billvon 3,080 #1 December 11, 2002 DAY 4 Four attempts today, three actual jumps. Jumps 1-3 were pretty successful; we got between 250 and 278 in and docked on the formation. As always it's the last 10% that takes 90% of the effort, and it was the little things (goggles icing over, someone getting lost) that caused the problems. We had one guy simply get lost and dock in the base instead of in his wacker. Barbara Duke lost her helmet on one dive but managed to get to her slot and stay in it. Jump four took off around 4pm and spent about 20 minutes circling at altitude trying to get the formation right. The combination of setting sun and iced-over windscreens caused a few planes to lose sight of the formation and drift away (which, of course, is better than the opposite.) We kept circling until someone got sick from the altitude/oxygen/cramped aircraft and George called it off. When we finally got back to the ground we had been in the air for 75 minutes, and I was in a lot of pain by the time we landed - with 23 big people in the G plane, and no one allowed in the copilot's seat, there is hno room to even move your feet. Tomorrow is more of the same. During one jump, I landed near Tony and we both spied a passing tourist's truck at the same time. Tony and I sprinted for it, and we (and two other people) hopped in. We had about a half mile drive back to the hangar, and the old couple in the truck were happy to drive us back. About halfway back, a bunch of guys started running after the truck, waving at it. "Keep going!" we all yelled. "No room." The driver kept going. A few hundred yards later we passed Elena, a gorgeous Russian skydiver who got moved from the alpha team to the primary attempt. "Stop! Stop!" yelled Tony. "We gotta pick her up." Steve Vargas later asked me why we didn't pick him up. "Oh, the driver thought you'd overload the truck," I told him. The christmas decoration arms race has started. We have 13 tents for each of the teams inside the hangars, and after the first day wacker 8 went out and bought christmas lights for their tent. Not to be outdone, Julie and I bought lights for our tents (wacker 7 and the blue base sector respectively.) I got all blue lights, of course, and Julie spent an hour mixing a red and white set to get alternating red and white lights. Now there's this big arms race, with people buying all sorts of tacky christmas lights, icicles, trees, ornaments etc to outdo their neighbors. And one thing that sorta got to me today. At the end of the day I was in pain, tired, and hungry, and I just wanted to get food and go back to the hotel. Instead had to sit there for half an hour, waiting for a sock puppet to complain about the poor audio system for her suprise performance. I think Lambchop is great and all, but maybe a performance _after_ we get the record would be a better idea. Attached are some pictures of: -lineup of otters -the 300 way hangar -inside, the first day -wacker 4's decorations -wacker 7 and 8's decorations Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #2 December 11, 2002 Pstt... the pics look great I'm sure, if we could see them. I love the write ups so far Bill... keep them coming! Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,080 #3 December 11, 2002 Uploads not working from here. I can email if anyone wants to try to post them from their end. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #4 December 11, 2002 Skydiver@insight.rr.comYesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #5 December 11, 2002 Billvon... Thanks SO much for the updates, and first hand reports.Continued success. and may God , enter and energize your aircraft formation,,,, around 15 grand,,, and ride with EACH of you,,, through jump run, exit, completion of the formation (slot - perfect of course) and on down to absolutely Safe and Gentle Landings... Your 300 way will carry with it,, the best wishes of THIS skydiver,,fellow jumpers,,, who join you in spirit as you achieve this world record.I shall look forward to your reports,, as they are sent out... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #6 December 11, 2002 Thanks for the updates, Bill. You're an inspiration! 278 skydivers docked! Wow! Good luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #7 December 11, 2002 Barbara Duke lost her helmet on one dive but managed to get to her slot and stay in it. Bill, tell Barbara she rocks Getting into her slot after losing her helmet. Wow Thanks for the updates, it's like being there. Just wish I didn't have this damn boot on my ankle, or else I'd be there with you Mary May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,112 #8 December 11, 2002 Quote Barbara Duke lost her helmet on one dive but managed to get to her slot and stay in it. Bill, tell Barbara she rocks Getting into her slot after losing her helmet. Wow Thanks for the updates, it's like being there. Just wish I didn't have this damn boot on my ankle, or else I'd be there with you Mary How do the FAI rules treat "jettisoned" equipment in skydiving? In most aviation events it is disqualifying.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rocketfeuille 0 #9 December 11, 2002 Great work, Bill. Thanks a lot for the updates. Who's responsible for having Lamb Chop there? And what are they thinking? You spend all day falling from the sky and a sock puppet is supposed to be your entertainment? C'mon... