JeffSkydiver

I always read with fascination and humor the exchanges back and forth between all of you who made your mark in our world skydiving, instructing and rigging at the Hills back in the "day" (70's). You all seem so glad to have found each other again via DZ.com. Many of you have gotten together, e.g., the recent Moore/Hooper reunion. Thanksgiving weekend is always great at the Hills - great jumps, people and a kick ass dinner. Why not start urging each other to meet up there next month, perhaps over Thanksgiving weekend? Call Carl D. at DeLand and anyone else you are in contact with who are still in Florida and beyond. If you can get this together it would be real cool for us "new guys" (I didn't start jumping until 1981) to meet you and see all the faces behind the great stories here in this forum. I would love to hear these and other stories first-hand. Might have to check on Carbone though, he may still be banned! Whether you jump or not, it would be nice to get together, no? By the way, I'm not in any way affiliated with ZHills; so I'm not floating this idea for any personal gain. If you guys did this, I would surely be there. Last time I heard, Jerry Bird is still around. Seems like most of the rest of you "legends" are on here or can find each other. Please consider doing this. Thanks, JT * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Re: "There's a photo in Skies Call II of Lou at about 200 feet with the uninflated reserve at line extension. The old Z'hills maintenance building is just behind. A wild man he was. But a good guy." ------------------- I have Skies Call II and know that photo. Is that photo of the actual jump when Lou went in? * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Re: Carl @ DeLand. I've only known Carl D, Bob H. & Mike for a little over 4 years. They're all 3 some of the best people I've ever known. They make jumping at DeLand a unique and safe experience - for old-timers and newbies. They crafted a modified re-cert/AFF program for me after about a 30 year hiatus. Flew in 6th on a 6-way on 7th jump back. Favorite days for me are Wednesdays and Saturdays. On those days there is clan of "oldsters" hanging out in the parking lot deciding whether to jump that day or not. Good guys to hang and jump with. They only jump if there IS wind - to soften the landings. If they don't jump, then it's beer and peanuts. Billy (made the movie with all the cutaways a few years ago) usually hangs there (sans the beer). Safe landing area? Big field in center, smaller fields to west and to the north of the "main" landing area. Old guy like me: I've not yet, nor do I intend ever to land in the "main" area. I wouldn't want to miss the free truck rides!!! JT * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

We'll be there we hope: Conny Thompson Jeff Thompson * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

A practice I developed awhile back to try not to lose altitude awareness while dealing with a line twist etc., is as soon as I pull I begin counting, "thousand one, thousand two, etc." I do NOT stop counting until I have a landable canopy overhead. You may be tempted to stop counting when you feel the "pop" of the canopy opening or while inspecting the canopy or reaching for your toggles. So let me repeat, do NOT stop counting until you are sure you are not going to chop it. In July, my line twist had me spinning through "thouand 5." By "thousand 7" I was on my back and chopped. (I have a Spectre, so around 4 is normal). I had a brake fire. I was under reserve at 2800 and was saying thousand 10 I think as I reached for my reserve toggles. How long you count before you chop depends on speed of mal, I guess. I use it to make sure I look at alti. So... begin the count at pull and don't stop until you have a landable main or chop. my $.02 jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Does anyone know of an incident where a skydiver went in doing a demo in the small town of Pitcairn, near Pittsburgh PA, sometime in the 50's or 60's? jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

At the DeLand DZ a couple of weeks ago, I told MadDog about this thread on DZ. We then went inside to the puter and he read the posts. He was laughing his head off. For those who may not know, MadDog is regularly at DeLand and stays current jumping. Gotta give him credit, eh?! You can write to him c/o the DZ or call and leave a message if he's not there. jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

When I started in 1981, jump prices were $1.00 per 1,000 feet. Jump from 7,500 = $7.50. I cannot remember how much my FJC static line was. $50.00 seems to be right. jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Well- I got my questions answered and will sum it up this way: There is probably nothing to prevent a jump plane from flying a landing pattern wide enough to avoid skydivers under canopy. I wish they would. jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

