cnsky54

One of the coolest guys I have ever met in the sport. I have a photo of his that he took of me filming an eight-way team in training, framed on the wall. So many things he did were just for the fun of it. Blue skies my friend.... The Red Baron

I haven't graduated to zero P. I just put a nice new unused 1985 Fury in my rig. Should last me awhile. Flares nicely, and I'm the last one on the ground from any load.

I have my first Double L freefall canopy in the closet, and a new and unjumped Paracommander Mk 3 in it's bag. Someday I want to fly it but wonder how my knees and legs will like the landing.

Thursday morning, June 29th at 0520, cancer finally claimed my best friend of 30 years. Dave spent his life being a strength to others, both in his job as a drug/alcohol counsellor for teens, and as a friend to many in the skydiving community in Canada, and later as he spent time in Perris and Elsinore. We started out as two clumsy freefallers in the 1980s, but Dave went on to be a competent tandem master, and in his last years participated in big-ways in California and boogies in Central America. In these last days he talked with pride and humility of the great jumps he had been on, the close friends he had made, and was amazed at the love poured his way as he dealt with his sickness. His last jump was a multi point 4way with Mark, Larenda, and Dan BC, and he said that as a last jump, it was his best ever. Thanks to all who shared so much love with him, he treasured each and every one of you. Fly free my friend, and come have a sip of my beer any time you want... john g

I still have a Double L that I learned to freefall on, and a clean, shiny, unused Paracommander Mk 3 Canada team canopy. Some day I'm going to get around to putting the first jump on that one...

And I neglected to mention that she came out to the DZ numerous times to watch on long weekends and put together BBQ dinners for me and friends. Never jumped herself but suddenly had become a cheerleader for the sport!

I started jumping young and progressed to freefall while single.Then I met somebody.... She didn't like it at all that I jumped out of planes. Period. It came to making that permanent decision and it ended up being her. I just accepted it sadly and did other things, but could not see a plane in the sky without looking up. Watching canopies in the air was really hard. Then one weekend a guy we both knew did his first jump course, and could not stop gushing about it to my wife at work. He had to describe every sensation in minute detail. My wife said to him, "oh yeah, John has done that and was up to doing freefall." And then he wouldn't let up for sure. "You have to let him come out and jump again! The sport is so safe! and Blah Blah Blah..." Totally out of the blue she agreed and told me I should maybe go back to the air. Couldn't believe my luck! I had stopped while on student status, but went back to retrain, was back freefalling on the first weekend at the DZ, and never looked back. It CAN happen that she will change her mind at some point! Now, in my case it was 11 years, and hopefully you won't wait that long, but nothing is really carved in granite except your headstone. While on hiatus I never pushed it or argued with her, just let it go, but kept my logbook accessible just in case.

Thinking of round engines, is the Checkerboard Beech 18 still flying on the eastern side? I filmed some RW in Richmond Indiana years ago with that plane...

I am sorry to have found this in the forums. Don was a one-of-a-kind guy, great sense of humour, liked to be involved in every part of DZ activities even from his first jump. I knew him years ago jumping in northern Vancouver Island clubs. I still have dusty videos I shot of him learning relative work out of Cessnas in the 90s. One included a two way with Rosco, that ended with Don receiving an unexpected kiss pass. It was set to "A New Sensation" by INXS. I moved and lost track of him, but to read here the things he went on to accomplish I can see back then he was headed in the direction of service to the sport. A large heart and a large smile. I'll miss you, Don. Why did you have to depart on my birthday? Blue skies... The Red Baron

And then he came back for a real first-jump class. Great guy.

'92 Canadian Nationals in Chilliwack, BC. Practicing exits all week, doing team video from the Porter that was going to fly us. Day or two before the event, a loose pin released a main on climbout, wrapped the tail, and when the jumper was pulled off and got line stretch, the tail broke free. Plane inverted and spun into the ground with jumpers scrambling out. Pilot got out last, running on the underside of the inverted wing. Some bumps and bruises, but all lived. The plane landed in a farmer's front yard, missing by literally inches his kids who were playing on an old mattress on the grass. Never seen anything like it. Still have the video and stills somewhere...

I did one last summer in memory of a loved friend. When she was in hospital, the number one thing on her bucket list was for me to take her for a tandem jump. Alas, surgery did not go as planned and she passed in 2011. I did a passenger jump for her on the first anniversary of her loss, and enjoyed every moment. Weird with no altimeter or handles, but a great experience! I know she would have loved it too.

Long ago when learning to jump heavier cameras, JJ Johnson taught me to look at the horizon when chucking the PC, then to reach around and grab the camera helmet with both hands to stabilize it. Then, as the canopy opens and I am tipped upright, just keep focussed on the horizon until the bouncing stopped, and only then look up to see what kind of wing I had. Looking up or down is a bad configuration for the neck with the accumulating stresses at opening, and watching the horizon allows the neck to gradually straighten out as I was sat upright. It's been a pretty good lesson over the years. I cringe when I see others tip their heads back to film their openings and I imagine the shock going through a curved C1 to C6.

Did the same thing, but had made it to FF in my first go-round as a student. Eleven years later when I retrained I used my old logbook and kept right on going. Welcome back!