skybill

Hi Ray, Good you found the Ripcord!! Now you need a chest reserve!!!!!! If you really want to look the "period" when you jump it, you'll need a pair of mechanics coveralls (all good skydivers jumped in them in the old daze!) a pair of combat boots with 550 cord for laces and an old football helmit (like the one Jack Nickelson wore in EZ Rider!) Take Pictures!!!! PS Practice your PLF's!!!! The landing ain't like no ram-air!! PPS Oh yes, like pics of the old daze, tuck your jumpsuit legs in the top of your combat boots like the Airborne guys do!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi PJ, 10-4 on the trip with guns, ya' never know who's lurking!! As for knives, my Camillus 3-blade stockman is my current "side kick!" I also have a Chinese made Buck folding Hunter spin off with an extra combo saw, screwdriver, bottleopener blade that I bought at a truck stop in NJ for $17.00 US a couple of years ago when I was driving truck. Nice knife for when you need something more than just a pocket knife. For 17 bucks with a couple of wacks on a stone and it holds a good edge for a while!! I like that in a knife. I beat it up a lot when I was drivin truck(flat bed) cutting rope, canvas, wood and you-name-it!! It still hung in there like the trooper it is!! Besides Jimmy T's pic of the orange handle switch blade/hook blade parachute knife that I really like a lot, there's the stainless handle survival "camp style" knife with the cross hatch pattern and U.S. stamped on the handle. It has the standard flat blade, a can opener, a bottle opener/screw driver and an awl. I have one left in the archives. Not really a knife, but you gotta have a P-38 or also called a "John Wayne" on your key ring, don't leave home with out it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Jimmy, Now let's see? If you want to make a list, Faster Horses, younger women, more money, older liquor, colder beer, .......play on gypsys, play on!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi WC, Well, the first thing you have to know is that learning to play guitar (or any other musical instrument for that matter) is exactly like learning to skydive!! It is/takes "discipline!!!" A good guitar will help. Seek out someone who knows the instrument to help you find a good one. The "action" as i call it (the distance between the strings and the fret board) will make or break you and the Guitar!! I once tried several guitars in various shops and was ready to give up as fingering notes seemed like pure agony!! I told my friend (a very good guitar player ) of my endeavours and he let me try fingering some chords on his guitar!! He had a really nice Martin D-35 acoustic and the fretboard was like "Magic!" Barely did the tips of my fingers touch the strings and I could form chords!! A good guitar is worth it'sweight in Gold!! So good luck on your journey and I hope yur quest is fruitful!! Have fun!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi PJ, What a post!! Just answered Jim T's about the orange parachute switchblade knife but onward!! One thing I always tell my step son at Christmas when I give him and his two sons their gift,"There are two things that a MAN can never have too many of, one is Guns and the other is Knives!!!" Of the various types of knives, (folders, fixed, long, short, pocket, sheath, etc.) I currently have a Camillus 3-blade 3 7/8" long "stockman" with Rosewood handles that although is a nice "pocket piece," I carry it in a small sheath made from a piece of T/VIII webbing 6" long folded. I have a bunch of other knives too!! Sharade "uncle Henry's," Ka-Bars, Craftsman's, ones my Dad gave me, ones my uncles gave me, a bunch of different size X-acto's and others, not to mention a small collection of various size sharpening stones!! ( a knife ain't much good if it ain't sharp!!) Guess I have to take a photo of some of mycollection to post!! Now to find my digital camera here on my desk under all these knives!! Not to drift too far off the subject, but "Guns" go right along with "Knives" just like bread and butter !! I Like my knives and I like my guns and they will only get my guns and or knives away from me when they pry them out of my cold dead fingers and believe me they will need a screw driver and a crow bar to do it!! Not to go off in the Speakers corner but, "I AM THE NRA AND I VOTE!!!!!" R-U-NRA and do you vote????? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Jim!! You would post a photo of my most favorite parachute knife, the orange one with the switch blade!! Someone once said that they were suppose to make the "hook" blade the switchblade but someone in engineering was smoking some good stuff that day and didn't share!!! Any way, thanks for posting and where did you see any of those on E-Bay?? I'd really like to get my hands on at least ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Wart, In reply I should add that it was a "C-9" about 1952 or 53 vintage that I got from my first jump instructor for $10.00 at the time. C-9's were all over. We cut the mod. out with a pair of sissors and got binding tape from a fabric store in town. Got a spool of E-thread from scare-a-gear and did the sewing on my grandmother's treddle singer sewing machine!!!! That was "My" first canopy. On my first 3 or so jumps I used my harness and sleeve but Dave Murray let me borrow his 7-double L 28' C-9. Then I got to jump the 7-TU. