skybill

Hi TB, Just read thru all th posts by Spark, Harry, Bully etc about the good ol' daze at Frans'!!! I wasn't there but I know Sandy, Bill, Harry L., Bob Jones (that crashed the Beech) and a host of others from those daze. Well, I'd like to ad a twist to the story about Sandy and the "first prize!!" Seems as the spin on the story goes when it made it to Perris, Elsinore and San Diego was that this kid named "Jerry Bingston" actually won the first prize good times with a hooker for the accuracy event but because of his good "Christian" up-bringing (anyone remember Jerry??????????????) declined the prize and said,"Anyone want this prize??" and Sandy took it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I remember Sandy got the prize but Jerry won it! Joe Crotwell may be able to back me up on this one if he is still alive?? (Spark, howz he doin'??? 'Havn't been able to talk to my old skybuddy since the crash!!) Joe, myself and Jerry used to work together at Drugless Aircraft in Long Beach back on the ACES II program along with the late Max Kelly, Nanc Gruttman and Ron Haun, Bob (Pecker head) Zinn, Jim Buckley and Willie (Tako Bill) Manbo. Like I said, just thought I'd add a twist to this story as that's how I heard it at the DZ and nobody else ever said anything different?? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi JB and Spark, Now I go and get the shoe box with "ALL" my old log books (remember those??) and go digging down for the post of the dive. As I recall, I did 2 dives that night one on 06 Oct '84 ant my log says that my second was on 07 Oct 84. My post says that Kirk Dougherty bonked his head on load #2 (that's when Fielding freaked out and found me in the bar,"DELI, DELI, ARE YOU PACKED, KIRK BONKED HIS HEAD AND YOU GOTTA DO HIS SLOT!!!!!!!!!!!" "Sure Steve, just let me finish my beer!" "Sure, Sure, see you at the mock-up!!!!!!" I got to be a diamond closer and we got 39 out of 40!! Somebody was out. Anyway, that dive had to be after midnight to be 07 Oct. Fun Dive!!!!! The cinko-D-myo 57Ugly fire night dive practice is the next one Steve invited me on- It was almost (only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades!!) our last!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The 40 way night attempt (39 in) was my 1889th dive 07OCT84, out of the twin otter, from 15,000 ft and my cum FF time was 26hr,42min,52sec on that dive Bruce Hofer C-16618 signed it off. Any more history from Perris questions pleease ask now as I have the logs out and I can dig thru and verify. (Some with pictures and video!!!) Hopefully the video's aren't stuck together, they're 20 years old!!!!!!!! PS, Thanks again Steve and Kirk, that was one hell of a fun skydive!!!!!!!!!! PPS, BTW Spark, I got the photo of this on on the wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hey Spark, Talk about nobody remembering Lou Land or Allen Richter, Jerry Ryan, who's he??? Yes I remember the '80 -'81 timeframe. I don't remember any large night record that Jerry organized?? I got on Fielding's 40 way night record and got to be a diamond closer when Kirk Dougherty bonked his head and couldn't make the next load. (that's a funny story too) That was in mar. or apr of 84 right before the 57Ugly fire. '81 Jerry organized the almost a record 64 way outa the 3 DC-3's. Here this thread this guy is looking for Roger Reynolds and here we go yakin about everything else!! BTW the water pockets are still on the NAVCON. Got a Waters 4 line release for it too. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hey Spark, 'Ya had to do some diggin' to find that foto!!! Still got the suit and the wonderpig in the archives. The hockey hat went south years ago. Practice for the 42 way night dive??? The 40 way night dive practice on cinko-d-mayo '84 was "Hot" enough!!! Typical Fielding Fiasco Fun Fallies!!! PS and a 26' NAVCON!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hey Spark, 'Yea maybe not many people may remember Allen, Lou or Charlie but how about Kate, remember Kate, she was in the movie too!!!! Where is Kate?? Lou is living in Fontana and Charlie is in San Diego. Went thru my archives and found the tape with the "Twilight Zone" episode on it. Seems like yesterday and it was 22 years ago!!! Darn but time flys!! Was watching the tape and amazed at how young we all looked!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Larry!!, LMFAO!!!!!!!!! No man, drop them out of the co-pilot's window!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Laird, Haaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!LMFAO!!!!!! Yes, that technique (pulling down the risers then letting go just above the ground) does work but the name of the game is "Timing!!" If you let go too soon, no game, if you let go too late, big ouch!! (the "timing window" is about as long as the time between when ya hear "pathooie" and the sound of a snatch hair hiting the lanolium!!) What happens is for a fracion of a second the slack in the lines allow the canopy to expand outward and when the slack tightens the extra "surface area" grabs air and slows you down below your constant desent speed. Got that?? {kinda like getting hanged!!!!!!!!!