ANY bench. I hate sitting on the floor. By the time we get to altitude, either one or the other or both of my feet are asleep, my balls are bruised, my bladder is pummelled and my lower back is in spasms. In that condition, now I have to get my weighed down ass off the floor and kneel or stand. If in anything other than the skyvan, then I cannot even stand up straight to work out the kinks. Give me a bench anytime! jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

You asked, "Is it standard practice at your DZ for high pullers (4500) to get out before low pullers?" Reply: Belly formations exit first. Solo bellies exit right before aff's, then tandems. jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

After the recent incident resulting in death at DeLand, I was amazed to find that the jump plane still flies over the airport and in the vicinity of the open canopies (ie, upwind of the landing area) on it's downwind leg. I am no pilot so maybe there is some rule I am not aware of BUT - the pilot KNOWS where the jumpers bailed out on jump run, he should KNOW that they will be under canopy lower but somewhere in the vicinity of the exit point (even considering the effect of upper level winds) and he should know that under canopy they will be upwind of and heading toward the landing area. He should also know that new skydivers are directed to head to their holding area once under canopy - the holding area being upwind of the target. With all that knowledge, why would a jump pilot do his downwind leg in that same airspace - upwind of the target - in the student's "holding area?" Why not do the downwind leg OFF the airport (1/8 to 1/4 mile out) and just do a longer base? Is there a rule against that? I've seen this recently. Luckily I was the first one out my last few jumps and opened at 4500. Under canopy I could see further down the jump run the canopies cracking open of jumpers who got out after me and pulled lower. Sure enough, not long after they opened here comes the plane on its downwind leg way too close to those canopies. I did not misjudge it. Later, I watched from the ground and off the DZ but still at the airport. The canopies opened over my head and started heading to the peas. And here comes the jump plane, WITHIN the confines of the airport on his downwind leg, right where the canopies had just been. Some canopies were still there - the tandems! OK he didn't hit anyone - that's good. BUT why can't he do the downwind leg further out and just do a longer base? I am not saying that this was the cause of the recent incident - but I am saying that because of that incident I have increased awareness of where the jump plane and every other plane is. Maybe we can't expect the other planes to work around skydivers, but surely the jump plane itself can do a little more not to spook us. One student I know of saw the jump plane heading to the vicinity of the holding area that the student was directed to fly to. Instead, the student flew to a spot crosswind of the target and held there then flew into the pattern from the side, just because the jump plane was going to and did in fact fly right through the holding area on its downwind leg. Sure the student could have headed there after the plane went through, but instead held position. Again I ask, why does the plane have to be there at all? Flame away! jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Thanks! I'll have to pull out my logbook from 1981 and put the names here of the people who signed my logbook. I recall that I showed up without gear. I only had about 50 jumps. T-10 static line progression, then PC, then squares. Mine was the Stratostar in a belly band Wonderhog. I also jumped friends' rigs because they had the newest stuff: 7 Cells!!! Anyway, at Northmoreland, I showed up without gear. They rented me a PC, which I hadn't jumped for about 30 jumps. I stood it up using back risers right in the peas. A fellow hobbled up to me with his leg in a cast. He said I have nearly a brand new rig here and of course I can't jump. If you're going to be here for the weekend you're welcome to jump my rig and I'll pack for you or help you pack!!! Now that was hospitality on a dz!!!!! I can't wait to look in my logbook and write his name here. I seem to recall that not long after there were one or more deaths due to CRW - I hope it wasn't anyone I met that weekend. jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Were they ever at Northmoreland Park near Apollo & Vandergrift PA? I made some jumps there in 1981, but do not recall if the DZ had a name or if it was a club or if indeed it was Mon Yough. Do you know the names of any of the jumpers from the early 80's and any other significant history? jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.

Anyone heard of Mon-Yough Skydiving or Parachuting in Western Pennsylvania? If so, what is the history and where is it now? jt * Let's all do this safe enough that we can still do this in our 90's.