baign32

Hey Gravit8 where did you go? Things were just getting interesting.

I keep hoping Jay Stokes will comment on this thread.

I crushed my right heel on demo jump in '98. Landing area was very tight and concrete as far as the eye could see (demo was into Port Kembla Steel Works - just south of Sydney, Australia). I was 4th out of 5 jumpers on the demo and the last two of us got blown back by some wind gusts. I had to sink in (full brakes on a PD210) between power lines and portable toilets. The guy behind me crushed his heel as well. Lesson learned: stay away from demos that don't have good 'outs' also don't stay too long on morphine (in excess of 4-5 days) 'cause you'll end up having really bad nightmares. Sounds like that would have been a fairly high Demo license requirement. Like B or A? I held a Display D at the time but in hindsight everyone on the load agreed that the demo should have been called off. So yes more like a B or A or shouldn't have happened kinda thing.

I crushed my right heel on demo jump in '98. Landing area was very tight and concrete as far as the eye could see (demo was into Port Kembla Steel Works - just south of Sydney, Australia). I was 4th out of 5 jumpers on the demo and the last two of us got blown back by some wind gusts. I had to sink in (full brakes on a PD210) between power lines and portable toilets. The guy behind me crushed his heel as well. Lesson learned: stay away from demos that don't have good 'outs' also don't stay too long on morphine (in excess of 4-5 days) 'cause you'll end up having really bad nightmares.

a photo would help I'm sure.

I feel for you! I've got a new Sabre2 190 as well with only 5 jumps on it. it's like packing spring loaded grease paper.

what was her level of experience btw?

I don't know about a frenchy but there's this german dude that's planning to visit the US and would like the work I'm sure: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4206561049/

did you take a look to see if the pilot's still there? remember he would have had a slim pack at hand.

Scariest I was on was back in the 70's. They brought in a beech for a local boogie, blew a jug not long after take-off and the guy closest to the door just rolled out...I was about 3rd to the door but about 5th out. Didn't have a whole lotta jumps & I remember looking down thinking FUCK we're LOW! Two little guys wormed right past me... I had a Jerry Bird belly wart with the Velcro opening flap...I 'think' I remember hearing that Velcro ~s l o w l y~ peeling and the pilot-chute finally shooting out...no doubt felt longer than it took. Some people said the exit was 600 feet, but I think we were higher, I was under a 24' flat @ 500, and didn't think to look at my altimeter for bit, until I got my heart beating again. I was also in a 180 that quit shortly after take-off, I was jump-mastering students and was on my knees by the door, maybe 3-400 feet up...the pilot just looked at me and said STAY, he landed safe, I'm glad because it was 'back in the time' before seatbelts and I was kneeling facing forward with no door on! Plane was down and sick, so the beer light was on early...it wasn't cold yet but, never tasted better! I was in a plane crash with 5 jumpers on board in Nowra, Australia March 6th '94. There was never any talk of trying exit the aircraft. The Cessna 206 engine cut out at 300ft on jump assent and during the attempted landing the plane stalled at 50ft over a grass strip just next to the runway. The plane flipped on it's nose after shearing off the nose gear and ended up on it's back. No deaths but lots of broken bones. Me: Broken right leg, back and crushed C6/C7. I was back jumping after 8 weeks.

Does yer boss know about this?

There's also Don Mayer at The Parachute Shop.

I'm not a subscriber to Parachutist but would love to read it - can anyone post something here?

Remember that if you do have something shipped out to Australia customs will stick you with GST (10%) plus import duty. In the case of the new rig I purchased recently the total tax bill would have been equal to a round trip ticket. When did customs start imposing import duty, I have been buying gear from OS for 9 years and never once charged import duties I know when I looked into having my rig shipped out the ATO/Customs web site indicated import duty on top of GST - it scarred the shit out of me. It appears you have 1st hand experience dealing with them and I'm glad to hear that this isn't the case :-)

I thought this thread was to discuss what a GREAT job the Seals did taking that towel head Bin Laden. Oh well GO SEALs anyway!