MrSoundman

I remember that one. I never got to jump, but always wanted to. Manifest kept putting me in the silver one "Mike-Alpha." (N26MA) Mike-Alpha last seen in the film "Pearl Harbor." I had to laugh, because when Ben Affleck gets off what is supposed to be a C-47, the door is small, and you can see the hand rail for jumpers.

My first ram-air was a Star, I bought used from a friend at work. It was Yellow with blue ribs, making it look like an Army Air Corps trainer. I won an accuracy contest in San Diego on it. Eventually I got a Pegasus. -Duncan

Yep. Her name is Lisa Boyer. I met her after she was released from the hospital. She said she did not remember what the ground rush looked like.

According to the book "Parachutes and Parachuting" (Bud Sellick), it occourred isometime in the 1960's, if I remember right. As I recall, the book has a whole chapter on chuteless survival. Hmmm... "Chuteless Survival." I can just see the new reality TV show...

I have read in "Parachutes and Parachuting" that the Russians really did try this as an experiment, but I've never heard of them actually doing it in combat, so I don't know about the painting the rocks white. They would fly low altitude with full flaps, then jump at low altitude over the snow. According to the book, it caused so amny injuries, the Russians decieded not to use it.

My father once told me about the time he flew a seaplane under some power lines on Redondo Beach Bvld. in Redondo Beach CA. (Back in 1940) to impress his then girl friend. His mistake was telling me about this when I just got my driver's license. Then whenever I would borrow the car, and he gave me the usual fatherly advice to "be carefull..." I shot back with "I'm not the one who..." Duncan McEwan, C-19645

I remeber those planes. I always wondered what happed to "817." Hi y'all, Tony, Bill, Linda, John, and Eric. This is like a reunion! Duncan McEwan, C-19534

Mike Muscat, though not an A-list star, has done a lot of film and TV, See list: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615574/ Has has more jumps than credits though. He's very active in the sport, last time I saw him. -Duncan McEwan, C-19645

I made my first jump at taft 1 March, 1980. Carl Staib wa the pilot, his son Scott was the instructor. The FJC took all day, so Art Armstrong lets us go out at night. I got in teh sport after some friends at work told me about their first jump experience. One of them, continued to jump and had a couple of hundred jumps by the time I made my first. It was really cool, showing her my logbook with a night jump already. She hadn't made one yet! I remember Spike and his cool beech, as well as Norm and Lee Van Pelt, Carl Boenish, Art Armstrong, and Bill Newell. Since I worked in teh Hollywood movie industry, I imediately made friends with Carl Boenish. We were planning a movie when he died. By my first freefall, I had purchased a an old-ex-military "gut-gear" rig. About a year or so later, I was working on the movie (In post-production sound) "Pursuit of D.B. Cooper." Consequently, the sound you hear (If you can over the music.) of his rig, is actually mine. The sound effects editors asked me to bring it to the studio one day (MGM), so I did. Once they saw it, they were afriad to touch it (Like some riggers I used to know.), so they had me do the "Foley" work with it. That same week, we did an episode of "CHiPs" that had a skydiving scene in it, and they used me and my rig again. Naturally, I bought a case of beer for each project. I've since been grounded from a back injury, but I would love to go to an "Old timers" reunion. If anyone starts to organize anything, keep us "posted." (Pun INTENDED.) --Duncan McEwan, C-19645

I used to jump a Strato-Star regularly. (In the '80's) They actually had a longer chord than wongspan. It was a good accuracy canopy. I won a contest with mine. btw- Jeanne, what harness-container system will you be jumping? A Strato-Star has far too much pack volume to fit in a modern container. This may mean you will have a different cut-a-way proceedure, and possibly a round reserve. Just curious.

This is one I never could finish. In fact, I had a hard time starting it. All I got was the chorus, but I like the chorus. Maybe someone can figure out verses. "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Jumpers" by Duncan Mc Ewan To the tune of "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys" Mamas, dont let your babies grow up to be jumpers. Don't let 'em drink beer, or jump outta planes. Make 'em be doctors and lawyers instead. Mamas, dont let your babies grow up to be jumpers. They'll nerver be home, always at the drop zone, Doin' that other thing that they love.

