Jim_Hooper

My lips are sealed.

Ah yes. Becky Peightal.

How come Jerry's stopped posting more snaps? hoop

I remember the magic forrest with fondness. I can't remember the guy's name I used to hang with there, maybe someone else can help with that. He was in charge of the grounds at Tampa International Airport. Rog - that was Kurt 'Capn'n Kirk' Johnson, who hung out with Chip McCloskey and Peter Gabrial (who painted the first rainbow Z'hills on the old building.) Now, as to the identity of the lady, I'm intrigued. Hoop

The added layers of aluminum foil are a wise precaution, but do NOT assume it will provide adequate protection. Last night there was a knock on my door, and I was interrogated at length about what I knew. They claimed they were from a secret government agency here in Britain, but I suspect they were reptilian humanoids. If they weren't, then it's 100% proof that successive British governments have been part of a vast, international conspiracy to hide the fact that DB Cooper was actually an alien from Zenon Major. Be very careful. They're watching everything we do. Hoop PS Half-inch lead sheeting is the only way to prevent them reading your thoughts. PPS Sorry Amazon, but there are times when one just has to tell the truth.

Oh for fucks sake dont give those people in that thread any more whacky ideas to throw out there Amazon - I stand before you shame-faced; I forgot that those oddballs are so out of touch with reality that they have no understanding of irony. Hoop

Could it be that Mayfield gave DB Cooper the latest secret canopy that allowed him to fly across the border into Canada? That would explain a lot of things.

Patrick -- although I soon took another branch of skydiving's evolutionary tree, there's a lot there that I can identify with. Good read. Fifty years from now the serious skydiving historians will be moaning about how few recorded those formative years. Hoop PS That John Rich has a keen editorial eye, eh?

Hi, Rob -- The piece ran as a seven-part series in Parachutist, the last installment appearing in the January issue. To make everything fit, I had to tighten up some parts, but it was essentially what was posted here last year. They've asked me to do something on the Turkey Meets, to which I've agreed, but don't know when I'll have the time. Between travels to various unpleasant places in Africa, and shepherding my next book through the publication process (out next month), have been up to my eyeballs. Many thanks for the kind words - and please say hello to Bob Wright for me. Hoop

Brian Williams was Jerry Bird's FJ instructor and put me out on a student jump at Arvin. Bill Newell is the one for stories from those days. Which begs the question: What are the criteria for a 'pioneer'? The southern California jumpers took considerable pride in their outlaw status and boycotted PCA for years. Thus, low A, B, C, or D-numbers don't figure very prominantly among 'em. It was only when 10-man speed stars became a National's event - with the prerequisite of a D license to compete - that a lot of the best relative workers grudgingly joined and did the paperwork. I have heaps of respect for those mostly military freefallers who earned the early licenses, and experimented with body position/control. The serious stylists, in particular, laid the foundations for RW, and were instrumental in spreading the word about skydiving. But it was the SoCal rebels who set skydiving on the evolutionary branch that led to where the sport is today. Equally, how many of the early experimenters (pioneers) in CRW/CF have low D licenses? The sad - even disgraceful - thing is that today they receive so little recognition from USPA or the skydiving community at large. I suspect Howard White will redress that oversight as the organization's museum takes shape. Hoop SCR242 SCS 90

Been a lot gone through the windsock since we met at the first Turkey Meet in '69. Very best to one of skydivings great contributors. Hoop SCR242, SCS90, NSCR26

I got most of 'em in Germany when I'd travel down from Berlin to Bad Kreuznach to jump with the 7th Army Team. No slack from the likes of Callahan, Gene 'Indian' DelPagetto, John Womack, et al. But I gave zillions of demos in the Wolverine (later Odyssey) Bar in Z'hills. There's a vague recollection of dropping moths in acolytes' beer - but only after the first sip, lest the fluttering cause spillage. My title of Pope James the Lenient was held to be a gross misrepresentation. "Sir, may I have your permission to begin?" Okay, I'll admit it: I was a bastard. Sorry, Jack. Hoop

Some sent me into nostalgic overload. Hoop

Now Wendy, I hope no slack was cut on having that surface tension slight bulge above the rim of the glass. I trust the foam didn't count. Cardinal on Guinness! Brrrr. Hoop

Don't ever try to get your "Cardinal Rating" from Hoop. He almost killed me a few times back in the day. It was all his fault. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!! Jack, was it the shotgun or the red-hot poker that kept you trying? You had no choice, did you? Hang it! Larry, I heard of Iron-Clad Cardinal, but never saw it done. Lyle Cameron gave me my first Cardinal demo. Much later, Cal Callahan was the Head Muthah In Charge when I eventually passed (out). Call it an era roughly equivalent to the days of the square-riggers: "Iron men and wooden ships." Many a Saturday and Sunday morning I had no business jumping out of a perfectly good airplane - well, at least an airplane that was in better shape than I was. Which is saying something. Hoop PS And don't forget Wax Cardinal!

Remember Cardinal Puff? Ahem. Hoop Cardinal Cardinal Supreme Bishop Left-handed Cardinal Left-handed Cardinal Supreme WC Fields Cardinal Mute Cardinal Kamikaze Cardinal Millions of brain cells destroyed.

Speak for yourself. Now, a Super Connie, that would definitely require additional stamina.

Howard's like that, Jim. Another Supplicant

HW - 'Uhaul' generates a spark, but, like Mowrey, I'm suffering severe synaptic resistance to putting names to faces (save for Lew, of course). I'm sure it couldn't have anything to do with the passge of time. Hmmm. Nyaaa... Hoop

Would the second airport be Waggoner? It was used as an alternate/practice airport during Tahelquah Nationals times. HW Dunno, but I'm not going to bet the deed to my house on it. How many Nationals sites - such as Tahlequah and Richmond, for example - were not full-time dropzones? Hoop

There was a Brit who ran a small operation at Tahlequah for awhile in the early '70s, then moved to another airport in Oklahoma. For the life of me, can't remember his name or the second soon-to-be-defunct DZ. hoop

And then there was Topp of Tampa about 20 miles from Z'hills off SR54 just west of I-75. Hoop

There was Del Ray Beach, Florida, home to some great and crazy relative workers in the late '60s snd early '70s. Hoop

I must have missed any of the California jumpers making mention of Arvin, where the foundations of RW were built. Pat Moore - looks like you've created a monster here! Hoop

Was Stormville where Bob Sweet first started flying jumpers in his Lodestar, 43WT? I undertand he started using it for other things when he started wintering in Florida.