} you land nice and slow if the ground is right there. It's kinda like stall landing a tail dragger airplane. the higher you are when the plane stalls, the higher the bounce!! Good luck and have fun. PS. Got 500+/- a couple of jumps, and 3 screws in my right ankle from ParaCommander jumps!! Face into the wind, undo your chest strap and if you are wearing a chest reserve, un do the left side tie down and left B-12 snap and swing it to your right. (See old photo's of real men shooting accuracy) About 10 or so feet above the ground, pull both toggles to the full brake (don't go down into the stall) position and "stand up!!" Good luck!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi moto, Don't know how big you wanna get but the Krupps Espresso single is great for well under $100. i havn't priced one lately but my friend Nancy gave me and our friend Laddie one for Christmas several years ago. I used mine so much that I wore it out to the point that the boiler blew up!! Any way check those out because they work really well. Now, don't bother with steaming up some milk for the Capicunio. What you do is you get a 12 oz beer mug and pour in a jigger of coffee liquor (Kalua or the like) a jigger of Irish Cream liquor, as much dark rum, Frangilico, Amaretto and what ever else you might like that you can handle and when the steam comes up, put the mug under the spigot and hit it with the steam!! If you do it right, all this stuff will turn to a real nice froth. Then pour the whole pot of espresso over this, sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon and some whipped cream (out of the can os OK) and enjoy!! I call it a "Black Death Cocktail" Got that!!!?? Also for coffee, you have to use some really good beans and I recommend getting a small krupps or the like grinder to grind up your beans right before brewing. a grinder is under $20. Diedriches coffee on east 17th street in Costa Mesa Ca has some killer coffee's and they mail order. Their "Yemen Mocha Java" blend is really tops for espresso!!! And remember to get the whole beans and grind your own right before brewing!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Lou, Lots of theories abound. Back in the late 70's/ early 80's, the "wing wars" were at its peak so to speak. Everyone doing big ways were wearing monster suits with big wings and falling as slow as they could because nobody wanted to "go low!!!" Only trouble was that a regular size person ( a guy in the 140-180 lb. range) was getting such a burble and buffeting from all that wing that it was getting un practical!! Meanwhile, back in the 4 and 8 way stuff, people were getting faster tight suits for better manuverability. The tradeoff started. Big suits were fun! You could fall real slow but bobble around the sky like a cork in a hurricane!! But, back to your question?? How slow can you go?? Look at the video of the 64 way at Perris back in '81!! Big suits all over the place!! (I'm #8 out of the orange Julius {orange DC-3} in the line up) it was a good time and we were falling fairly slo but, I really wouldn't want to try to land the thing sans parachute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Got that!!!!!!!!!!???? With these new fangled ditters you might be able to figgure out some of these fall speeds, you just have to get the ditters and set up a test program. Keep us posted. PS, Don't forget your "Swoop cords!!" SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Dog, Didn't know Roger, but there was a "Greg Reynolds" at Scare-Us-Valley back in 'ought 83 or so. i think he showed up around the Valentines day boogie. Then, as quick as he showed up, "he was gone!!" Ask Allen Richter, Kate Cooper, Jerry Swovelin, Lou Land, and/or Charlie Parker about him. Maybe Roger was Greg's brother?? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi skolls, If you havn't figgured it out by now,"All, and I do mean 'all', skydivers are LUSHES!!!!!!!!!!" Whiskey, beer and reefer, dey' ain't proud or tired!!!! You give 'em half an excuse and they will drain you dry of your hard earned cash to satisfy their gluttony!! So, where do you stand in the line up?? Lurk, lurk, who's got a "first" at the DZ today, "CASE OF BEER!!" Hell, they could care less, they just want to snivle beer!! Beer rule #1 really is,"Never turn down free anything!!" especially free beer!! And if they can con you into buying, then they save their $$$. Get it?? As far as skydiving tradition, a couple of the oldest "gotta furnish beer" situations are #1 for dropping a ripcord (unless you have a mal). You buy beer!! (pull out/throw out pilot chutes retired this one) #2 from B.C. (before Cypress) when getting your SCR (look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls) you bought beer for the skydivers that were on the load with you(all other lurkers could get the dreggs of the case ,if any, but the bulk of the beer went to the SCR load!!). Do some research and lurk!!