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Ray, Might have one in the archives, I guess you want a 4-pin with a "D" handle. Measure the R/C housing to be sure for the length. What will you trade?? Do you need anything else for the rig? What is the date of manufature and Mfgr. ?? is the canopy a 4-color, orange and white candy stripe, or "fan-blade?" One I'd love to see again is an old all white "NAVAIRFAC" 28' C-9 with the anchor stamps in blue parachute ink on the "C" pannel of each gore!! Saw one a guy had years ago that he bathtub dyed the bottom 1/3 blue (including the lines) and the top 1/3 red (or was it the other way around??) anyway, he called it his "Uncle Sam" rig. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Wild Willie V!!, Hey Guy, you have to be at least as old as me!! Also remember watching Captain Midnight on Saturday morning and having your decoder ring to figure out the clues to the mystery.!! I'll add a couple of more "oldies but goodies!!" Going to the movies on Saturday and before the "Double Feature," there was a Serial "Cliff hanger!!" Tune in next week boys and girls to find out if our hero lives thru this perilous event!! Having a cane pole with some drugstore string, a cork, hook and a can of worms on your bicycle and peddling to the fishing hole with your buddies on Saturday afternoon without adult supervision!! Hell, we'd go on overnight fishing/hunting/camping trips, (same bunch of guys between 11 and 17 years old!!) with fishing gear, guns, ammo and our parents trust!! Hell, most of the time it was our job to bring back food for the family to eat!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Jim, 1. Your main chute was orange and white (candy stripe.) 2. Everyone else's was the same. 3. if you could scrape up $240.00 you could get a RWB P.C. 4. For $25.00 you could get a good cheap-po rig. 5. for another $15.00 you could get a 24' T-7 twill reserve in a chest container to go with your cheap-po. 6' The club "Hot Shot" (Sky God was not in the vernacular at that time) had 35 jumps, a B-License, and jumped a cheap-po 7-TU. (less experienced jumpers were only allowed double "L", double "T" and the like mods. 7. 30SD jumps from 7500' out of Bob Landary's Cessna 172 wer about $3.50 (tach.time). That was the early 60's. The late 60's is another story!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Phill, Next time you're at the DZ, just get some of yur friends to sign off your dives. If you need licensed Skydivers or pilots to sign for a rating, just ask to see their card if you're not sure. If they were on the load, that's great. If not, WTF, they have a license, get them to sign it any way. If they are a really old fart with a 2 digit "D" or the like (Nate Pond D-69 for example) don't even let him/them get away till you have their signature in your log book!! That's why it's always good to have a few dives still "open!" Got that? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Ray, You lucky bastard!! A 28' C-9, 7-TU cheap-po in excellent shape after all these years!! Sounds like it is in better shape than "I" am, !! Have a great jump and wish I was there with you!! Got 250 +/- 10 jumps on various cheap-po's in the early daze!! I was a lot "lighter" too!! Today my feet would probably make a small crater where I hit!! PS, Got a 24' "Fashion Frocks" MAR1943 "Twill" reserve chest mount in the archives,"If you dare!!?" The canopy is still in good shape, it still stands up to the thumb test!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Cheese, Thanks Man! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

OK Cheese, Get a life doing what????????????? Cheese whiz, you have the best life there is being a skydiver!! What more could you want?? I've been a skydiver for jest' 40 years now and there ain't no way I'm goin' back to bein' a whuff!! Work at Wal-mart or Wall-Street, doesn't matter, C-U-at the DZ on Sunday morning!! I love this place!! Don't worry about the "Sex!!" it's everywhere on the DZ!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Harry!! And I get to add the next line and when I think of it, Oh well!!!!!!! "Filth of Creation, gone from bad to Maste#@*(^&% sons of ^%$*#@+ ---- Known in every---- (someone else please chime in!!! Other rituals, who can forget pissing in the crater!!! What a good reason not to bounce!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Kelel, This woman is in the same boat as the one who claimed she had the same lotery ticket numbers as the guy that won "but she lost it" and should get the prize any way!!! Are we having fun yet?? