skybill

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Everything posted by skybill

  1. Well, it's been a while... but mentioning pulling off pieces at low altitudes.... Back "in the Day" at Scare-Us-Valley in the early mornings with the cloud ceiling around 3 to 3,5K and no holes.. Bob Webb would get on the Mike and say he'd take a load to the cloud base f anyone wanted... Well "GOOD FUN" we called them TORPEDO RUN'S!!! the Otter throttles Ballz2Dwall and above the DZ we'd Launch.. Donuts, Diamonds, Rounds .. trying to "Frisby launch" the piece!! We'd get a good 10 to 15 seconds and a couple of points!!! Did I say "GOOD FUN!!!" .. The Best of times!!! foto: anybody remember this place?? Note!!: no Rock Crushing plant in the background and YOU may be in the foto .. if yer' old enough!!!! skybill
  2. Scary to today's jumper's.... have to check my log's .. think it was March of '66 me, Don McQuattie and Pat Larkin's did a "Double Baton Pass!!!! My friend Jim Day .. an aspiring Photographer was at the DZ and shot me under canopy!! YUP a "7-TU!! 28' C-9!!" .... OH yes... Check out our Altimeter's!!!!! skybill SCR-2034, SCS-680
  3. It's am MC-4 PC spring with a cap at both ends and in a mesh tube... 'worked on the program back in Ca. then in NC with scurvyirvn... The late Gordo Foster and I tweeked the program a bit... Andy Cowley and the Brit bunch started it... If ya' have enough Beer and Whiskey I'll tell ya' the tale.... skybill
  4. The Bodacious Thunder Chicken!!!!!! 'Have quite a few leaps out of the Bird!!! skybill PS note in the foto how "Dude" has his hand over the "EN' in thunderchicken.. So i think he thinks "SHE!!'s the "ThunderChick!!" ..."OMG!!"
  5. Well... it is an illustration of the hand... say thankyou to "Bullet Bob!!!" Still have the shirt... and it still "Fit's!!!!!!... me!! seems like for a lot of older Sky Divers some of our older, favorite Sky Divin' T-shirts have "Shrunk!!!!" Badly!!!!! skybill
  6. Here it is a few years later... .... The old "Hammond Airport" Admin. bldg. our office is now the CAP bldg. the Airport now after "KATRINA" has Grown... FBO's, the "Border Patrol and Homeland Security!!" and a "TOWER!!!!!" (Manned by the US ARMY located on Field!!.....) .... Sometimes at sunset ... on calm evening.... ovr the wisp of the wind you can hear the sound of a Cessna 172 at 7500 feet cut it's engine then the sound of skydivers in freefall and the opening of their chute withe tem hootin' and hollerin'!!! The Spirit lives....... skybill
  7. Post 20... by "mwr" noting from Otay the "Sons of Beeches" ... also from Otay was the "San Diego Zoo!!" honcho'ed by Lorenzo Lizarag!!.... me, Ken Pelkey, Dennis Schufflin, Dave Mizel, Mike Parnell, and I have to get out my logs to see who else!! That was march of '75 and Jim Spencer was still in Jail!! ... Our first Otay 10-MAN team was the "OTAY BUNCH" we went to the "Chute Out at the Gulch" at Casa Grande in March of '73......."That's the T'Shirt!!!!!" down there!!!!!! Blue skyz, skybill...... D-6009
  8. Hahahahaahahaha!! a few years ago now..... I needed to get my monkey ass back inthe air after 8 years on the deck.. started with a torn deltoid then my wife got cancer so it go's!! Showedup at GOLDCOAST lumberton MS. leanne said i had to jump with one of her instructor's "FIRST!!... I tried not to scare JD too much ... on take off roll i unfolded "SAMMY SKULL!!!!!" (Old SO. CAL JUMPER'S KNOW!!!" and as the wheel's lifted, I lifted Sam andyelled "BLUE SKIES, BLACK DEATH!!!!" Much to the shagrin of all on board including "JC!!" thnI turned and looked at him and said, "I hope I didn't scare you too much!!!" The dive was GREAT!! JC signed me off .. I seriously think he will NEVER forget me!!! skybill
  9. Hi Sky!!!!, Just wonderin' here it is a few weeks later and ...... how'd things go??? 'Have a "skyfriend" whose MOM is not expected to survive this fiasco corona bug... we are standing by... Just know that you and yours are in my prayers...... And Thank You Jesus for lettin' someone back when discover "WHISKEY!!!!!" I hold my glass high and Toast!! "BLUE SKIES!!!" all we can ask the Eternal for.... skybill
  10. Back in the Day... I think around '78-'79 when we were still doin' the S/L Program at Perris before Hank made all those godawful red and yellow Hankpigrigs!! we'd have an average of 30 or more FJC students on a Saturday or Sunday morning Class!!!! Hooodogies! So at least a DC-3 load.. GOOD FUN!! One Sunday.. or was it a Saturday?? either way.. Got the load geared up, a couple of extra J/M helpers in the plane and taxi out!!! Ron Lay does the 30 inch check on starboard ..OK.. then PORT..... POPPOPPOPOP..no go taxi back!!! run everyone over to the other DC-3 ...taxi out, take off.. turn around and land!!!!! Don't remember what the gig was but we were down!!!!!! They had Howie warm up this cargo door Beech 18 we had at the time so I took up 10 students at a time!! First group... OK.. Second group ....well some "Chatter" in the starboard engine!! Students were eager to get out is an under statement!! We got the 3rd group up and 3 to a pass and 4 on the last.... As 2 and 3 go ... Howie starts workin' the throttles yelling...."GET OUT!!!!...GET OUT!!!!" Stu #4 didn't even wait for me to say GO!!! He was "GONE!!!!" Funny how that goes!! skybill
