike week in Daytona. I've seen a VW bug cut just in front of the dash with a wheel out front. I've seen some trike V8 contraption, with a bike front, two bench seats. Must have been 20 feet long. Seen a Subaru with the top chopped off and back cut off and replaced by a single wheel.
I think the thing you saw might have been a T-Rex or some other POS like it Polaris makes.

Hymn