jimp

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Posts posted by jimp

  3. Hey, Fergs,
    Thanks for the challenge. Out came the log books, and so I'll take the risk of being called a "collector of countries", my list totals 45 different people's republics, commonwealths, dominions, crown colonies, kingdoms, and other oddball political entities. Scotland makes the list (separate from England) since the Bank of Scotland issued its own Pound notes. as does Jersey, I think.

    I couldn't agree more with your sentiments. It has been a privilege to have traveled to so many fantastic places, and to have met and jumped with so many exceptional people. I just cannot imagine what life would have been like without skydiving.

    As far as records go, Pat Moorehead might hold that. He's been damn near everywhere.

    For Lazyfrog - yes, Gruyere is next on my list! For the 2004 World POPS meet!

  4. The original delta shaped and keeled parachute was designed by Francis Rogallo (the NASA scientist) as a means to recover satellites after re-entry, and I think that this is one of the early Rogallo wings developed for live drops in the '60s. Not long after, Irvin got hold of the design and brougt out the "Hawk", and a bit later the "Eagle".

    In 1971 I bought an Irvin "Eagle" from a guy living on the north end of Vancouver Island. He installed separable "D" rings on the Security piggyback so he could wear a second reserve.

    This example was made in 1967, if I remember correctly. It had an OSI retrofitted at one time, but no velcro to keep it from unwinding. Naturally enough, the openings were hard, especially at terminal. The gash above my chin from an especially brutal one healed without a scar, and the Maryland bridge is holding up well. After this. I learned to make sure that the harness was nice and snug, and I used to set up for opening by holding my hand palm down under my chin. This prevented the chest strap from nailing me in the face again.

    A bit later we installed a velcro closure on the OSI to try to slow down the openings. this was sewn to a line which ran through a guide ring on an outboard line just below the OSI, then to a toggle on the rear riser, The idea being to release the OSI after opening. This worked ok for a few jumps, with some dampening of opening forces, but then the line jammed, resulting in a wildly spinning canopy and a cutaway (shot-and-a-halfs and a flat 24 foot reserve). Still wondering why, it happened again on the very next jump. Then it finally dawned on me that the guide ring was sewn too high up on the line; it was closer than the OSI was long, so the OSI pulled down and jammed on the ring without releasing. We soon fixed that and the system worked ok.

    This was a fun canopy to jump, and great for demos. Landings were super soft, and made even softer by hauling down on the rear risers just before touchdown. I've lost track of the thing - I lent it to a guy and haven't seen him or the wing since.

    I've also done 30 or 35 jumps on the Delta II, which were fun, but nothing quite matched the old Eagle for excitement

  5. A 28 foot C8. I think that was what a white unmodified white 28 footer was called. Bought it from a US Navy serviceman posted to Operation Deepfreeze in Antarctica. Danny McLaughlin in Christchurch Enzed modified it to a 7-TU. Couldn't jump it though - it was too hot for me - had to do 5 more jumps on a double L first. Jumping a PC or Crossbow was out of the question.
    Quote

  6. Also the Wright Flyer, squares, zero-p and free-flying!

    There is an interesting article in the August 1964 issue of National Geographic Magazine about an expedition to a remote valley in Peru, led by department store heir Peter Gimbel, and included Skydiver Jack Joerns. They jumped into the valley on Aug. 5, 1963 using PCs, whch were very new at the time. Las Vegas skydivers sweatshirts were prominent in a few of the pics.

    It was this article as well as one in Life Magazine in the very early '60s, which inspired me to start skydiving.

  8. The skydiver on the right could be Ann Curtis, SCR 107, at the time wife of Curt Curtis, a very prominent skydiving couple from the San Francisco area 1960s to early 1980s. They, along with Tim Saltonstal ran the very popular Pope Valley centre.

    This photograph is familiar to me, probably from Lyle Cameron's magazine in the early 1970s. The terrain below does not appear to be European, but more like the Raeford NC area. There was a first international relative work competition at Fort Bragg in '72 or '73 - maybe there?

    USPA archives may have the answer for you, or possibly Bill Newell.