APC

Walt -- Thanks for starting this thread. Dave worked with me at APC back in those wonderful days of Austin in the late 70s, early 80s. We worked many a student load together, me flying, Dave jumpmastering. He worked his student loads with a cheerful, confident attitude, confident that these kids were going to do well on their jumps. His confidence in them helped give them confidence in themselves. We spent many an hour, too, packing T-10s on hot summer nights after a long day's work scattering students all over the country side. We talked some. A lot of the time we just worked together silently, no sound but the rustling of canopies being flaked and the slap of lines on the packing tables and crickets singing in the dark outside. After all this time, decades now, I can hear the nights clear as ever, and I can hear Dave's economical conversation. He wasn't a chatterbox, but he said enough that I got to know him pretty well. Dave hadn't grown up with the breaks a lot of folks get, and this experience, and his uncomplaining awareness of it, gave him an understanding - at a younger age than most - of the pathos of life, though I don't think he would have called it that or even tried to put it into words. But it deepened his character, gave him not so much intelligence, but rather wisdom, which is harder to come by and more rare. Dave was a profoundly good man, a man to have as a friend most trustworthy. One day on the dropzone someone had a hissy fit at Dave, about what I don't remember. Something silly. Dave was a big, strong, fit young fellow who didn't really have to take anything so provocative. No one would have condemned him if he had pounded the guy. But Dave just stood there without a flinch, stared the guy in the eye while he sputtered on, and by and by the fellow just petered out and went away. Dave turned back to his work as if he had only stopped a moment to watch a bird fly over. The scene has stayed fresh in my mind all these years, it was such an amazing display of control. The guy was an oak. A couple of years ago I made a few jumps at Salado after a 21-year layoff. First jump back was with Dave. We did some RW. It was a heart-warming experience to find him there and to jump with him again after the years had made us both a little more grizzly and gnarled. Life intervened, and I haven't gotten out again, but I had hoped to jump with him more. Now, our old friend will jump with us in spirit rather than flesh. I don't know about this heaven or hell business. Sounds kinda spooky to me. But if it's true, hell is likely to be nothing but mounds of unpacked T-10s. Dave has already done that, so he'll be where the perpetual SCR ceremonies are held. Bless him, all. Clark Thurmond Georgetown, TX

If I can attach the pics, below are 2 shots of the Tri-tailed Beech 18, taken at Del Rio or San Antonio about three years ago. Below is Bob Parmenter's answer to a Beech nut's question about this weird mod: "That is Dumod Liner N445DM AF-152 operated by Ken Phillips of Del Rio, TX. It's the last of three converted in 1964-69 by Dumod Corp., Opa Locka, FL and the only triple tail Model 18. A 75" section was added to the forward passenger cabin section and it had a gross wt. of 10,500 lbs. The 3 were originally operated by Commuter Airlines in Binghamton, NY on passenger operations to DC." Bob literally wrote the book on Twin Beechs - a two-inch thick coffee table job filled with color shots, etc., and detailed info on hundreds of ships. He knew the tail on my Beech had been replaced - the serial # didn't match what he had in his records. Sure enough, it had been changed out -cracked spar- just before I bought it.

It's outside the 30-year range, but I'd say the - #1 Mother Innovation is a 50s combo - the soft-opening deployment sleeve and the steerable,open gore mods on the cheap, tough little C-9 surplus canopy, i.e., Double L, 5-TU, etc., along with the "roll pack" reserve, (C-9, $15-20, reserve, the twil T-7a, $7.50.) This was the Model-T that made skydiving possible, and even the word itself. Inside the 30-year range, I'd say, #2 The Ram Air canopy which reduced the land needed for a DZ from 60 to 100 acres to as little as 10-15, most of which was in a sod runway. This huge reduction in the capital required for a DZ meant a DZO could control enough land to operate reliably. With rounds, most DZs operated at the mercy of the airport board or agreeable adjacent land owners. #3 Tandems which created a new, high-margin cash flow that, in conjuction with the lower land cost, made the DZ business a viable possibility. One of the big differences today is the number of DZs that operate on their own land, something unheard of in the days of rounds and static-line FJCs. These three things coincided with the two big growth spurts in the sport - the early 60s and the 80s. I'm guessing they had something to did with it. After that I'd vote for the 3-ring, a tremendous safety boost, the modern automatic opener. Lots of other good, incremental improvements, but nothing that had the impact of the first three.

