howardwhite

There were, if memory serves, two production triangles (at least in the US). The first was the Delta II Parawing. It had a color-coded strap, an Opening Shock Inhibitor (OSI) which wrapped around groups of color-coded lines and unwrapped in sequence to release lines. I have some early 1970's color movies (now on DVD) of a Delta II landing; you can clearly see the OSI. Somewhat more recently there was the Paradactyl; it was a Jim Handbury product. If you do a search here on DZ.com for these names you will find several threads, including pictures. I could probably find somone with a Delta II; never knew anyone locally with a 'Dactyl. HW

I did a quick search and it looks as though this question was last visited here a couple of years ago. So... Do you use DVD-r or DVD+r, and why? I do most burning on a Mac and my apps insist on -r. But I've also been labelling and providing blanks for camera people who use other burners, and have mindlessly been giving them -r also. One video person who asked me about blanks this weekend is using +r. I said I thought there were compatibility issues, but a quick Google search leaves the issue cloudy for me. So who wants to help uncloud me? HW

More on the Pat Gorham meet... (Even if you're not interested in the meet, you might take note of the planned auction of Hasbro action figures...maybe you could send a proxy bidder.. What follows is from Judd Raymond (C3178) and his wife, Jane, who are instrumental in putting this together. --- On Saturday, June 17th, Jumptown will be hosting the first annual Pat Gorham Memorial Accuracy Meet in memory of long-time jumper Pat Gorham. The three-round meet will start at 9:00 AM and will consist of two events, classic accuracy and sport accuracy. Three official USPA judges will judge the meet. Competitors will jump in either the Sportsman class (less than 500 jumps) or the Masters class (500 jumps up). Three rounds of accuracy in both events will determine the top three finishers and SIM Competition rules will apply with the exception of manual measurements for sport accuracy. Trophies, Free Jumps, and/or Other Coveted Prizes will be awarded to the top three jumpers in each event and class. The class champions will have their names engraved on the Waterford Crystal bowl which has been donated by the Gorham family and will be held in perpetuity at Jumptown. Pat was the original full-grown model for the first G.I. Joe action figure and following the competition and awards ceremony, an auction of vintage, limited edition and out-of-production G.I. Joe action figures will be held to raise money to fund next year's meet. The auction will include the ever-popular and impossible-to-find FAO Schwartz Golden Knight figure and many other pieces such as the Airborne Ranger - HALO, the TIME-LIFE Guadalcanal limited edition figure, a USAF Special Ops figure and the G.I. Joe Masterpiece Edition Soldier. All of the figures up for auction are complete and in mint condition and most are in unopened boxes. They make great gifts for skydivers of all ages. Or you can just hold on to it and let it appreciate in value. There is one on ebay going for nearly ten thousand dollars. We'll wrap it all up with a Jumptown barbecue, courtesy of Diane and Gary Pond There will be a $10.00 registration fee and we encourage everyone to register in advance so that we can plan accordingly. Please send registration to Jumptown - 80 Airport Street -Ste 10 - Orange, MA 0l364 or contact Diane Pond with a credit card number at [email protected] or 978-544-5321. We hope to see you Old Timers at this event and encourage all jumpers, regardless of experience level, to join in the fun and competition in memory of a great friend of skydiving in New England. We need you all to make this event a success. ---- HW

Here's from the announcement to Jumptowners. "Jumptown has just introduced a new AFF Camp to its ever-growing list of programs. "You can read all about it on www.jumptown.com but what it is is a camp for beginner jumpers that starts on Thursdays where the student will take their AFF First Jump Course and it will continue Friday, Saturday and Sunday where the student will make as many jumps as they need to get to solo status. The cost for the first 8 jumps is discounted to $1,400.00 and the students will be assigned specific staff to stay with them throughout the program. No waiting, no stretching it out over weeks, they can get their training done in a minimal amount of time." HW

it's also where the rigs came from that were given to D.B. Cooper. And famous for multi-Cessna formation jumps. And where the major student obstacle was landing them on the median strip of I-90. HW

Your wish is granted; second installment here: http://www.ducts.org/06_06/html/memoirs/garr.html It covers, among other things, Doug's first jump at Greene, NY (there was a brief thread here a bit ago about that DZ), along with a series of reflections on the danger of skydiving. HW