For you Beatles fans... "You Must Whip it Out" by Duncan Mc Ewan (C) 1994. To the Beatles tune of "We Can Work it out". Try and see it my way: Don't play with it too long, or you will take it in. You'd better chop it, Just give it up, don't take the risk, just cut away. (Chorus:) You must whip it out. You must whip it out. Think about your training, if it ain't open by fifteen hundred, better chop. Think about the altitude, It's goin' fast if your free fall doesn't stop. (Chorus:) Altitude's very low, and there's no time, to try to make your main better. If you play too long, you're gonna find. That you'll make a crater. Try and see it my way: Don't play with it too long, or you will take it in. You'd better chop it, Just give it up, don't take the risk, just cut away. (Chorus:) Altitude's very low, and there's no time; what kind of a function doesn't matter If you play too long, you're gonna find. that you're gonna splatter. Try and see it my way, Don't play with it too long, or you will take it in. You'd better chop it, Just give it up, don't take the risk, just cut away. (Chorus:)

The reference to an SCR in this one will pretty well date me. “Another One Bites the Dust” by Duncan Mc Ewan (C) 1982 (Sung to the same tune.) He just couldn't wait for green light He had to have that beer. And he should have been on a static line, 'hadn't made a jump in a year. Hey! He's got streamer, he'd better cut it away. He's still tryin' to clear that main, 'gonna take it all the way. Look out! (Chorus:) Another one bites the dust. Another one bites the dust. And another goes in, And another goes in, Another one bites the dust. Hey! Gonna hit by you, Another one bites the dust. She just arrived at the DZ; she knew nobody there. The boys all said "hey, wanna get your SCR sweet maiden fair?" She said "great, sound's good to me", and off in they plane flew. Too bad the boys didn't realize she's just AFF level two. Look out! (Chorus) Hey! Oh chop it. Don't eat the dust, You're not adapted... Hey! Another one bites the dust Another one bites the dust, Aouh. Another one bites the dust, Hey, Hey! Another one bites the dust, Heeeaaaayyyyy... When he opened his main, he didn't like the way his canopy flew. Then he saw how his lines were wrapped on top, and that is when he knew. To chop it, to cut-a-way. That was the just thing to do. Unfortunately, for the guy above, they were up there doin' crew. Look out! (Chorus)

Here's another song I wrote back in the 80's. It's an old Kenny Rogers duet. I have a few mroe previously un-published songs I'll post here from time to time. Enjoy! “Don't Ride Too Long on a Streamer” by Duncan Mc Ewan, C-19645 (C) 1994 To the tune of "Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer". A Duet for a man and a woman. (Man): Just look at this, streamer there. It just never will catch in the air. And it'd be so easy, to play with the lines, like I've done so many times... (Woman): I was so sure, this would be the time. You'd play too long, and crater in the ground, 'cause you are too proud, to cut it away, like you've done so many times... (Chorus:) (Duet): Don't ride too long on a streamer, `cause it will always take you in. Just when you think, you've really cleared it, it'll close on you again... Don't ride too long on a streamer, `cause it'll hurt you every time. (Man): Just chop it away. (Woman): don't hang on, (Duet): and kiss your main good-bye. (Woman): Now it's mornin', and the phone rings. They say you got a fractured femur... You just got to stay but you wont change your mind. (Man): And if you knew what they were thinkin' girl. Of surgery, It'd seem like being grounded, girl, Until the end of time... (Chorus) (Ending tag:) ...and kiss you main good-bye... ...good-bye.

In reply to "don't know...can you mumm a few bars" in the post of the song "O Lord." It's a parody of an old Janice Joplin song. It's called "Oh Lord Won't You Buy me a Mercedes Benz." It goes back to the early 70's I think.