-
Content
56 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Never -
Feedback
0%
Posts posted by Mbranch202
-
-
I knew a guy at Z-Hills called Crispy. Story has it, that Tony Patterason gave him that name after a Pink Floyd concert at Tampa Stadium...Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
Larry Gossler, Jim hooper, and Tony PattersonMike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
I weighed 135# and busted my ass unless the wind was blowing about 15 knots..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteQuoteI remember having one of the first wonderhog. Had the plastic ripcord that would break if it got nicked. I think before the 3 rings were out. I remember buchman trying the wrap which was on both eagles that I owned. I never had to try them out. So anyway, I'm not 100% sure which was first... Just going by my history..
In the spring of '74, Gary, Jaybo, Bob Favreau, and Brent McClarty brought Mr. Douglas to DeLand and strarted working on it to be a jump plane. Bill Booth brought a rig he had built. It was a back rig with a wrap-around pilot chute released by a "plastic coated" ripcord. It was thin. With that and a poptop a jumper would be thinner (front-to-back) that with a Security piggy back. A few weeks later Bill showed up with a piggyback version. I think it had the thru loop comming from the reserve pack tray. That idea, of the pin flaps being pulled toward the pack tray, was the begining of the end of the rigs that resembled a refridgerator. As far as Buchman's rig, Mike Ladd had the first one I saw. A nice piece of equipment but I don't remember if it was that year or the year after.
Also in the spring of '74, Himalayan Rope (sp) stared jumping at DeLand, I seem to remember a Twin Beech but both brain cells may not be co-operating with each other.
I was a member of the Himalayan Rope (Tony Patterson, Steve Fugleberg, Jay Boynton, Dan Steger, Larry Gossler, Helen Frazer, Mike Branch, Steve Noonan, Bobby Wilson, and one I cannot remember. Twin Beach was flown from Atlanta each weekend. Twin Beaches were used for the '74 ten man event.. Not ten WAY!!!Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
I remember having one of the first wonderhog. Had the plastic ripcord that would break if it got nicked. I think before the 3 rings were out. I remember buchman trying the wrap which was on both eagles that I owned. I never had to try them out. So anyway, I'm not 100% sure which was first... Just going by my history..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
I owned one wonderhog and two Buchman Eagles. The wonderhog was first by a least a year...Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteQuoteQuoteIt was $6 at Zhills as I recall, unless, of course, you requested one of my "survival kits" installed, then it was $10.
I would always opt for the "survival kit" myself.. I think Weird Max had his own version of said kit also... Max's cost was around 10 bucks as well..
What was the "survival kit"?
South American agriculture products, matches, and a quarter for the pay phone when you found one..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteIt was $6 at Zhills as I recall, unless, of course, you requested one of my "survival kits" installed, then it was $10.
I would always opt for the "survival kit" myself.. I think Weird Max had his own version of said kit also... Max's cost was around 10 bucks as well..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
I was glad to see the photos of some of the original Z-Hills RW jumpers in Jerry's bar. I wasn't one of the original guys, but I sure got to jump with a lot of them..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteWere you up at Osceola the day that a jumper just got done putting students out (I believe that it was Rod) and bailed out himself only to find that he had a static line wrapped around his foot? The only problem with that is that the other end was still attached to the plane. Luckily he was OK and Ernie just happen to carry a hook knife in the plane and all turned out well except for a few pair of soiled shorts. After that I think we all started carrying hook knives. When did stickman start jumping? Trying to figure out if I knew him?
Middle seventies I think.. I met him 1976....Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
Photo of StickmanMike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteSo what is Stickmans real name?
Scott Staples.. If you hear from him pass my contact info along to him...
Mike Branch AKA Crispy
863.797.5218Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteI had about 300 jumps on mine. Bought it from one of Carl D's friend from S. FL. It was red with gold arrow. I shortened the lines about 3 feet (advice from Billy Revis) then the cutaways started. Should not take advice from a guy that liked to cutway!!
Finally found a photo of my T-Bow, thanks to Cheryl Brown and her Kodak 110Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
To bad about the Skiing accident. Not a good way to spend the spring..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteWas she from Tennessee a long time ago? I seem to recall that name as belonging to one of a pair of "Tennessee chicks" who stopped over for a prolonged stay in Boise on a nationwide tour back in the 1970's. I think her road buddy was Vickie Valentine, but I might be crazy. We loved them.
She was from Florida.....Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteI see if I can locate stick man and let you know.
Good times back then. I'm glad that I survived.
Ever locate Stickman??Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteYou could come do thunderbow CRW at our DZ
No thanks!! Never was into CRWMike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
I had about 300 jumps on mine. Bought it from one of Carl D's friend from S. FL. It was red with gold arrow. I shortened the lines about 3 feet (advice from Billy Revis) then the cutaways started. Should not take advice from a guy that liked to cutway!!Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteI see if I can locate stick man and let you know.
Good times back then. I'm glad that I survived.
Looking back, I'm amazed that I survived as well. those indeed, were the days..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
Yeah Robbie's family owned a marina. I didn't know he was a pilot. Also didn't know about his death. To bad, he was a good friend that I lost touch with back in the late seventies... Same for Stick Man.. I can't even remember his real name... If you have any idea how to get in touch with Stickman, let me know..Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteNope, I'm sad to say I'm not in the nude pyramid pix.
I've jumped at Superior Wisconsin, two time, I think. Tight airstrip. Tight DZ. A lot of mechanical turbulence when the winds picked up due to the tall pine trees. The hill at the end of the runway always got my attention too.
What a life. Run a bar and operate a DZ. They go hand in hand.
I've jumped with Mark Androwsky, a couple of times. He had a Rapid Transit System that he damaged from a smoke jump.
I also jumped with Q, Quasy, Vicky Churches, Art, Bob Ivy, Marsha Buckintine, "Landrew," and others, but never with Rigger Rat, or Stick Man. Stick Man and the other pilot, Moochie, were on their way out of the sport. Rigger Rat, only jumped occassionally.
Pete
Does anyone know the where abouts of Stick Man? Robbie Murray?Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
Roger, that is correct... Billy Lee and I made quite a few jumps together in Texas. Matter of fact, i sold him my Buachman (not sure of the spelling) rig when i quit jumping. He keep it for years but was desetroyed/lost in one of the hurricanes recently.. BUMMER!!!!Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteJust curious on how many of us are still around
If you participated in any day/night hoop skydives way back when and received a number for your efforts post it here
Mine are SCSA #51 and NSCSA #14
From the website it looks like 300 something for the day dive and 100 something for the night dive
Only have a night number! Did several in the day time but never sent the form or $$..
My night number is #7Mike Branch
NSCSA #7 -
QuoteNevermind, I found the info. He died in 1975, so not him in the photo. I was sure I was around when he crashed...
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19750224&id=bOYeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AGcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6654,4120425
Roger, Steve is correct.. Billy had passed long before the photo at McGregor was made....Mike Branch
NSCSA #7
Larry Gossler Z-Hills, Deland, Georgia
in Blue Skies - In Memory Of
I met him at Z-Hills that weekend and watched the Ten High Bunch make practice jumps. I was hooked.. But I was only seventeen and had to get Mom and Dad to sign a waiver.
Larry kept a watchful eye on me while jumping and on the job. I will always be grateful to Larry for being the kind person he was to me and many other fellow jumpers and telecom workers..
NSCSA #7