jimmytavino 16
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steve1 5
( One of the Carl Boenish Films.. Either Sky Capers or Masters of the Sky,,, has a demo landing sequence
I recall that scene.......The scene that really sticks in my mind though is of the two-way hookup tearing it's way through someone's canopy. I'd love to see that movie again. It's been about 30 years since I last viewed it. I'd also love to jump a PC again. Everyone thinks I'm nuts for wanting to, but just for old time's sake. I've still got my old Frenchies. You never know, I might need them again. I may even get out my old motorcycle helmet. portia goggles, and baggy jump suit (complete with bell-bottom sleeves and legs)......Steve1
skypuppy 1
I've jumped pcs lots for fun, although I actually started on sierras - which were a lite-weight copy of a pc, I believe... What I remember impressed me most was the silence on those first few jumps after the plane flew away from me... It was like being in church on a sunday morning... This contrasted with the noise from the wind when I released the brakes on my first square (stratostar) jump and watched the canopy dive down in front of me... Never really captured the feeling of releasing the brakes like that again....
If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone
You are right no slider. They were orginally designed for a sleave not a bag with a spring loaded pilot chute and front mounted reserve.
Tony Brogdon
D-12855
D-12855
Never broke any bones,just the useral bumps,bruses,and sprains,mostly from down wind landing in comps.Had several malfunctions on the PC.The ram airs are less malfunction prone since the invention of the slider.PC's have softer opening shock than a square.Every body shortened PC lines at least 24"by 1966!! For faster/stable turns and less malfunctions.Most of my PC jumps were on a deployment bag not a sleve.POP D-47
Of all the chutes I've jumped, I liked the Para Commander best. I have had several, one which was prone to have a malfunction every so often, especially when I packed a 16mm movie camera in the apex pointing down.
My black and Gold PC was the best. I would field pack it overnight, and with two pilot chutes, I could go as low as I wished and get a good solid opening., every time.
I wish I still had it, and dont even know what I did with it.
Ram airs are nice and fly better, but the ole PC was a lot more fun to jump. I never shortened the lines on mine, and seldom had to do a PLF as Standup landings were easy with the PC.
Bill Cole D-41 Canada
My black and Gold PC was the best. I would field pack it overnight, and with two pilot chutes, I could go as low as I wished and get a good solid opening., every time.
I wish I still had it, and dont even know what I did with it.
Ram airs are nice and fly better, but the ole PC was a lot more fun to jump. I never shortened the lines on mine, and seldom had to do a PLF as Standup landings were easy with the PC.
Bill Cole D-41 Canada
tuffjump 0
Made my first square jump on a Parasled in Delray Beach Oct 1973 it was my 73rd Jump. Bought my first square Dec 1973 it was a Babyplane it was the hardest canopy opening I ever experenced. I'd pull, grab my belly reserve and hold on tight. Lost the canopy after a cut away......best thing that coulda happened.lol.Back in the late 70's you were required to have 100 jumps under a round canopy before you were allowed to jump a square. I had 50 jumps under a 10 with front mounted reserve and 50 under a Paracommander. my paracommander landed extremely soft if you pulled back on the back risers just before landing
dks13827 3
great memories indeed, Jimmy. the silence, peace, beauty on those PC's. in Oklahoma we opened way upwind, backed up rapidly towards the airport, turned a 180 to run into the landing area, followed by a 180 hook turn to a very soft standup (sometimes cutting away one capewell, indeed !! it all sounds funny but we thought it was all normal procedure,, ha ha !!!! Dave
dks13827 3
PC's were indeed pretty reliable.. some guys seemed to have PC's that would malfunction periodically, maybe it wasnt the canopy, you know?
but wow were PC's way better than surplus canopies, for me it was T-10's ! ouch, some hard landings in the wind. ![[:/]](/uploads/emoticons/dry.png "[:/]"){kind=small}
dks13827 3
the early squares had a pilot chute controlled reefing system, most of them. Clouds opened not too horribly hard... then Strato Stars opened quite nicely... with a big long bridle cord that you young folks wouldnt believe !!!! ha ha !!!
dks13827 3
inspired you ? what about Ripcord TV show ??? it was great, in it's day.
That was Dean McLaughlin's rather tight DZ, right. There was a neat bar just down the street.
HW
HW
steve1 5
but wow were PC's way better than surplus canopies,
I have trouble labelling a para-commander, as just another round canopy. They were way better than the old "rag" canopies. In fact they were considered the hot canopy to own, in the early 70's.
They were the Impala, the rags were a Biscayne and if ya wanted a Caprice...go Papillion!
~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~
wmw999 2,557
Would that make the Piglet a VW Beetle?
Wendy P.
Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)
airdvr 210
My first PC felt like I was blasting around the sky
Please don't dent the planet.
Destinations by Roxanne
Destinations by Roxanne
I hated doing rear PLF's
....your description of them is right on!
I had sort of forgotten about that steve1...yes... with the momentum from that "spirally "
( One of the Carl Boenish Films.. Either Sky Capers or Masters of the Sky,,, has a demo landing sequence where the jumper does JUST THAT,, on a paved parking lot.... with all the flags on the ground ,,,,
Whipping ~ ~!!!!! in the wind...)..hahahaha..
and sure,, paraboots were S.O.P.
... and as tbrown recalls,,,they let ya' keep jumpin' in the winter...and....
Floating to the ground on a still winter day,, after a sucessful 4 way, under a silent canopy, with some friends flying alongside you,,,,,the cold sun bright in a solid blue sky,, and fresh snow everywhere,, except for the runway....is a memory easily forgotten... thanks for bringing it back today ...
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