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arlo 0 #10 December 11, 2002 Quote Quote Barbara Duke lost her helmet on one dive but managed to get to her slot and stay in it. Bill, tell Barbara she rocks Getting into her slot after losing her helmet. Wow How do the FAI rules treat "jettisoned" equipment in skydiving? In most aviation events it is disqualifying. It's "jettisoned" if it is intentionally discarded. I highly doubt this was the case. You can't compare LOSING a helmet in freefall to cutting away your main due to a malfunction. Anyway, YOU GO GUYS!!! Let's see a 300-way today and progressively larger formations the rest of the week....AFTER recovery day, though. arlo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ridetofly 0 #11 December 11, 2002 Hey everyone in Eloy Thought I'd let you know that the record attempt even made the local Newspaper here in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Nice photo, good job!Aaron Live as you will want to have lived... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #12 December 11, 2002 QuoteYou spend all day falling from the sky and a sock puppet is supposed to be your entertainment? Lambchop is a sort of staple around the big-way scene. Go HERE and see why!quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cajones 0 #13 December 11, 2002 Very nice picture of Mallory! If you're into the glamour shots kind of crap, there's a picture of her without a rig on, too. The laws of physics are strictly enforced. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #14 December 11, 2002 QuoteGreat work, Bill. Thanks a lot for the updates. Who's responsible for having Lamb Chop there? And what are they thinking? You spend all day falling from the sky and a sock puppet is supposed to be your entertainment? C'mon... Hey, Lambchop does a great job. Mallory and Brad have done a great deal to bring skydiving some positive enlightenment to the general public. Not to mention the amount of money that Jump for the Cause events have given to charities. I guess you had to grow up with Lamb Chop to understand how she pulls at the heart strings.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rocketfeuille 0 #15 December 11, 2002 It looks like I was out of line. Sorry if I stepped on any toes... I still fail to see why Lamb Chop is such a big hit, though... Don't get me wrong; she's a cool little puppet and all, but... Nevermind. Sorry. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #16 December 11, 2002 Out of line? Hell no. The average person wouldn't understand the connection and I don't really think the majority of skydivers do either. It was a legitimate question. BTW, it's Lambchop. One word. Oh, and Lambchop can get down right nasty and rude after she's had a few drinks. As far as blending with skydivers, Lambchop fits like a glove. quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,112 #17 December 11, 2002 Quote Quote Quote Barbara Duke lost her helmet on one dive but managed to get to her slot and stay in it. Bill, tell Barbara she rocks Getting into her slot after losing her helmet. Wow How do the FAI rules treat "jettisoned" equipment in skydiving? In most aviation events it is disqualifying. It's "jettisoned" if it is intentionally discarded. I highly doubt this was the case. You can't compare LOSING a helmet in freefall to cutting away your main due to a malfunction. arlo Well, I don't know the rules for skydiving, but in air racing if stuff falls off deliberately OR accidentally it's a DQ. OTOH, hot air balloons are allowed to discard ballast during record attempts.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arlo 0 #18 December 11, 2002 Quote Well, I don't know the rules for skydiving... oh...THAT'S right..... you do 10-way. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Oh wait, that's Carl's team. that's it. I'm going to hell for both those comments. arlo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,112 #19 December 12, 2002 Quote Quote Well, I don't know the rules for skydiving... oh...THAT'S right..... you do 10-way. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Oh wait, that's Carl's team. that's it. I'm going to hell for both those comments. arlo Hell for selective snipping? I think that's appropriate.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,080 #20 December 12, 2002 >You can't compare LOSING a helmet in freefall to cutting away >your main due to a malfunction. Several helmets/faceplates/goggles were intentionally dumped today due to freezing over after exit - being blind in a 300 way is more dangerous than a jettisoned helmet. Also, we've been averaging a cutaway every second jump, which is about a 1 in 620 mal rate - around average, I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nacmacfeegle 0 #21 December 12, 2002 Strange things happen on record attempts, see attached from Henny Wiggers' point of view. I've got funny footage from the Brit100 record in 99, Derro T (name shortened to protect the well known owner of Sunpath) left the Let without fastening his chin strap, caught the thing just out the door, then flew down to his base slot. He had a side mount camera on, also POV cams in the base, the footage is funny..... Not so funny, but worthy of mention nevertheless, we had at least two instances of open containers in the formation, again on video. Some seriously heads up jumpers spotted the potential situations, and prevented any drama..... -------------------- He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.thumb.jpg.4bb795e2eaf21b8b300039a5e1ec7f92.jpg)