SteveSwann

Bob – sadly the jump never happened. I had already dislocated my left shoulder in freefall three times in the two years leading up to all this, as well as twice under canopy when it popped out at about 1,000 ft. I had major shoulder reconstruction surgery and, after going through a couple of years rehab, I went back jumping despite my surgeon's advice. I was only doing hop and pops on my square - no rw as that would just pull the shoulder out again. I actually had the PC out at Lower Light DZ and packed for a test fit into a tandem rig on the day when I dislocated it again – on landing my square in the pit. I decided it was too risky to go on jumping and sadly gave it away. The Russian PC is still in my garage and I'm aiming to get someone younger to give it in airing some time.

Toggles on PCs and all high performance rounds were always stowed in elastic keepers in our part of the world. In fact, a fatality at a Sydney drop zone in 1970 was down to an unstowed toggle. See attached telegram (now that's a blast from the past) from the then Australian Parachute Federation national safety officer.

I'm probably going to put the Russian PC into a new Telesis built to accomodate a new 300 Parfoil 2000 a mate of mine has ordered. Hope it fits. A question about locating the steering toggles on the risers. They used be on the back of the front risers -- running directly up into the centre of the canopy. Anyone had any experience or problems with locating them on the back of the rear risers? I'm told the Russians used to have them there on the UT-15s.

Our club ( the South Australian Sport Parachute Club) had 16 mm film copies of all of the Boenish films. We wore them out playing them every week but one of the crew was a TV news film cameraman so he could make back up copies. I've still got the 16 mm film but I recently bought a PAL VHS tape from Germany . It contains "Skydive" (which includes the famous Twin Beech hang load), "Wings", "Masters of the Sky" and "Sky Capers". The company is: Fallschirmwerbung Heller based in Munich. info@skydiving media.de

Here's a few Mark 1 colour patterns which were available in Australia in the early 1970s. http://ruralmediasa.com/saspc/pages/a-img009.htm

I'm about 165 lbs out of the shower, DZ is at sea level and I used to standup my old Mk11 most of the time. Think I'll leave it until the autumn though -- a bit too hot, bumpy and breezy around here at the moment for other than a square. I'll bang on the French boots and it'll be deja vu all over again. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for that. I've downloaded the Gary Lewis manual and it's pretty helpful.

Thanks everyone for some very helpful posts. I'll take out to the DZ next weekend and discuss it all with a couple of other old hands. Can I just confirm the comment about not needing to stow the centreline slack on the 27 foot model? This one has no stows. I'd like to get a decent old fore &aft rig to jump it from ( the one this was in was crap --well worn and rusty fittings, particularly the capewells). I'll keep looking but I'm not sure at age 60 that reserve landings under a roundie are quite my thing. I'll get back to you all when we've made a bit more progress. Attached photo of a bag made by some German guys who are jumping PCs very enthusiastically.

Jerry, It's a US version : 27 foot Russian Model made in the USA. DOM 1973, serial 732 475. I used to jump a Mk 11 PC in the 70s. This looks to be in pretty good condition _ it's in it's original Parachutes Australia sleeve but I'm thinking if it's to be deployed from a modern piggyback it needs to go into a bag. I'm after advice on packing and rigging for this use. For example, currently its on old risers (capewells). If I stick it on new risers (3-ring) what sort of connector links. I'd love to hear from anyone who has go9t one of these old beasts back into the air.

I've just got hold of a 27 ft Russian PC from a friend I used to jump with in the 70s. Has anyone got an original manual? I Intend putting it in a big student Telesis rig with a square reserve. Any thoughts on deployment bags etc?