JerryBaumchen 1,468 #1 February 9, 2013 Hi out there in B/F-Land, In the late 60's & early 70's there was a dropzone located at Donald, Oregon. There were three of us who jumped there who were all born in 1940 and who became very good friends. After the Beer Light came on we could usually be found hanging around and talking to each other. I guess the age commonality was what developed the camaraderie. We often said that 1940 was a vintage year. Jim Lowe (D-855), was a full-time Style & Accuracy jumper. Denny Nelson ( D-793), was a weekend Style & Accuracy jumper. I was a weekend RW/fun jumper. In the summer of 1967, at Orchards, Washington, myself and two others were in a crash of a Cessna 180 jump plane (see the attached photo). The two other guys got broken up pretty bad but I only suffered a number of abrasions and some rather serious wounds. I still carry the scars from those wounds. In the summer of 1972, at an Issaquah, Washington competition, Denny Nelson and four others were killed in the crash of a Cessna 170 jump plane. In the summer of 1988, at Perris, California, Jim Lowe was killed while flying a Helio Stallion jump plane. As the years have passed, I often think of Denny & Jim and those three crashes; I guess I got the lucky straw. C'est la vie. JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #2 February 9, 2013 Glad you are still with us, Jerry. My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #3 February 9, 2013 Stuff like that really makes ya think about the 'Luck of the Draw'. In 78' I was in a 206 crash, we missed the runway one night - late late out & no lights. 3 of us - no seatbelts on & the pilot ~ we're sitting upside down covered in fuel with smoke pouring out of the cowling...everyone busted up pretty good but me - not a scratch. On a 4way with some good friends...I open up and watch a buddy with an entanglement crater in straight below me, landed next to him but it was game over. Can't even THINK about the number of friends in the airshow biz that I watched die...bright, talented people with everything to live for - gone. An old-time jumper / mentor in the demo business and I had tried to get the fire out on a crashed Sukhoi as a good friend of ours burned to death inside...shook me up pretty good. Walking away as the rescue crew arrived my mentor sat me down on the grass and got real with me ~ "THIS is the life we've chosen...ya gotta think about WHY you choose it, then either live with that, or walk away." I was up all night thinking about choice & chance...then jumped the show opener the next day. Gave me some perspective regarding 'luck of the draw'...we don't HAVE to pull a straw - but we do. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krip 2 #4 February 9, 2013 Hi LuckyGlad your around buddyWell son I think the lucky straw is called the "big Roulette wheel of life" Everyone plays, Some folks win , and some lose. The older we get the more shit we see happen to people in the world and friends/people we know. We lucked out: by having good genes and making more of the right choices, than the wrong ones and being lucky on the roulette wheel of life. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer or is that the Light on the locomotive heading towards us.See yall on the other side, later rather than sooner.Damn light is getting bigger but now I can hear a train whistle BTW Jerry the pic of the cessna looks did the responders have to use the jaws of life to cut you guys out and take you out thru the top? R. One Jump Wonder Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