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi supe, "Vell grasshopper, ve vill take and burn bamboo shoots under your finger nails, den maybe you vill understand, hehehhe" I have a bunch of cats, all with claws. We put some old soft wood "disposable" things around for them and they leave the good stuff alone. Had an adopted cat that was declawed by her former owners. She got killed by some neighbors dogs because she couldn't climb a tree or fight back (all a dog needs some time is the front claws of a cat accross his nose to get the idea that he doesn't need a shave that day!) Let the cats keep their claws (period!) If you are that hung up about your cat, don't have one (period) BTW One of the neighbor's dogs bit the mailman (literaly) and also a passing jogger. All 3 dogs got hauled off by the pound and 86'ed. They had to wait a couple of days for rabies test results then 86'ed the last one. Too bad that didn't happen a week earlier as my cat wouldn't hav gone thru her trauma. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Bob!!!!!!!!!!!! Good to see you post!! Good story, I remember that gig as it happened to someone on the left coast back then too!!! Jesus strings / last hope ropes great they are now history!!! BTW, howz Va.?? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi "Pop!" You're 25 and you call yourself,"Pop??" I'm 59. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Paige, Back a few cases of beer ago when one of our friends left us, Dick Giarusso said (this was back when "Stars" were the major RW formation up there)," that star just keeps getting bigger and bigger!" I have a lot of friends friends from over the years who have "gone on" (be it from jumping, cancer or what ever) and they got the ax but I'm still here?? I don't know how long it will be before I get my turn to enter, I just hope I don't take it out!! If the powers that be allowed a really great "sunset" for the memorial dive, a configuration that you may like is to just go out and build a round star, then open it to a line so every one can watch the "sunset " and have their private moments. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Con, Tough call. One thing to consider though, is what if it was you that went in and would you want your friends to quit jumping because of something that you did?? Pick up the torch and carry on in the spirit of your friend. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi psf?, Definitely Raeford!! Got planes, got DZ Bar. If the weather is nice, Skydive!! If the weather turns to dog shit, throw your gear in your car and go to the bar!! BTW Wednesday night is $1.00 BEER NIGHT!!! Sat 26 MAR the Bob Steele band will be ripping it up, good blues and rock!!! Hopefully Thomas will have something else going when you get here!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Fly, The B-1A had the pod, they only made one and it crashed. Because of the complexity and weigh factor, they opted for the seats, cheaper too!! ACESII seats are in the F-15, F-16, A-10, B-1B and I believe in the B-2 (??????) any airforce types can verify?? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Mike, Snivle, snivle, bitch, bitch!!! You ain't gettin' no beer and no whiskey either so quit yer' bitchin!! Back in the daze when men were men and sheep were nervous, an airman paid his respects to the asshole rigger whose pack job saved his sorry ass life with a bottle of good whiskey!!! It is a good tradition to carry on. The guy that lived was damned luckey to be alive having bailed out of his shot up airplane with the Germans or Japs hot on his ass and having lived thru the opening of a 24' twill canopy deployed out of a seat pack on a cotton harness!!!! Hell yes when he got back to the base, he was going to find that rigger, get a bottle of whiskey and they would get drunk!!!! (We're talking manly men here!!) These daze people don't bail out of crippled aircraft anymore, they don't wear parachutes (well, most don't) other than military types. Skydivers on the other hand, oh well!! Over the years, I've gotten a few bottles of good booze and a bunch of beer for "saves." But rather than have a guy go blow hell out of 20 bucks for beer or whiskey for me, I prefer to have a toast. After jumping and it's beer call at "Pancho's Happy Bottom Riding Club" (anyone remember "The Right Stuff"?) I have the user of my pack job buy