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Alexandra, Hungarian eh?? My family (both sides) too!! Funny but when I was a little kid in Louisiana, if I didn't speak Hungarian, I couldn't communicate with my Paternal Grand Mother!! Over the years, I remember the language but my ability to speak Hungarian is not as good. (I am sad about this) Mike Kvasnik and his cousin Steve (Pista) are good Hungarian friends and skydivers in So.Cal., among others. Besides Hungarian, other than my (native Louisiana english) I speak some german, some (after living in so.cal. for years) mexican/spanish, Irianian (worked over there in 1976) Volkswagen(owned 3!), Ford, Chevy, Skydiving, Flying Airplanes, Fishing, Guns and You-name-it!! Drop me a line or two, I would love to try to converse and loosen my Hungarian tongue!! BTW Although I am "skybill" as in Bill, short for William (my middle name), my real first name given to me by my mother who named me after my father, is "ARPAD!!!!!!!" Being a Hungarian, I believe you know who he was!!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Hydro, The short answer is that generally for the same sq. ft. a 9 cell has a highre aspect ratio than a 7 cell. That is to say take the wing span and divide it by the average chord. Thus for a given sq ft. canopy, the higher aspect ratio canopy will yield better performance. Since on a highrer aspect ratio canopy there is less distance for the air to pass accross from nose to tail, there is less induced drag produced. Sound complicated? Once you figure it out, it's a cinch. Stay tuned, there's more!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Lady, Just posted to LBG's post about coffee inspired by you. "Love the stuff!!" If I'd have my druthers about coffee, I'd move to New Orleans in a heartbeat and dig on the Cafe Du Monde coffee stand coffee by Jackson Square by the river till they carry me off feet first!! 'Love the New Orleans "Coffee and Chicory" blends!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi lightningbugril!!, You want good coffee?!! Just go to New Orleans!! It is all good. There are several local blends that you must try. There's the French Market Coffee and the cafe Du Monde (Coffee stand by Jackson Square)and last but not least "Community Coffee" {probably my favorite} to try. When you go to Cafe Du Monde, you also hav to get the little square French doughnuts called begnets (ben-yay's) !!! Enjoy!! New Orleans, called "The Big Easy," "The city that care forgot," and I've heard it said down there, "The coffee drinkinist' town in the USA!!" some other towns/city's mayclaim a higher per capita sale in coffee by the pound but that don't mean they drink it or like the stuff they drink. Get it? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi A-G, Beethoven's 5th!!!!!!!!!!! If that's not the worst I don't know what is?? On the other hand Wagner's. "Flight of the Valkarie!!" ala the beach run in the Huey Cobras with Robert Duval leading the pack in Apocalypse Now might not be too bad if the right chickis taking off her clothes for me!! "I love the smell of Napalm early in the morning...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi A-T, Y-do-U- only post when you're drinking? Same as me!! After a hard day at the salt mine what better way to un-wind than a Whiskey and coke or a Cuba Libre' and hit DZ.com and see what kind of rukkas you can make!! Isn't it fun??? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Ralu, Myfirst canopy was an orange and white candy stripe 28' Pioneer eliptical cut 7-TU in a O.D. B-4 harness and 4-pin container system, 24'T-10A Reserve, combat boots, an old military flight suit for a jumpsuit and a converted Navy flight helmit to crown my head!!! Rig, first jump course and first jump, less than $50.00 1964 U.S. dollars. The feeling when I first left Milon Nobles Cessna 170 on my first static Line Jump, PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Sandy!!!, Thru a Purple Haze I recall hearing storys around the bon fire of naked bodies, black light flouresssent paint and odd chanting around some nymphet!!! Knowing Bill Stage I'm not surprised, only in So.Cal.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dirty old man that he was!! You jogged my memory, thanks that it is now brought forward and revived. Iwould hate to lose that one!!! Remember the First Wet T-shirt contest on the packing tables at Elsinore????? It was a tie!! I still have the Cuervo T-shirt that Chris wore in that one!! She tied for first Place with Becky, Al Frisby's Lady at the time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Dog2, Sounds like Jimmy!! Grim that he's,"Gone on!!" Funny about that. This story belongs in the scary storys column but since we're here, here goes. When Spike's Beech took off from Taft on its last take off, Jimmy and Doyal Talbot wer suppose to be in the plane but got side tracked in someody's van in the parking lot doin' "you know!!" Well the rest is history!! The plane crashes and everyone in it including the two that took Jimmy and Doyal's places got killed. A couple of weeks later, Jimmy and Doyal get killed in seperate un related accidents. "Don't try to out fox the reaper!!!!" Sounds srange eh?? Well, you figgure it out? Co-incidense or what?????? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out