  11. Yesterday evening, Christmas Eve, 'got a text from "Rusti," "Caz" had just passed on.... Some time ago he had a "Stroke!"... he got somewhat better.... then worse.. Details don't matter.... 'knew it would be soon but ...????? you know the drill.... Fly on Caz... 'yer up there in that "Eternal Star" with Gary, Dirty Ed, Joe Morgan, Al Frisby and on!! Blue skies Buddy..... Blue skies!!!, skybill-out
  12. Congrats!! to the winners!!! Go to www.airtrash.com and dig up the message board... just a couple from the top I posted about "Carlos Gene Godfrog" and ... well... just read it...... Hooray for Carlos.......!! Auentes, Fortuna, Ivat, skybill-out
  13. No Pix,but "I was in the Parking lot!!!!!" "HarHarHar!!!" and heard the "Crash!!!!" And NO!! "BOB" was not in the Van!!!...'Was gettin' some gear for the next jump.... 'Just did a "AFF Level I" with this Gorgeous Ginger!!! The Crash put the quanus on our Level II dive that day!!!!! Audentes, Fortuna, Ivat, skybill-out PS "Old Woman!!" somewhere in my archives I have a "Snapshot" of you standing by Sq. 1... 'will let you know when I find it!!!
  14. Hi Jerry, Sorry to hear...... Fly on Flip.... That "Eternal Star" just got another entry!!!!! skybill
  15. It was just a matter of our worst enemy...."Time".... Criss has had a bout of serious battles with his health lately... came down to a "Cerebral hemorrhage" a couple of daze ago and his sawbonez said,"He ain't gonna make it..." Criss went Trackn' up to that "Eternal Star" at 19:48 (EDT) on 05MAY2019.... this past Sunday!! Up in Va. he was stayin' with his sister... was just admitted to Hospice and he left us shortly after.. When he was still down here in Louisiana I was fortunate to visit with him... 'Found out from Sandy Callahan that he was in "Port Allen!!" just across the bridge from Baton Rouge... I'm in Hammond.. just 65 miles away!! Went to visit.... Brought him a "Fresh" "AIR TRASH" hat!!...when he was in the hospital over here... He had some serious complications from surgery... fortunately came out of it but it was scary!! He went up to Va. to live with his sister... anyway he's in that "Eternal Star" now!!! Fly on Buddy.... you will be missed.... skybill
  16. Hooodogies!!! "Strat's!!!!" "Stars an' 'Fryer's!!" (Pun intened) As for the "Fryer'" I mean "Flyer" the only person who I know of that jumped one successfully as a young lady at old Elsinore named I think "Darleen" she was a singer that went by the stage name of "Danny!!" She weighed about 98 lbs. dripping wet with her clothes on!! She'd come in for a landing, do a "normal" flare and dead stop a foot above ground and take one step!! Note!! I said she weighed 98 lbs.!!!!!!!!!!! Major operating factor!! PS the pictures of "Dean Westgard" landing the flyer were taken when he was a bout a foot or so off the ground.... ya' had ta' see the crater and cloud of dust not to mention the seismic after recordings "ONE FOOT LATER!!" I had a "Star!!!" Long story!! back when I tipped the scale at the 160-165 lb range!! If ya' have enough BEER I can tell ya' some stories..... All in all I liked my STAR!!.... As for "Flyer's" my now late friend "Red Beard" came over one night and "GAVE" me this red and white Flyer he got from someone ... I didn't want it but ended up with it anyway... Some time later Matt McKillowatt... aka "Sparky" was over for some rigging work and I got him drunk and got him to haul off the Flyer!! Finally got rid of it!! He was going on some "Spooky" base jump and I told him.. "It's the perfect rig (Fortunately I think he weighed about 145 lbs. so that was good!!" If ya need to ditch it .. no loss!! "5 RIGHT ... an' ... CUT!!!!!!," skybill-out PS...and then there was "GENO!!!!".. aka Walton Eugene Johnson!!! A "Ghetto Rat" Jumping what he could find!! His last "Good Canopy" took a dive and he found a "Flyer" .. He weighed in at the 170 +/- 5 lb range... (net.) would fly in at 2000 mph, flare like there was no tomorrow and "ATTACK" the hard pan at Scare-us-valley with great gusto!! I would "Cringe" when I watched his landings!! ....... My "Hi-Ball" is gettin' kinda low... need to do a mid-air refuel... Later Troops... Drop me a line if ya' want to hear more .......
