Mbranch202

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Posts posted by Mbranch202

  1. Larry Gossler was the person responsible for introducing me to Skydiving. He was a member of the Ten High Bunch when I first met him at a job site in Tampa. We both worked in the Telecom industry installing new equipment. Larry took me to lunch one day in his Van (VW In think) and all of his skydiving gear was in the back. I remember asking "what's all that stuff?".

    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..
    Mike Branch
    NSCSA #7
    • Like 1

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    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..



    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

  6. 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

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    It 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

  9. Quote

    It 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

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    Were 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

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    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!!



    Finally found a photo of my T-Bow, thanks to Cheryl Brown and her Kodak 110
    Mike Branch
    NSCSA #7

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    Was 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

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    Nope, 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

  23. 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

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    Just 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 hereB|

    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 #7
    Mike Branch
    NSCSA #7