lekstrom10k

I always tell people about "them being in a small plane". It s only a small plane if your not making the payments. When you dread a letter from FAA starting with "Before your next flight replace XXXXX. Was the $i2k as in $12000?

I do recall in the early 80's some people would spray their top and bottom skins with tent waterproofing. I never heard of a bad incident doing it. I keep my gear in my trunk and wonder if it gets hot enough to get it gooey again.

I met Chet and Smitty many times and places .Always fun to hang with. It brought to mind another seasoned jumper Bob Sinclair last I heard he was still living in western Michigan. I have a phone number for his sisters place and might still be good. Just thought I would bring it up.What a reunion that would be with all three. The stories would go on for days.

Remember its not the amonut ,its what you have seat belts legally for. A very long cement runway helps alot too.Its the old "Not what you do but what you get caught at".Faa has away of showing up at the worst times. Pulling the yoke handle pf the stem helps too.

At a POPS Meet there is the traditional "Hit and Rock Jump". It required an accuracy landing ,getting out of your gear ,hit the disc and run and jump into a rocking chair. My best was 7 seconds. The usual procedure was back thread your chest strap for opening, pop it off then. Some people would then lift up on the leg strap buckles to make easy loops to step out of on touch down. Being clever but not thinking they would end up at the bottom of the turn-backs . Now the chest strap is at eye level and the cant reach their toggles. They drift off inrto the sunset and get back to the banquet in time for the post beers.Lets hear it for POPS now SOS's

A word on welding gasses,usually oxygen has right hand threads on every fitting. A burnable gas will have all left hand threads. The guy to talk to is Mike Mullins as he flys high altitude jumps up to 30 plus thousands at boogies.He is easy to get a hold of and always helpful.

Did anyone catch the twenty way or so organizer say "Remember break at four grand". Oh yes the good old days.I saw one set of R-3's. To early for three-rings,but still Wonder-hogs

The only Dead Ants I knew were from St Thomas parachute club in Ontarioat Simcoe in the early 70's To see everyone endure so much pain was unreal. Anyone ever play shoe at Jack Todds Crosswell MI DZ style? OOWIE OOWIE OOWIE.

Many years ago a guy pulled into Tecumseh MI with a German sheperd in the right seat of his Corvette convertible.We were packing on the other side of the wooden fence. He let his dog wander on our side sniiffing. I suggested he bring his dog over to the woods a short distance away where the fire pit is now. He replied "A dog has to do what a dog has to do". I replied you were warned. as the dog did a load. The guy walked to the manifest only to come back to a big surprise in his seat. He got mad when 9 of said jumpers got to do what a jumpers got to do. does spinning your tires mean your mad?

Capewell is the name of the company that manufactured the forged releases. There were three types Double shots {squeeze ,shot and 1/2{cover down thumbs in wire hoops}, and one shot {fully rotate covers} The original military harnesses had the main lift web become the risers and solid links with sewn donwn lines. If the canopy had a rip you tossed the whole rig. Vice versa if the harness went bad again picth the whole rig.Capewells gave you interchangability. Some Navy rigs only had one riser that could be released if ditching at sea to collapse the canopy from dragging, even with sea pockets . R-1's and R-2's were adaptations of 1-1/2's worked well, One shots were a joke and you couldn't swap any other canopy into your rig unless risers were switched over too.

I hace heard of someone converting Tandem rig for this type of pursuit. Dont know which brand though. Not sure what place either

Does anyone remember the "Wally Gubbins" movie where Walley did a cave dive into a cavern inside a mountain. Then scaled the walls for an inside base jump. Then put his gear back inside the plastic bag ,then with the crew swam out.

I remember SST as Super Sonic Total and Struggle Struggle Thud. My personal worst rig was a Classiflier with frap wraps, {the flat plates with the cord passing through} It was a B-4 harness with all the adjustments that never stayed. It had a piggy back system attached but not secured t directly to the harness . If you were tracking it slid to the back of your helmet ,on opening it covered you butt. Mine was a pretty red and only purchased asit was the only rig on the shelf at the time,no waiting

I have many times usually for crowd reaction. There are two types ,both saw you do it. One wont react because you did not them. Then the other with thats not natyral attitude. What in the hell are they doing at a DZ anyway. I had a friend get a grilled cheese sandwich and squirt ketchup on the plate and dip it.I tried it 35 years ago and taught others into fans

All of that was part of the kit from Cessna "Sky diving ", with the spoiler and step Did the inner door handle get taken off, Fingers were torn off by it? How did the pilot land no flaps every time,and why? Granted the Cessna step was a joke but got them clear legally.Did the co-pilot handle come off even though the yoke post wouldnt?