us a couple of beers and I toast the guy (or lady) for their diligence during their adversity and have them toast me for furnishing a great pack job which saved their life! Was it just that pack job, NO!! it's all of 'em because you don't know when the main is gonna take a shit!!! Well bud, I hope your luck changes and you get some whiskey real soon. Hell, if nobody buys you any booze soon, I'll buy a bottle of Jim Beam and we'll get drunk any way, to He2xL wit those other ungratefull geek flailers!! Oh BTW, when I worked for Douglas Aircraft on the ACES II Ejection seat progam, I had several jet jocks flying F-15's, F-16's, A-10's and a couple out of a B-1B use my pack jobs but did I get any Booze from them?? Hell I didn't even get a thankyou card!! Oh well. Anyway, like I said, if nothing else, I'll buy a bottle of booze and we'll get drunk!!! Screw-em!!!! PS, Jim Beam, Jack, Bacardi or????? I can go for a Cuba Libre' about now. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Blue!, Looks like this nut survived this years' "Darwin Award" by living!!! Now he gets to pass on his genes to the next generation!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Am., There are no rules except "Jungle Rules" any one can get pied anywhere anytime for anything or nothing at all!!! Also, paybacks (revenge) is a bitch and can be 10fold and or greater. If you really want to get nasty to someone who pied you, take out a civil suit against them in court for assult and defamation!!! Ask for a big $$ settlement, a restraining order and see their jaw drop to the ground!!! Also as for pay backs, cream pies in cast iron skillits makegreat dum-dum ammo!!! They'll never know what hit them. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Billy, Anyone remember driving to Ghoulidge in the early 80's?? (try to think thru the purple haze!!!) A few miles up from the DZ along side one of those cotton fields was a billboard for some bowlwevil insecticide called "Pounce" and the billboard said "Pounce on cotton insects!" "Someone with the help of some paint, converted the "P" in Pounce into a "B" making it say,"Bounce on cotton (insects). Had to be a skydivers' influence there!! PS. Got a foto of it somewhere in the archives, now to find it!! Also one for the really old skydiving set, there was a Camel cigarette commercial back in the early 60's with world champ (Style and Accuracy) Jim Arender,"The man most likely to fall a mile for a Camel!!" Jim's likeness was on a Billboard up on some building in NYC for Camel cigs. and every few seconds his mouth would blow a hugh smoke ring accross 5th ave.!!!!!!!! Photo was in Parachutist (camera's eye) back then. Gotta dig into the archives for that one too. Anyone else "remember" these two boards?? SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Chasing, The other posts by CDL and former CDL holders hit a big 10-4 with me to. I gave up the road for several reasons but people in small cars playing chicken with me was one at the top!! I was hauling glass a lot and my average gross wt. off the docks was 75 to 79,995 LBS.!!!! (80,000 lbs is max wt with out a permit) People in little cars don't realize that all I'd feel when I hit them would be a couple of thumps!!! It's sad that this person lost their life but it didn't have to happen. Perhaps a couple of hours of 18 wheel time at max gross wt. might be a good eye opener for people when they take their drivers test then maybe a few of these accidents wouldn't happen!! SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi Bouda!!!!!< 'Born in New Orleans, grew up in Hammond (class of '63 HHS) and got my first 250 or so jumps at Hammond Airport when it was the "Hot Spot" down there!! Still consider La. my home inspite of my galivanting all over the universe! Currently hop at Raeford NC. Will be heading down home around 04 Jul week and hope to get a chance to make a hop or two!! I'll keep you posted. SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out

Hi sky!!! The only thing that changes is the year and the make and model of the parachute!!! You'll get the hang of it. For my first "Clear and Pull, circa 07 June '64) my JM had an errand to run and told me to "Pack my Parachute!!" (I'd watched a bunch be packed but not pack one outright and for my first Ripcord pull) With shaking hands I set forth with the task at hand and some how got the 28' 7-double-L in the B-4 container closed!! After you ascertain That you have proper continuity, shake the two line groups 4 times, punch the stabs out to the side, set the slider at the stops, wrap the tail around the mess and twist it up tight at the "Y" stuff it into the bag, close the bag , stow the lines and finish off the pack. Got That!!?? Now, see that wasn't too hard!!!! Now go jump it!! BTW My 7- double L "Opened!!" SCR-2034, SCS-680 III%, Deli-out