Well, if you're good with a sewing machine, this proud beauty might be available. It had an unfortunate encounter with a C-150 prop (almost but not quite shut down) on a windy day several years ago when some idiot was trying to use it as a towed ascending device. I "loaned" it to a friend who was going to repair the mangled end cell and haven't seen it since. I think/hope I could get it back. I even have the original hydraulic reefing system. HW

Freefly organizing with Dave Brown 20-way organizing with Gary Pond Low-time/intermendiate RW with Sue Rook and Brent Carleton No registration fee or hidden costs; pay for your slot Free beer Spankin' Otter (as usual) Free wireless internet (as usual) Good times for all (as usual) www.jumptown.com

Talked and exchanged email with Doug today. He is looking for a small publisher for his memoir book, as his agent says big-time publishers wouldn't be interested. I expect some follow-up pieces will come from him HW

Here is the full account, from Doug Garr, the college and skydiving friend mentioned: http://ducts.org/12_05/html/memoirs/garr.html It's a great story, not just about this incident but about skydiving generally in those days and places and about "The Pucker Factor." Dan Poynter and I spent a night in Doug and Smitty's dorm at URochester. It made "Animal House" look tame. I bow to Doug's recollection that it was an artilllery simulator; I had remembered M-80 (or maybe M-18). And I was wrong in saying it was a night jump. I still see Doug Garr from time to time; he lives in NYC and, among other things, wrote a book about IBM based on his years doing speechwriting there. HW

Old-timer here That would be Willard Joseph Smith. The "stick of dynamite" was in fact an M-80 firecracker (no longer legally sold in the U.S.). His thing was to attach it to a string, light it, and drop it, tethered, below him. What apparently happened is that he didn't get it quite right this time and after he lit it, it dropped between his (chest-mounted) reserve and his body, where it went off. To make things worse, it was a bandit jump, and at night. Bill Smith was indeed a serious wacko, but lots of fun to be around. HW

My turn to contribute a picture as of about 2pm Thursday. (Laurie and Rob not around; no guided tour) HW

No problem. I was at the dedication of the new USPA HQ over the weekend and dragged the volume off the "library" shelf for a quick photograph. I plan to go back there sometime this summer and spend a lot more time going through a lot of the cool old stuff there. HW

Her death is recorded in Skydiving magazine for 5/31/81, which (unless Skydiving was *very* late on this) puts the date in the spring of '81. (I don't have the issue immediately at hand.) HW

There are probably cheaper solutions, but DVD Studio Pro on a Mac can do this easily (along with lots of other cool things.) HW

Well, even though there are references to earlier versions, here (from the bound volumes in the USPA library), is something which claims to be Volume 1, Issue 1, December 1959. This is wierd. That date is more than six months after PI opened Orange Sport Parachuting Center. It seems that Parachutist may have started, then restarted. Note that this issue refers to "a change in the format of the Parachutist." Confused in Massachusetts, HW

Indeed, the French verb "frapper" means to hit, beat, etc etc And in most of New England, at least, a "frappe" is what is known elsewhere as a "milk shake," i.e. milk and syrup plus ice cream beaten into a thick, foamy drink. I remember the late great USPA Treasurer Jack Bergman, opposing a USPA Board motion to amend BSRs to allow jumpers to wear frap hats: "If you've got a 10-cent brain, put it in a 10-cent helmet." HW

Well, you did put your nickname in your profile... I'm enjoying your contributions here, even though I don't understand a lot of them.

$35 at Orange Sport Parachute Center in November, 1965. Proof attached -- handwriting is that of Jill Carey, now Jill Pond, wife of Nate (D-69) HW

Well, since this seems to be the month for dragging out old images, here are two from the Arizona Parachute Ranch. I remember being there, but have no idea why or when HW

From a September, 1974, Jump Shack add in Spotter Magazine. HW

Yes, Massachusetts. (Second opinion

I have not chased this down thoroughly, but Mike Horan's "Index to Parachuting" cites an article by J.A.Istel published in Parachutist Volume 1 in September '57. (I can't figure out which issue of Volume 1 it is.) I expect to see Lew next weekend and will ask him then if the question isn't answered earlier. HW

Dunno about para-plane but I had a Volplane in one. PODs were fine for PCs because the canopy was fairly light, but the earlier squares were heavier. So, particularly in a low-speed opening, the pilot chute was only able to lift the POD into a vertical position on your back -- but then it would stay there until you gave it a "kick." HW

Para Opening Device. I first saw them used as substitutes for sleeves on Paracommanders. I can probably find a picture and post it later. HW