See if you have the "Keep on trackingT-Shirt" . The guy has Paraboots ,a 24 foot reserve hanging out in places, from early 70's. Did you ever get the original Richmond Boggie one? My damn wife through mine out because they were worn-out. Women cant comprehend they were worn-out because they were our favorites. Sure gald Hillary didnt get in office

Oops kind of forgot the flap switch cover when the door is open it takes two screws. how did all the people ever get the STC's for jump steps, handles under the right window for getting onto the tire . Floater bars seat belts for 6 jumpers etc possibly because you dont know doesnt mean it cant happen. A U-206 with a left hand jump door and step has been out for 25 years .

Did you try USPA? They have the one for C-182 four jumper seat belts they sell cheap. Paul Fayard before selling his business a few years ago Had everything at Carolina Sky Sports. Joe Weber at Sky Dive Oregon always seemed a good source.

Anything A de-taped Para-Plane Cloud could fit into A PC will also fit. Remember the PC has steering rings on the backs of the front risers. You might want some attached before the installation time

The pilot chute would be an A-3, MA-1 was 6 inches in diameter the A-3 was 8. The sleeve was a long sleeves that covered the crown lines stretched out. Dan Latchford of Midwest Parachute Novi MI came out with the shorty sleeve. It only covered the canopy the crown lines were S-folded at the top in rubber bands. The canopy was first out in 1964,as a Mark-I. Mark-II came out after it with no drive hole (easily hook knifed in later.)in 1967The air borne was trying to make their canopies steerable. They went back to "If everybody drifts off target anyway they cant hurt themselves" I got my first PC in 1968 back to a MarkI the price was higher as nylon is an oil by product, and oil prices were up .Later the 23 Russian 24 Mark I II III and RW 27 Russian 28 jumbo and 32 jumbo. Never jumped the 23 as it was a real ankle wrecker for my size. I still have a 1964 Golden Knights yellow (gold) and black Mark I that I took to Rantual but our Heros wouldnt jump it. My first P.O.D. was in 1972 also from Dirty Dan the Parachute Man

One I started "Jump as much as you can, whenever you can cuz youll never know when you can do it again cuz you live in Michigan" Definition of Tandems. 200 pounds of stupid on the front 50 pounds of worn out stuff on your back 6 or 7 handles , a pilot chute in tow what could possibly go wrong. I would like to find another "Keep on tracking" t-shirt. my wife threw out mine and my original Richmond Boggie t-shirt because they were worn out. They were my favorite classics, women just dont understand

The insurance for the Porter is a double whammy . Who has tail dragger time and single engine turbine time. C-180-185 time is fairly common. C-208 turbine time can be had easily enough.Its the old "Catch22" you cant get the job without the experience, but you cant get the experience without the job. Joe Webber had aC-208b Cargomaster with even floater steps in front of the door and a floater bar from the camera step to the trailing edge of the flaps. Great seats, useful belts,and grand Caravan windows. no right air stair door to make the sliding door track rear mounting a nuisance. Thanks Joe Skydive Oregon

After jumping Freakport Rantual Quincy etc The Waiver had a block to check "Are they here?" Also where , camping ,motel? On one incident "We cant get a hold of the family for a broken leg?" Someone then said that their blue Winnabago on Mr Douglas Ave.luckily problem solved. To the guy earlier almost any Army-Navy surplus store has the original WWII dog tag typing machines for on the spot ID's

In regards to the USFET. Charlie "Captain Smooth"" Greenfield, is still around and living in Ray Township between Utica and Romeo Michigan. Vickie married Mike Johnston who is Deland Airport manager . He and Jack Gregory were USPA's first mobile AFF instructor certification examiners.Carl Boenish did parts of I think "SkyDive" there. Charley told us some pretty bizarre stories from there.If anyone wants to get in touch with Chuck I can help

If your helmet already has foam you can use it for a pattern. An electric carving knife will trim it nicely. if you want only 1/2 " or so go around your neighbor hood for someone jusy getting new carpeting. Find the padding and cut out a yard size hunk without cat pee and stuff. Then cut out a foot square piece. jam it in the helmet cut away all over laps until its smooth inside .Use that for a pattern and cut out a nice one . You can use spray adhesive on the outside ,stick it back in. I would do this on camera helmets for reurnability and snugness. you coul also use the spray on glue for an inside cloth liner