  17. "BOB!!! Friend, skydiver, aviator and all around good guy! He was the "Big Cheese" with our "New Dimensions Flite School" of which I was proud to be invited to be part of !!!!!!! We had our usual "Up's and down's" but that was nothing.. and after i look back .. we were the "PIONEER'S!!!!!" We "BLAZED THE TRAIL" that all others followed!! GOT THAT PILGRIM'S!!! skybill
  18. Interesting!! just now got here!! Give me a minuet to navigate around and I'm On!! looks good!! skybill
  19. Arrangements completed by family today... Friday is his Funeral here in Hammond... Brandon Thompson Funeral home in charge. Ted and I go back a ways.. before "Skydiving" we were in the Boy Scouts during Jr. High School.... That was the "Late 50's!!!' Ted got interested in Skydiving about the time we graduated High School in '63. Joined up with "Southland Skydivers" here at the Airport in Hammond. I tried to up load a photo but it "exceeds" the limit! Go to my FB page... "Bill Deli" and I have it posted there and some other history!! I too became a member of "Southland" (MAY '64) the Club lasted till Leon Riche and Ben Seal's "Southern Parachute Center" took hold... the Club folded as it's primary reason for existence as other clubs of the time frame was to secure "Air Support!!" The "Center" took care of that... Ted jumped with us till he got his "Greetings from Uncle Sugar!!!" in '65. During Boot he volunteered for "AIRBORNE" and followed in the footsteps of "Bob Welsh" one of our former Paratrooper Skydivers and went "82nd!!" Bob was "Proud!!!" Fly on Ted, Fly on!!!!!!!....... skybill, B-4240 SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out
  20. Hi Bob......!!, WIND & BEER!!! Back in the Day......OLD Elsinore..... sometime in 1967-early 68.... the "Santa Ana Winds" started to blow through!! Everybody "Kicked dirt" for a while then retired to the "RUMBLESEAT TAVERN!!" ran by Dickie and Marilyn Webb!! I eventually hooked a ride and got there later in the afternoon!! JOHN "MAGPIE" Forsythe!!! was already heavy into his cups!! later I found out he blew a "POPE" Demo and had to "HANG" a 64 oz. Pitcher of cold beer till he drank it "A-L-L-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"........lo and behold the winds subsided and everyone scrambled back to the DZ for a "JUMP!!" "That's why we do this..REMEMBER???????" 'Managed to get on a 3 way out of the Cessna 180.. (Beech loads were already full) it turned out to be "ME!!!!!!," MAGPIE!! (Remember Magpie, there's a story about Magpie!!!!) So!!!!! "ME!!!!" and "Stanley Troller" and "MAGPIE" end up being the 3-way to 3-5 in the cesna180!! We were going to doa 3 way fro 3-5 untill magpie missed, we went low!! about 15-200' and watched magpie open down in the misquite!! I think th opening of his canopy kicked up dust!!....Meanwhile, back at the Ranch, Stanley and I are walkin' in after that fiasco and Stan says to me,"I hope nobody saw that??? All anybody saw was MAGPIE's almost BOUNCE!! Jerry Meyers was at the target when Magpie hummed it and he said,"I thought he was going to bounce so I turned around so I didn't have to see his splatter......."THEN" his chute opened!!!! ....Stan and I thought for sure we'd be grouunded for piulling beLow minimums but THANK Again skybll SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out
  21. Ted Left us today... only 150 +/- a couple!! of jumps back when!! He JM'ed me on my jumps # 7, 8 and 9!! Ted was my good friend!! OUR good friend!! No details yet on arrangements... I'll let you know!! skybill SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out
  22. Hi Bob!!! Only thing I can say is "10-4!!!!" ill' the moning!! skybill SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out
  23. Yea. !! so we go low!! Just hope we don't end up in Hell!! skybill SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out