Couple days ago as a birthday present for me, my wife rented the theater for one night. We invited flyers and friends and screened the 1954 John Wayne movie "The High and the Mighty" It was a blast. The DVD looked as good as film. That got me to thinkin' - any jumpers in the Austin area up for a big screen showing of "Gypsy Moths"? Taylor is about 25 miles NE of Austin. Old-time downtown theater. They run on weekends, so it has to be a weeknight. If there's any interest, we'll poll for best night and if the thing makes, I'll cover the theater rent. Clark

Could it be the Texas Parachute Council that was active in the 60s? Mostly it seemed to be a gathering of Texas jumpers at Georgetown for the annual TPC meet. I have a battered 2nd place accuracy trophy from '68 and some super 8 movies from 1969 or '70 of Gary Lewis's Beech 18 which, as far as I know, was the first "big" ship operating in Texas. The meets at Georgetown ended shortly afterward due to alleged misbehavior at the Georgetown Inn, room furniture in the motel pool, etc. And then Carlos Wallace, "accidently fell out" (he claimed) of a 182 on take-off, landing under his reserve in the middle of the airport. The big pea gravel target was visible for years afterward, but each year the grass encroached a bit more. A few days ago, I looked for it from the air, and realized it is no longer visible, although you could probably find it with a shovel.

Yep, it was Kaplan. Thanks. Anyone else in the photo who's not with us? No - I lost track of everyone for many years. But when I started up at Salado this summer, three were there: Mike Wear, David Sebesta and Bob Futrell. Unfortunately, Rich closed the DZ about 2 weeks ago. Sure hope someone buys it. Was very convenient. Nice, and a little weird, to see so many oldsters on the DZ. Remember when we thought anyone over 40 had to have a note from the doctor? BTW: Anyone from old-days in Texas may remember Merrilee Lafferty who I trained in 1968 when she was 15, circa 1968. Jumped at Valley Mills. Merrilee is running for District Judge for a new district court created in the last legislative session. Hope she wins. Send her some money. I did. Clark

Wow! Haven't seen that shot in a long time. But I've just gotten back after a 20-year layoff. Don't remember where the DC-3 came from. As I remember, Bill Dause was still looking for a place to run his 3 and tried it at Hearne for a while, but it didn't stick. Perhaps it's his airplane. I recognize all the faces, but time has blurred the names. What's this? Bobby Brown has a kid? Good Lord, how time flies! Of course, I've got one of the little scudders myself. I'm on the lower left, just behind the guy leaning over. Right above me is Kevin Gibson next to the gent in black. Two over from Kevin in that row, wearing a visor, is Manley Butler (Butler Parachutes). Then two over in the next row wearing black is "Big Al" Coovert giving his tongue a sun tan. Kevin and Big Al instructed at Austin Parachute Center. Kevin pretty much paid for a college education at UT tossing static liners out. Manley developed and TSOed his first "Butler Beta" pilot rig as a project for his Aerospace Engineering degree at UT about this time. In the door, left is Gregg Hackett and right, Phil Mayfield. I think Phil's stil jumping. Gregg just organized a reunion of old-time Texas jumpers in Dallas, haven't heard the details of who was there. Middle fellow, can't remember his name, went in on a demo a few years later. No or low pull. Interesting time-freeze that shows the gear still changing - look at the mix of three-rings, capwells and that weird wrap release - someone here will remember its name. And check out Coovert's reserve ripcord - the infamous Blast Handle. Looks to be several more. Oldsters will remember the blast handle controversy - USPA banned it. People got mad. Joe Svec ran for the BOD on a Reverse-the-Ban platform, and then, once he got on the board and saw the data, supported it. Pissed off many people who voted for him. Lots of folks here will remember all this. And too, Joe's death during the filming of "The Right Stuff." Clark Thurmond

Hey y'all - this thread brought to mind a cartoon in Parachutist - appeared early to mid 60s. A shack of a house, leaning, almost falling down. Needs paint bad. Boards peelng up on the porch. Bent up old cattywhompus TV antenna on top. A patched two-holer out back. Wreck of a rusted-out car in front. From inside, an angry voice: "Fer cryss' sake - one lousy LoPo ain't gonna break us!"