frawley308

Does anyone know where I might find an old Pop Top belly reserve to use as a template to build a replica? Thanks Frank Rawley D-9589 Pensacola FL 850 292-1118

does anyone know where I might be able to find an old Strong Pop Top belly reserve container to use as a template to build a replica?Thanks Frank Rawley D-9589 Pensacola Florida 850 292-1118

Let's work on getting the plans. If not can we take the measurements off an old canopy and copy the construction technique? Can scale up a Mark I to the size of a jumbo? Frank

I have owned a 27. Ft Russian PC and a 28 ft Jumbo PC in the past. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE PC's !!!!!!!! I am interested in building a brand new copy of a Jumbo PC. Are there enough PC lovers out there to jointly build a batch of them? I think that it is important to keep the vintage designs flying just as antique aircraft owners and warbird owners keep their history alive. anyone interested in this project please contact me. Blue Skies! Frank Rawley D-9589 [email protected]

Anyone know the whereabout of suzie newman. Jumper from michigan in the 60's. Female compeditor on the national team?

As a rigger and collector of old ripcords I was curious about the status of blast handles. I could not find any reference in current USPA publications about their status so I contacted the USPA. They told me that they are no longer considered banned and the prohibition against them has been removed from USPA rules and regs because it was felt that no modern rig builder or modern jumper would consider using such old technology so it was useless to continue keeping the rule on the books.

I jump a mt-1-xx as my primary sport rig. I am big and old and beat up and enjoy the landings, comfortable harness and long canopy rides. (also cant beat the price- they can be had for less than 1000 in like new condition and are built to last forever.

I contacted the USPA about 8 months ago regarding the prohibition against blast handles and they told me that it no longer exists. They said that it was not a case of reversing the prohibition but rather that it was deleted with the feeling that it has been so many years since anyone wanted to use one that it was just taking up space in the regs. I was rather fond of my old blast handle (drilled).

It struck me the other day that for many other sports such as sports cars, aircraft, motorcycles ect. that there is a subgroup that keeps the sports history alive and tangible by restoring and using classic equipment. I have always felt that if we in the skydiving community do not keep some of our classic equipment airworthy that future generations will lose the sense of where our sport came from and the development of its early years. I think it would be great to have a group of skydivers that maintain and rebuild vintage equipment and get together once and a while to jump it or allow relatively new jumpers a chance to jump it. I am currently working on a project to rebuild (replace most components under the supervision of a master rigger - I am only a senior rigger back/chest/seat) a North American Mini System for a pristine Paracommander and Phantom 28 that I own. Are there any other jumpers from the classic days interested in the same?

I am a rigger and regularly jump my MT-1-XX which is the original version of the MC-4. It is a GREAT cross country rig and fair accuracy rig. The reserve can be packed by an FAA rigger and if you cannot find one that is willing or has experience with it in Deland, send it down to Miami and I will pack it for you.

I am very concerned with the number of jumpers that I see with small (tiny) highly loaded reserves. When a jump turns into a reserve ride things are already going south. Trying to land a high performance canopy with one arm in the case of an injury on exit or freefall is very difficult. Even getting both toggles unstowed and in one hand is a chore (try it sometime) rear riser flare is all but impossible with one arm. Obviously both arms injured means no flare. Also very often reserves open below 1000' over a spot intended for a much higher opening. Now we have a situation of trying to land a fast canopy that need considererable open ground to flare in a tiny patch of ground off the DZ. Usually ends up in hitting obstacles during the flare or stalling the canopy trying to get into the clearing. I am a fan of very large docile reserves that I can survive an unconscious landing under. I sometimes think that my old Phantom 26 might not get me back to the DZ but would always get me to the ground alive. Plan for the worst and things can only get better!

I started jumping there in 1974 at 15 years old. Ha d to have my parents drive me and buy the beer for all of my firsts. Mike Shultz was runnig it and I mostly jumped with the Naval Academy cadets that were sport jumpers (Tony Phelps ect.) My first jump couurse in January (snow on the ground) was conducted by one of the jump pilots because there were no instructors on the DZ that day. I jumped a 27 foot black and yellow Russian Paracommander. Those were great days.

Does anyone remember the poster of about 10 skydivers in the seventies on top of and on the left wing of a twin beech d-18? Who took the picture and was it ever published in any of Andy Keech's books. I would love to contact the photographer and get a copy of it.

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Are there any drop zones in Florida that would allow a 16 year old with parents permission to make a tandem jump?