  24. Hi Bob.... Only thing I can say after 54 yrs + of doing this stuff is "Thank GOD someone invented/Discovered/ or what-ever........ WHISKEY!! If it wasn't for "Whiskey" and "Skydivin'" I'd a been a "Basket case years ago!! It keeps me sane and my BP... 113/59...64 this morning!! skybill SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out
  25. Hi Chuck and "ALL!!!," The "Bags!!" has "Gone On!!!" ... Just cruzin' along..then "Gone!!" just like in a "Country Song!!"...... I can't let this pass without my "Best Bag's Story!!!!" So, settle down Kiddies, pop a fresh Beer or pour a good shot of 3 fingers of Jack over 5 rocks...(an "Old Blue Eyes!!") and listen... Back when Men were Men... i believe it was 1981? or somebody re/arrange my brain cells .. when the "El Cap" Bullshit came down the pike!! (Ya have to know the "WHOLE STORY!!!!" Anybody remember the "FLAT BED 11???" Who got booted out of USPA for some Yosemte violation?? well they all got booted for a year!!! well, the "Late" Max Kelly was one of them!! I worked with him at the as we called it at the time...(fun daze)... "Drugless Aircraft company" (inside joke) and after he got booted''' that was that.... well Ray Cottingham The renouned photographer got told by Benny and Diane that he couldn't jump at Perris because he was "Booted!!" "Then Benny found out!!" that MAX was still jumping at the "USPA DZ Elsinore!! and he to was booted so Benny said "Screw U USPA I don't want your "Insurance" anymore and Left the ranks of "USPA DROPZONES!!!!!!" well the "Beat Goes on!! SO!!!! To try to bring back Benny to the fold.... the "Powers that Be" at USPA sent "BAGS" to Perris during the Labor Day Boogie to try to "patch up old wounds!!!!" That what's it was all about..... HOWEVER!!!!!! ...there is a side note!!!!!!!! While there..... the now "Late" "Dick Pedley" was getting his (I THINK??? BUT DON'T QUOTE ME!!!!!) 4,000 jump wings!!!! So this is where the "Fun Begins!!" Great boogie however some troops are getting "careless" ..humming it down and subsequently getting "GROUNDED!!!!!!!" quite a few as I recall ...."The Beat goes on!!" well at the time I was a USPA JM & I at Perris and Billy Reed was going to put up a "DC-3 Load Of Students!!" at the time as a "Back up JM I think the deal was $5 and a "Free Jump" how ever high the plane goes!! Well I'm free at the moment and jump on the load!! Back up Billy!! "THEN!!"I notice Dick Pedley who was doing the "Shoot all the student exits with his 35SLR!! and behind him was ........You Guessed it...."BAGS!!!!!!" .... I said."WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?????" Bags said,"I'm going to give Dick his 4,000 jump wings in Free Fall after we dump the students!!!".... As the Late Frank Gallop would say in his Throaty, Baritone voice,"REALLY!!!"... I say..."NOT WITHOUT ME!!!!!!" (Note: Dickand I are Old Friends!!) SO, Students dumped... Billy and his crew exit, Ron does a quick climb and we get out at 4500' .....Long story short... Dick and Bags get a hook up and I "miss" on the first pass!!! They hold it and "Finally" I "CONNECT!!!!!!!!!!!" YAHOO!!!! Till??... I notice the outside edges of the student Target at Perris and the dirt clods are gettin' "BIG!!!" Down and Dirty about 1500' or so!!!! as we walk in from the target , Mark Smith admonishes us!! Big time but not much else was said!! at least to me and I'm sure not to "BAGS!" later, Dick told me he got "dressed down for that fiasco!!" Hehehehehhehe!! But the thing is...after that.. every time I'd see "Bags" somewhere, we'd run into each other, our eyes would meet, and it was a big GRIN!!!!!,,,, and 1500' at Perris and we would just,"LAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I miss you Buddy!! Dick passed several years ago, now "BAGS"... I guess when I Go I'll have to swoop them up there!!!! skybill SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out